Adding subtitles

[Avril]

Hello,

I'm quite new to video converting so it could be that I'm asking some stupid questions :P .
So I was looking around to find a way to simply add subtitles to my mkv files.

I've tried MKVMerge, seems to work good but there is a inconvenient thing that you can't sync the subtitles live, so that's not easy.
I've tried with Submerge that's perfect, but I'm using a Western Digital Encoder to watch the files on my tv and it seems that the *.mov files can't be read, so there I'm stuck.

Anyone an idea?

Thanks

[rumplestiltskin]

Can't help you with mkv.

Is that WD Encoder thingie that $99 box that WD is selling now to which you connect a USB HD?

[Avril]

yep.
It's a great little box, it evens reads video_ts folders and iso files

[rumplestiltskin]

Okay. There are a couple of different ways to skin this cat.

Install the Perian plugin (perian.org). That will let QT Player (and apps that use that resource to) automatically include subtitles if your source is an AVI and the "srt" file is named the same as the avi and in the same folder. (myMovie.avi, myMovie.srt) If you have QT Pro, that will let you export from QT Player to H264 with the subs embedded. ViddyUp can also take advantage of this "include the subs" feature although it will let you specify a different srt file (if you move the original out of the folder). (Perian is not necessary for ViddyUp or the following suggestion.)

ffmpegX can also embed srt files into DivX (IIRC). Your WD player should be able to play DivX.

Let us know if this helps.

I'd love to know whether that WD box can play videos intended for AppleTV (2500kbps H264 720p AAC 160k audio). While I love my AppleTV, it would be nice to know if there are other device choices for the same media - especially a choice that permits SDTV (as the AppleTV does not).

[Avril]

Hi,

thanks for the reply, I've put the srt file + mkv file in a folder for QT Pro to play.
So it loads automatically the srt, that's perfect, but it seems that the speed (fps) isn't the same.
The subtitle is faster than the movie.

I've tested some programs to change the fps of the srt file, but none works, tried Jubler, Titlelab.
Do you know perhaps a program for that?

[Avril]

I'll try also to see if it supports AppleTV files

[rumplestiltskin]

Wow! I'm surprised that the Perian plugin also enabled the srt's with the mkv file; I didn't know it would do that, as well.

You might try QTSync (http://www.qtsync.com/) or SubFix (http://pier.morel.club.fr/subfix/english.html). The latter app is pretty cool in that you can select the first sub and "pin" it into place at the proper timecode. Then, in the other half of the window, you select the last sub and "pin" it into place at its proper timecode. The app then adjusts everything in between. I've used SubFix for the "srt fps different than the video" issue and was amazed that it came out okay.

Let us know how it goes.

[Avril]

Strangely enough, the export by QT Pro (to *.mov) is getting stuck after 15% .
I'm now testing to export to Avi, hope that the subtitles will also be exported and that my WD encoder can read the subtitle.

Yesterday I managed to mux a mkv file with a synced srt file, but my WD encoder didn't recognised the subtitle

[rumplestiltskin]

Download ViddyUp (http://www.splasm.com/viddyup/) and give it a try. It is one of the apps that can either automatically read the subtitle file (because it takes advantage of the Perian plugin's ability) or, if the srt isn't named right or not in the same folder, can be told to add the subtitle from one of its menus. Basically, if you can see the subtitle in Viddyup, you'll see it in the transcoded video.

Try transcoding it to H264 "best" or "better" quality. You can also do a "custom" transcode and set your own parameters. Be careful if you try this as it's easy to alter specs enough to make the file unplayable except in your Mac.

[Avril]

Your not goiing to believe it.
I've created a folder on my usb stick with in there a mkv file with the corresponding srt file, just to see what the WD encoder would do.
And yes, the WD encoder loads also the srt file! don't need to re-encode the movie file, just make a folder like you said but then on the usb stick or external drive for the WD encoder to play and that's it!

[rumplestiltskin]

So the srt and mkv files have the same name (except for extension)?

[Avril]

Yep, but there was a strange little issue with the sync.
Some pieces of the text is missing if the audio (persons that are speaking)is a bit fast. lol

[guns1inger]

I suspect the srt has overlapping timecodes, and the WD is skipping text that has a start timecode that is earlier than the previous line's end timecode. You will have to edit the timecodes by hand to sort it out.

[rumplestiltskin]

I suspect the srt has overlapping timecodes, and the WD is skipping text that has a start timecode that is earlier than the previous line's end timecode. You will have to edit the timecodes by hand to sort it out.

I believe Jubler has a feature that IDs overlapping timecodes.

[Avril]

I have Jubler, but didn't check that feature yet, will do that later