burn subtitle and font size

[sneike]

Hi, i was trying to burn an srt file onto a movie, changing the font size of the subtitles..
This is the result: I see the correct size in the preview (before encoding), but this setting has no effect in the encoded file, which has always the same font size..
same thing with the font character, while I can successfully change the position of the text..

Thanks for your help
DNL

[Case]

There is a known bug in mencoder (2006-03-07), in that it doesn't respect the specified font size. This wasn't always so, thus by installing an older version of mencoder/mplayer you may get back proper font handling.

I think the version of mencoder that came with ffmpegX 0.0.9s (2005-01-23) was okay for this, but other users who actually use this swap trick may have a definitive answer.

I'm not sure if SourceForge still keeps all the old binaries (the site re-design broke a lot of old links), but this server mirror does:
ffmpegXbinaries 2005-01-23 (originally published for ffmpegX 0.0.9s)
ffmpegXbinaries 2005-08-14 (originally published for ffmpegX 0.0.9t)
ffmpegXbinaries 2005-12-01 (originally published for ffmpegX 0.0.9u and v)
ffmpegXbinaries 2006-03-07 (originally published for ffmpegX 0.0.9w, x and y)

[sneike]

thanks for your answer!

i tried downloading the mencoder released on 2005-01-23.. when i start the encoding it returns this error:
Encoding started on Sat Oct 4 20:01:39 CEST 2008
MEncoder dev-CVS-050123-19:55-3.3 (C) 2000-2005 MPlayer Team
Mac OSX static build for ffmpegX
AltiVec found
CPU: PowerPC
Option x264encopts: Unknown suboption threads
Exiting... (error parsing cmdline)
reading "CPU: PowerPC" seems that there is something wrong..

trying with the ones released on 2005-12-01 and on 2005-08-14, is the same of the last binaries..

[Case]

CPU: PowerPC

This is a detection of the program code for PPC, not a detection of your CPU. Rosetta (the OS X Intel layer that interprets PPC code) will take care of that. Not as fast as native code, but it should work.

Option x264encopts: Unknown suboption threads

This is the error that stops the process. It seems you or ffmpegX tries to use options that aren't present in in the older binaries. Try to de-activate options or use a different preset (like Xvid).

[sneike]

ok.. so..
i tried a different preset (xvid) and now it works (only the oldest binarie)..
but.. 1) the encoding is really slow (i think because of rosetta), and 2) i can't even choose directly a mp4 format (which is the one i need), so that i have to encode two times!..

i can reach the result, but it's really annoying!.. isn't it?

mmm.. other solution?..

[Case]

Decoding with QuickTime in combination with Perian subtitling (no need to specify subs in ffmpegX) will also burn subtitles on the video. In a bold typeface, at 160% of the mencoder rendering size.
The H.264 x264 preset should get you going.
You can try it out (on a short clip) to see if it works for you.

[sneike]

ooooh yeah!.. this is absolutely better than the workaround with ffmpegx.. i didn't know that QT can burn!..
i can't decide the font size, but seems to be enough!..
i mean.. ffmpegx, d-vision and visualhub are on another planet about encoding.. QT is really slow and has not all the settings of the other programs, but with just two clicks it's done!

really really thank you!!

the last two questions:
- you meant the "export" feature of QTPro isn't it? i'm asking you because i can't find the preset that you say.. it doesn't matter, but it's just curiosity!
- do you think we will never see a new release of mencoder? this lack is quite frustrating!..

thank you again
DNL

[Case]

you meant the "export" feature of QTPro isn't it? i'm asking you because i can't find the preset that you say.. it doesn't matter, but it's just curiosity!

No, I was actually talking about ffmpegX using QuickTime to read the source file, and encode it with x264. ffmpegX can use several decoders to read source files, depending on the preset. Mencoder uses mplayer for decoding; but x264 can use either ffmpeg or QuickTime for decoding. It's a checkbox in the Options tab. If 'Decode with Quicktime' is checked, then ffmpegX will 'ask' QuickTime "what is this video?" and accept anything it returns, including what Perian did to it.

do you think we will never see a new release of mencoder? this lack is quite frustrating!..

As far as I know, mencoder is still actively developed, so I expect there will be new releases. More importantly, I think the developer of ffmpegX will have to compile new binaries for a future release of ffmpegX, if and when he decides to continue with it. But I don't think he is on the mencoder development team, so any bugfix is beyond the control of the developer of ffmpegX.

[sneike]

thank you, i didn't know this option! and it works!

now i can use either QTPro or ffmpegx..

but.. just too be pedant, both one and that are really slow.. QT is normal, and ffmpegx because using the H264 codec (i think)..
i don't know if even this time you can look for a solution! i can't use ffmpeg codec instead of x264? even the first one has got the "decode with QT" option, and it should be faster, but it doesn't seem to work..


really, thanks for your availability, and sorry to bother you..
DNL




edit: another thing.. ffmpeg codec doesn't allow to burn subs isn't it? (i mean without considering the option "decode with QT", directly with the filters tab) so, why the Load subs button i active?

[Case]

both one and that are really slow..

Both because of QuickTime. There are a lot of wonderful things about QuickTime, but speed isn't one of them.

ffmpeg codec doesn't allow to burn subs isn't it?

Indeed, no burning.

[sneike]

ok, thank you again, you are a gentleman!


DNL