Encoding closed captions into video

[HevyH2O]

I have a project to do at work where i have transcripts that need to be encoded into the video. Right now I dont know if the final product will be on VHS, VCD, DVD. I have seen that you can code CC's for viewing in real player, MS media player ect.. but even then it is not *really* a part of the video stream. The only way I can think of doing it right now is laylittle text boxes out in premier for every sentence. That is goign to be very laborious. Is there an easier way? Thanks

-Aaron, The Overworked and Underpaid

[Tommyknocker]

You may want to look at Sub Station Alpha. If the text is soft copy, all you need to do is watch your video with a pad and pencil. Mark the start time where each text string should appear, and how long it should last. Then once you start Sub Station Alpha, copy and paste each string into an entry, and how long it should last. Then save the file.

Then, using Virtual Dub MPEG-2 mod, use the subtitler filter to put the Sub Station Alpha subtitles in your video. If the file is to be AVI, save it. If it is to be MPEG, (S)VCD, or DVD, frameserve it to TMPGEnc and format the file there using the appropiate template. Of course, if the final product is to be VHS, I suggest you make a DVD and copy it to your VCR from your DVD player.

[HevyH2O]

Thank you so much for the fast responce! I will dload the tools and try this first thing monday morning. I gotta get outta this place I have not have a day off, including weekends, in 6 months.

I can see the light.. Thanks again! - Aaron

[Tommyknocker]

My pleasure! Keep us posted, and let us know if you have any more questions.

[poopyhead]

soft coded subs are not compatible with many players..... seems that CVD soft coded subs are generally more compatible than SVCD soft coded subs....but both still have problems...

you may want to verify that your dvd player can support soft coded subs...
https://www.videohelp.com/dvdplayers

if under SVCD/CVD "Subs" is crossed out, then your player will not support soft coded subs...

for guarenteed compatibility, you will need to use hard coded subs by making them part of your video.

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VHS has no option for sub coded subs, you will need to make them part of video stream

(S)VCD/CVD look above

DVD supports removable subs.

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@Tommyknocker, isn't that method kinda tedious...having to record down the exact time for every sub....and how accurate would the time need to be...in milliseconds???

[Tommyknocker]

I must not have been clear. When the subtitler filter add subs to a video, they become part of the video stream. When I said "soft copy", I meant in some form on his computer, like a text file, etc as supposed to a "hard copy", which is printed on paper.

Anyway, I was so impressed with the ease of Sub Station Alpha, I used it until I began using Video Studio 6, and then only because VS6 was a full function program. I would have suggested it, but one cannot copy and paste to it like one can to Sub Station Alpha.

[HevyH2O]

I've been looking for a download site and cant seem to get one. Anyone found a mirror of the file? Thanks! - Aaron

[SLK001]

Try DOOM9.NET for the program. True CLOSED CAPTIONS are part of the video stream in the Vertical Retrace Interval, and are encoded on line 21 of your video scan. At DOOM9, search for McPoodle. He has written quite a bit about CCs and has a program to convert the text to the type of file that has to be imported into your DVD authoring program.

[Tommyknocker]

Sub Station Alpha