There are basically 2 ways that you can watch a streaming video with subtitles:
Embedded Subtitles
This means that the subtitles have been embedded into the video and all you have to do is play the video and the subtitles will appear. In some instances you'll have to turn the subtitles on but they are already in there and you don't have to download anything to view the subtitles. (Example: When a Divx video has embedded subtitles you right click on the video and select the subtitles track)
Here's an example of a video with Embedded English Subtitles
The Incredible Hulk
External Subtitles
This means that you'll have to download the subtitles that match the video. It'll usually contain a link to the subtitles file for you to download them and add them to the video. Subtitles files are very small text files that usually end with the extension .srt or .sub. (More on this in a moment).
How to use External Subtitles
There are a number of ways to use external subtitles files. Let's go over them.
First of all you'll have to download the subtitles that are provided in the post to the video. Here's an example post:
QUOTE
Click the "Matching English Subtitles" link and download the subtitles file. The subtitles are timed to match the timing of the video.
Now here are a number of ways to watch this video with the subtitles.
METHOD 1
One way is to download the video itself. Put both the video file and the subtitles file in the same folder and give them the same name. For example:
Video file: castaway.avi
Subtitle file: castaway.srt
Now if you open the video in a player that supports subtitles such as Windows Media Player or DivX player. The subtitles will play.
METHOD 2
With a DivX movie. Let the video load all the way. Once it's completely loaded right click on the video and select "Preferences", In the dialog box that pops up click the "Download Cache" tab. Then click the "Open Cache Folder" button. A new dialog box will open that contains the video file. Open this file with your DivX player and you can load the subtitles into the video with the DivX player.
METHOD 3 (MY FAVORITE)
This is my favorite method for using external Subtitles files on a streaming video because I don't have to download that large video file. It's quick, easy and with this method I you can watch absolutely any video you can watch on your computer that you have the matching subtitles file for. No matter what format. You can even use this method to watch DVD's with matching subtitles.
Here's How I do it.
First watch this video I made that shows the entire process:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1OUz5CgK1E
The first thing you need is the Nalsoft Subtitles player. This player will show the subtitle through the streaming video like you see in the above youtube video.
Next you need a video to play with the subtitles. The subtitles player will only display subtitles if it's also playing a video. So what I did is I created an AVI video that's a little over 4 hours long (plenty long for most movies). It's made of nothing but a thin black image. You can download that here:
(Click here to download) IS NOW COMPRESSED/ZIP. The video file is 14.7mb.
Now all you need are the subtitles. The above video shows how to use them. For movies try opensubtitles.org or subscene.com. For TV shows try TVsubtitles.net.
Things to keep in mind
- Subtitles files are very small text files (Average 90kb). So if you found a streaming internet video that you'd need subtitles to watch it. It's much easier to download the subtitles.
- The subtitles files are made by people so some will be better then others.
- Not all subtitles will be made for the video you are watching. Some videos start at a different point so you may need to adjust the timing of the video and subtitles player to get them to line up.
- I'm not sure why but in some sites the subtitles won't show through a floated video but will through a full screen video. Other site are opposite (Will show through a popped up but not full screen).
- Even when the subtitles file matches the video you still might have to do a little adjusting at the beginning by pausing the subtitles player or the video. For instance sometimes the video will buffer for a few seconds before the video actually starts playing so the timing will be a bit off. So just pause to synch them and you'll be all set.
- The subs will also show through media players such as Windows Media player. So if you happen to find a DVD you want to watch but need subtitles for it. You can pop the DVD in your computer and use the above method to watch it with subtitles (I was able to watch some classics such as Three Stooges and W.C. Fields movies because of this. Found the DVD's at a dollar store.
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