Overview

Studio Subtitling is plugin for Trados Studio 2019-SR2 and Trados Studio 2021 that provides features for previewing subtitle captions within the video while translating segments in the Editor.  This includes a verification provider with specific QA checks for validating subtitle content, ensuring the translations provided adhere to the standards agreed upon.

As we move forward, we will start to extend our portfolio in supporting additional subtitle formats. 

The current release includes file type support for (SubStation Alpha) .ass (SubRip).srt, (WebVTT).vtt,(YouTube).sbv and (Spruce Subtitle file).stl formats.

Trados Studio 2019 SR2+ and Trados Studio 2021 support the following formats ‘out of the box’-.srt .vtt .sbv and .sub. 

There may however be certain scenarios, where you are advised to install the separate plugin for a better experience.

If you are working with .stl, and /or .ass/ssa file types, you will need to install the relevant plugin.

In addition, we also released a new TQA model generated from the FAR model, covering the primary requirements in a providing a functional approach to assessing quality for subtitle formats, using the integrated Translation Quality Assessment feature of Studio.

Technical Requirements

We recommend Windows 8.1 (preferably W10) and SDL Trados Studio 2019 SR2 as a minimum. 

Setup

Studio Subtitling Plugin

1. Download the Studio Subtitling plugin to your local drive
2. Double click on the plugin to launch the Plugin Installer and complete the installation, selecting the supported versions of Trados Studio.

File Type Plugins

Download the required File Type plugins to your local drive

Double click on each of the plugins to launch the Plugin Installer and complete the installation, selecting the supported versions of SDL Studio.

Complete the installation of the File types from within the Studio Options

1. Launch Studio 2021 (or 2019)
2. Select: File → Options → File Types
3. Click on the 'Additional installed File Types exist' link
4. Check the checkboxs associated with each of the File Types that you want installed from the Add Additional Installed File Types dialog
5. Click OK to save the settings
   

Subtitling Preview & Data controls

The Subtitling preview and data controls are available for valid subtitle documents. The Preview control provides a real-time preview of the subtitles within the video, whereas the Data control displays the subtitle metadata for each of the segments, along with real time verification feedback as the linguist is providing translations in the editor.

Configuration

Both the preview and data controls can be displayed and positioned anywhere within the Editor view.
To display the preview or data control:

1. Open a subtitle document in the Editor
2. Select the Ribbon view
3. Select the option Subtitling Preview or Subtitling Data from the ‘Information’ group
4. Reposition the control, docking or pinning it in the preferred location.

Features

Synchronized selection and content changes

The selected segment from the editor is synchronized with the subtitle track that is displayed in the video. When the user moves to a new segment in the editor, the corresponding track is selected in the video and similarly when the user selects a subtitle track in the video, focus is moved to the corresponding segment in the editor. 
Additionally, changes applied to the translation are immediately visible in the subtitle caption from the video, including any formatting that was applied (e.g. bold, italic, underline…).

Real time verification feedback

Displays real time verification feedback as the content is being updated, providing the linguist with a much more informed approach in making decisions as they are translating.

Splitting & Merging segments

Support for splitting and merging segments within and across paragraph boundaries.  When merging across paragraphs, all context and structure related to the paragraphs that have been fully merged to the parent paragraph are excluded from the native file that is regenerated with the target content.

Merged and Virtually merged files

Support for working with both merged and virtually merged files.  Ideally each subtitle file that is added to the project should have a corresponding video reference with the same name (with exception to the file extension). Each time the user navigates to a new file within the document, the relative video is loaded (if available) and corresponding track in the video is selected.

Editable time tracks

Support for updating the display time of the subtitle captions.  This feature permits a linguist to adapt the Start and End time-codes to align better with the translated content.  This also includes hotkeys to automatically set the Start/End times from the current position of the video.

Time-code Format

Support for converting and displaying the time-code format between Frames and Milliseconds.

Setting a minimum time span between subtitles

Support for applying the rules of a styleguide to set a minimum time span between subtitles.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Support for assigning keyboard shortcuts to help automate interaction with the subtitling controls from the editor (e.g. jump back/forward from the video in seconds or frames, link/unlink the video, play back from previous subtitle etc...)

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Usage

Pre-requisite

• Install the Studio Subtitling and File Types plugins, following the steps listed in Setup.

Add a video reference

1. Launch the project wizard.
2. Add a subtitle document that is supported by one of the File Types installed.
3. Decide whether you want to add a video reference for the subtitle document during project creation or at a later stage from the Editor.
   1. Add a video reference during project creation
      1. The file name of the video should match that of the subtitle document, with exception to the extension.
      2. The video will be a physical resource in the project, meaning that it will be included in the package.  Keep this mind as video files can be quite large in size.
   2. Don't add a video reference during project creation
      1. The video reference can be added at a later stage when the document is opened in the Editor.
      2. This option is more appropriate for distribution, keeping the overall size of the project small, while still allowing the linguist to download and add a reference later if required.
4. Click on Finish to complete the project creation.
5. Open the subtitle document for translation in the Editor.
   
   1. If the Subtitling Preview or Subtitling Data controls are not visible in the Editor, then follow the steps listed in the Configuration.
   2. If a video reference was not provided during the project creation, then a default image will be displayed in it's place.  To load a video reference that coincides with the subtitles in the document, browse and select the media from the settings window of the plugin.
6. Once the video reference is loaded, the video will be displayed and subtitles will synchronize with the segments in the document.
   
   Note: The area of the video in the Subtitling Preview control will adapt automatically to the aspect ratio of the video

Options

1. Go to the Subtitling Preview control.
2. Click on Settings to customize.
   1. Video
      1. Video path
      2. Time-code format (Milliseconds or Frames)
      3. Frame Rate
   2. Subtitle
      1. Font, color, wight, and size.
      2. Background color and opacity.
      3. Character edge color and style.

These will be your default captions format settings until you change them again or click Reset to go back to the default captions format.

Time-code format

The time-code format is always displayed in milliseconds from the Subtitle Preview control.  It is read as milliseconds, unless the subtitle document has information to suggest otherwise.  In the case that the format should be read as Frames, select the option 'Frames' from Time-code combobox in the Subtitle Preview Options dialog.

To successfully switch the Time-code format from Milliseconds to Frames:

• The frame rate of the video must be known.
• The fractional seconds (to be identified as frames) cannot exceed the frame rate for any of the time code entries for each of the segments in the document.
• Make reference to Time-code Conversion to understand more.

Time-code Conversion 

• How to calculate the position in milliseconds, given the frame rate and frame:

Milliseconds Per Frame = 1000 / Frame Rate
Frames To Milliseconds = Frame * Milliseconds Per Frame

Given:
- Frame Rate = 24
- Frame = 4

Result:
  Milliseconds Per Frame = 41.666 (1000 / Frame Rate)
  Frame To Milliseconds = 166.666 (Frame * Milliseconds Per Frame)

Given:
- Frame Rate = 24
- Milliseconds = 166.666

 Result:
  Milliseconds Per Frame = 41.666 (1000 / Frame Rate)
  Milliseconds To Frame = 4  (Milliseconds / Milliseconds Per Frame)