ASMAN SUBMaker

Subtitles are not meant just for the better understanding of language, but sound might not be by your side and you don't always have the liberty to skip back and forth through movies. Various application are available with which subtitles are made, with ASMAN SUBMaker being just one example of how easy it all gets.

Running the application brings up a truly unique blend of images and features. However, this doesn't necessarily mean it's appealing, with elements lacking the integrity of a standard window and leaving more to be desired.

All functions are in plain sight, with the preview section taking up most space, a side panel for subtitle lines, playback controls, as well as text input fields. The application lets you add text on up to three lines, but they are not mandatory and only designed this way for more comfort and space.

Loading movie files is only done through the file menu, with no support for drag and drop. The list of files you can load is pretty poor, with options only covering AVI, MPG and WMV. For better preview, you can always switch to a full screen view, and analysis is enhanced by corresponding playback controls and the progress slider that also displays the current and total number of frames.

Moving on to what the application can do, the overall process is pretty easy and doesn't take long. This is because each button you need to press is highlighted, with the only thing you have to know is where and what to write down.

Sadly, functionality issues cut out a big deal of practicality, because it directly affects not only comfort, but some features depend on it. For instance, the current frame is not properly displayed, and providing the correct frame for start and end time of each subtitle line is the only method to create subtitles.

On an ending note, ASMAN SUBMaker tries to impress through a custom made interface and an incredibly helpful and guided creation process. Sure, its intentions are good, but the overall implementation of features and a few issues here and there keep it from being a pro of its kind. It only supports a few file types, and without proper frame grabbing, your work is more or less compromised from the start.