What is the best way of hardcoding subs to an mp4 file?

[Sulli]

Hello

I have an mp4 file that i wish to add hardcoded subs. Im familiar with this process with AVI files using virtualdub but that tool doesnt seem to work with mp4. Im after something that is simple to use( of course)and where i can ensure no loss of quality to the videofile(mp4).

Thanks in advance.

[Baldrick]

You will lose quality by reconverting. But you should be able to keep almost similar quality if you do it right.

You can use virtualdub with a mp4 plugin, see http://forums.virtualdub.org/index.php?act=ST&f=7&t=19488. But you can't export directly to mp4 in virtualdub.

Or else can you use xvid4psp, tencoder, freemake video converter, video to video converter to burn in subs and convert directly to mp4.

[johns0]

Another tool you can try is handbrake,as long as the sub is merged into the mp4 it will allow you to hardcode it.

[Sulli]

hello

I have downloaded handbrake but from what i can gather it wont allow harcoding of srt files. I guess the question is " what is merging?" and how do i merge the sub into the mp4 as you suggest? And does it matter what sort of sub file it is that needs to be merged? i.e SRT or SSA.

[Baldrick]

They must be in ssa format or vobsub and you can multiplex the ssa to the mp4 with for example mymp4boxgui.

https://trac.handbrake.fr/wiki/Subtitles

You can try use subtitle edit to convert the srt to ssa.