.m2ts / .sup timecode problem

[SpinyNorman]

Hello good people!

Been using this page for a long time, but never really got around to signing up... until now sadly, where I could use the help of some knowledgeable people.

I have a slight problem that I'm looking for some help with. I have already searched the internet (most of it at least) for an answer, and have found many suggestions, but none that worked for me.

Basically, I have an .m2ts file (h.264, TrueHD, AC3, sup tracks), where the timecode (if that's what it's called) seem to be messed up, missing or something else.

When played (I use MPC-HC), the length is reported as 1:26:35, but if I scroll to near the end (1:26:00), I end up in the middle of the final scene. If I let it play the last 35 seconds, it stops (probably thinking that's the end) but if I then rewind to 1:26:00 again, I suddenly see the end credits.

I have tried demuxing the file with tsMuxeR and then tried repairing the .264 file with "AVC Corrector". It reported that the file had been fixed, so I then muxed it back to .m2ts using tsMuxeR, but it's still reported as being 1:26:35.

Then I muxed all the files to an MKV, and here the length is reported properly as 1:32:32 and the file seems to play just fine. Seeking to the end doesn't mess up the scene/end credits or anything like that.

I have also tried just muxing the h264 stream (no audio) to an .m2ts (1:26:35) and MKV (1:32:32) to rule out problems with the audio streams or something.

I have now discovered that it's actually the .sup track that somehow determines the reported length of the .m2ts. When I include the .sup in the .m2ts, the length is "reduced" (shown) as 1:26:35, which is also the timestamp on the last subtitle in the .sup file.

I hope this made sense, nearly as much as I hope that someone's got some bright ideas as to what I can try to fix this - or if it is fixable at all.

Oh, and just keeping it as an MKV is not an option in this case, otherwise I would have had no problem of course

[MilesAhead]

I would make a copy of the .sup and load it into BDSup2Sub and see what you can manipulate. It may have a feature to set the total time or some other fixes. If worst comes to worst you can use it to export idx/sub. But I'd be surprised if there was no way to set the total time. Perhaps you could add a "dummy" subtitle way at the end of the credits to extend the total time. Any subtitle editor that lets you edit .sup should work I would think.

[SpinyNorman]

Thanks for the suggestion, I tried BDSup2Sub but that didn't really help unfortunately...

But now it gets kind of embarrassing... I have apparently foolishly thought that MPC-HC could handle everything, so I hadn't really tried playing the file(s) in any other player... well, I tried VLC, but that didn't work.

Now I got my hands on the latest beta of MPC-HC (1.5.2.3104), and lo an behold, suddenly it all works... it seems the regular non-beta version has problems (at least for me) with .m2ts/.sup.

And here I thought I already tried everything... tsk tsk.

Thanks for the input anyway, I hadn't actually thought of converting it to idx/sub either... but now it seems I don't have to at all

[MilesAhead]

Now that I think of it, I did get MPC HC beta to show PGS subs, but using Haali Media Splitter or some direct show method to display them on top. Also VLC and WMP 12 on Windows7 would display PGS sub streams. In VLC I think the trick is to set it to display a sub no matter what. If you just right click on an .m2ts with a PGS sub it may not show up in the menu. But it will display if you set it to show the first subtitle.

The trouble with VLC is since 1.0 it crashes like crazy. I was surprised WMP 12 displayed PGS but I think you have to go into the settings and enable it. It won't by default. I just use the software players to spot check the subs. Then I play on WD set top box.

[SpinyNorman]

I can't remember having problems with MPC-HC before, but then again, I very rarely deal with .m2ts files, so... the beta of MPC-HC seems to handle the PGS just fine though, so that's great