question about converting mkv file to DVD

[jimdagys]

I got an mkv file with switchable subtitles that I wanted to turn into DVD. I used the directions at
http://www.dvd-guides.com/content/view/157/59/
and downloaded the described MKVextractGUI.exe folder software package and used that software to extract out the srt subtitles from the mkv file. I then used DVD Flick and loaded the mkv file along with the srt subtitle file and the resulting DVD was perfect. My question is this: just as an experiment, I looked at the srt subtitle file in Notepad and it looked fine (see screenshot 1) . However, (as an experiment) I tried to load the srt file into Time Adjuster, but I got an error message (see screenshot 2). I have always been able to load srt files into Time Adjuster so I don't understand why I am getting this error message. I tried to "fix" the srt file with SubResync so that I could then load it into Time Adjuster, but I was unable to get SubResync to correct any problem with the srt file. Can someone tell me why I can't load this srt file into Time Adjuster and how I can "fix" this srt file so that I can load it into Time Adjuster?

[jman98]

I'm making a wild guess, but try removing all of the HTML codes like and . They have no meaning in SRT, which has no support for italics. Maybe Time Adjuster is barfing on these. Make sure that for every < > you remove that you also remove the corresponding </ > which terminates the previous instruction.

[Midzuki]

jman wrote:

... all of the HTML codes like and ... have no meaning in SRT, which has no support for italics.

Wikipedia sayz:

Unicode and basic HTML tags such as [i], [b] and <font> in subtitles are supported by most players, but VLC and some subtitle editors do not handle these tags well. Unfortunately there is no exact specification of the .SRT file format.

[GideonK]

srt sub files with HTML tags will open in different players and subtitle tools but will be ignored.
My wild guess is the way mkvextractGUI extracted the srt file, like putting a strange character as end-of-file etc.
Which only TA chokes on. (can be checked with a hex editor).
I would contact the developer of TA http://www.ireksoftware.com and, if I get a response upload the srt file to them

[jimdagys]

I used UltraEdit to remove all instances of and (html tags) and I still got the same error message when trying to load the srt file into Time Adjuster. I then used the Edit>Select All > Copy > Paste function in Notepad and duplicated the original srt file (with html tags) and made a second seemingly identical srt file. The duplicated srt file (with html tags) opens perfectly in Time Adjuster. The original and duplicate srt files appear to be the same. Can someone tell me why the original srt file (named test.srt) will not open in Time Adjuster, but the duplicate (named test1.srt) opens perfectly?

[GideonK]

There must be some "garbage" in the original file which TA doesn't like. Only if you upload that file can we take a shot at figuring it out.

[jimdagys]

I've never uploaded anything but jpeg files to this forum. I will now attempt to upload these two srt files (test.srt and test1.srt). Each file is 97KB.
EDIT: I attempted to upload these two srt files (using the same procedure to upload jpeg files) and can't see the files anywhere. Can you tell me how to upload the files?

[GideonK]

Only images are allowed to upload here.
instead, use a file hosting site. I like http://www.uploading.com/ and click multi-upload if you wish to upload more than 1 file.

once file(s) are uploaded you'll get a page with 4 url links for each file, use the one that says: 'Download link in forum code'.
highlght line and than Ctrl-C to copy. than Ctrl-V to paste into your reply.
the fourth url line you can save and than use it to delete the file at a later date.
Files will be automatically removed after 30 days if no downloads occur.

[jimdagys]

The two srt files can be downloaded from the following site:
test.srt can be downloaded at: http://www.fileden.com/files/2006/11/30/441298/test.srt
test1.srt can be downloaded at: http://www.fileden.com/files/2006/11/30/441298/test1.srt

[GideonK]

Yup, just like I suspected: garbage in the first 3 positions of the original file. Can only be viewed in hexadecimal mode. Take a look:
either file in text mode:
1
00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:29,339

test.srt in HEX mode:
00000000 EF BB BF 31 0D 0A 30 30 3A 30 32 3A 32 38 2C 30 1..00:02:28,0

test1.srt in HEX mode:
00000000 31 0D 0A 30 30 3A 30 32 3A 32 38 2C 30 34 30 20 1..00:02:28,040

notice in test.srt the HEX characters EF BB BF and the corresponding ascii characters  on the right side.

Any file viewer or file editor (including UltraEdit) capable of HEX display will reveal these characters.
How they got there? might be the MKVextractGUI inserted them or the srt file was created this way to begin with.
For future reference, UltraEdit, in HEX mode will let you delete those characters or just use your method.

[Midzuki]

"EF BB BF" is the UTF-8 byte-order-mark.

EDIT:

Uploading to videohelp.com still is working fine over here ^_^

{ https://forum.videohelp.com/topic345668.html#1810297 }

[jimdagys]

Well, I do have a question: Why does the simple Edit>Select All > Copy > Paste function in Notepad eliminate this problem? It certainly is a simple 5 second procedure to fix the problem. I thought that the copy/paste function in Notepad would give you an exact copy of the original. Evidently it doesn't give you an exact copy. It is a rare case of getting a better copy. I also don't understand how there can be these "hidden" differences between the 2 files. When I look at the files in Notepad they are identical. Are not the 2 files just ordinary text files? If they look the same in Notepad, it seems that they should be identical. Also can you explain what is UTF? I have no idea what UTF-8 byte-order-mark means. I see that EF BB BF (among other noticeable differences) is some kind of magical hidden difference between the 2 files when viewed in the so called HEX mode.