Quote: Hi, I would like to create horizontal scrolling subtitle text and coordinated with prerecorded speech audio in the timeline.

I see this on TV regularly, often with black background, white text and single line scrolling with the video speech.

I have watched Dafydd's "Subtitles - CyberLink PowerDirector 7", which is very helpful. However, it inputs the text as a block, without scrolling.

I have been able to establish the scrolling text for about 30 minutes of talk, but the computer capacity seems somewhat stressed and coordination with the talk, as it progresses in the timeline, seems impossible.

Should I abandon this because the software (or my hardware) cannot deliver this adequately or is there guidance as to what I can do? The accomplishments of PD 8 Ultra are mind boggling, so I thought I would ask if there is some sort of solution to this issue before I abandon the idea.

I do not yet know how to post my computer information beneath my name, as some do, and would appreciate any guidance on how to accomplish that too, for the future.

Thank you.
Bohn

The final request is the easiest to deal with - Click on "My profile" at the top of the forum page and then place the information you want displayed in the "Signature" text box.

I was very interested in your attempt and envious of your patience in trying to achieve this type of speech title display. I cant advise either way - your call.... best of luck

Dafydd
[Moderator]

(Just an idea I'm sure you've tried, but maybe not.)
Have you tried breaking the video up into small clips,
producing each clip and then combining those clips together?
The best thing about PD is the people in the Forums !!!
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Thanks, Dayfdd. My compliments on this very extraordinary forum. The contributors are outstanding, but your continuing leadership has got to be the leaven in the bread.

I have not given up on the horizontal scroll yet. I have sent off for 4 more GB of ram, which will bring me to the maximum which Windows 7 can handle, 8 GB. Perhaps that is what is needed.

The scroll line, as I had it set up, was one long segment of about 30 minutes. I have it the same length as the speech duration. However, it scrolls very slowly. I have assumed that this is necessary in order to have the two finish together. If this assumption is wrong, I may be able to work with it better, especially if I put the scrolling text into shorter segments.

Again, thanks for your experienced response. I'll comment if any solution surfaces. I am not ready to abandon this finction, unless it simply can't be done.

Bohn Laptop PC, ASUS
Core i7 Q 720
Win 7, 64-bit
RAM 8GB DDR2
Graphics, NVIDIA GeForce GTS 360M 1GB DDR5

Hi Bob,

I have not tried breaking the segments up. As I just told Dafydd, that is my only remaining hope.

Thanks for your suggestion, I'll give it a try.

Bohn Laptop PC, ASUS
Core i7 Q 720
Win 7, 64-bit
RAM 8GB DDR2
Graphics, NVIDIA GeForce GTS 360M 1GB DDR5

Hi Bob,

I did give you a full respons earlier. I have not produced anything yet. Evertthing I am working is in the same foremat and I assumed that producing was uncalled for.

I thought the only benefit to producing was making everything the same. Obviously, I have a lot to learn.

Thenks,

Bohn Laptop PC, ASUS
Core i7 Q 720
Win 7, 64-bit
RAM 8GB DDR2
Graphics, NVIDIA GeForce GTS 360M 1GB DDR5

I think I would place my text into a scrolling single line title. I don't know the maximum length possible (if any) but that might determine any fixed breaks??

Pre-produce the plain scrolling title on a black or whatever background and then import it into a PiP track where it can be sized to suit and speed adjusted to match the speech.

The title sections may need to to be split up more or less depending on the variations in speech speed and context. Using different PiP tracks might allow more flexibility in speed and transitions maybe?

Cheers
Adrian

Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated. (see below)
Confucius
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Hi Adrian,

You are putting your finger on issues which I had anticipated, but haven't tried to resolve yet. Your surfacing them makes me realize that addressing them may well resolve the issues I tried to address earlier. I will take Your and Bob's advice and see how things work.

There indeed are variations in speech delivery and pauses, which will affect the scroll rate as the thing progresses. I had hoped to avoid this "editing by segmenting" because it will probably be tedious and I had hoped that the rate of scroll accross the length of the screen would work to moderate these variables in both directions, over the length of the text.

I will take your advice, but first, I will try to shorten the time line on the scrolling text, to see if I can make it all end at the same time.

Again, thank you for our insights and suggestions.

Bohn Laptop PC, ASUS
Core i7 Q 720
Win 7, 64-bit
RAM 8GB DDR2
Graphics, NVIDIA GeForce GTS 360M 1GB DDR5

I was going to suggest exactly what Bob and Adrian said, so I won't repeat it. My computer chokes on large projects and I notice a big improvement when I produce it and then start fresh with the produced video in the timeline. __________________________________
CORNBLOSSOM

Thanks Jamie,

You said, "My computer chokes on large projects and I notice a big improvement when I produce it and then start fresh with the produced video in the timeline." That is exactly what seemed to happen to my computer. Thiings were so slow, it seemed impractical to try to coordinate the slow scroll with the speech, which went much faster than the scroll.

Unfortunately, I have to expose more of my ignorance. The only way I know how to "proproduce" as suggested by Adrian would to deal with the entire scrolling text and "split" or 'trim" it when appropriate. You can see that I do not understand what to do, so far as "producing it and then start fresh with the produced video in the timeling."

I am truly embarrassed to be so ignorant, but if you can explain this to me I will be greatful.

Thanks,

Bohn Laptop PC, ASUS
Core i7 Q 720
Win 7, 64-bit
RAM 8GB DDR2
Graphics, NVIDIA GeForce GTS 360M 1GB DDR5

Produce your movie to whatever format you like. Separately, produce your scrolling subtitles on a black background. Then, open the movie in PowerDirector. Import the movie of the subtitles. Place the subtitles in a PiP line and adjust to how you want them and produce the final movie. Hopefully you can use SVRT without re-encoding. Does that answer your question? __________________________________
CORNBLOSSOM

Hi Bohn -

I attempted a similar thing (though not so long) in a recent project. I also tried suggestions above at the time - using PiP to play a pre-produced file (blurry) - breaking the scrolling text up into smaller sections (gaps between sections -> not synchronised with voice). I abandoned the idea in the end.

There's a difficulty applying so much scrolling text in PD. You may have noticed it shimmering/juddering across the screen. It creates a moire effect, making it difficult to read.

When you try to match that to the natural speed of speech, it magnifies the problem. For example, it took me 1:22 to read your original post. I copied the text, got rid of the returns, & pasted it into a scrolling text file against an imported background (.bmp file).

Setting its duration at 1:22:00 made it quite uncomfortable to read (and I knew what it said). With the duration at 2:00:00, it was a little better, but still had the "shimmies". At about 2:30, it looked about the right speed... but it wouldn't match the voice-over.

I think, personally, the subtitles path is a better one to follow.

Cheers - Tony
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Hi Tony,

Thanks for the relpy and advice. I have been trying the subtitles and they have been working fine. However, the text only coordinates at the beginning and the end of the text. There is quite a lot of variation in the speech pattern. The speaker even ad-libs occasionally. The scrolling text tends to out pace the speech and, over time, there is no text on the screen which coordinates with the oral speech. At the end, the text speeds up and they both end at the same time.

I have spent the morning searching for some information about how to vary the scrolling text file, or even pause it while the speech and images in the timeline continue. I have searched this forum, PDToots and utube without success. I feel there must be something out there on the point, but I have not come up with the appropriate key word for the search. There are two tutorials for use in the PIP, but I don't think they are applicable to the subtitles.

I have been using white text with no background and it seems to read fine on these particular videos.

I am certainly in need of any guidance or advice.

Thank you for your help. I feel a resolution, probably from additional guidance, is just around the corner. The subtitle option works well with my equipment, except for the lack of coordination between the speed of video and text.

As soon as I earn a star, or so, I'll close with a friendly "cheers", but for now, it's just plain,

Bohn Laptop PC, ASUS
Core i7 Q 720
Win 7, 64-bit
RAM 8GB DDR2
Graphics, NVIDIA GeForce GTS 360M 1GB DDR5

Keep going....

I want you to keep trying. I'm hopeful you'll decide to split the ticker display thus speeding up delivery to match the spoken word and give you a variance on the timing somewhat.
Splitting can be done within one title using multiple tracks overlaid to display in differing time sequences on the same location (it is harder to do). Or the simplest form is to have multiple Titles in the Title track.

The essential part of what you're attempting is to get the correct display time to match the spoken word. I think you need to split the ticker display just as the subtitles are split for example. and then develop either multiple Titles in a track or multiple titles with a Title.

Just my 4 penny worth.

Dafydd
[Moderator]

Thanks for your help Dafydd. I sent you a more protracted reply, but it hasn't been posted. I do not know what the time delay is on these messages, so I am sending this simple thank you, in case the other never gets to you.

Bohn Laptop PC, ASUS
Core i7 Q 720
Win 7, 64-bit
RAM 8GB DDR2
Graphics, NVIDIA GeForce GTS 360M 1GB DDR5