Why does DirVobSub freeze with x264?

[bman99]

I hope someone can help answer a question and suggest a solution. Please note that I am not a newbie (I've been converting videos for years) and I have tried on my own to search the web or find a solution to my problem with no luck. I realize I'm using older software and computer, but please try to help if you can (rather than just saying "buy the new TMPGE" or something). I'm curious as to why something does not work in only one very narrow situation (unfortunately, it's the situation I need the most).

I have TMPGE 2.5 (full verison I paid for years ago). I have DirVobSub installed (the older 2.23 version that works well all around, including with VirtualDubMod if I want it to). I have WinXP with an older WindowsMediaPlayer. I have FFDSHOW installed (a version from a few months ago, though I've tried various ones from old to latest versoin, nothing changes). They all work fine.

For years I would turn AVIs w/matching SRT or ASS files into MPEG2 files with TMPGE2.5 (using TMPGE2.5 to render, Direct Vob Sub would pop up and add the subtitles to the finished MPEG2 file just fine).

Everything was great until files went from Divx/Xvid AVIs to x264s.

Now, when a file is MP4 or MKV, I first demux them into individual parts (audio and video separate), then using AVC2AVI I turn the video into an AVI container, and use Xilisoft Audio Converter to turn the audio file (usually AAC) into MP3. No problem there. Yes, I know I'm downgrading, but this is how I want to do it (my MPEG2 files are only standard res anyway). Then I use VirtualDubMod to "paste" the audio and video back together again (combining the streams), to make one complete AVI file.

Here's the problem though: for VirtualDubMod, I'd like to use the "Direct Stream Copy" (what used to work fine before if the video file was xvid, for instance) because it only takes a few seconds. But if the video file is the newer x264 -- even though it's in an avi container now, it creates problems later ONLY with DirVobSub subtitles if I don't do "Full Processing Mode" instead of "Direct Stream Copy."

Here's what happens:
If I just do "Direct Stream Copy" on VirtualDubMod, then it pastes the audio and video together into an AVI container without altering the video format (it's still in h264 even if it's in an AVI container). Windows Media Player or TMPGE will play it just fine EXCEPT if there's a matching subtitle file. DirectVobSub's green arrow icon will appear, but as soon as the file plays, it will completely FREEZE (whether I'm using Windows Media Player to play it, or TMPGE2.5 to try to convert it) at the first frame and do nothing.

Again: everything's fine (with or without subtitles) if the video in the avi container is XVID/DIVX/older codecs. If the video in the AVI container hasn't been converted and is still 264, both Windows Media Player and TMPGE will work fine with it -- as long as there are no subtitles. If there are subtitles, DirVobSub's green arrow icon comes on -- and the computer completely freezes at the very first frame, doing nothing else until I get out of the program (but it will work fine if it's not x264).

So my question is this: WHY does DirVobSub freeze the playback/rendering? If it's older compression (XVID, etc) it works fine with or without subtitles. If it's newer x264 and there are no subtitle files and DirVobSub doesn't need to come on, everything still works fine. But only if there are subtitle files, DirVobSub loads, but everything gets frozen at the first frame and just freezes.

I have an older computer, I've had nothing but problems in the past with CCCP. Please don't tell me to install more codec packs and such. I wiped my computer clean recently and started fresh, using only FFDSHOW, which has worked just fine with EVERYTHING except this particular case (only x264 video with DirVobSub subtitles freezing).

So I'd like to know, what could be causing this (the playback/rendering to freeze) ONLY when DirVobSub is used with x264 video that hasn't been converted? (But again, playback/conversion works just fine with x264 video if there are no matching subtitle files). The problem is, most of what I need to DO has subtitle files. Sure, I can take each file and wash it through VirtualDubMod converting it using FULL PROCESSING MODE (what I've had to do) but doing so takes forever. I'm trying to figure out if there's a way I can get DirVobSub to work with x264 since on my system x264 works fine as long as there are no subtitles.

One more thing: the later versions of FFDSHOW have a subtitle option on them that's pretty good -- but for some reason, EVERY newer version of FFDSHOW alters the color of the video as SOON as the first subtitle appears (if you turn subtitles on, on FFDSHOW). In other words, say the first line of subtitles starts at 0:00:10. Then everything before that looks fine -- but as SOON as that first subtitle line appears (and for the rest of the file), all the colors are crazy (blue faces, reverse colors, etc). None of this happens unless subtitle is turned on on FFDSHOW and there are subtitles. This does NOT happen on my system in the earlier versions of FFDSHOW (I spent hours going through almost every one), but the problem with the earlier versions is that there is very little subtitle control (placement, size, margins) like there is in the later ones (but the later ones drastically alter the color when subtitles appear). So my option of using FFDSHOW's subtitle option instead of DirVobSub is out for me. Besides, I really like the way DirVobSub renders the subs, with complete control over all the margins, size, placement, etc. I've tried switching between the two codec options for x264 in FFDSHOW but there's no difference.

The reason why I wind up using AVC2AVI and such to get back to an AVI container is because I really want to use TMPGE 2.5 -- and it pretty much works with just AVIs as source (sometimes MP4s, but it's limited what the source video can be). I've tried the newer versions and other all-in-one converts (like Xilisoft Video Converter) but nothing can match the (standard definition) output quality of TMPGE 2.5. I'd like to keep using it. If only I could get it to work with x264 and DirVobSub.

Sorry this is a long post, but I wanted to give as much info as I could. Yes, I know I could get a newer computer and software, but I'm not at that stage yet, and even from just a curiosity point of view...... I really want to know WHY DirVobSub is causing all playing/rendering to freeze up when it encounters x264 video AVI files, when it works fine with XVID, and when x264 works fine on my system if DirVobSub doesn't have to come on.

Any help would really be appriciated! Thanks so much!

[Baldrick]

Have you tried a newer version of vsfilter(2.39)?