dvd mpeg2 to mp4, seeking hints on subtitles

[hydra3333]

don't know where to start with subtitles from DVDs that I own, when converting main movie to mp4 for easy playback via a WDTV live.

so far I could extract to a video_ts folder, then videoredo to trim main movie to a .mpg file and then x264 to convert the video and ffmpeg to convert the audio and combine these streams into an .mp4 with mp4box., all done in a parameterised .bat file.

Suggestions on where to start, with keeping selected subtitles, would be appreciated. I'm not even sure videoredo can keep them in the trim step creating the .mpg from the video_ts (am checking) nor whether a .mp4 can contain them.

[txporter]

Sort of depends on what you want to do with them (soft or hardsubs). VideoRedo will not keep subtitles from DVDs (idx/sub) but will save any closed captions that exist.

You can rip the subtitles using something like VSrip into idx/sub files. Those can be used with vsfilter.dll and the vobsub("movie.idx") command to inject the subtitles as hardsubs in the movie. This needs to be done during the encoding process.

The same thing can be done with captions. You can use a program like CCextractor to extract the closed captions from the resultant mpg that you get from VideoRedo (VSrip will also rip captions for you if you want). The captions will be saved as a srt file. You can again hardsub that file using vsfilter + textsub("movie.srt"). You can also use something like mp4box to mux the srt file into your mp4 file for use as a softsub.

Finally, if your movies do not contain captions but you would like to go with softsubs rather than hardsubs, then you can use an OCR program like Subrip to convert the subtitles to a srt file that can be used for softsubs.

[hydra3333]

Sort of depends on what you want to do with them (soft or hardsubs). VideoRedo will not keep subtitles from DVDs (idx/sub) but will save any closed captions that exist.

Thanks.

I was hoping for soft subtitles, you know, the writing of what the people are saying which sometimes appears underneath when they occasionally talk in a foreign language. I'd thought that was subtitles. I don't know what closed captions are, so I'll be off to wiki to check that.

You can rip the subtitles using something like VSrip into idx/sub files. Those can be used with vsfilter.dll and the vobsub("movie.idx") command to inject the subtitles as hardsubs in the movie. This needs to be done during the encoding process.

OK, will look into that. I assume that trimming an extracted .mpg will result in out of sync subtitles then unless I do the TRIM in avisynth.

The same thing can be done with captions. You can use a program like CCextractor to extract the closed captions from the resultant mpg that you get from VideoRedo (VSrip will also rip captions for you if you want). The captions will be saved as a srt file. You can again hardsub that file using vsfilter + textsub("movie.srt"). You can also use something like mp4box to mux the srt file into your mp4 file for use as a softsub.

If closed captions is what I need instead of subtitles, then this might be the answer since trimming via videoredo should keep everything in sync.

Any hints on where to look, for what subtitles are vs closed captions ?

[txporter]

Subtitles are just bitmap files that are stored on the DVD whereas closed captions actually contain text. Both of these will normally contain the spoken words from the video, they are just different storage formats really. I didn't really explain what I meant very well above about soft/hard subs. I sort of just typed it out assuming that you knew what I was talking about. In case you don't, softsubs are subtitles that can be turned on and off by your video player whereas hardsubs are actually encoded into the video so they cannot be "turned off".

And yes, if you do trim out parts of the movie, you will have trouble with sync when using idx/sub files.

Perhaps something like this is what you are looking for regarding subtitles/closed captions?

[hydra3333]

OK, subtitles it appears to be then - like in a DVD where a few characters sometimes speak say in russian and at the bottom of the screen a translation appears only for those scenes.

Hard and soft, yes hard as a result would seem better for that type of material (no chance of "missing" it when it occurs.).

[patrad]

I'm trying to do the same. I have mp4 files (h.264/aac) that I've ripped from DVDs. I've now noticed that foreign languages are not subbed. I don't mind hard titles, however when I check "Include Subpitcure" in my ripping program (Any DVD Cloner Platinum) it often includes hard subs for the entire movie in English. When in fact I only want those subs that are not in English.

I'm thinking right now I rip without subpicture used AnyDVD. . then rip the subs with a different program to just get those that I want and mux with mp4 as a 2nd step.

So it sounds like I would use VSrip but then is there a standalone program to mux in to an existing mp4?

My end goal is DVD to mp4 files to stream to XBOX360 . . (which I understand does not support soft subs)

THanks!

[txporter]

I'm trying to do the same. I have mp4 files (h.264/aac) that I've ripped from DVDs. I've now noticed that foreign languages are not subbed. I don't mind hard titles, however when I check "Include Subpitcure" in my ripping program (Any DVD Cloner Platinum) it often includes hard subs for the entire movie in English. When in fact I only want those subs that are not in English.

I'm thinking right now I rip without subpicture used AnyDVD. . then rip the subs with a different program to just get those that I want and mux with mp4 as a 2nd step.

So it sounds like I would use VSrip but then is there a standalone program to mux in to an existing mp4?

My end goal is DVD to mp4 files to stream to XBOX360 . . (which I understand does not support soft subs)

THanks!

I haven't used AnyDVD Cloner Platinum, so I don't know what the options are there. If you want subs only when there is foreign language, then you want the 'forced subtitles'. I am fairly certain that Handbrake will allow you to hardsub only the forced subs. VSrip will also let you extract only the forced subs.

It is really pretty easy to hardsub videos using Avisynth and x264, however if you are not comfortable with avisynth, your best bet would probably be to try Handbrake. It's free and does a decent job.

I just looked over what you were thinking of doing above. You cannot mux these subtitles in after you rip with AnyDVD Cloner since you do not think the XBOX will work with softsubs. If you want hardsubs, then you need to re-encode the video to get them there (the subtitles are now written in the video not overlaid on the video while displayed like softsubs are). You might as well do that in one step rather than rip to mp4 with AnyDVD Cloner and then re-convert with something else to add the subtitles in.

What I do is the following:
1. Rip DVD to harddrive using AnyDVD.
2. Extract idx/sub subtitles with VSrip
3. Create single mpeg2 file from DVD folders using VideoRedo
4. Transcode the mpeg2 file using x264 and Avisynth to hardsub'd mp4 file (there are a bunch of other steps in there but that is the jist of it)

What you can do if you don't want to learn Avisynth:
1. Rip DVD to harddrive using AnyDVD
2. Open DVD folder (VIDEO_TS) with Handbrake and transcode video to mp4/mkv with hardsubs

[hydra3333]

Also an interesting clarification on another forum re "forced" subs for foreign languages - so apparently beware of what we ask for !

DVD subs also contain two types of frames.... elective and forced. Elective subtitles are the ones you have to manually turn on and show every piece of dialog in the movie. Forced are the ones used when someone is speaking a foreign language in the middle of the movie. Unfortunately these are usually contained in the same stream and require special parsing to determine the individual frames are elective or forced. VRD does not have the code required to do this parsing, so even if we had a way to convert subtitles we wouldn't be able to retain just the forced subtitles.

[Dionysus_Jones]

I'm trying to do the same. I have mp4 files (h.264/aac) that I've ripped from DVDs. I've now noticed that foreign languages are not subbed. I don't mind hard titles, however when I check "Include Subpitcure" in my ripping program (Any DVD Cloner Platinum) it often includes hard subs for the entire movie in English. When in fact I only want those subs that are not in English.

I'm thinking right now I rip without subpicture used AnyDVD. . then rip the subs with a different program to just get those that I want and mux with mp4 as a 2nd step.

So it sounds like I would use VSrip but then is there a standalone program to mux in to an existing mp4?

My end goal is DVD to mp4 files to stream to XBOX360 . . (which I understand does not support soft subs)

THanks!

Hi Patrad,

If you don't mind me asking, what settings in the 'Any DVD Cloner' did you use to get subtitles in your output file? I recently purchased this software, and I thought it would be as easy as choosing the English option from the 'Subpicture' list, but none of my output (MP4) files will display any subtitles.

Do you remember having any problems with getting subtitles to work with this program? Are the subtitles stored in a different 'Title' of the DVD structure, or do I only need to select/check the main movie 'Title' ? I've tried the 'Classic' and 'Normal' modes when ripping my DVD's, but nothing seems to work. I've also contacted tech support for the program, but they can't seem to offer me any useful suggestions. Any help that you could provide me with would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!