Ulead DVD Workshop Subtitles Problem

[joejoe]

I created a SVCD with selectable Subtitles ( not permanent ) and when I burn the file with DVD Workshop there's no way I can see them on my DVD players. I have 2 DVD players, Philips and JWin and I can see the subtitles if a burn the same file with Nero. The problem is that I like DVDW menus. I think somehow DVDW is changing the original file and changing the subs streams, even though I checked Not to convert to standard SVCD in DVDW. I don't Know if there's a solution to this problem cos' it's really weird. What can I do? any ideas? Thanks in advance.

[troyvcd1]

You can not put subtitles in a svcd. Only in a dvd.

[joejoe]

I'm afraid you're wrong. just check on this very site the SVCD Standards just quoting... "SVCD subtitles are selectable subtitles that may be used in SVCDs. Selectable means that you can choose between up to 4 subtitles or choose no subtitles, similiar to DVDs." I'm sorry

[Specialist]

What specific steps are you taking to create the selectable sub-titles?

Here are a couple of tutorials that might give you some helpful information:

1. Hiding in the Workshop:

http://www.digitalpostproduction.com/2003/06_jun/tutorials/hiding_workshop.htm

2. 32-Bit UNCOMPRESSED .AVI:

http://www.ulead.com/learning/c3ds/c3ds_06_1.htm

Jerry Jones
http://www.jonesgroup.net

[joejoe]

Thanks for your answer specialist!!! I'm using DVD2SVCD and as i said in my first post the subs do work cos I can see them if I burn the disc with Nero. It's no the first time I have trouble with DVDW i used to have freezing and synch prob before they released the patch, but I love the way it handles the menu part. I've tried many authoring soft, but for SVCD I think it's the best, specially the intro video. I'll have to wait for DVDW2 available in 2004. I'll check the tutorials. Thanks anyway

[deadpac]

joejoe,

SVCD subs and DVD subs are not exactly the same, although they are similar.

With SVCD (and CVD) subs it's as simple as using a tool such as WinSubMux or I-Author to mux the SubMux .sub file (along with the rendered .bmp files) to the mpg stream and then you are left with a mpg file containing video, audio, and subtitle streams. You can then take this file and just author and burn as SVCD and most standalone players should be able to handle these type of subtitles. You (joejoe) yourself have gotten your svcd's with subs to work this way.

With DVDs it's a slightly different scenario. First of all Ulead DVD Workshop is a basic way of authoring dvds. And while it can handle the basic dvd authoring, it unfortunately cannot handle subtitle streams. Even if your mpeg2 file is properly muxed with subs, I don't even think the dvd structure allows for svcd subtitles; workshop will eventually end up demuxing the mpeg2-withsubs-file and discard any irrelevant streams (such as the padding and private streams that are contained within a properly muxed svcd-mpeg2 file that has subs) as it's creating either the dvd folders or iso file.

I am willing to bet that if you use IFOedit and open up an .ifo (one that points to your svcd mpeg2) of your dvdworkshop authored dvd that you will not see a subtitle stream contained therein.

In order to properly create a DVD with selectable subtitles you have to convert the SubMux structured file to a either a Scenarist .scc or Subpicture structured file. Mux it properly with Subpicture .sup file [or use .scc with Scenarist]. Currently only DVD authoring apps that can handle subtitles/captions are Sonic Scenarist, Sonic ReelDVD, Adobe Encore DVD, DVD Maestro, and IFOEdit.

http://www.polarhome.com:793/~afonic/subdvd.htm
The guide above is a guide on adding selectable subtitles to a DVD using IFOedit. A very easy to do guide but you sacrifice the ability to use menus and your DVD ends up being just video.

Doom9 also has a guide on adding selectable subs to an already authored DVD using Sonic Scenarist. A very hard guide that requires extensive knowledge of Scenarist.

Another way of doing it (but very tricky) is to remux the m2v with the audio and .sup file in IFOedit and author a basic DVD. Then take the newly muxed VOB file and put it into your authored DVD replacing the old VOB file. Now comes the tricky part, taking the newly authored ifo file that was created with IFOedit and then update the original ifo from your original authored dvd; you can't just copy and paste the old over the new. You have to then use IFOupdate to fix the original ifo file to recognize the new things in the vob file, mainly the new subtitle stream. I have gotten this method to work flawlessly once, and only once . Each time after the authored dvd acted funny, mainly not going back to the root menu and losing the chapters. In order to fix that I had to do some hex editing of the ifo file to fix these problems.

good luck on whichever route you decide to go with.

note: I've never bothered to scavage the net for easier and better guides because I usually don't troll outside of dvdrhelp or doom9.

[joejoe]

deadpac, that sounds like quite a journey! I'm just a humble beginner. Looks like i'm gonna have to start trying different software. What do I have to lose? to experiment a little, that's the way you learn, right? really appreciate your explanation. thanks.