Synchronization

These tools can be used to synchronize dialog translations with the movies. The buttons are:

Set start - put current movie position into current subtitle's start timestamp
Prev. end - put current position into previous subtitle's timestamp
Set end - put current position into current subtitle's timestamp

There are also similar keyboard actions available.

Synchronization explained

This function is useful for synchronizing a text (dialog translation without timestamps) with the movie. SP can load any text file and upon loading it creates a subtitle from every line in the file, leaving zeros as timestamp values.

Zero-timestamp (start time) subtitles are considered to be unsynchronized. In the synchronization mode (toggled with a button in player's main toolbar) the first unsynchronized subtitle is displayed when there is no regular (synchronized) subtitle available for current movie position. The OSD display is slightly different:

Configurable number of subtitles are displayed below the current subtitles. These are the previous subtitles. The style can be also configured.
Configurable number of subtitles are displayed on top of the current subtitle. These are the next subtitles, which will come after current subtitle. The style is also configurable.

These changes provide hints what already was said and what will come so the person who is synchronizing can be prepared.

Pressing the Set start button or keyboard shortcut, the current position is automatically filled in the current subtitle's timestamp. The end timestamp remains zero. After this the subtitle becomes synchronized and due to the empty end timestamp it will immediately vanish and a new unsynchronized subtitle will be displayed. The end timestamp can be filled in using the Prev. end action. End timestamps can also be later calculated automatically.

This provides very easy way to synchronize subtitles, one can play the movie and when the characters say the sentence (a knowledge of the mivie will be helpfull, in case of missed dialog the movie can be rewound and played again) press a single key and the subtitle becomes synchronized.