AviDemux "ripped" subtitles to SRT perfectly ... _except_ for duration ...?

[Diana (Cda)]

Anyone know how to get the SRT output that AviDemux creates (via the VobSub component) to display with correct timing?

I ripped a DVD and then searched how to rip the subtitles and went through the OCR process, telling AviDemux ( via VobSub) what each new letter was and got a perfect SRT file. The only difficulty is that the subtitles don't display for the right length of time. They pop on the screen and then right away pop off so you don't have time to read them. The video is an opera and it's difficult for non-opera people like me to understand what's going on without the English subtitles. Since it's so I can pass it along to my family to watch on a USB flash drive, would like to put good working subtitles on the disk as well.

Anyone know the solution? The guide I followed doesn't seem to mention anything about timing (http://www.my-guides.net/en/guides/linux-dvd-video/how-to-extract-dvd-subtitles-to-srt...owslinuxmac-os).

Thanks.

[Baldrick]

Have you opened the srt in notepad and checked the timings? Does they look ok?

Or use a better dvd to srt extract like subextractor.

[aedipuss]

you could open the srt file and change the duration of each sub. 00:31:45,150 --> 00:31:47,650 the first number is start time the second is end time in H:M:S,thousands format.

[jagabo]

Use SubRip to convert DVD subs to SRT. Use Subtitle Workshop to change the timings on your existing subs. It has the ability to set the lengths based on the number of characters, fix overlaps, etc.

[Diana (Cda)]

Have you opened the srt in notepad and checked the timings? Does they look ok?

Or use a better dvd to srt extract like subextractor.

Hi, Baldrick!

Yes, I've edited SRTs in Metapad loads of times and this one looks perfectly fine in terms of structure. The lines all seem to start at the right time, too, as they're "in synch" with lip movement it's just that they wink out each time before you can finish reading and before the singers finish singing each bit.

So it looks like the VobSub component in AviDemux did a very accurate job with the subtitles. The challenge is that the original language of the DVD, being opera, is Italian. I don't know Italian, unfortunately <lol> and the whole idea is to give the folks a USB flash drive with the XviD rip on it with the subtitles (all this supported by their flatscreen TV) so that they can watch without any fuss or bother. I'm also loath to let me DVDs go out the door, parents or no parents <lol>. So although the subtitles all seem to be there, they're just not displaying on the correct length of time. I have another subtitler that allows me to adjust subtitle lengths by pressing down a button for the duration and lifting, but since I don't know Italian, I got very dizzy very fast trying to keep up and trying not to ruin settings on each of the srt lines that follow each and every time I had to manually adjust the length <sigh>.

Is subextractor as easy as the AviDemux's VobSub subtitle ripper, but at the same time does it do a better job of allowing the correct length on each SRT line while also being accurate with the OCR?

Thanks!

[Diana (Cda)]

you could open the srt file and change the duration of each sub. 00:31:45,150 --> 00:31:47,650 the first number is start time the second is end time in H:M:S,thousands format.

Um, yes, I could do so but it's a movie that is over 2 hours in length and it's in a foreign language. Not very do-able.

Thanks though!

[Diana (Cda)]

Use SubRip to convert DVD subs to SRT. Use Subtitle Workshop to change the timings on your existing subs. It has the ability to set the lengths based on the number of characters, fix overlaps, etc.

Thanks. I have more than one subtitler that allows me to do that. I can't remember what they are and I have a suspended internet service till mid-April due to some hardware issues so I'm typing this from work so I can't check. As I mentioned in a prior post just now, it's very impractical for me to adjust durations on this particular movie since it's in a foreign language and it's very long, I believe about 2½ hours long. The task of changing each line's lengths is more than daunting for this particular case.

I'm hoping someone knows of a DVD-subtitle ripper that produces an SRT output that is as accurate as the one made by AviDemux's VobSub component but that also, though, gets the duration of each subtitle correct to the audio output of the movie. VobSub didn't on this one. Each line ends much too soon.

Thanks!

[jagabo]

I gave you the name of subtitle ripper that works properly, getting both the start and duration of each sub automatically. And a program that can take your existing SRT subs and automatically set the duration of all lines depending on their line length.

[aedipuss]

might be worth just making a copy of the dvd to send

[Diana (Cda)]

I gave you the name of subtitle ripper that works properly, getting both the start and duration of each sub automatically. And a program that can take your existing SRT subs and automatically set the duration of all lines depending on their line length.

Um, well, thanks. But I have to say that I already went through a process that ended up with an SRT that I will already have edit manually completely anyway to get it right. There is no gain in going through everything again just to get the same end result. What is needed is _one_ application that not only OCRs the subs as perfectly as VobSub did but that _also_ gets the _duration_ of the timings right in one go, something that VobSub did not do. Your recommending a second app to do that manually suggests that the first app doesn't get that right, either. Or should it be understood despite everything that the first app does rip with both things perfectly even though that fact isn't stated?

Adjusting the duration of the subs manually is not do-able. I already tried more than once. I don't know Italian to begin with and working with a sung foreign language is even more difficult that working with a spoken one, believe me.

Does anyone know of a single app that gets both things right? That's all I need to know. I've searched for the subs and none are available in English, so ripping the subs seems to be the only way to go if I can get a good SRT result in one go.

Thx.

[Diana (Cda)]

might be worth just making a copy of the dvd to send

To put on a USB flash drive?? <g>

No, despite everything and despite the roadblocks, I've found that eventually and with perseverance I find solutions. I might not find the solution to this particular challenge in the very near future, but eventually something will turn up. It always does. I'll just have to keep looking. The USB flash drive isn't all that big and I don't burn DVDs anymore but I'll figure something out without letting my original DVD go on a trip to them <g>.

Thanks much.

[jagabo]

I gave you the name of subtitle ripper that works properly, getting both the start and duration of each sub automatically. And a program that can take your existing SRT subs and automatically set the duration of all lines depending on their line length.

Um, well, thanks. But I have to say that I already went through a process that ended up with an SRT that I will already have edit manually completely anyway to get it right. There is no gain in going through everything again just to get the same end result. What is needed is _one_ application that not only OCRs the subs as perfectly as VobSub did but that _also_ gets the _duration_ of the timings right in one go, something that VobSub did not do. Your recommending a second app to do that manually suggests that the first app doesn't get that right, either. Or should it be understood despite everything that the first app does rip with both things perfectly even though that fact isn't stated?

There's no getting through to you is there? I gave you two options. One gets the subs ripped properly in the first place. With the correct starting times and the correct durations. The other, if you don't want to go through the OCR process again, is a program that has the ability to automatically set the duration of every line of your existing subtitle file based on the length of the line. It can also fix overlaps if any are generated. It will take you 30 seconds to press a few buttons and keys. But I guess you'd rather argue.

[Diana (Cda)]

Hi, there. Don't know if this will work but I ended up doing yet another search but this time dl an SRT in a foreign language that I _do_ know. I may be able to just do a simple copy/paste to replace text line-by-line. This make work from the VobSub srt with the incorrect timings to this one I dl. As long as the timing durations are correct in the one I found just now, this may work. At any rate, it'll be a simple things to test first as I understand this 2nd language well enough to see if the text keeps pace with the action in an understandable way (since I _still_ don't understand Italian <lol>). Then I'll replace each line of text with the English version while keeping the dl one's durations.

In the meantime, I'll still look at different ripping alternatives. And I'll also try playing around with some of my other DVDs. They're all in spoken English (vs. sung Italian) so it'll be easy to see if VobSub _always_ gets the durations wrong or not.

I'll report back.

[Diana (Cda)]

Have you opened the srt in notepad and checked the timings? Does they look ok?

Or use a better dvd to srt extract like subextractor.

Baldrick, hi,

After trying several different versions both on the day you posted this info and then again today, with no luck, thought I should report back. Every single zip file I dl from the dl links I eventually got to gave error messages. And today I tried from other sources via google. So far, can't get a good copy. So going to give this a miss once more, this time waiting till I get my internet back.

Thanks!

[jagabo]

Opening your existing SRT with Subtitle Workshop, selecting the automatic duration option (Edit -> Timings -> Automatic Duration), then saving the results will give you acceptable durations every line and will only take you 30 seconds.