Subtitles and ffmpegX

[talisman]

Using ffmpegX 0.0.9 and have yet to be able to get subtitles to burn into the movie. I am following all of the recommendations found on Majors website as well as those suggested in the forums.

I am trying to convert an avi to DVD using the "DVD mpeg2enc" preset. Under the filters tab, I select the subtitles checkbox, load my subtitle file (.srt), and set it to burn. I check the position with the preview and the subtitles usually appear when the should in the position I desire. Under the options tab I select the "Decode with mplayer" checkbox, then hit encode. After a few hours what I get is a nicely encoded .mpg, .mpv and .ac3 file without any subtitles.

Can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong? I have tried several variations, (checking the .mpv file during encoding), without success. Am I overlooking something simple or am I following the wrong process.

Totally clueless & frustrated

[propan]

See if the subtitles file have spaces in the name. If so remane it.
I had the same problem. That was the cause.

[major]

The current mplayer build has sometimes issues with subtitles, i.e. it does not show up them. You can check the behavior by previewing with the "Play" button. Reverting to the old binary will fix this temporarily (but you will lose H.264 encoding). A fix is currently worked out for release in next version.

[propan]

Where can I find the old binary of the mplayer ?

[major]

http://prdownloads.sf.net/mplayerosx/ffmpegXbinaries714.zip

After installing it (both mplayer and mencoder), the self-installer will complain about the version being wrong, but you can cancel and continue.

[talisman]

Thanks for teh reply major. I'll try the older binary. I did try looking at the vid with preview and teh subtitles do show up there. And I did take out all of the spaces and special characters from the path name.

[major]

If the titles appear in the "Play" preview, then it is OK and they should also get encoded.

[midwich]

http://prdownloads.sf.net/mplayerosx/ffmpegXbinaries714.zip

After installing it (both mplayer and mencoder), the self-installer will complain about the version being wrong, but you can cancel and continue.

Hi major - I've also not been able to burn .sub files as you know. I can see the subtitles fine using the Filters Preview button, but not with the main Play/Preview button, and they aren't burnt to the output file.

Do you think installing this older version of mplayer might fix this pattern of symptoms? If so, I'll give it a go

[major]

Yes, or you can also wait for version 0.0.9q which will carry new binaries fixing the subtitle issue.

[midwich]

Yes, or you can also wait for version 0.0.9q which will carry new binaries fixing the subtitle issue.

That is fantastic news! - and not just one solution (old mplayer), but two I think I'll wait for 0.0.9q and get my credit card ready - it'd be time to stump up!

Thanks again for such a fast and helpful reply

[midwich]

http://prdownloads.sf.net/mplayerosx/ffmpegXbinaries714.zip

After installing it (both mplayer and mencoder), the self-installer will complain about the version being wrong, but you can cancel and continue.

Hi Major,
while waiting for 0.0.9q I had a go with the 714 versions of mplayer and mencoder you kindly linked to above. I'm afraid the subtitle problem didn't go away. To recap:

Subtitles show up fine via the Filters Preview button, but do not show via the Main Window Preview button, nor in the final file.

Maybe this will be OK in 0.0.9q, but thought I should mention this. Cheers

[major]

Could you please email me these subtitles to major4@mac.com

[midwich]

Could you please email me these subtitles to major4@mac.com

Thank you so much! It is being sent to as I type...

[yetdog]

I am having this EXACT same problem. Not the subtitles, but with the program not creating the DVD folder. The first time, it worked flawlessly, and created a .DVD folder with AUDIO_TS and VIDEO_TS inside. Every subsequent attempt after that, however, left me with just an .mpv file. Any word on a fix/cause for this?

[major]

Please email me to major4@mac.com the content of your process output (blue "i" icon in the progress window).

[yetdog]

Tue Jan 3 10:48:49 EST 2006
Mac OSX static build for ffmpegX
Input #0, avi, from '/Users/matthewyette/Movies/Sleeper.Cell.S01E01-E10.HDTV/ep2.avi':
Duration: 00:52:40.3, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 929 kb/s
Stream #0.0, 23.98 fps: Video: mpeg4, yuv420p, 624x352
Stream #0.1: Audio: mp3, 48000 Hz, stereo, 128 kb/s
Output #0, rawvideo, to '/Users/matthewyette/Movies/Sleeper.Cell.S01E01-E10.HDTV/ep2.avi.ff.mpv':
Stream #0.0, nan fps: Video: mpeg2video, yuv420p, 720x480, q=2-20, 2994 kb/s
Stream mapping:
Stream #0.0 -> #0.0
video:1153818kB audio:0kB global headers:0kB muxing overhead 0.099658%
bench: utime=1703.169s
Mac OSX static build for ffmpegX
Input #0, wav, from '/Users/matthewyette/Movies/Sleeper.Cell.S01E01-E10.HDTV/ep2.avi.ff.wav':
Duration: 00:00:00.0, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 1535 kb/s
Stream #0.0: Audio: pcm_s16le, 48000 Hz, stereo, 1536 kb/s
Output #0, ac3, to '/Users/matthewyette/Movies/Sleeper.Cell.S01E01-E10.HDTV/ep2.avi.ff.ac3':
Stream #0.0: Audio: ac3, 48000 Hz, 5:1, 448 kb/s
Stream mapping:
Stream #0.0 -> #0.0
video:0kB audio:2kB global headers:0kB muxing overhead 0.000000%

That's the output. Ran it thru the Tools tab to fix the avi file, it 'fixed' it, tried it again, still no go. Don't know why the audio is ending up 0kb

[major]

The wav file seem empty. Try to disable "Normalize audio".

[msfior]

Do the current mencoder and mplayer binaries still have problems with subtitles?

I too was having trouble getting the subtitles to show up on the dvds I created. Followed the steps exactly as in the tutorial, but never got the subtitles to show up in dvd player. They show up perfectly on the preview.

I did realize that my subtitle filename had spaces in it, so I got rid of those. I downloaded the old mplayer and mencoder binaries major linked to above, and am going to try it now. Hopefully it will work!

Let me know if I need to use the old binaries to get the subtitles to show up on the dvd!

Will definitely register if I can get this working as it is the most important thing for me.

Thanks,

Mike

[mwest]

Hey All,

I have to do subtitle stuff a lot here (I work in a Foreign Language Lab) and I have seen a lot of this happen... I found that sometimes if there is an odd character in the subtitle file (a foreign letter) the subtitles won't work. I usually try out the AVI and SRT files in VLC first. If there is no error, it should work with ffmpegX.

I've noticed that I sometimes have to use the ffmpeg library instead of mpeg2enc. Unfortunately, then you don't get the VOB subtitles with the video, but they are "burnt" into the image. That's better than no DVD though.

I'm using 10.4.4 and ffmpegx 0.0.9v with the most up to date libraries. After updating my files I RARELY can't use mpeg2enc. I just make sure to uncheck "Decode with Quicktime" option under the options checkbox. If anyone wants all the options I use and process, I can post them...

Matthew

[hitori]

Hey there MWEST, I'm wondering actually, how you get your subtitles off a DVD. I can't seem to figure it out, but most importantly, I need a good asian language solution, so if there are any issues with not roman characters I'd really want to know about those before I just get garbeldigook for subs.
Lemme know if you now how to do this. Maybe just a nedge in the right direction would help. I'm not even sure which decoder I should be using and such.

After that though, I need to know the same thing going back to XVID/AVIs or DVDs as I'll be using the subs with both most likely. HOwever I already know how to do that with english, but if there are asian language moguls I)'d like to know that.


Okay thanks for talking.

[mosx]

First i want to say - im a big fan of ffmpegX. But if you have problems, use Handbreake 0.7.1 for the movie. It works on the same movies - that is not getting sub title on with ffmpegx......

[mwest]

Hitori,

Sumimasen yo! I've been sick and haven't posted recently! As far as ripping subs off of the DVD, I am sure there is something out there that will do that... I just don't know of one!

I will share what I do for subs... Most the time I get language teachers that have TV shows from abroad and have seperate subs .SRT files that they want burnt to a DVD, that's pretty easy in ffmpegX...

I have not done so in foreign character sets since we mostly get movies in foreign languages and need the subs in English to help students out. Sorry, I can't help you there yet, but I will do some research.

Now I also backup DVD->DVD and I use Mac the Ripper, which rips the subs with it... Might want to try that if you just want to copy a movie and it's subs. Sorry for the late and not so helpful reply.

Matthew

[hitori]

MWEST

THanks.

It's okay, here I am not replying till now. Lol.

At least in the end I think it should all be solved. Funny too cause I just let the DVD rips sit here all this time, but I'm getting sick of them taking up SPACE! lol.

:)