Adding .srt subtitles while converting AVI-> DVD

[ThufirHawat]

Hello,

I understand that I may be asking a very silly question, but is there a simple way of permanently (i.e. visibly, not by using the menu) adding subtitles (.srt file) to an avi file and convert it simultaneously to DVD?

I know I am not a total failure because I already converted successfully an AVI file (DivX codec) to DVD.

Every attempt I made, using mplayer encoding because apparently quicktime does not understand subtitles, ends with 'failed'. FfmepgX is installed correctly and I am running MacOS X release 10.2.8., with lots of memory (1GB) and a fast CPU (1.25GHz).

I am aware that ffmpegX is very hard to use, because it offers zillion of options, but should it be so difficult to do what I'd like?

Grateful for every hint I might get.

[major]

To add a .srt subtitle, you should open it in the "Load subs" field and enable "Decode with mplayer".

If you get problems, post me the process output to major4@mac.com

[ThufirHawat]

Thank you.

I will try again tonight then and if things don't work out will indeed post you the processing output.

Cheers,

ThufirHawat

[ThufirHawat]

Thank you-it did work.

I discovered that my mistake was actually that in a pop-up on the subtitles, in ffmpegX, I had previously selected the wrong option ('burn' instead of '.srt').

I now have a DVD with subtitles, but, they are unreadable .
If I watch the original AVI file with mplayer X they are perfectly readable, so I suspect that mplayer X generates them on the fly, using its own font(s), reading them from the subtitles file, whilst ffmpegX must just stick them there as they are, without doing anything with them.

So, I guess that if I want to have readable subtitles (after all, one assumes they should be read...) I'll have to go on another quest for the Holy Grail....

Thank you, though.

[major]

ffmpegX uses mplayer to render subtitles so it behaves exactly the same way. If the subtitles are .srt they're rendered from a text file. If they're VOB subtitles, they're displayed as they're encoded (in image format).

[ThufirHawat]

I am sorry to bother you again, but if what you stated was a complete account, then how come that using mplayer on the original AVI and playing the dvd which is the conversion output(from the disc image, not from an actual DVD) with VLC give results with such a huge variance (from readable to unreadable)?

However, I actually do not challenge your statement-I am just an unhappy soul trying to get a DVD with readable subtitles. Would you care to recommend what else could I try? Perhaps changing the font in the .srt file? Setting some other arcane ffmpegX parameter I overlooked? Buying lots of books on modern witchcraft?

Thanks, Major, for your patience with a beginner (though I am an IT professional, I actually am a real-time OS writer, quite illiterate in video matters, as you can see).

TH

[major]

Sometimes burned .srt subtitles can appear black and badly antialiased. In that case you must also open in "Sub palette" a VTS_01_0.IFO file taken from any DVD, to define the subtitle color palette.

[ThufirHawat]

I am glad to report it was a false alert .

In fact the DVD, played on another Mac or on a regular DVD player has perfectly legible subtitles.

Thank you, Major, for your patience.

Best regards,

ThufirHawat