Announcing DVDSubEdit (Version 1.3 released March 29, 2006):

[jeanl]

Announcing DVDSubEdit:
Beta 0.62 of DVDSubEdit (and now 1.3, see below) can be found here...



DVDSubEdit allows you to visualize and make modifications to the subpics (subtitles or button highlights in menus) directly inside the VOB files, without the need to demux and remux the subpic stream.
DVDSubEdit has the following features:

• Drag/drop one or several vob files, the analysis is done in the background. You can start looking at the SPUs right away.
• Displays the subpics along with the background video, reading the Color Lookup Table from the IFO.
• You can move the subpicture up and down and see the result right away.
• You can select subpictures by stream ID (language) or by Vob/Cell IDs and only move the selected subpictures.
• When you're satisfied with what you see, simply click "Save all changes". Saving takes a few seconds, and you can test your modification in your favorite software player.

As usual, feedback is welcome on this thread!
jeanl

DVDSubEdit Beta .62
- The application is now called DVDSubEdit (I slightly altered ricardo.santos' suggestion here!).
- The subpic language is displayed in the stream selectiong drop-down. The display can change as you go through the SPUs as they might be referenced by different PGCs with different stream setups.
- When opening a "middle" vob in a vts (e.g. VTS_01_2.VOB), the first subpic was often displayed the wrong way (not CLUT
and no background video) because no navpack had been found prior to the subpic pack. DVDSubEdit now skips
the first subpic pack if no navpack can be found before it.
- Tried to improve (but didn't succeed entirely) the display of the first subpic (flickering etc).

[jeanl]

Beta 0.80 of DVDSubEdit is now available here...


The main change is the added support for re-timing subtitles. This is still experimental, so be careful and make sure you have a backup of your VOB and IFO files.
The new re-timing function allows you to change the timing of an individual or a group of subtitles.
Re-timing subtitles becomes slower as you move them by a large amound (in seconds). Note that the IFO file is also modified (because packs have to be moved around).


Here's the change log from beta 0.76

• Added retiming of subpics..
• Added button to quickly hide a subpic.
• Improved the refresh speed of the command display.

[MaxBlack]

This is not immediately clear from the screenshot or description, but one of the most valuable features of DVDSubEdit is its ability to make individual subtitle pictures TRANSPARENT, such that they completely disappear on playback.

Thusly (if you are not hearing impaired but just having trouble understanding words) you can easily remove distracting "sound effects" which exist in a lot of English subtitles [Laughing] [Loud coughing][Screams!][Man humming] etc.

To be able to do this without SubRip-ping, with its attendant, painful OCR process, then editing, then changing to an SRT, then to a SUP or whatever, is wonderful.

This is a great tool to have! Thanks jeanl!

[jeanl]

MaxBlack, thanks for the plug. Apparently, you're not the only one annoyed with these hearing impaired captions! On DVDSUbEdit's main thread at doom9, there's current discussions to make this automatic, or semi-automatic (so you don't have to go through all the subpics, but only to the ones that are detected as "hearing impaired" captions).
Follow the discussions/tests there if you're interested...
Jeanl
http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=104058

[jeanl]

Beta 0.90 of DVDSubEdit is now available here...


The major changes are: Support to read and write .sup files, new slider to move subpics left or right (if possible), and improved OCR for italics.


Here's the change log from beta 0.85

• Added code to move subpics left and right when possible! This can only be done, for now, if the background does not cover the entire picture.
• Added option to quickly reload the last set of vob files (without re-scanning) (see the "File" menu). You can't re-time in that mode.
• Added code to load sup files. Note: you can't reload an individual subpic in that mode, or perform any re-timing.
• Added "Save as sup file". NOTE: DVDSubEdit does not fix PTS discontinuities...
• Added shortcut (Ctrl-T) to run OCR on the current subpic.
• Added code to fix OCR problems with italics, and to better recognize brackets.
• Entering a value in "duration" had no effect. This has been fixed.
• DVDSubEdit no longer complains about the full title not having been loaded if you drag/drop a complete set of VOBs and try to re-time.
• Fixed a bug in Beta 0.86-0.87 that caused "Apply to All" to not work well unless the vertical move slider was used.
• DVDSubEdit no longer crashes when it encounters a badly formed spu (missing packs for example).

Enjoy!
Jeanl

[jeanl]

Version 1.1 of DVDSubEdit is now available here...


Main new feature is the ability to erase parts of subtitles bracketed with '[' or '(' or to detect music notes.

Here's the change log from Version 1.0

• Added an OCR setup panel with options for OCR, and hearing-impaired text removal.
• Added menus to hide/erase hearing-impaired text in subtitles. The remaining text can be optionally recentered or realigned.
• GOCR now recognizes (most?) music notes. They are marked as '#' in the output text.
• Added ability to move subpics with the mouse. Just grab and move!
• Improved the display mechanism, it is now much much faster.
• DVDSubEdit now lets you reload individual (or all) SPUs from a sup file (undo).
• The "Open vob file" dialog now allows selecting several vobs.
• The various save and open dialogs (vob, sup, ppm and srt) now independently remember their default directories. Very convenient.
• When opening a sup file, the dialog to optionally load the IFO now defaults to the same directory the sup file was in.
• Added "Go to" field to go to a specific spu (Ctrl-G).
• Fixed common 'o'->'Q', 'V'->'Y', 'z'->'_', ':'->'_' OCR mistakes.
• Improved the OCR speed when the subpic background occupies the full frame.
• The "save as txt" function now saves as a proper .srt file.
• Added a couple shortcuts (Home and End now go to first and last SPU in current selection).
• Added display of "percent done" in progress dialog.
• The built-in pdf doc (shortcut: F1) is (nearly) up-to-date.
• Fixed a bug that caused the small progress dialog to not close properly if the main window was minimized.
• Last but not least: The file version number now matches the actuall version number (this one for blutach!)

Thanks to CoNS for many tests, and many many suggestions for improvements.
Feedback is most welcome!
Enjoy...
Jeanl

[jeanl]

Version 1.2 of DVDSubEdit is now available here...


Main new features are the ability to select and erase words or characters in the subtitles, and support for the 3 16:9 display modes (widescreen, pan&scan and letterboxed).

Here's the change log from Version 1.1

• Added code to select an area in the OCR output and erase it (both in the OCR output, and the bitmap).
• Added option to automatically remove text like "Man:" in subtitles
• Added option to adjust word detection in the OCR setup panel.
• Added Letterboxed and Pan&Scan video display modes for 16:9 material.
• Added text in stream select to indicate which display mode(s) each stream is intended for.
• Added option to only show forced subpics.
• Added a check box to show the I-frame closest to the selected SPU end time (duration slider).
• Added a smarter check for figuring out the video format when loading a .sup file.
• Added a warning in the log file if closed-captions are detected in the MPEG stream.
• The function to remove hearing-impaired text now runs in its own thread.
• Pressing Alt or Ctrl while dragging a subpic allows horizontal-only or vertical-only moves.
• Fixed OCR problems. The list is too long to show.
• Fixed a crash that could happen in 1.1 if you moved a subpic all the way down.
• Fixed a problem with the borders not adapting with PAL/NTSC video format
• Fixed a scaling problem that cause the subpics to be slightly cropped in no-video, full-screen mode.
• Fixed the safe-area values for the borders. Thanks to r0lZ for the help!
• Fixed the "keyboard input problem" (after a threaded operation (OCR for example) the shortcuts didn't work).
• Fixed once and for all the progress dialog not disappearing if a threaded operation finishes while the app is minimized.

Thanks to CoNS for many additional tests, and many many suggestions for improvements.
Feedback is most welcome!
Enjoy...
Jeanl

[jeanl]

Version 1.3 of DVDSubEdit is now available here...


Main new features are the ability to modify the CLUT colors, a new zoom window to better see the subpics, and more customizations of default colors and behavior.
Here's the change log from Version 1.2

• Added ability to modify the IFO clut directly from DVDSubEdit. Click a pixel tile, then shift-click in the CLUT display.
• Added a "zoom" window that can show the useful part of the bitmap with a 1:1 scaling.
• Added automatic selection of display mode when the user changes the stream selection. This can be disabled in the .ini file.
• Added option to see OCR result on the original subpic (before any modification). That's useful for checking what the Hearing-Impaired removal tool does.
• Added checkbox in OCR setup to allow case-sensitive searches on OCR output.
• Added possibility to choose the default text and background colors when in "AutoCLUT" mode.
• Added Preferences panel that includes general settings, OCR setup, and Hearing-impaired tool setup. The panel now includes options to change background color, alert if closed captions are found, and ask to load IFOs when loading .sup files.
• Added OCR code to detect tied 'fl' 'ft' and 'fi'.
• The "Save all modifications" menu now also works for .sup files (modifications are written back to the original .sup).
• Save all modifications now saves modification in *all* subpics (not just the selected ones).
• Border settings are saved in the .ini file (C:\Documents and Settings\YourName\Application Data\DVDSubEdit.ini). You can edit them to change the default values.
• Fixed yet another stupid border problem with PAL movies.
• Fixed a few problem with the automatic recognition of hearing-impaired text.
• Fixed a (rare) problem where the true subtitle bottom line was not detected correctly.
• Fixed a display mess-up when fast-reloading a PAL movie.
• Fixed an OCR problem that occured when some subpics were moved up.
• Fixed a bug that could cause operations on a subset of the SPUs to abort prematurely.
• The built-in pdf user manual (F1) is more or less up to date.

Also, don't forget to checkout CoNS's cool guide for removing hearing-impaired subtitles!

As usual, thanks to CoNS for many additional tests, and many many suggestions for improvements.
Feedback is most welcome!
Enjoy...
Jeanl

[handyguy]

Jeanl, your new guide uses the phrase: text for the hearing impaired.

'hearing impaired' is no longer used, its a very old phrase from the 50's & it's not a nice thing anymore. You can use: deaf & hard of hearing. This is today's phrase....

Btw, 'text for the hearing impaired', are 'closed captions'. I don't know of anyone who uses 'text for the hearing impaired'... At any rate, it would be nice of you if you could change your phrasing. You could say, 'how to take off closed captions with....' that would work.
thanks.

[jeanl]

CoNS registered but is still waiting to be able to post. In the meantime, I'm posting this message from him:
_______________________________________________

handyguy, I'm the author of the hearing impaired guide.

English is not my native language so please forgive any use of outdated terms etc. And of course I'm not trying to insult anyone. However, in this particular case, I'm not sure there's a problem. I've often seen the term "subtitles for the hearing impaired" used in connection with DVD subtitles. If you google for "hearing impaired" you'll see that this term is still actively used, also by the hearing impaired community, it seems. Furthermore, when looking up "hearing impairment" at WikiPedia, one gets the same impression: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hearing_impairment

About the term "closed captions", I'd rather not use it in connection with my guide. When it comes to DVD subtitles, closed captions are something completely different than "normal" subtitles. Bear in mind that on a video DVD there can be 3 different kinds of subtitles:

1. "Hardcoded" subtitles, i.e. subtitles that are physically an integrated part of the video.
2. "Normal" DVD subtitles, i.e. bitmap subtitles which are located in up to 32 separate streams. Such subtitles can be set to "forced" or not.
3. Closed Captions, i.e. a special kind of text subtitles located inside the VOB files. They can be displayed on the screen by some software and standalone players with special support for closed captions. Many region 1 DVDs contain closed captions.

The scope of my guide is to remove "normal" DVD subtitles (containing lyrics, or text for the hearing impaired). DVDSubEdit can only detect the (possible) presence of closed captions, and (so far?!) it cannot edit or extract closed captions in any way. Same with SubRip. If you want to read more technical info about closed captions on DVDs, check out McPoodle's site: http://www.geocities.com/mcpoodle43/SCC_TOOLS/DOCS/SCC_TOOLS.HTML.

Cheers,

CoNS

[manono]

Yep, I agree 100% with CoNS, and English is my native language. You see the phrase "Hearing Impaired" all the time in the DVD Subtitle Menus. If that phrase is politically incorrect (which I don't believe it to be), then someone tell the DVD production companies. To replace it with the phrase "Closed Captions" would be at best misleading. Since "Hearing Impaired" includes both "Deaf" and "Hard Of Hearing", and is therefore more concise, I say leave the phrasing alone.

[jeanl]

This from Soixante in another thread:

Dont mean to hijack,but can someone help.I just started using Dvdsubedit(1st time) because it was just what i am looking for.The problem every time i try to load the Vobs the programme shuts down with a windows error.Just so i dont waste any ones time the vobs are in Ntsc format if that helps.
Tia[/img]

Soixante, does this happen with all the vobs you've tried? Is there something fishy with your vob? How did you create it? This, as you can imagine, isn't normal!!!
If you find that this happens only with that one vob, it would help if you could send me a snippet of it. I'll tell you how to do that if you confirm that...
jeanl

[Soixante]

Hello,

Here are some details cotained in screenshot.Firstly rejig details..


Secondly here are the vobs etc,these are the first and only ones i have tried..



Thirdly the files were made with convertx to dvd

Hope this helps you.

Tia

[jeanl]

Tia,
This does not help me much unfortunately. So here's what you need to do, so I can get to the bottom of this problem:
- Send me the Log file after a crash: you'll find it in
C:\Documents and Settings\jeanl\Local Settings\Temp\DVDSubEdit.log
- Get CutFile (a small, very useful app to cut pieces of vob files), which you'll find here...
- Use CutFile to cut the first 20-40mB of VTS_01_1.vob.
- Make sure that the resulting file does crash DVDSubEdit!!!
- If it does not, keep more (100MB? more?)
- Once you find a size that does make DVDSubEdit crash, send that to me using www.yousendit.com (you can send up to 1GB!).

I will receive a link allowing me to download the vob, and reproduce the problem.
My address is jeanldvd at free dot fr...

Thanks!
Jeanl

[Soixante]

I have cut the vob to a 20 mb section,the problem still persists.I will send the vob as soon as possible.

Thank you

[jeanl]

Great!!! (well, not so great, I guess) Thanks a bunch!
Jeanl

[Soixante]

This is all the log file states.
19:52:30 -- Found Video Format: NTSC
Obviously no help but thats al there is.

Thank you

[jeanl]

Thanks Soixante, I'm downloading right now. I'll keep you posted...
Jeanl

[jeanl]

OK, I took a look and I see where the problem comes from. The subpics you have in your VOB were made for PAL (they're 573 pixel high), but the video is NTSC (480 high). DVDSubEdit does not check for that, and that mismatch caused a crash!
I'll see if I can fix that.
How did you end up with this situation, though?
Jeanl

[Soixante]

Thank you for the answer.As to the pal/ntsc,im sure the subs where 29,97 as well.I know i asked convertx to force pal conversion.Oh 1 minute i think i muddled about with them in vobsub,i cant remember saving as a different frame rate though.
Anyways much obliged for your help,in the meantime i have opened another vob set with no problems



Thank you

SoiXante

[jeanl]

Here's an updated version of the app which won't crash on your VOB:
https://www.videohelp.com/~DVDSubEdit/Downloads/DVDSubEdit1.309.zip

You will see that a lot of the subs won't show on the screen because they're below the bottom of the video display (having been authored for 576 height, but being displayed on a 480). Fixing that is easy:
- Once you've loaded the vobs, select the "4:3 safe area" in the border selection of the vertical position adjustment. This will move the current subpic inside the video frame (inside its safe area in fact).
- Then press Ctrl-A to apply that to all subpics. All the subpics will be moved so they fall within the save area.
- Save and test...

Jeanl

[Soixante]

Jeanl,i was very excited by your last post ,but alas the first vob is crashing the programme at the same point(5times loaded now)and the second vob is also doing the same at the same point.Heres a screen cap..

Sorry to be the bringer of bad news,Thanks anyway for your help so far.

[jeanl]

Darn! It seems like it's crashing at a different point (after loading quite a few subpics, instead of just the first one), is that right?
Cand you do this?
- Check that the cut vob does not crash the app? (the one you sent me)
- Cut the smallest one that will crash the app (you might look at the log to see at which LBA the crash occured, and cut a bit before and after).
- Send that to me...
Thanks!
Jeanl

[Soixante]

Hello Jeanl,

I have cut the vobs in sizes of 2,5,10,15,20,40mbs.I have encountered the crashing at 40 mb all files before that are allright.I wil send the problematic vob.

Thank you

[jeanl]

Soixante,
I'm not sure how you got your subs, but they seem quite screwed up. The crash is caused by a sub that has the wrong size in it... It's not easy to explain, but if you look at the vob you sent me with VobEdit, at LBA 14483, you'll find the first subpic pack of 3, for stream 0x24. In this pack, the "Total size of sub data" is indicated to be 4032, but this is totally wrong! If this were true (which DVDSubEdit assumes) you would be done with this SPU after reading the second pack at 14484. That's what DVDSubEdit does, and then attempts to parse the SPU commands which of course are not there (they're in pack 14485).
There's not much I can do about that, except make DVDSubEdit more robust to errors like that (but that's not easy!). Where do these subtitles come from??
jeanl

[jeanl]

Soixante, I posted a new version 1.310 here...
This version should not crash on that specific subtitle that's messsed up... It might crash on others if they're messed up in a different manner!!!
Try it and let me know...
Thanks!
Jeanl

[Soixante]

Hello Jeanl

Thank you,the link to the new version has now sorted the subtitles out,they are now viewable.I did have some problems but continued and ignored them.Checking the file the subs seem to be complete and all in working order now.

Once again thank you for your help.

Soixante (a very happy one)

[jeanl]

Thanks for checking! Your bug report helped me make DVDSubEdit more robust to these kinds of oddities...

Jeanl
P.S. Note that when DVDSubEdit encounters a malformed SUP, it dumps it, so you're probably missing a couple subtitles in there...

[ericf]

Hello. I'd like to know if it is possible to separate subtitles into single lines of words positioned differently on the video. I'm mostly talking about signs and such.
If I have dialog at the same time as signs I usually have to put the sign subs above the dialog. I'd like to be free to position my subs wherever I want, mabye as many as 5 differtent subs positioned differently, but I don't know if that is possible.

Srt doesn't allow positioning other than top, bottom, left or right, center, center right, center left.

Since only part of the subs are to be positioned center bottom I need a way of positioning several subs at the same time. This is possible in SSA and probably in ASS but can I use positioning in an SSA file and use that on a DVD?

Can DVDSubEdit make changes to the subtitles like this? And is it possible to add new subtitles to the DVD using DVDSubEdit?
Thanks.
ericf

[jeanl]

NO, you can't position part of the subtitles independently (it would be nice for example if you have subs both at the top and the bottom, as you sometimes do). Also, DVDSubEdit can't add subtitles... Sorry...
Jeanl