Adjusting xvid Soft Subs Size for dvd player?

[spiritgumm]

I read this older thread about this topic
https://www.videohelp.com/forum/archive/subtitle-font-size-on-dvd-player-t303654.html
and was wondering if there are other options for enlarging soft subtitles for xvids while watching on a dvd player? The above method requires changing the xvid to divx. This is of slight concern for filesharing with people who might have older dvd players that aren't divx compatible.

I experimented with Sub2divx (mentioned in the above thread) which seemed fine in some samples except it wasn't centering the text even after adjusting the horizontal bar. The thread mentioned also using DivXMuxGui afterwards to mux the new subs with the avi, but the Sub2Divx output seems like a done deal. Was I wrong?

I imagine if I ever wanted to change an Xvid from 25 fps to 23.976 fps, I would need to change the external sub file to match.

[manono]

I imagine if I ever wanted to change an Xvid from 25 fps to 23.976 fps, I would need to change the external sub file to match.

And the audio.

[spiritgumm]

I imagine if I ever wanted to change an Xvid from 25 fps to 23.976 fps, I would need to change the external sub file to match.

And the audio.

I'll see if Subframerate.exe changes the subtitle fps correctly.

Just played a sample of an xvid which had sub/idx files (instead of srt) - they appeared a little larger than the small srt default size. If they're adjustable, rather than set by the dvd player, then perhaps I could change the srt to sub/idx and adjust those?

[spiritgumm]

Looks like idx/sub are adjustable stand-alone subtitles which will play in an xvid folder. However, I can't find a program that will edit the font's size/color on existing sub/idx.

Also, when I converted an srt file to sub/idx with txt2vobsub, it automatically improved the font size, but it doesn't keep the color settings. I've tried setting it just for DVD playback, and even adding the optional IFO after tweaking it (though of course it's not recognized in the dvd player in an xvid folder).

Making a divx with appropriately color/sized subs is much easier, and I thought about doing that, then demuxing the divx for it's corrected subs and putting them in the original xvid folder... but looks like you can't demux subs from divx.

[manono]

However, I can't find a program that will edit the font's size/color on existing sub/idx.

They're a series of BMPs. You can't use a different font/font size without starting over. You can change the colors using VobSub Configure which comes included in the VobSub package.

Although it's pretty tricky if you haven't done it before, if you create an SSA subtitle file instead (or convert from SRT), using MaestroSBT you can create SON subtitles to your liking (font, size, position, etc) and then use SON2VSub to make the IDX/SUB. The colors can be adjusted afterwards in VobSub Configure.

[spiritgumm]

thanks for the zip. I'll give Maestro a shot after I read the doc.

Stupid question - does it matter which I load in Vobsub Configure - the idx or sub file?
I tried changing the color in Vobsub Configure, but it only changes the color when played in the dvd player. I then manually defined the colors (actually black and white) in Vobsub Configure but no change. Looks fine on the PC.
Might it be better if I used Vobsub to generate the idx/sub file from the srt (I was using txt2vobsub)? If so, how? When I tried, I only got a SUB file.

Is idx/sub the only stand-alone, adjustable sub format for xvid, dvd player playback?

[manono]

You can open either the IDX or the SUB, doesn't matter.

I tried changing the color in Vobsub Configure, but it only changes the color when played in the dvd player.

Where isn't the color changed, with PC playback? Then you must be doing something wrong. You could open them in something like SubtitleCreator and see the colors.

Might it be better if I used Vobsub to generate the idx/sub file from the srt?

How are you going to do that? SubtitleCreator can create VobSubs from SRTs.

Is idx/sub the only stand-alone, adjustable sub format for xvid, dvd player playback?

I wouldn't know. The SSA text format allows lots of adjustments, but I don't know how many players support SSA subs, and for the ones that do, also support all the styles. I read of nothing but problems when playing subs for AVIs in standalone players - subs too small and funky colors.

[spiritgumm]

Someone with the color problem using Txt2vobsub posted to that ware's forum. One of the suggestions - to set the software to output for PC only (RGB only), worked for me. I'm using a new Pioneer dvd player, probably buggy.
The only unmentioned thing I had to do was delete any formatting in the SRT file before converting to SUB (otherwise the line of text wasn't displayed in the SUB). So this potentially solves my SUB/IDX creation problem (though I have no idea how other dvd players will play RGB-only subs). I'd keep the SRT file in a subfolder just in case.

Still need a way to edit font size/color of exisiting SUB/IDX. It looks like you can change the subtitle line height in SubtitleCreator, but I coudn't try it because I got an error loading my SUB. However, I did see how you could manipulate the color of an SUB.

As a temporary, pragmatic workaround to enlarging existing SUB, I simply downloaded someone's SRT subs and created large SUB/IDX with Txt2VobSub. Still would like to figure out how to do it.

You can open either the IDX or the SUB, doesn't matter.

Good.

Where isn't the color changed, with PC playback? Then you must be doing something wrong.

I opened in Vobsub Configure, left the first color box ticked to keep transparent, and left the other boxes unticked (black, white, and brown). The dvd player initially displayed shades of blue; the altered subs then displayed pinkish text and greenish outline.

How are you going to do that? SubtitleCreator can create VobSubs from SRTs.

I got the impression from various threads Vobsub could convert both ways srt and sub (and make wine from water).

Is idx/sub the only stand-alone, adjustable sub format for xvid, dvd player playback?
I wouldn't know. The SSA text format allows lots of adjustments, but I don't know how many players support SSA subs, and for the ones that do, also support all the styles. I read of nothing but problems when playing subs for AVIs in standalone players - subs too small and funky colors.

The SSA file I made earlier (and tried adjusting but it didn't change in dvd player display) played like the SRT - legible b&w but too small. SSA also displayed formatting as text (ie "<i>").