How to add new subtitles to an existing DVD

[manono]

After you've used Muxman to remux the video with the new subtitles (test it to make sure you really have subs), open the original subless DVD with menus in VobBlanker. Highlight the main video so it appears in the lower window. Highlight it in the lower window and hit "Replace" to the right. Scroll to the VTS_01_0.IFO of the remuxed DVD, the one with subs but no menu. Give it an "Output Folder" and "Process".

When all done you should have the original DVD with menus and subs. But, if there were no subs before and you added subs for the first time, you still have to "turn on" the subs. Follow the directions in this post:

https://forum.videohelp.com/topic338721.html#1778185

After that you'll be able to use the remote control to turn on the subs. Or, by adding a command to PGCEdit you can make the subs play by default.

[franciscomb]

First of all, thanks for your instructions.
Now, am I supposed to substitute the ifos from the film processed by VobBlanker by the ones in Pgc-backup or are they the same? Besides, the ifo that should contain the menu only has 20kb, while the one from the subless film that had the menu has 1Mb. Is that ok?

[manono]

Now, am I supposed to substitute the ifos from the film processed by VobBlanker by the ones in Pgc-backup or are they the same?

The process of "turning on" the subs to make them selectable adjusts the IFOs. After that's done and you've tested the final DVD and the subs show up fine, then nothing further has to be done. It's ready to burn to disc. Just blindly moving IFOs around is never a good idea.

Besides, the ifo that should contain the menu only has 20kb, while the one from the subless film that had the menu has 1Mb. Is that ok?

You had a 1 MB IFO? I'm not sure I believe that. Or at least I've never seen one anywhere close to that size. In any event if, after thoroughly testing the final DVD, it plays as it's supposed to, then don't worry about it.

[franciscomb]

You are right it isn't the ifo that has 1Mb, my mistake. It is the VTS_01_0.vob from the subless film that has that size and it contains the menu, while the one from the final version has 20kb. So my conclusion is that the VTS_01_0.vob from the final version does not include the menu, since this menu has about 1Mb. Besides, the menu does not show up in the DVD player. Just so that you know, this is a menu made in AVS Video Converter and it doesn't have a "Subtitles" section. Only "Play" and "Scene Selection". Can that be it?
Again, thank you for your patience.

[manono]

Just so that you know, this is a menu made in AVS Video Converter and it doesn't have a "Subtitles" section. Only "Play" and "Scene Selection". Can that be it?

I don't know anything about AVS Video Converter and what it does. Sorry. You don't really need a subtitles menu, though, as long as they work with the remote control. If you intend to watch the film with the subs on, then I'd make them play by default. I know I didn't answer the question, but I didn't understand it either.

[franciscomb]

Until now I did use to make DVD's with no menu. But recently I realised they didn't worked on some DVD players. So I've made a DVD with a menu (but no subtitles) and it worked everywhere. However, I need subtitles.
But I think there's another option. I have a few DVD's (not bought, neither made by me), that don's have a menu, only subtitles and chapters, just like the ones I used to make and they work everywhere too. I don's understand why, though, because they have exactly the same files has the ones I used to make: VIDEO_TS.ifo and .bup, VTS_01_0.ifo and .bup and the .vobs. No VIDEO_TS.vob or VTS_01_0.vob, allthough I thought these files where needed for the film to work in every players. But so it seems they are not needed. Just by any chance, have you got any ideia how they make these DVD's? Because they seem to be edited the same way my old ones were, despite the fact that these work everywhere and mine don't.

[franciscomb]

I just want to make DVD's that can be read everywhere. I thought that for that it was necessary to make a menu. Because mine without menu only work in some DVD players.

[manono]

You don't need a VIDEO_TS.VOB. You don't need a VTS_01_0.VOB. You don't need a menu. Such things as chapters and subtitles can be accessed with just a remote control. I don't know why some of yours don't work and other peoples' ones do. I don't know how you make your DVDs. You mentioned something called AVS Video Converter about which I know nothing. You might give some of the other well thought of all-in-one DVD creation programs a try - programs such as FAVC or DVD Flick.

[franciscomb]

Thanks for the tip.

[sugara69]

Please excuse my ignorance on this matter Baldrick, I have downloaded an .Avi file that already has russian subtitles on it. I want to strip those subtitles off of it, and add the english subs, and I have searched forum after forum, and I can't find the answer. What program(s) do I need to acomplish this the most painless way.

[manono]

Please excuse my ignorance on this matter Baldrick, I have downloaded an .Avi file that already has russian subtitles on it.

If those subs are already burned into the video (open the AVI in VDub(Mod). If you see subs, they're burned in), then for all intents and purposes you can't strip them out.

[Charmer]

Delete the post.

[Charmer]

Delete the post.

[branch]

( Optional 2. Open the original dvd movie by open the VTS_01_01.IFO ( you need a mpeg2/dvd decoder ) and you can manually sync the movie. You can also adjust subtitle colors and more. )

How do you sync the movie?

[viewpoint]

How do I create multi-line (say 2) subtitles? When I set the number of lines to 2, the first line of text I type in goes to the bottom of the subtitle box. Obviously, the 2nd line of text I type in goes outside (and below) the box.

EDIT: Ok, I got the above. I just set the vertical alignment to "Top".

Now, I'm stuck at MuxMan. I got the free version, but it seems like a demo. Has MuxMan gone commercial?

[manono]

Now, I'm stuck at MuxMan. I got the free version, but it seems like a demo. Has MuxMan gone commercial?

There have always been free and commercial versions of Muxman. However, the free version is a full-featured authoring (not menu-creating) program. What seems to be the problem?

[viewpoint]

Now, I'm stuck at MuxMan. I got the free version, but it seems like a demo. Has MuxMan gone commercial?

There have always been free and commercial versions of Muxman. However, the free version is a full-featured authoring (not menu-creating) program. What seems to be the problem?

In Subtitle Creator, my subtitles are the right color: white text, black borders.

After going through MuxMan, it's a pink text and yellow border. Hardly readable. Chinese subtitles.

[manono]

After going through MuxMan, it's a pink text and yellow border. Hardly readable. Chinese subtitles.

That's nothing to do with Muxman. It doesn't know what color the subs are supposed to be. Just change the colors to whatever you like using either PGCEdit or DVDSubEdit. PGCEdit is easier and faster, but DVDSubEdit has a guide:

http://download.videohelp.com/DVDSubEdit/Guides/ChangingColors/Guide.htm

[viewpoint]

After going through MuxMan, it's a pink text and yellow border. Hardly readable. Chinese subtitles.

That's nothing to do with Muxman. It doesn't know what color the subs are supposed to be. Just change the colors to whatever you like using either PGCEdit or DVDSubEdit. PGCEdit is easier and faster, but DVDSubEdit has a guide:

http://download.videohelp.com/DVDSubEdit/Guides/ChangingColors/Guide.htm

What's strange is that the colors seem fine when I created the subtitles in Subtitle Creator (saved as both srt and sup).

I got PGCEdit, but I find nothing in the docs regarding changing subtitle colors. Well, I did a search and found the words "Subtitle colour changing", but that's all. Looks like a mere mention of what PGCEdit hopes to do.

[manono]

What's strange is that the colors seem fine when I created the subtitles in Subtitle Creator (saved as both srt and sup).

What you created were the colors for the BMPs. DVD subtitle colors are defined in the IFOs and are overlaid on top of the BMP colors. Again, since Muxman has no way to know the colors, it doesn't give you back what you wanted. I suggested using DVDSubEdit for this because it has a guide for the job, but you wanted to try PGCEdit. OK, open the DVD in PGCEdit. Double-click on the video. In the new screen you'll see the 4x4 block of colors called the CLUT (Color LookUp Table). The 2 colors should be (but not always) in the top row, the pink and yellow. Click on each in turn and change it to whatever you like (white and black apparently). "OK" back to the main screen, File->Save DVD, and test it out.

[viewpoint]

What you created were the colors for the BMPs. DVD subtitle colors are defined in the IFOs and are overlaid on top of the BMP colors.

Doesn't/Couldn't the Subtitle Creator specify the color numbers I want? I did go through all the subtitles and set the color numbers to the proper black and white. I see these same color numbers in PGCEdit.

Hardcoding or forcefully rewiring the color lookup table seems like a bad workaround to something that should be done by Subtitle Creator. If you tell me that that's the way Subtitle Creator rolls, I'll leave it at that.

but you wanted to try PGCEdit. OK, open the DVD in PGCEdit. Double-click on the video. In the new screen you'll see the 4x4 block of colors called the CLUT (Color LookUp Table)...

And it works! Thanks! Thanks! Now, I'm off to finish my first DVD subtitling project... in Chinese.

By the way, if any of you want the Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon subtitled perfectly right (complete with cultural explanation of the choice of words), let me know. Is it illegal to subtitle an original DVD I bought, by the way?

[manono]

Hardcoding or forcefully rewiring the color lookup table seems like a bad workaround to something that should be done by Subtitle Creator. If you tell me that that's the way Subtitle Creator rolls, I'll leave it at that.

You can actually reauthor through Subtitle Creator (Tools->DVD Authoring Wizard), and it uses PGCDemux and then Muxman for the authoring. You give it the original DVD IFO and your SRT and it probably does honor your color settings. But I wouldn't know for sure as I don't use Subtitle Creator for authoring. I don't feel like explaining what's going on for the third time, so I'll leave it at that as well.

I'm glad you solved your problem.

[viewpoint]

[quote="manono"]

You can actually reauthor through Subtitle Creator (Tools->DVD Authoring Wizard), and it uses PGCDemux and then Muxman for the authoring. You give it the original DVD IFO and your SRT and it probably does honor your color settings. But I wouldn't know for sure as I don't use Subtitle Creator for authoring. I don't feel like explaining what's going on for the third time, so I'll leave it at that as well.

I'm scared of the authoring function. From the looks of people's experiences here, I'd guess the authoring function isn't foolproof. And I'm the kind of fool that might need more than 3 repetitions to get an explanation. :P

One last question! I hope. How do I preview the subtitles in Subtitle Creator? I want to see them play with the movie. Or at least with the audio.

[manono]

You can preview them by simply opening them. However, since I don't create subs using SubtitleCreator, and since I don't check synch when using it, I don't know and perhaps someone else can help. Sorry.

[melany]

Thanks for the tutorial will help me a lot in my dvd made

[branch]

Ok...

Problem here, I tried following this list of things to do.

After muxman, if i play it in MPC it shows it correctly (though funky colors).

But then when i play it back in hardware there is no subtitles...

If i open it in PGC Editor, it shows one subtitle present... yet still doesn't show up?

Any ideas?

In MPC i need to 'enable' subtitles (under navigate) could that be the problem?

[branch]

delete

[Bully9]

I've managed to add some english subs to a dvd that already had subs in 4 other languages, using baldick's simple method.

Then i wanted to make the english subs come on by default and i followed this guide:

http://download.videohelp.com/r0lZ/pgcedit/third_party/2cool/subtitles/subtitles_on_de...gcedit.htm#Top

The problem is that after adding the precommand '(SetSTN) Set sub-picture stream =4,=on', whichever language i choose from the dvd root menu, i always get english. The only way to get a different language is to use the SAP remote or Play>Captions and Subtitles in WMP.

Is there any way i can restore the root menu, to pick the selected language (unless, say, the 'no subtitles' option is chosen)?

[manono]

It looks from the guide that you added the STN command at the beginning of the movie, so anything else you choose from the subtitle menu will be overridden when the movie starts.

Go back and delete the STN command and instead set it in the precommands of the main menu. That way, if you choose a different language in the subtitle menu, it'll stick this time. Even that might be problematic if, after choosing a different language, you go back to the main menu before then having the movie play. You could set it at the very beginning, in a First-Play PGC Precommand, but then you should do a careful trace to make sure another preexisting command having to do with subtitles doesn't negate that.

Another way is to set the subs you want on the way to the main menu. That way you can still use the subtitle menu later on. You'd delete the STN command and set the default subtitle language using a different method entirely.

This method allows you to jump to any menu or title on insertion of your DVD, setting the audio and subtitle streams of your choice and by-passing anything in your way (e.g. annoying FBI warnings, studio promos and Dolby Digital trailers) and having all the DVDs internal registers set exactly as they would be if the commands followed the original path.

http://download.videohelp.com/r0lZ/pgcedit/third_party/blutach/How_to_use_PgcEdit_new_macro.htm

[Bully9]

Thanks manono. I could not get it to work by setting the STN command in the main window.

However, I did manage to follow the guide in the link you posted. In the Firstplay PGC i added

(JumpSS) Jump to VTSM 1, Root menu (TTN 1)

so the DVD now starts at the main menu, which is good as it's what i wanted it to do anyway. But if i press Play, the movie plays using the first subtitle in the list on the subtitles page. What i want it to do is play using the added english subs.

I think the answer lies in the instruction:

"If you need to set your audio and subtitle preferences after your breakpoint is reached, simply trace through to them and back to your breakpoint."

But i really have no idea whatsoever what this means or how to do it.