How to Set Up VOD Subtitles on Dacast: A Walkthrough

In this guide, we will go through the steps for how to add VOD subtitles to on-demand video files. Bear in mind that this walkthrough assumes that you have already successfully uploaded video content.

To start adding subtitles on VOD, click on the video file you wish to modify.

Go to the “General” tab:

 

and scroll down to “Subtitles”:

This displays all current subtitles on the video file, and gives you the ability to add subtitle files. To do this, click the “Create Subtitles” button. You will need to find WEBVTT (aka VTT files) or SRT files to upload.

If you don’t already have them, these files are easy to create in a simple text editor.

Here are two examples for WEBVTT and SRT files.

WEBVTT Subtitle File Example

VTT files are very easy to create using Notepad or any other plain text editor program. Below is an example of what a cue looks like for a VTT file. The first number is when the subtitle is supposed to appear. The second time stamp is when the subtitle is supposed to disappear.

00:00:06,000 –> 00:00:11,000

I hear there is a motion in the wind.

00:00:12,500 –> 00:00:16,500

Yes, I have heard it as well. Like a soft breeze of change.

00:00:18,500 –> 00:00:24,000

Isn’t this example a little too poetic for subtitle creation?

00:00:25,500 –> 00:00:34,000

Very, but it still gets the point across.

If you want to use languages other than English, the VTT files must be saved using UTF8 encoding to have characters displayed properly.

WEBVTT Subtitle File Example

VTT files are very easy to create using Notepad or any other plain text editor program.

Below is an example of what a cue looks like for a VTT file.

• The first time stamp is when the subtitle is supposed to appear.
• The second time stamp is when the subtitle is supposed to disappear.

00:00:06,000 –> 00:00:11,000

I hear there is a motion in the wind.

00:00:12,500 –> 00:00:16,500

Yes, I have heard it as well. Like a soft breeze of change.

00:00:18,500 –> 00:00:24,000

Isn’t this example a little too poetic for subtitle creation?

00:00:25,500 –> 00:00:34,000

Very, but it still gets the point across.

If you want to use languages other than English, the VTT files must be saved using UTF8 encoding to have characters displayed properly.

SRT Subtitle Example

Here is an SRT example. It functions similar to the timestamp method of the VTT files.

It will be formatted like this:

• Subtitle Number: 10
• Start Time –> End Time
• Subtitle text
• Blank line

This is what it will look like in action:

001

00:15:25.000 –> 00:15:29.000

This is a test subtitle A

002

00:15:29.000 –> 00:15:32.000

This is a test subtitle B

The example above would make the first subtitle (test subtitle A) appear at 15 minutes and 25 seconds in video playback. It would disappear at exactly 15 minutes and 29 seconds. 

The second subtitle (test subtitle B) would appear at 15 minutes and 29 seconds, and then it would disappear at 15 minute and 32 seconds exactly.

Any questions on how to get subtitles on VOD? Please contact us.

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Additional Resources 

• Walkthrough: How to Set Up Video On Demand (VOD) with Dacast
• VOD Streaming: The Premier Content Delivery Strategy
• Build Your Own Video On Demand Platform
• Top 5 VOD Platforms for Online Video Hosting
• What is Advanced VOD Video Hosting?