Name of the Tool Review: DotSUB
Primary category for this tool: Communication Tool but it can also be Presentation Tool
Tool Description
Dotsub is web-based
used for creating and viewing subtitles for videos in multiple languages across
all platforms and mobile devices. By this, it means one can upload a video of
her own, or share a URL of an existing video for capturing and translation. The
video can be translated from or into any languages of your choice provided you
are equipped to type the target language (for example, you need Unikey software
that allows you to type Vietnamese with diacritic marks).
Dotsub basically is
very easy to use and require no additional downloading or installation for the
tool to work. Dotsub allows you to do two major things: 1) to transcribe and
allow caption to appear on the screen as the video goes, and/or 2) to translate
and show the caption in the target language.
Steps to dotSUB:
1. Upload videos to
dotSUB:
- Sign in or first
create an account
- Click on “Upload
your video”, decide on the license language, genre and how you want to share
your video (public or private)
- Decide further on “Video
Properties” as you wish and click “save”
2. Capture videos on
dotSUB
- Be sure you are
logged in
- Click on “Caption”
option
- Hit “CTRL + SHIFT + P” to start and stop the video, or simply
hit the “Play” button.
- Type what you hear in the box, then hit CTRL
+ SHIFT + ↓ to enter the "out" point for this caption line. (You will notice that the 00:00
numbers to the left of the caption line box change when you do this. Then hit
the "enter" key. You will see the line you just typed move up
in the cue, and this will save your work).
- Repeat the procedure for every caption line
whose length is up to your choice.
- To set the in point for a caption line you
can hit CTRL + SHIFT + ↑.
- To rewind 1 second hit CTRL + SHIFT + ←,
- For higher speed rewind, hit CTRL +
SHIFT + ← for a few times or hold the ← arrow
Tips:
Try to keep the captions to 2 lines. 3 lines
can sometimes get in the way of the picture. Also, make sure your captions are
up for enough time so that the viewer can read them. Once you get the hang of
it you'll find it quite easy and even fun!
3. How to translate a video on dotSUB:
- Go to the video and look for the blue
"Caption/Translate" tab
- Look for the drop down menu next to the
yellow “Translate” button, select the language you want to translate it into
and hit the “Translate” button.
- Click on the blue text that says “Click here
to translate into [language] under every caption line
Note:
You can translate as many lines at a time as
you like, hit the enter key, just be sure to hit “enter” key for your
work to be saved.
You can go “back to video” to see your
translation against the video and publish the video if you wish.
What do you need to know before using this tool?
- No advanced skilled.
As basic skills as hitting the “play” button to start and stop the video, or
pull the drop down button.
- You don’t need any
additional supplement devices as transcribing and translating the video
basically manual work.
I used dotSUB to
transcribed, captioned, translated and published the “Intro to Digital Storytelling”
video of Dr. Robin (the publishing is just meant to temporarily showcase this
assignment. The video will be taken down after this Module). Make sure to
choose the language on the CC button so that you can see the caption.
Please describe a scenario of how you might use this tool in a
teaching environment
Obviously, DotSUB is a
great tool to use, especially in a language classroom with low level of
language proficiency students. With dotSUB caption in source or translated
language, teachers face less limitation on which videos to use and less be
headache if the target language is over the top of the students’ command.
dotSUB caption and
translated subtitles will also benefit classroom instruction with a variety of
students’ learning styles (i.e. a number of students are visual learners who
like to see the texts while some others are auditory who want to listen, for
example).
DotSUB also directly
benefit language learners in developing their two language skills (reading and
listening) simultaneously, especially with challenging materials.
And yes, in the time
of MOOCs, captioned and translated videos help to decrease the language barriers
and thus attract a bigger group of global audience. As dotSUB slogan says “a
localized video is a smart video”.
Disadvantages of using this tool in a formal or informal
teaching environment
However, risk or negative
consequence of using dotSUB can derive from one of its own advantages, that is,
it can hinder language learners from striving to obtain the target language through
listening, for example if/when subtitles are provided. Or, it will be less work
than necessary for the students to digest the target language if the
translation is provided. However, this disadvantage isn’t always the case. It
is only disadvantageous when the students could process the language alone
without the need to be supported with captions or translation.
Would you recommend this Web 2.0 tool to others, or suggest that
they explore a
different tool?
Absolutely!
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