How can I remove a subtitle from a Matroska .avi file?

[HartsVideo]

I have an .avi movie, Matroska, 1 AVC video stream and 1 DTS audio stream. I installed VeeDub.exe and unzipped MSU Subtitle Remover to the VeeDub folder but because it's Matroska, I received a message that it's an unknown file type. Is there a program that will remove embedded subtitles from a Matroksa .avi file?

[jman98]

You're going to have to explain better what you really want to do here. Your post sounds like "I want to extract a subtitle file from an MKV container". However, I see a reference to the infamous MSU program, so to me that indicates that what you really are saying is "I want to know how to re-encode my video to remove a hard coded subtitle". Please confirm if I am right or not. I can't help you if I guessed right, but at least it might let others help you instead of wasting time telling you how to demux a subtitle from an MKV container.

[HartsVideo]

I mentioned MSU Subtitle Remover only because I read here at VideoHelp that VeeDub and MSU Subtitle Remover would remove subtitles from .avi files. When I installed these to a folder that I named VirtualDub in C:\Programs and tried to open the .avi file using VeeDub, I received a message that said that the file is an unknown file format. Other than that, MSU is not in MediaInfo about the file.

This is copied and pasted from MediaInfo about the .avi file:

General
Complete name : U:\- LARGE MOVIES\Sylvester Stallone 1982 Rambo First Blood (6ch 1280x544).avi
Format : Matroska
File size : 4.37 GiB
Duration : 1h 33mn
Overall bit rate : 6 723 Kbps
Encoded date : UTC 2007-02-14 04:15:58
Writing application : mkvmerge v2.0.0 ('After The Rain Has Fallen') built on Jan 13 2007 19:58:56
Writing library : libebml v0.7.7 + libmatroska v0.8.0

Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High@L5.1
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 8 frames
Muxing mode : Container profile=Unknown@5.1
Codec ID : V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC
Duration : 1h 33mn
Bit rate : 5 079 Kbps
Nominal bit rate : 5 210 Kbps
Width : 1 280 pixels
Height : 544 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 2.35
Frame rate : 23.976 fps
Resolution : 24 bits
Colorimetry : 4:2:0
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.304
Stream size : 3.30 GiB (75%)
Title : Rambo: First Blood
Writing library : x264 core 54 svn-620M
Encoding settings : cabac=1 / ref=5 / deblock=1:-2:-1 / analyse=0x3:0x133 / me=umh / subme=6 / brdo=1 / mixed_ref=1 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=1 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=2 / deadzone=20,10 / chroma_qp_offset=0 / threads=3 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / mbaff=0 / bframes=3 / b_pyramid=1 / b_adapt=1 / b_bias=0 / direct=3 / wpredb=1 / bime=1 / keyint=250 / keyint_min=25 / scenecut=40(pre) / rc=2pass / bitrate=5210 / ratetol=1.0 / rceq='blurCplx^(1-qComp)' / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=10 / qpmax=51 / qpstep=4 / cplxblur=20.0 / qblur=0.5 / ip_ratio=1.40 / pb_ratio=1.30
Language : English

Audio
ID : 2
Format : DTS
Format/Info : Digital Theater Systems
Codec ID : A_DTS
Duration : 1h 33mn
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 1 510 Kbps
Channel(s) : 6 channels
Channel positions : Front: L C R, Surround: L R, LFE
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Resolution : 16 bits
Stream size : 1 006 MiB (22%)
Title : DTS-ES
Language : English

Text #1
ID : 3
Format : UTF-8
Codec ID : S_TEXT/UTF8
Codec ID/Info : UTF-8 Plain Text
Title : Swedish Subtitle
Language : Swedish

Text #2
ID : 4
Format : UTF-8
Codec ID : S_TEXT/UTF8
Codec ID/Info : UTF-8 Plain Text
Title : English Subtitle
Language : English

I want to remove the subtitles in this .avi file. They are embedded in the movie. They cannot be turned off with a media player setting. I don't know the technical term for doing this. I'm asking you what I have to do in order to remove the subtitles. I don't know what re-encode means, you'll have to tell me. I would need step by step instructions on how to do it if there are a number of steps/programs that would have to be used/installed/etc. Doing something like this is all completely new to me. What I read here and tried to do didn't work because it is a Matroska > .avi file. I want to learn how to do this and I'm asking for a lot of help.

[johns0]

Install mkvtoolnix and use mkvmerge GUI to remove the subtitles.Most likely the file is an mkv renamed to avi.

[HartsVideo]

I downloaded and installed mkvtoolnix It had a link for instructions:

http://www.dvd-guides.com/content/view/157/59/

When I opened MKVextractGUI.exe as instructed, the box that opened looked nothing like the box at the site. It's white, not brown, and there is no button to press to open a file. When I tried to open the file by clicking on "File", the only options are Reset and Quit. When I tried typing the path to the file in the Open field, it wouldn't allow me to do it.

Why don't programs hardly ever work the way that they're shown on the net? It's frustrating.

Where do I go from here?

[poisondeathray]

open the .mkv with mkvtoolnix (mkvmergegui), (do not use mkvextract). You will see the video track, audio track, and 2 subtitles. Uncheckmark the 2 subtitles. Press start muxing

These don't look like embedded subs (hardcoded), they look like soft subs and you should be able to turn off

[HartsVideo]

Well, I did it. I opened mkvmerge.exe that came with mskvtoolnix. I input the file, unchecked "subtitles" and the movie no longer has subtitles! Fast and extremely easy. Thanks jons0*** ****I should have just followed what you said in your post instead of the directions that came with it.

[HartsVideo]

Somebody told me that he has no problem using a setting on his media player but I don't know which one he uses. I tried it with VLC and MediaPlayer Home Cinema and I couldn't turn off the subs with any settings with the players.

[creamyhorror]

In MPC-HC: while the video is playing/paused, right-click in the video area and enter the Navigate submenu. There should be options for selecting the subtitle stream you want there.