Dissapearing Subtitles with ConvertX

[icyhot]

Got a confusing problem here: I'm working with an avi file that has subtitles, which I assume means they cannot be removed, etc. And yet when I convert the file to DVD using Convert X to DVD- the subtitles dissapear. The dvd file is totally the same as the avi otherwise, it's just the subtitles that are gone.

I'm no expert at this sort of thing, but can anyone out there possibly suggest a remedy to help get my subtitles back?

Otherwise I better sign up for that Russian class at the Learning Annex...

Many thanks in advance!

[Baldrick]

probably muxed subtitles in the avi file. Try demux with avimux gui or virtualdubmod, streams->stream list. Then add the sub and avi in convertxtodvd and convert.

[icyhot]

Hoo boy, I'm confused already.

I'll give what you said a shot, but I'm not even sure what demuxing is.

Or if I even spelled that right.

Can you possibly give me a really, really quick overview of the process?

But even if you can't, thanks for the advice so far, it's gotten me a little closer to where I need to be.

Cheers.

[jagabo]

AVI files can contain several different "streams" of video, audio, subtitles, etc. multiplexed together (a little video, a little audio, a little video, a little audio,...). Demultiplexing is the process of separating the streams so that one file contains the video, one file contains the audio, one file contains the subtitles, etc.

Regarding subtitles, they can either be part of the picture or they can be a separate stream that is overlaid by the player on playback (the latter allows you to disable the subtitles if you don't want them, or to have several languages, each in their own stream).

Since your subtitles disappeared on conversion to DVD they are the latter type. What you probably want to do is extract the subtitle stream, convert it to a DVD compatible format, and then master a DVD with the subtitles that can be switched on/off.

It's also possible to make the subtitles a permanent part of the picture but if you do this you won't be able to turn them off.