[thee]

I use subtitles for most of my movies/shows and they are much easier to read when there is an opaque box behind them, rather then just a thin border. Having this option would be great. It would be even better if there was an option that lets you change the transparency level of the box.

Examples of what I mean:



This is a small option, but would be a great benefit in XBMC, for us subtitle users

[isamu.dragon]

Sort of interested, not for complete opacity, but 50% as an option maybe

[thee]

Yeah 50% should be enough. No need for lower setting than that I guess.

[Karstein]

Make that for Teletext pages too, they are a PITA to read as it is now.

[bornagainpenguin]

Posting here instead of here to avoid annoyance of other users, As I said I prefer to continue the conversation and add knowledge rather than spam the forum with new threads if I can do so. I hope this doesn't seem like necroing....

I remembered the suggestion that it might be possible to use different fonts to achieve a "closed captioning" effect with the built in XBMC subtitles and started hunting for something that might work. In the course of my searches I came across a font called Impact Label that seemed like it could be a candidate for the kind of thing we're looking for. I downloaded it and extracted it to the \XBMC\media\Fonts folder and fired up XBMC, choosing to use that instead of Arial.

Unfortunately it only works so-so, due to the lack of a 'black' color font display, as you can see in the picture below:



Does anyone know of a way to keep moving this forward by changing the color of the fonts? I searched for a way to do it by changing lines somewhere in an *.XML file, but it looks as though these colors are hardcoded and can only be changed in the source code. Is that the truth or is there something else?

--bornagainpenguin

[Ned Scott]

It would be pretty neat to do this from within XBMC, but I should point out, it's also possible to extract the subs, add something like this and then remux the sub as a stylized sub (SSA). Hmm, maybe I'll throw together a little guide on how to do that..

[bornagainpenguin]

Honestly while that HOWTO sounds interesting, I think most of us have a little too much in our library to be manually recreating the subs to each episode. Unless you think it can be automated?

That's why I'm hoping someone who knows more can bundle this font into an addon or something to work with all videos on the player level. Media Player Classic can do it, why can't XBMC?

[thee]

Yep, this is definitely something XBMC should be able to do, rather then the user.

[Ned Scott]

I guess I've just been spoiled having stylized subs in anime. They show up so much nicer than plain text subs. It's actually a little jarring to me when I do come across plain subs, like how do people live with that?

The font idea is an interesting one, and would make for an easy "fix".

[bornagainpenguin]

The font idea is an interesting one, and would make for an easy "fix".

Only if we can get someone on board with a way to adjust the colors. Then IIRC the font is free for personal use and the designer might be willing to allow it to be bundled with the program, I don't know we would have to ask him. Or maybe someone who is a font geek could use the font as a proof of concept and design one specifically for xbmc to use? All I know is that I'd really like to have at least an option to make the subtitles in xbmc to have black borders to make it easier to read them.

I'm trying not to be a pain and do a little self-help because it seems so few of us actually care about the subtitles, but it's hard to contribute when you're not a coder.

--bornagainpenguin

PS: I made a thread here asking for a way to change the subtitles font to a black color, but so far no responses other than another recommendation to manually edit ASS subs for every one of the videos in my collection.

[zbyna]

I would appreciate such changes too but I am afraid the team does not support them.
There is topic from 2010:
82297 (thread)

and the feature request even from 2009 was moved to obsolete box:
http://trac.kodi.tv/ticket/8018#comment:6

...

[Ned Scott]

If you want something changed or added then you must find someone who is willing to do that work. This is not an issue of what the team supports or not. You simply cannot expect someone who work on something in their spare time, for free, for something they are not currently interested in working on. I'm a team member and I would love this feature, but I'm not a programmer. I, like you, have to wait until there is someone out there, doesn't have to be a team member, just has to be someone who can program, looks at this and wants to work on it.

[zbyna]

If you want something changed or added then you must find someone who is willing to do that work. This is not an issue of what the team supports or not. You simply cannot expect someone who work on something in their spare time, for free, for something they are not currently interested in working on. I'm a team member and I would love this feature, but I'm not a programmer. I, like you, have to wait until there is someone out there, doesn't have to be a team member, just has to be someone who can program, looks at this and wants to work on it.

Did you ever spot any expectings in my post ?
As you said if someone from the team with programming skills was interested in this feature it would be done. In my opinion it means that the team does not support it. This is the fact, nothing to reproach or attack. I just wanted to point out that there had been such demand 5 years ago and the team decided not to be interested in. Why are you people so squeamish for pointing to the team ? I appreciate its work and I respect its choice.

[Ned Scott]

My bad. I thought you were suggesting that this was something opposed. My apologies.

[nperei]

this feature would be great to add. since there last movie and tv show show some bright or glare background and it hard to see the words
especialy most of people are glare blind or have cataract. I have been wait for this for long long time.
thanks