How To: Adjust subtrack delay in VLC media player

VLC (VideoLAN Client) media player is the best media player available. Although the default skin (GUI) is not so great, sparing that no other media player is even close to the number of features that VLC provides. Especially when it comes to dealing with corrupt files and any kind of discrepancies with VLC they could be sorted out in a jiffy.

Ever had a media file whose audio and video are desynchronized and didn't know what to do, well one option would be to open the media file in VLC and set 'Audio desynchronization compensation' in ' Settings -> preferences.. -> Audio '. Do check the 'Advanced Options' to list this feature. Play around with various numbers in this field to set optimal synchronization for that file.

Of the many other invaluable features of VLC, adjusting subtitles track delay is a great one. Since many of '.srt'(subtitles) files rely primarily upon the time it is not so uncommon that many a times either the video is lagging the subtitles are vice versa.

One way to rectify is to modify the entire '.srt' file time fields to be synchronized with the video. For example if you find a 10 second delay between the subtitles and the video, add every 'time' field in the '.srt' file 10 seconds. This is not a practical option as a 90 minute video usually has around 2000 entries relating to the timing of a particular subtitle.

The best way to solve this problem is to use VLC. I had to do a little research on this feature because there is no apparent field in the 'settings -> preferences..' box to set the value of the amount of delay.

In VLC, subtitle track delay is adjusted when the video is in progress. The only way i found so far is to use 'HOTKEYS' (which can be configured in ' Settings -> preferences.. -> Interface -> Hotkey Settings [do remeber to check 'Advanced options']).

While the video is in progress use the key combination 'ctrl + j' to decrease the delay of subtitles and use 'ctrl + h' to increase the delay. For every keystroke a 50 millisecond delay is added (or subtracted accordingly).

These are the default key combinations in VLC 0.8.4 (windows version). you can always configure these keys to suit your needs using the HOTKEY configuration menu provided above.

If you are not using VLC already grab one from here

VLC rox !
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