DESPERATE subtitle help -- trouble merging or making another channel

[andrewzors]

I resisted the urge to post this in the hope that someone else had the same trouble as me but I cannot seem to get myself out of my predicament:

I am making DVDs of a japanese series and all of the files are in .mkv format. I need subtitles for the videos but I am working with Adobe Encore CS5 and the subtitles need to be .txt instead of the .ass or .srt formats that come with attached to the .mkv videos. All I want to do is either merge them to the video so they do not need be turned on and off or otherwise have a subtitle format compatible with Encore.

The Problem:
I have done multiple trials--

1. Bring the mkv into ffmpegX and encode it with the .ass file: while this does produce a working video where I can toggle the subs in VLC, I cannot toggle the subs in Encore.

2. Extract the video and bring it into Submerge: I tried the raw .mkv and that made Submerge quit every time. I extracted the video with MKVtools and got an .h264 file which just doesnt work on anything and I tried encoding it to an .mpeg file for the dvd which Submerge can't open.

If anyone knows what I can do to troubleshoot or an easy step-by-step process I am totally missing please let me know. I will be eternally grateful!

Thanks!
Andrew

[AlanHK]

No idea what ".txt" subtitles are.
Example?

If you want to hard code the subs, you can do that using Avisynth.

I did that like this, after extracting the sub from the mkv:

# 704 x 480 23.976  24:11
FFmpegSource2("Z01.mkv",atrack=-1,fpsnum=-1,fpsden=1)
TextSub("Z01_Track5.ass") # hardsub
AddBorders(8,0,8,0)

Then use an app that can read AVS files to reencode (such as VirtualDub).

[andrewzors]

I'm not entirely sure what an example of .txt subtitles are but they seem to be what Encore requires. Thanks for the quick reply, I will try it out!

[andrewzors]

Ooooo forgot to mention, I am running on a Mac. Any comparable program to Avisynth and/or VirtualDub?

[Case]

Jubler can open many text based subtitle formats and save as "Adobe Encore Text Script (.txt)".

Output should look something like:

1 00;00;08;00 00;00;12;00 Knock, knock

2 00;00;15;08 00;00;16;18 Who is there?

where the last two digits are the frame number within that second. So it is important to specify the framerate for this type of subtitle.

[andrewzors]

You just saved my life, thanks so much!!!

[andrewzors]

Turns out I'm not quite out of the woods yet!

I am getting everyone's favorite error message:

PGC "<timeline name>" has an error at 00;02;58;29.
Internal software error: %0, line <timeline name> - PGC Info: name = <timeline name>, ref = XApgc, time = 00:02:58:29

Now through some troubleshooting I was able to determine it is a problem with the subtitles, which do work with Encore and are synced up fine. Any ideas how I can tackle this mess?

Thanks in advance!
Andrew

[Case]

Could it be overlapping subtitles? I.e. subtitle (n+1) starts before subtitle (n) ends. If so, you could adjust the timing a bit to create a small time gap in between. Just a guess, tho'.

[andrewzors]

That was a problem and I fixed it, as well as shortening the lines that Jubler said were too long, but I'm still getting the same error. Any other ideas?

Thanks for being super helpful by the way

[Case]

Can you post the subtitle lines for 00;02;58;29, including the lines right before and after? Maybe there's an oddity there?

[andrewzors]

00:02:55,660 00:02:58,940 are holding a cultured|athletics festival!
00:02:58,940 00:03:01,570 What is a cultured athletics festival?
00:03:01,570 00:03:02,690 I see.

the vertical line in the first line is of course a line break

[Case]

00:02:55,660 00:02:58,940 are holding a cultured|athletics festival!
00:02:58,940 00:03:01,570 What is a cultured athletics festival?
00:03:01,570 00:03:02,690 I see.

The top line ends at the same time that the next one starts. The middle line ends at the same time that the next one starts. With rounding to frames, this will likely have two subtitles in the same frame, which some software may error over. Try to get a 0,042 second gap between them, that should be enough for 23.976 fps or higher.
00:02:55,660 00:02:58,940 ...
00:02:58,982 00:03:01,570 ...
00:03:01,612 00:03:02,690 ...

[andrewzors]

Oh great thanks! There are a lot of instances like that, do you know if there is a way to automate that spacing in Jubler?

[Case]

Do you know if there is a way to automate that spacing in Jubler?

Menu > Tools > Time fix >
[✓] Sort
[✓] Prevent overlapping

[Equally divide overriding duration]
[✓] Leave gap between subtitles (in milliseconds): 42

Begin: 00:00:00,000 ✼ [Set time to minimum]
Finish: 24:00:00,000 ✼ [Set time to maximum]
Minimum subtitle duration: [•] Ignore
Maximum subtitle duration: [•] Ignore

[andrewzors]

You did it! That takes care of everything! I seriously cannot thank you enough.