Amara.org Support Center

 Dear Claude

Eight months ago the subtitles of my twelve hours of texted videos shrunk to less than half of the ususal size, when in full screen mode. Others have experienced that too. I submitted a ticket to Rieann, asking about the causes and a remedy, but I did not get a response, and now the ticket is removed. Is this a well known issue without a remedy?

Recently, however, I found a way around the issue. If I use the browser zoom with 200 percent and then use full screen viewing, the subtitles is enlarged to a readable degree - although positioned too high on the screen. But this is not really a solution to the mirrors of the videos on a local website. It is too difficult for older users, and it gives out an amateurish impression.

What is the cause of this issue, and what remedy is there, if any?

Regards,
Soeren Frederiksen

Dear Claude

I see, it's not an technical issue, but Amaras new configuration of the subtitles. The picture you sent, show the same size as the smaller sized subtitle in the picture I sent. The larger sized subtitle in that picture is from YouTube. In that case there's probably no other way to enlarge the diminutive subtitles except by using the zoom funktion.

I don't agree that the Amara subtitles today is reasonably sized. Until August 2019 the subtitle size of Amara was close to the size on Scandinavian tv-channels as well as on YouTube. I attach a picture of the same specific subtitle, but from December 2018. Compared to the previous one, it shows that the new Amara configuration reduces the size to less than half, which is quite a reduction. I think it is a problem for older eyes.

I wonder if the new configuration is chosen because it fits the new supersized tv-screens. I don't have one, but I suspect the new smaller size is readable and at the same time blocs less of the screen image. But it presents a problem to those who don't own a supersized tv-screen, and especially those with older eyes. It is also worth noting that YouTube and the tv-channels I know, the Scandinavian ones, haven't reduced the size of the subtitles in spite of the spread of supersized screens. I think it is quite a problem, and it makes Amara unusable for me - when mirroring "Amara videos" on other sites.

I hope this new configuration will be reconsidered.

My screenshots are from this video:

https://amara.org/da/videos/LbHh1OFhYshJ/info/cynthia-bourgeault-the-ways-of-the-heart/

Would it be possible to configure mirrors of "Amara videos" to enlarge the subtitles?

Best,

Soeren

Dear Claude

Thanks for the tip on a temporary workaround. However, it does not work for me. The extension activates the Amara tech and behave as Amara does in full-screen viewing, and I can't adjust the subtitle size.

Also, my situation is different, as my texted videos are aimed at a local homepage with a mostly elderly audience. They are mostly unaccustomed to computers, and they wouldn't be able to handle the Subtitles For YouTube Chrome extension, even if it worked. Actually, I tried it out on some of them some years ago, before I found Amara, and it did't work.

I wonder if you're right when you say, that this subtitle size is the new Amara configuration. As I said, I presented the issue in a ticket last August. Rieann responded by asking for my pc settings, and this suggests that something was wrong with the small-sized subtitles, not that the small size is the new configuration. After that I haven't heard from Rieann, and the ticket was removed. Well, I'll present my issue to Amara's tech staff in a ticket once more.

By the way, it seems that YouTube recently have reduced the subtitle size just as Amara has. The reduction size is midways between Amara's 2018 size and the new size, if it really is a new fixed size. I attach a screen picture with both subtitles. So, maybe it is a new trend.

Best,

Soeren