ffdshow, media player classic, subtitles

[rkovideo]

Subtitles (in separate .SRT files) sometimes keep MPC from working (but not for all video-subtitles). MPC can play the video without the .srt files. I can play the video with subtitles in Windows MediaPlayer ... I can play the same video with subtitles from across the network using MPC without ffdshow ...

I can discern NO pattern of codecs to distinguish working from non-working ... same codec sometimes works, and sometimes not. note: without subtitles all the videos work.

Search of the internet says it might have something to do with the video size (multiples of 16 or something like that).

I can re-encode a video that doesn't work with subtitles using a generic xvid codec and it starts working with the same subtitle file.

Any insights would be helpful.

Happy New Year!

[rkovideo]

more info to help in the problem fix:

1) MPC opens, and the message in the lower left says playing, but the time counter stays at 00:00:00 (slider bar doesn't move)
2) In the fddshow video decoder configuration ... Info & CPU shows the 'Current frame' moving along swimmingly ... but the Input bitrate stays at 0 kbps
3) I do have the latest versions of ffdshow, mpc and xvid

again, thanks for any help.

[Krispy Kritter]

Maybe some helpful info in this thread: https://forum.videohelp.com/topic342105.html

[rkovideo]

Thx for answering Krispy, but nothing in the 342105 thread that jumps out as helpful. But here's a few more bits of information to help in the diagnosis:

1) DirectVOBsub is installed (the green arrow in the taskbar)
2) If I wait 1-2 minutes the movie audio will start (but not the video) ... audio in my test movie starts at timer = 00:00:01
3) At first I thought there was an association between working and the video size (mostly the videos that work have either the height or width as a multiple of 16 ... ) ... but I subsequently found a couple of videos that are not a multiple of 16 in either dimension that work just fine.

Again, any assistance greatly appreciated (since I'm becoming hard of hearing and subs are very helpful).

rgds

[rkovideo]

More information for the diagnostic:

1) I can rename subtitles for a video that doesn't work with subtitles to another video that does work with subtitles, and the 2nd video runs just fine with the subtitle file from the 1st video (but of course the words don't match the speech)

2) I can rename subtitles from a video that works with subtitles to a video that doesn't work with subtitles ... and, of course, the 2nd video doesn't work with the subtitle file from the 1st.

So, the problem lies within the .avi file itself.

thx

[Krispy Kritter]

According to you test in step 2 above (a working video with a non working subtitle file), then it appears you either have subitle files that are corrupt/improperly formatted or you have a software configuration issue. Esepcially after noting in your initial post that ALL of the video files play fine. Not to mention the video and subitles work in another player and on another computer.

I don't use ffdshow or vobsub. About all that I can suggest is that you uninstall the player and associated codecs that are not working, and then reinstall them. And ensure you have the latest versions of each.

[rkovideo]

thx for answer kitty, but still no joy.

* i have all the latest codecs & software, all recently installed (problem is NOT codec specific)
* i need ffdshow on the affected machine (only way i can get several key vids to work)
* ffdshow appears to be the only key variable between the machine that doesn't play the .avi+.srt combo and the one that does (although you never know what other small diffrences might have crept in).

For anyone just joining the conversation:

1) FFDShow + VOBSub appears to keep MPC from playing certain .avi + .srt combos (starts, and says playing, but sticks at 00:00:00)
2) Which .avi+.srt combos work and which don't appears to be almost random: not specific to video codecs, .avi file dimensions, interleaved or not, audio codec, etc. I checked almost all the variables you can see with GSpot and there doesn't appear to be any pattern between .avi files that work and those that don't.
3) This is specific to MPC + FFDShow + VOBSub ... not an issue with any other player. For example, WMP + FFDShow + VOBSub plays the affected .avi videos
4) It does appear to have something to do with the .avi file. It does not appear to be related to the specific .srt file at all. I can take a working .srt file from another video combo, and it won't work with the affected .avi files

This problem has been around for me for a long time, and I'm pretty thorough in chasing down bugs ... so it's a toughie!

[AlanHK]

I had various programs crashing on playing media files. Eventually I worked out that it was due to subtitles being automatically loaded. Apparently there is some rivalry between processes to display subtitles and the result is a crash. So now I rename the subtitle (e.g., from video.srt to video_.srt) so that it is no longer automatically loaded. If I want to see the subtitle I can select it explicitly -- e.g. in MPC, use ^L (File/Load subtitle). That solved, or at least worked around, the problem.

[rkovideo]

thx alan hk. you are indeed right. if i change to vmr9 (renderless) the troublesome avi+srt combos can be played as you described (loading srt up subsequently). unfortunately, now the avi+srt combos that worked before have DOUBLE subtitles (1 on top of the other) ... and since my good combos far outnumber the bad, this makes the work around impractical (I use meedio to fire off MPC, so I can't conveniently switch from one setting to the other).

so alan's on the right track. there is some rivalry going on.

any further thoughts out there?

thx

[Krispy Kritter]

Double subs is likely the result of MPC and vobsub both autoloading the subtitle file. MPC supports subititles when using VMR9 (renderless). You can then disable auto loading of subtitles in one of the two or you can hide the subtitles in vobsub.

[rkovideo]

Thank You Krispy ... Problem Solved!!!!

The correct answer was:

1) Configure DirectVOBSub Properties - Do Not Load (I can probably delete it, but am keeping it for the sake of tradition)

2) MPC using VMR9 (renderless)

... I never would have figured this out since I've been using VOBSub for over 5 years ... but I guess that's why I've had this problem for so long.

Again, thanks to all who helped. Amazing how every little contribution finally got me to the solution.