How to Customize ALShow (formerly ALPlayer) Skins & SubtitlesALShow (formerly ALPlayer) is a versatile Windows media player with a long history of support for a wide range of audio and video formats. Two of its most appreciated customization features are skins (visual themes that change the player’s appearance) and subtitle handling (fonts, positioning, timing adjustments and styling). This guide walks you step‑by‑step through customizing ALShow’s skins and subtitles so you get both a look you like and readable, well‑timed captions.
Quick overview: what you can customize
- Skins and layout — change colors, button placement, transparency, and controls visibility.
- Subtitle appearance — font family, size, color, outline, shadow, and background.
- Subtitle positioning — vertical/horizontal offsets, margin from screen edges, multi‑line alignment.
- Subtitle timing and encoding — adjust delays, synchronization, and correct character encoding for non‑Latin languages.
- Advanced options — use external subtitle renderers, import custom skin files, and save/load profiles.
Getting started: installation and basic setup
- Download and install ALShow from its official site or a trusted repository. Follow the installer prompts; choose default options unless you need a portable or custom install path.
- Launch ALShow and open a media file (File > Open or drag-and-drop). Having a file loaded lets you preview subtitle and skin changes immediately.
- If your media includes embedded subtitles, ALShow will usually detect them. For external subtitles, place the .srt/.ass file in the same folder with the exact same base filename as the video (e.g., Movie.mkv and Movie.srt) or open it manually (Subtitle > Open Subtitle File).
Skins: choosing and applying
ALShow supports skins that alter the player’s visual interface. Skins may be packaged with the installer or available from third‑party creators.
How to change skins:
- Open the skin manager: View > Skin (or Skin/Theme menu depending on version).
- Browse available skins in the list — click a skin to preview immediate changes.
- To add a new skin, download the skin package (commonly a .zip or .skn format). In the Skin manager choose “Import” or “Add” and point to the package. ALShow will install and list it.
- Apply the skin and, if available, restart the player for full effects.
Tips for skins:
- Pick high‑contrast skins if you often use the player in bright environments.
- Transparent or minimal skins are great for watching without UI distraction, but make sure controls remain visible on your monitor.
- Keep a small library of preferred skins (night, day, compact) and switch depending on content and context.
Customizing skin elements
Some skins let you further customize elements such as toolbar layout, button visibility, and transparency.
How to edit skin elements:
- In Skin settings look for “Customize” or “Skin Editor.” Not all versions or skins support in‑app editing.
- Use the editor to reposition buttons, change control sizes, or toggle visible elements. Save changes as a new skin variation so you can revert.
- If the built‑in editor is unavailable, advanced users can edit skin files directly (typically XML or image assets inside the skin package). Backup the original before editing.
Cautions:
- Editing skin files requires careful file permission handling and correct file formats. Corrupting the skin package may make it unselectable.
- Keep backups of default skins to restore UI if an edited skin fails.
Subtitles: basic styling and loading
ALShow supports multiple common subtitle formats (.srt, .ass/.ssa, .sub, etc.). For most users, the built‑in subtitle styling and positioning options are sufficient.
Changing subtitle font and color:
- Open Subtitle menu > Subtitle Settings (or Preferences > Subtitle).
- Choose Font family and Size. Pick a clear, readable font (e.g., Arial, Verdana, or a dedicated subtitle font like DejaVu Sans).
- Set Primary text color and outline/edge color for legibility. Typical choices: white text with a thin black outline, or yellow text for high contrast.
- Enable shadow or background box (if available) to improve readability over bright/detailed scenes.
Loading external subtitles:
- Place a subtitle file in the same folder with the same base filename as your video to load automatically.
- Or use Subtitle > Open Subtitle File and browse to the file. ALShow usually detects encoding but you can force it under Subtitle Settings (see next section).
Subtitle positioning, alignment and multi‑line behavior
- In Subtitle Settings find Position or Vertical Offset. Adjust the vertical offset to move subtitles up or down (useful for games, letterboxed video, or overlays).
- Horizontal alignment options let you choose left, center, or right alignment. For multi‑column or karaoke subtitles, ASS/SSA supports per‑line alignment and positioning.
- For foreign language subtitles or long lines, set a maximum line width or enable automatic line wrapping to prevent text from running off the screen.
Practical settings:
- Standard cinema-style: center alignment, small bottom margin (e.g., 10–20 px above bottom).
- When UI or overlays occupy the bottom: raise subtitles to 100–150 px above bottom.
- For dual-language subtitles, use smaller font for the secondary line and increase vertical spacing.
Encoding and synchronization
Encoding problems (garbled characters) and timing issues are common with downloaded subtitles.
Fixing encoding issues:
- In Subtitle Settings look for “Encoding” or “Character set.” Common encodings: UTF‑8 (recommended), ANSI/Windows‑1252, ISO‑8859‑1, and specific East Asian encodings (e.g., CP949 for Korean).
- If text appears as question marks or wrong characters, switch encoding to UTF‑8 first. If that fails, try the language‑specific encoding.
Fixing synchronization (delay/advance):
- Use Subtitle > Delay/Sync to enter a time offset (positive to delay subtitles, negative to advance).
- Many ALShow versions include hotkeys to nudge subtitle timing during playback (e.g., keys to add/subtract 100–500 ms). Use those while observing lip sync and adjust until synchronized.
- For persistent offset across the whole file, save the adjusted subtitle timing (if ALShow supports writing out a new .srt) or apply the offset as default for that file.
Tip: When syncing, adjust in small steps (100–200 ms) — human perception of lip sync is sensitive; 200–300 ms is often noticeable.
Styling advanced subtitles: ASS/SSA rendering
ASS/SSA subtitle formats allow per‑line styling (fonts, sizes, colors, positions). ALShow supports ASS rendering but behavior depends on the player’s subtitle engine.
Using ASS/SSA effectively:
- Prefer ASS for advanced features like karaoke, styling, or fixed positions.
- Ensure ALShow’s subtitle renderer is set to use the ASS engine (Subtitle Settings > Renderer/Engine). If you don’t see this option, the player may already use an integrated renderer.
- If ASS styles aren’t applied correctly, try switching rendering backends (if available) or use an external renderer (see next section).
Common fixes:
- Missing fonts: ASS files reference fonts by name. Install those fonts on your system or edit the ASS file to use available fonts.
- Layering issues: ASS supports layering; ensure the subtitle layer isn’t hidden by video overlays or skin elements.
Using external subtitle renderers and tools
If ALShow’s built‑in rendering doesn’t meet your needs, use external tools:
- VSFilter/DirectVobSub (for Windows) — a commonly used subtitle renderer that can be used as a filter to render SSA/ASS subtitles accurately.
- Subtitle editing tools — Aegisub (advanced ASS/SSA editor), Subtitle Workshop, or Jubler let you re‑style, re‑time, and reflow subtitles before using them in ALShow.
How to integrate:
- Install the renderer (e.g., VSFilter) and configure ALShow to use it as an external subtitle renderer if the player allows.
- Alternatively, hardcode (burn) subtitles into the video using a tool like HandBrake if you need permanent, consistent results across devices.
Saving profiles and portability
If you switch skins and subtitle settings often, create profiles:
- Look for Profile or Preset in Preferences and save your current skin + subtitle configuration. Name profiles like “Cinema Night” or “Dual‑Language.”
- Export your profile or skin folder to reuse on another PC. For fully portable setups, copy the ALShow config folder from AppData or the installation directory (paths vary by version).
Troubleshooting common problems
- Subtitles don’t load automatically: Ensure the subtitle file name matches the video’s base name or load manually via Subtitle > Open.
- Garbled text: Switch subtitle encoding to UTF‑8 or the language‑specific codepage.
- Styling ignored: Use ASS format and confirm the renderer supports ASS; install referenced fonts.
- Skin won’t apply or is broken: Reinstall the skin or restore the default skin; check that the skin’s files weren’t corrupted.
Example recommended settings (practical starting point)
- Font: DejaVu Sans or Arial, Size: 22–28 (depending on screen size)
- Color: White text, Black outline 2–3 px, Shadow enabled
- Position: Centered, 12–20 px above bottom (raise if UI overlays)
- Encoding: UTF‑8 for most modern files; switch to language codepage only when needed
- Skin: Minimal dark skin for distraction‑free viewing; bright/high‑contrast skin for daytime.
Final notes
Customizing ALShow’s skins and subtitles can dramatically improve your viewing experience. Start with conservative changes (font, color, offset) and then explore skins and advanced ASS styling. Keep backups of skins and subtitle files before editing. For complex subtitle features, use ASS format combined with a reliable renderer or pre‑bake subtitles when portability is required.
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