idx/sub to srt - using subresync - only recognizing words, not characters

[timmer545]

I have used Subresync on numerious occasions to convert idx/sub files to srt and have had good success. My experience has been that Subresync recognizes individual characters, sometimes two characters, but with about 50 inputs or less, the program than generates a srt file, which with little cleaning up works very well. I have several recent foriegn language idx/sub files where subresync is not recognizing characters, but primarily words. I have given up on these files because it is basically requiring me to type in the entire screenplay manually. If I could get it to come down to the character level, rather than the word level, all would be fine. I have not had this happen previously (possibly I've been lucky) and I don't know what to try. I need the subtitles because the video is in a foriegn language.

I use Subresync and Subtitle Workshop frequently and since I have always been able to get them to accomplish what I was trying to do (sometimes using creative work-arounds) I've stuck primarily with these tools.

Can anybody suggest a way around this problem?

Also, is there a way to save character mappings after teaching Subresync -- in hope they might work in the future with another idx/sub file?

--timmer

[src2206]

Did you try Subtitle workshop with this one?

[timmer545]

Src2206, Yes I tried Subtitle Workshop however I can "never" get it to open the idx/sub files that come with videos -- this tool always indicates that the file is not recognized (I'm not currently at my video computers so I cannot provide the exact wording here). That is way I turned to Subresync in the first place.

[obeebeeo]

Solve the problem with the following workaround.
Use ConvertXToDVD to create the movie files on your harddrive (IFO, BUF, VOBs).
The program recognizes and processes IDX/SUB files.
You can use the proper AVI file or just another with at least the required length.
After about an hour or so you can use SubRip on the VOB files to get the desired SRT file.
Afterwards delete the generated temporary files.

During the SubRip OCR process, you'll probably get a number of warnings/errors.
You can skip the unreadable text or type a few @'s instead.
When finished you can search for these @'s and fill in the proper text.
Use SubResync to look into the IDX/SUB file at the time concerned.
Mostly the text appears to be "empty" (this might be the reason for all this trouble).
I have noticed that these were often single word texts, like "Yes", "Sir", "Thanks".

Happy subtitling!

[timmer545]

Obeebeeo, I am terribly late in replying to your previous recommendation for converting difficult subtitles using ConvertXToDVD, and it did take almost a month before I was able to get back to this project and attempt your solutions, but it worked perfectly. Thank you so much.

[petvid]

Solve the problem with the following workaround.
Use ConvertXToDVD to create the movie files on your harddrive (IFO, BUF, VOBs).
The program recognizes and processes IDX/SUB files.
You can use the proper AVI file or just another with at least the required length.
After about an hour or so you can use SubRip on the VOB files to get the desired SRT file.
Afterwards delete the generated temporary files.

During the SubRip OCR process, you'll probably get a number of warnings/errors.
You can skip the unreadable text or type a few @'s instead.
When finished you can search for these @'s and fill in the proper text.
Use SubResync to look into the IDX/SUB file at the time concerned.
Mostly the text appears to be "empty" (this might be the reason for all this trouble).
I have noticed that these were often single word texts, like "Yes", "Sir", "Thanks".

Happy subtitling!

Thank you so much for your suggestion. You just saved my life

[manono]

I don't get it. What was the workaround? To use SubRip? It could have been used from the beginning to OCR the VobSubs. Seems like a lot of wasted time to create a DVD before being able to OCR the subs.

[petvid]

I don't get it. What was the workaround? To use SubRip? It could have been used from the beginning to OCR the VobSubs. Seems like a lot of wasted time to create a DVD before being able to OCR the subs.

That's ok if you have the DVD.

The original question was: What do you do if SubRip (or SubResync) don't read the idx/sub files properly (e.g. only the whole words).

If everybody would use some good and recommended standard ripping software, this wouldn't occur but unfortunately ppl insist on using their inferior cr***y products and deliver cr***y results. That I call a waste of time.

[manono]

The original question was: What do you do if SubRip (or SubResync) don't read the idx/sub files properly (e.g. only the whole words).

But that's just it - nowhere was any mention made of SubRip by the OP. The obvious answer to the problem was to use SubRip, adjusting the settings if necessary for it to display single letters rather than complete words or sentences. And to use SubRip you don't have to go through that song-and-dance about using ConvertXToDVD first. The VobSubs you extract after making the DVD will be the same ones you used to make the DVD in the first place.

That's ok if you have the DVD.

What's that got to do with anything? SubRip works with VobSubs as easily as it does with VOBs or IFOs. I don't know what you had, but the OP had the VobSubs to begin with.

[petvid]

The original question was: What do you do if SubRip (or SubResync) don't read the idx/sub files properly (e.g. only the whole words).

But that's just it - nowhere was any mention made of SubRip by the OP. The obvious answer to the problem was to use SubRip, adjusting the settings if necessary for it to display single letters rather than complete words or sentences. And to use SubRip you don't have to go through that song-and-dance about using ConvertXToDVD first. The VobSubs you extract after making the DVD will be the same ones you used to make the DVD in the first place.

That's ok if you have the DVD.

What's that got to do with anything? SubRip works with VobSubs as easily as it does with VOBs or IFOs. I don't know what you had, but the OP had the VobSubs to begin with.

Whatever you read from the original post is your business. I have ripped avi + idx/sub files. And my Subresync doesn't read letters but words whatever setting I use. So I was greatful to be pointed in the right direction and be able to create a new set of idx/sub files. I could have thought of that myself but I din't

I have now a beautiful srt file. That's all there is to it.

[manono]

Oh, so you had the VobSubs (IDX/SUB) also? Then save yourself the ConvertXToDVD step next time and just open the SUB file in SubRip. You do it by File->Open VOB(s)->Open Dir. And don't forget to save the Character Matrix (SUM) when done so the next time you have a subtitle with that same font you don't have to do all the typing.

[petvid]

Oh, so you had the VobSubs (IDX/SUB) also? Then save yourself the ConvertXToDVD step next time and just open the SUB file in SubRip. You do it by File->Open VOB(s)->Open Dir. And don't forget to save the Character Matrix (SUM) when done so the next time you have a subtitle with that same font you don't have to do all the typing.

That's what I've done. The program read only complete words, not the individual letters.
I don't really want to continue this but for everyone who has experienced this, just use convert2dvd.

[MilesAhead]

Oh, so you had the VobSubs (IDX/SUB) also? Then save yourself the ConvertXToDVD step next time and just open the SUB file in SubRip. You do it by File->Open VOB(s)->Open Dir. And don't forget to save the Character Matrix (SUM) when done so the next time you have a subtitle with that same font you don't have to do all the typing.

That's what I've done. The program read only complete words, not the individual letters.
I don't really want to continue this but for everyone who has experienced this, just use convert2dvd.

Being lazy what I usually attempt if I only have idx/sub and want .srt is use SubToSup to get a .sup file. Then use DVDSubEdit. Load the .sup. Run the automatic OCR. Export to .srt. If the output is so bad the editing would be time consuming then I try to download the .srt subs someplace.

[manono]

That's what I've done. The program read only complete words, not the individual letters.
I don't really want to continue this but for everyone who has experienced this, just use convert2dvd.

If you still have the original IDX/SUB files, would you mind RARing them up and uploading them here so I or anyone else interested in this could have a look?

[petvid]

That's what I've done. The program read only complete words, not the individual letters.
I don't really want to continue this but for everyone who has experienced this, just use convert2dvd.

If you still have the original IDX/SUB files, would you mind RARing them up and uploading them here so I or anyone else interested in this could have a look?

Yes, I do have the original file (attached). I give anyone a medal who convert this to a srt file with Subrip or SubResync

[manono]

Is this a joke? It took all of about 15 seconds to convert the English one using SubRip. The Chinese one or whatever it is doesn't interest me in the least:

[manono]

Just to elaborate a bit because that previous post came off sounding a bit condescending, I already had a character matrix for it and only had to type once, a 'TT' that had run together and wasn't in the matrix. My SubRip is version 1.50b4, which isn't the latest, I don't think. Your problem probably wasn't the spacing, because they seem very much like other subs I've seen. The problem for you was probably the colors. When you get problems like that (seeing words and not individual letters), it's often a good idea to hit "Change Text Color" and look for a different color or color combination that starts spitting out individual letters. I'll include what I was seeing in a pic, and I would guess it's different from what you were seeing. To duplicate it, hit "Change Text Color" and check only the white color:

[petvid]

This is what I see in Subresync



and this on Subrip



So when I try to adjust the colours the program says "can't process text".

This is what I get AFTER conversion with "ConvertX2DVD"






I am using v1.50b4 on Win XP, perhaps not the correct version for this OP. If so, could you upload your version which I could try? Thanks.

[manono]

I got the same using SubResynch, but I sure don't get that with SubRip. We're using the same version, so I'm not sure why you don't see the same as I. I'm also on XP(2). I've seen reports of your problem before, but can't remember what the fix is. I'll look around...

In the meantime, try opening the VobSubs in SubtitleCreator and then saving them again. Try SubRip with the new set of subs. If that doesn't work, open them, save as SUP file, open the SUP file, and finally save as VobSubs. Open the final result in SubRip.

What do you want me to upload? I'm using the same SubRip as you, That? Or something else?

[manono]

I think I've found an answer to your problem in this thread:

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=913258#post913258

ai4spam
Looks like a malformed packet. Try playing with "Use VOB's subtitle map" and "Use ID's file offsets" in "Global Options" (turn them on and off, see what happens).

Originally Posted by roli_bark
Turning OFF both "Use VOB's subtitle map" & "Use IDX's file offsets" worked !!!

But only after I erased the SubRip.ini file from SubRip home directory [alike starting from a scrath new install ]

Very strange .... but at least it works now !
Thanks 'ai4spam' !

I looked at both of those settings in my SubRip, and found both unchecked. Are yours checked?

[petvid]

Both of those settings are checked on mine. I unchecked them and now it works

I only ever had problems with idx/sub titles which came with h.265 codec files (never with XviD). It may have something to do with whatever ripper that person is using. I don't understand why anyone would want to use h.265 codec anyway because you end up with double the file size and, at least I, cannot see any visible difference in picture quality on 40" LCD 1020p through HDMI.

Anyway, I will see how I get on in future with my "odd" idx/sub files.

And thank you for converting this file and all your help, manono.