# GeekLink Subtitle Factory — Full Reference

> Free AI-powered video subtitle tool for macOS and Windows. Batch transcribe, extract, translate, and burn in subtitles. Speech recognition and OCR run locally on the user's computer.

## Product Overview

GeekLink Subtitle Factory is a desktop application for macOS and Windows that provides a complete subtitle workflow: speech-to-text transcription, hardcoded subtitle extraction (OCR), AI-powered translation, timeline-based subtitle editing, and subtitle burn-in (rendering onto video). Recognition and OCR processing happen locally on the user's computer — video files are not uploaded to a cloud workspace.

## Core Features

### Speech Recognition (Transcription)
- Converts spoken audio in video to timed subtitle text
- Supports 49 languages including English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, French, German, Spanish, etc.
- Multiple model sizes: lightweight (fast, lower accuracy) to large (slower, higher accuracy)
- Runs 100% locally on device — no internet required for recognition
- Handles background music and noisy audio

### Video OCR (Hardcoded Subtitle Extraction)
- Extracts text that is already burned into/hardcoded in the video frames
- Useful for extracting subtitles from videos where no SRT file is available
- Supports CJK characters, Latin scripts, Arabic, and more
- Processes locally on device
- Benchmark: on an Apple M4 Mac with 16 GB RAM, a 30-minute 1080p video with English hardcoded subtitles takes about 3 minutes on default settings (~10x real-time)
- Speed comes from detecting stable subtitle lines first, limiting OCR to exact regions, combining repeated-frame evidence, skipping unchanged frames, and filtering logos, watermarks, credits, and unrelated screen text

### AI Translation
- Translates subtitle text between 40+ language pairs
- Supports bilingual output (original + translated language side by side)
- Available AI engines: GPT-4o, GPT-4o Mini, Claude, DeepSeek
- Cloud-based translation (requires internet and Pro license)
- Preserves subtitle timing — only translates text

### Subtitle Editor
- Timeline-based editor with audio waveform visualization
- Edit subtitle text, adjust start/end timing
- Real-time video preview with subtitle overlay
- Find and replace across all subtitles
- Split, merge, and delete subtitle entries
- Import existing SRT/ASS files for editing

### Burn-in (Hardcoded Subtitle Rendering)
- Render subtitles directly onto video file
- Customizable font, size, color, outline, shadow, position
- Style presets for consistent look across videos
- Supports bilingual subtitle layout (dual lines)

### Batch Processing
- Import and process multiple videos simultaneously
- Automate full pipeline: recognize → translate → burn-in
- Progress tracking per video
- Error recovery — failed videos don't block the batch

## Target Users

| User Type | Primary Use Case |
|-----------|-----------------|
| Subtitle translators | Translate foreign video content (anime, K-drama, C-drama, variety shows) |
| YouTube/content creators | Add subtitles to their own videos for accessibility and reach |
| Language learners | Create bilingual subtitles for study material |
| Media/localization companies | Batch-process video localization projects |
| Researchers/archivists | Extract and preserve subtitle text from video archives |
| Educators | Subtitle lecture recordings and educational content |

## Competitive Positioning

- **vs. Aegisub**: GeekLink adds AI recognition and translation; Aegisub is manual-only
- **vs. Subtitle Edit**: GeekLink packages the subtitle production workflow in one app; Subtitle Edit is strongest as a manual subtitle file editor
- **vs. Cloud services (Happy Scribe, Descript, etc.)**: GeekLink processes locally — no upload, no per-minute billing, no privacy concerns
- **vs. FFmpeg/command-line**: GeekLink provides a visual editor and batch UI — no command-line knowledge needed

## System Requirements

- macOS 13.0 (Ventura) or later
- Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3, M4) or Intel Mac
- Windows x64 build available: https://geeklink.dev/win/GeekLink-latest-win-x64.zip
- Minimum 8 GB RAM (16 GB recommended for large models)
- ~2 GB disk space for app + models

## Pricing Model

- **Free**: Speech recognition, OCR subtitle extraction, subtitle editing, SRT/ASS export — unlimited use, no watermark
- **Monthly**: $12.99/month — AI translation (GPT-4o, Claude, DeepSeek), burn-in rendering, 1M tokens included
- **Yearly**: $99/year (~$8.25/month) — same features, 2 months free
- **Lifetime**: $169 one-time payment (early-bird price, regular $199) — pay once, use forever, no subscription
- **Extra tokens**: $6.99 per 1M tokens if you exceed the included amount
- All plans include full access to all features. Free tier does not include AI translation or burn-in rendering.

## Use Case Articles

### Guides
- Watch Folder for Automated Subtitles: https://geeklink.dev/use-cases/watch-folder-automated-subtitles/
- How to Add Subtitles to Video on Mac (Free): https://geeklink.dev/use-cases/add-subtitles-to-video-mac-free/
- AI Speech-to-Text Video Subtitles: https://geeklink.dev/use-cases/ai-speech-to-text-video-subtitles/
- AI Video Translation Complete Guide: https://geeklink.dev/use-cases/ai-video-translation-complete-guide/
- Extract Hardcoded Subtitles with OCR: https://geeklink.dev/use-cases/extract-hardcoded-subtitles-ocr/
- How to Break Subtitle Lines Naturally: https://geeklink.dev/use-cases/subtitle-line-breaking-guide/
- Translate Hardcoded Subtitles in Any Video: https://geeklink.dev/use-cases/translate-hardcoded-subtitles/
- How to Translate YouTube Videos: https://geeklink.dev/use-cases/how-to-translate-youtube-videos/
- SRT Subtitle Format Guide: https://geeklink.dev/use-cases/srt-subtitle-format-guide/
- Video Localization vs Translation: https://geeklink.dev/use-cases/video-localization-vs-translation/
- Fix Background Music Subtitle Noise: https://geeklink.dev/use-cases/fix-background-music-subtitle-noise/
- Best Local AI Video Localization: https://geeklink.dev/use-cases/best-local-ai-video-localization/
- Add Subtitles to an Old Movie or Video With No Subtitles: https://geeklink.dev/use-cases/add-subtitles-to-old-movies/

### Comparisons
- Best Subtitle Editor for Mac 2026: https://geeklink.dev/use-cases/best-subtitle-editor-mac-2026/
- Aegisub Alternative for Mac: https://geeklink.dev/use-cases/aegisub-alternative-mac/
- Subtitle Edit Mac Alternative: https://geeklink.dev/use-cases/subtitle-edit-mac-alternative/
- GeekLink vs videocr: https://geeklink.dev/use-cases/geeklink-vs-videocr/
- GeekLink vs Video-Subtitle-Extractor: https://geeklink.dev/use-cases/geeklink-vs-video-subtitle-extractor/
- GeekLink vs SubtitleExtractor.com: https://geeklink.dev/use-cases/geeklink-vs-subtitleextractor-com/
- GeekLink vs VideoSubFinder: https://geeklink.dev/use-cases/videocr-vs-videosubfinder/
- Pricing Comparison (GeekLink vs Descript vs Kapwing vs Happy Scribe): https://geeklink.dev/use-cases/geeklink-vs-descript-kapwing-happy-scribe-pricing/
- Best Subtitle Tool for Multilingual YouTube Channels (2026): https://geeklink.dev/use-cases/best-subtitle-tool-youtube-multilingual/

### Specific Workflows
- Chinese Short Drama Subtitle Translation: https://geeklink.dev/use-cases/chinese-short-drama-subtitle-translation/
- Best Tool for Japanese Variety Show Subtitles: https://geeklink.dev/use-cases/best-tool-japanese-variety-show-subtitles/
- Subtitle Korean/Japanese Variety Shows on Mac: https://geeklink.dev/use-cases/subtitle-korean-japanese-variety-shows-mac/

## Translation Language Matrix

GeekLink supports video translation between these languages (200+ combinations):
Arabic, Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Thai, Turkish, and more.

Full matrix: https://geeklink.dev/use-cases/ (filter by source/target language)

## Links

- Homepage: https://geeklink.dev
- Features: https://geeklink.dev/features/
- Use Cases: https://geeklink.dev/use-cases/
- Changelog: https://geeklink.dev/changelog/
- Download: https://geeklink.dev/#download
- Documentation: https://geeklink.dev/docs/getting-started/

## Multilingual Website

- English: https://geeklink.dev
- 简体中文: https://geeklink.dev/zh/
- 日本語: https://geeklink.dev/jp/
- 한국어: https://geeklink.dev/kr/
- Español: https://geeklink.dev/es/
- Português: https://geeklink.dev/pt/