AVI to DVD w/ srt sub not working

[3lutz3toe]

I have a multiple problems w/ some AVI files that comes w/ srt soft subs files.

—First, I tried creating AVI files w/ hard subs by using ffmpeg (AVI divx). I go throught the whole thing importing the srt file under Filter. (I was able to do it w/ a totally different srt file before). But this time, it is not working. I would get the AVI at the end, but no hard subs showig up. Do I need to wait for the whole converting process for the hard subs to work? (I abort it early just to test).
—2nd, then I would try converting the AVI file w/ selectable subtitle to DVD. The subtitle works but the sound would skip and stutter. I have previously had other AVI files resulted in sounding like chipmunks. Do I have the wrong Codecs? Again, I had these problems before and was able to fix it but now I can't remember how I did it. I think I might have recode the AVI file to AVI again, then use the new AVI file and encode it w/ subs.

Sorry for the lengthy text.
Does anyone have any ideas?
Thanks

[Case]

For hard subs, you should select a mencoder preset.

[3lutz3toe]

Yes, I did select mencoder preset.
The hardsub did work for one file but then some other files, I get the following that says it can't load the subtitle:

Encoding started on Thu Jun 7 19:52:56 CDT 2007
MEncoder dev-CVS-051126-18:35-3.3 (C) 2000-2005 MPlayer Team
Mac OSX static build for ffmpegX
AltiVec found
CPU: PowerPC
success: format: 0 data: 0x0 - 0x1bbfd800
AVI file format detected.
VIDEO: [XVID] 640x464 12bpp 29.970 fps 1257.6 kbps (153.5 kbyte/s)
[V] filefmt:3 fourcc:0x44495658 size:640x464 fps:29.97 ftime:=0.0334
================================================== ========================
Opening audio decoder: [mp3lib] MPEG layer-2, layer-3
AUDIO: 44100 Hz, 2 ch, s16be, 192.0 kbit/13.61% (ratio: 24000->176400)
Cannot load subtitles: /Users/kirokopulos/Desktop/HK to DVD!/Legend of the Condor Heroes(Pt.2)_East Heretic
Selected audio codec: [mp3] afm: mp3lib (mp3lib MPEG layer-2, layer-3)
================================================== ========================
Opening video filter: [expand osd=1]
Expand: -1 x -1, -1 ; -1, osd: 1, aspect: 0.000000, round: 1
Opening video filter: [scale w=640 h=464]
================================================== ========================
Opening video decoder: [ffmpeg] FFmpeg's libavcodec codec family
Selected video codec: [ffodivx] vfm: ffmpeg (FFmpeg MPEG-4)
================================================== ========================
Forcing output fourcc to 58564944 [XVID]
Building audio filter chain for 44100Hz/2ch/s16be -> 48000Hz/0ch/s8...
Building audio filter chain for 44100Hz/2ch/s16be -> 48000Hz/2ch/s16be...
VDec: vo config request - 640 x 464 (preferred colorspace: Planar YV12)
VDec: using Planar YV12 as output csp (no 0)
Movie-Aspect is 1.38:1 - prescaling to correct movie aspect.
SwScaler: using unscaled Planar YV12 -> Planar YV12 special converter
videocodec: libavcodec (640x464 fourcc=58564944 [XVID])
High quality encoding selected (non real time)!
1 duplicate frame(s)!
Writing AVI header...
ODML: Aspect information not (yet?) available or unspecified, not writing vprp header.
ODML: Aspect information not (yet?) available or unspecified, not writing vprp header.
Skipping frame!

[Case]

Cannot load subtitles: /Users/kirokopulos/Desktop/HK to DVD!/Legend of the Condor Heroes(Pt.2)_East Heretic

mencoder/mplayer have some trouble with spaces and 'special' characters in the path or filename. I see six spaces, an exclamation mark and parentheses. Try again without these. Also I see no file suffix after the last 'c'?

[3lutz3toe]

Thanks so much. Renaming the sub files w/out the spaces and odd characters worked!