How do I get subtitles from a DVD to put into an XVid?

[Emanef]

I want to convert some foreign languauge DVD's to Xvid with English subs. I usually use AutoGK for converting but have never worked out how to successfully get subtitles in them. The AutoGK guide above looks pretty easy, but only says to use Subtitle Workshop to get the subs, but not how. I can't find a guide on how to just rip the subtitles.

I've also just tried Sub Rip; I've tried it on City of God (R3 version), but that doesn't seem to read the text, and the only way is to use OCR and type them all in! (As it doesn't recognise any of the letters!)

I want it to be as simple as possible (which is why I use AutoGK in the first place!) so how do I do it?

Also, how do people deal with mixed language movies? Like if it's part English, part Spanish? How do you get it to display only English subs when it's Spanish language and not when they're speaking in English? If this possible, and is there a fairly way of doing it?

Thanks.

[manono]

I want it to be as simple as possible (which is why I use AutoGK in the first place!) so how do I do it?

You certainly don't have to OCR the subs. Decrypt using DVD Decrypter in IFO Mode (or DVDFab HD Decrypter in Movie Only Mode) and open the IFO in AutoGK. That way you should be able to choose the subs you want without any additional work on your part. It's all thoroughly explained in the included tutorial:

http://www.autogk.me.uk/modules.php?name=TutorialEN#5

Also, how do people deal with mixed language movies? Like if it's part English, part Spanish? How do you get it to display only English subs when it's Spanish language and not when they're speaking in English? If this possible, and is there a fairly way of doing it?

Of course it's possible, but it can be tricky because the foreign language parts might be Forced Subs within the larger main dialog subs, or they might be in a separate subtitle stream of their own. Sometimes there's no easy way to figure them out, other than examing all the sub streams individually. The AutoGK Preview can help here, or you can extract the VobSubs yourself and have a look, before then having AutoGK give you the subs you decided were the ones you want.

[Emanef]

I should have said, I need them to be viewable in a standalone media player (an Iamm NTD36HD) and when I select subs AutoGK they don't show up, and only show up on my PC. I read somewhere that AutoGK xvid's only show subs when played on a PC and not on a standalone, and that you have to get the subs into a seperate file and add them that way. Is that right?

I've also just tried TmpGenc Express 4.... that lets me create files with the subs in, but I find it hard to get the settings as I would with AutoGK, plus it takes AGES! Took 8 hours to convert City of God to Divx! I have a Core 2 Duo and AutoGK usually takes about an hour and a half to do a similar sized file! The only good thing about Tmpgenc Express is that it seems to burn the subs into the video, which is better (as if they're correct I can later re-encode to a smaller format if needed).

Which program is best to get the subs out so that I can then add them with AutoGK (or will they still not show up on a standalone if I do it that way?

[manono]

should have said, I need them to be viewable in a standalone media player

AutoGK creates subs in the IDX/SUB format, also known as VobSubs. Not all standalones support external VobSubs, though. It's easy enough to have them "burned into" or "embedded in" the video, if that's OK. It's all explained in the tutorial.

I read somewhere that AutoGK xvid's only show subs when played on a PC and not on a standalone, and that you have to get the subs into a seperate file and add them that way. Is that right?

Yes and no. Like I said, not all standalones support external VobSubs. But as I stated in my first post, the easiest way to get the subs into the video - to burn them into the video - is just to open the IFO of the movie in AutoGK, rather than the VOBs themselves. If you open VOBs you get no subs at all. Rather than "reading somewhere", why not read the included tutorial to find out what AutoGK can and cannot do?

The only good thing about Tmpgenc Express is that it seems to burn the subs into the video, which is better (as if they're correct I can later re-encode to a smaller format if needed).

It's a simple matter to do the same using AutoGK, although why you'd ever want to later "re-encode to a smaller format" is beyond me.

Which program is best to get the subs out so that I can then add them with AutoGK (or will they still not show up on a standalone if I do it that way?

If having the subs burned into the video is OK, then that's what AutoGK does, and does easily. If you want external subs compatible with most standalones (SRT format), then you need to OCR them, and SubRip is probably the best program for that. However, for well known movies (and City Of God certainly qualifies), you can easily find SRT subs for them online and save yourself the work.

[Emanef]

Thanks for the reply Manono.

Yes, I should read the guide properly, but to defend myself there is soooo much info on this site and a lot of it assumes knowledge of certain things, and it's easy to get side tracked as well!

I think I was getting confused about how AutoGK can do subs; I'm sure I've tried in the past and it hasn't burnt the subs in, and I remember one (The Premonition I think) where the subs were all over the shop, right out of sync. That put me off bothering for quite a while, but the full DVD rip takes up loads of space compared to xvids, so I want to do at least the all foreign language ones I want access to from my NAS. The mixed language ones can wait....!

Btw, the reencode to a smaller format comment relates to the occasions I've wanted to convert it to play on a media player (like an ipod, etc, where I want to lose size... not very often, but on occasions).

I'll see how I get on with Tzameti later.....

[Emanef]

I've tried it again, and I've also read the manual for AutoGK. I was doing it right, but it's not burning the subs in. I'm selecting the IFO (as I was before) and selecting the English subs, but it's not putting them in there. I've reinstalled AutoGK as well, to make sure all the subs programs are installed. Any ideas?

[manono]

You don't have the "External Subs" box checked in the Advanced Settings, do you? Or the "Forced Subtitles" box? What happens when you run the Preview before encoding? If you don't see them in the Preview you won't get them in the final encode. Do you have the log file for the failed encode? Can you post it here?

Here's another way to get them. First, check the IDX/Sub file that AutoGK created to make sure it's good. Open it either in SubtitleCreator or in SubResynch (comes as part of the VobSub package), to make sure you have the correct subs. Secondly, add them to the AVI you're making using the CTRL-F8 trick. Here's a guide:

https://forum.videohelp.com/topic316471.html

But, again, this depends on the subs being good in the first place, so be sure and check them out.

[Emanef]

I was actually using 2.45 (the last stable version), but have installed the latest beta now and that seems to work with subs. I've done a few so far and they worked, although Tzameti (13) for some reason keeps paying back with the wrong aspect ratio! God knows why it's only on that!

I did notice that movies that used to get the error that recommended correcting fixing with D2V now doesn't get that message, but just converts with voice sync out.

I can use Tmpgenc for the few that have subs and that don't play back with the correct AR, but it takes four times as long as AutoGK!

Btw, if it's ok to post on here, do you know of a reliable site that has movie subs? If it can't be posted here, apologies for asking!

Edit: ah, just found a progrma that locates and downloads them, but thinking about it, if AutoGK cannot burn them in they're not really any use for me!