make default subtitles in vob

[kita]

I have a chinese dvd and i want to make a copy that automatically activates the english subtitles. the only way i know of to have the subtitles there all the time is to re-encode them into the picture using something like virtualdub. but i don't want to have to re-encode and lose quality, especially since it's a single layer and will fit fine onto a dvd+r.

so, is there a way to (i'm thinking) edit the ifo? file maybe to automatically select and activate the english subtitles when the dvd is played? i looked over the files with ifoedit but i don't have a clue where to change it (if this is even where to change it)

my second idea is an authoring tool that can just overlay the subtitles onto the vob video but i don't think there's anything like that.

[mats.hogberg]

There was a thread abvout this a while back. There's a mini guide from Doom9's ifoedit forum:

here is your miniguide :

1) Open the VTS_XX_0.ifo (your main movie).
If your main movie is in the VTS_01_0.ifo, open the VTS_01_0.
2) Check the second part of the ifo edit screen.
and check the value of the subpicture in the title set movie
(attributes) that you want to keep for example: id: 0x20 or
id: 0x21 .......
in most cases, 0x20 is the value for the English subtitles.
3) now click twice on the VTS_PGCITI (part one of the ifoedit
screen using the left button of your mouse).
4) Click on the last VTS_PGCx only once with the left button (mouse).
5) Now scroll down the second part of the ifoedit screen slowly
to check where where are located the precommand and cellcommand
values.

1st possibility: there are precommand in the description.

Place your cursor on the LAST PRECOMMAND (not the cell command).
Click with the right button of your mouse and choose
AddPrecommand.
You now see a new precommand with a NOP value.
Click once on the new precommand with the left button of your
mouse.
You see the following value: 0000000 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 .....
Place your cursor on the first 00 value and change it with 51
Do you remember your subtitles value ?
If this one was 0x20 enter the value C0 in the 5th bytes, you should see the following values:
0000000 51 00 00 00 c0 00 00 00 ........
if the value was 0x21 enter c1 in the 5th bytes
0x22 enter c2
0x23 enter c3
0x24 enter c4
.....
Click on the save option and check the result.

2nd possibility: you don't have any precommand in the description.
Search for the text: there is no PGC Command Table.
Right click on the text (right button of your mouse) and choose
add precommand.
You now see a new precommand with a NOP value.
Click once on the new precommand with the left button of your
mouse.
You see the following value: 0000000 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 .....
Place your cursor on the first 00 value and change it with 51
If this one was 0x20 enter the value C0 in the 5th bytes, you should see the following value
0000000 51 00 00 00 c0 00 00 00 ......
if the value was 0x21 enter c1 in the 5th bytes
0x22 enter c2
0x23 enter c3
0x24 enter c4
.....
Click on the save option and check the result

/Mats

[kita]

for some reason it didn't work in powerDVD and the Matrox DVD player on my computer. But it did work on my standalone, which is where it counts.

thanks a lot