Recommend a good subtitler?

[Djard]

Can somebody recommend a video subtitle editor that works? I tried DivXLand, but it prompted me for SSA format. OK, so I tried to convert the SRT file to SSA with "SRT to SSA Converter, v1.0"; but that program proved to be a hoax: it can't convert any of my working SRTs. It gives the error message "Input file error, subtitle #13," no matter what SRT file is loaded.

I have a collection of Italian AVI videos with SRT files, which all play fine with their English subtitles. I'd like to embed the subtitles in the AVI files, so I can convert them to DVD.

[manono]

I can't figure out if there are 2 questions here or not. Forgive me if I misunderstand.

You can convert SRT to SSA in any number of ways. SubResynch (included in the VobSub package) is the way I usually do it. For editing SSA subs I use SubStation Alpha, although there are other programs that can do it, For editing SRT subs, SubtitleCreator is one program, but there are others. If nothing can open your SRTs, they may be defective in some way.

Then you're also asking about hardsubbing an AVI to convert to DVD? I may have misunderstood that part, but most people make their subs selectable on a DVD. It'll also save first reencoding the AVI to another AVI with the subs encoded into the video and the associated quality degradation, not to mention the waste of time. There are a number of authoring programs that can add in selectable subs. For text-based subs in SRT or SSA formats I'd use DVDAuthorGUI, but others have their own favorites.

[genki500]

GOM Encoder.
I used it to hardsub AVI, very fast, and you can adjust font type, color, size and position. I think you can try it for 30 days. I have no association with them, but I liked it so much, I donated to them during its development.

[AlanHK]

I have a collection of Italian AVI videos with SRT files, which all play fine with their English subtitles. I'd like to embed the subtitles in the AVI files, so I can convert them to DVD.

By "convert" do you mean copy AVI files, or make a standard VOB/MPEG DVD?
If the latter, any number of authoring apps can take SRT subs and make subtitles, after you convert the AVI to MPEG, giving you a DVD with normal overlaid subtitles. Eg, GuiforDVDAuthor.

If you want SSA subtitles, use Aegisub, which can import SRT, and then you can format them -- advanced formatting is the whole point of SSA.

[Djard]

Thanks for the wealth of info. I discovered that DivXLand can convert SRT to SSA. I then followed the help guide to "embed" the subtitles. The preview showed that all the subtitles were synchronized. After saving the compilation (VirtualDub did the 45 mins of work), the subtitles failed to appear in the movie. Rats! In my experience, DivXLand is yet another wannabe, trying hopelessly to serve as a subtitler GUI for VirtualDub. So I'll try the other options you kind folks have recommended.

I have this AVI with its SRT format subtitle file (now converted to SSA). On my PC, with the SRT or SSA in the same folder, I can play the video with the subtitles. My goal is to embed the subtitles in the AVI before using ConvertXtoDVD to convert and burn it onto DVD media.

I'm thinking it would be better to embed the subtitles to a VOB instead of to an AVI, since things can go awry during conversion. Would a program like Adobe Premiere do all this stuff?

[Baldrick]

Just add the avi and srt in convertxtodvd and you will get a dvd with switchable subtitles(As alanhk and manono also describes). You don't need to hardcode any subs.

[Djard]

I say, thanks dear Balrick. I didn't know ConvertXtoDVD could embed subtitles. I'll give it a try.

I did manage to use DivXLand with VirtualDub successfully, but adding captions is almost impossible to place accurately: Both DivXLand and VirtualDub also show time, which do match. But its impossible to add captions accurately without the ability to stop at frames. The "Press and hold mode" (clicking on "Apply" button at the time you want caption to start then release mouse button when you want it to end) seems crude at best...and you can't preview the result without running the lengthy embedding process. Either I'm missing something or DivXLand is not compatible with VirtualDub.