Easiest way to hardcode subtitles into VOB (from softVOB to hardVOB) ?

[Biker417]

Hi,

I have found lots of ways to hardcode subtitles in AVI, WMV, DIVx, ... but I can't find an easy way to hardcode subtitles into a VOB file.

Input: Ripped DVD (VOB) with subtitles and AC3 stored on HardDisk
Output needed: VOB with hardcoded subtitles (one language) and AC3 included.

Any suggestions ?

Biker417

[manono]

What's wrong with selectable subtitles, like normal people use? Hardcoding subs degrades the video quality even more than does just reencoding the VOBs. And keeping the subs selectable may mean you don't even have to reencode (depending on what you're doing and the final size required).

Anyway, if it absolutely has to be done (like maybe for foreign language or alien subs), it's usually done in an AviSynth script prior to frameserving to the MPEG-2 encoder. An example might be:

LoadPlugin("C:\Path\To\DGDecode.dll")
LoadPlugin("C:\Path\To\VSFilter.dll")
MPEG2Source("C:\Path\To\Movie.d2v")
VobSub("C:\Path\To\Movie.idx")

I suppose there are all-in-one programs (like XviD4PSP or somesuch) that can do this without you knowing any AviSynth.

[midders]

if it absolutely has to be done (like maybe for foreign language or alien subs)

To add to what manono said, DVD Video uses bmp images as subtitles, so there is no need to use hard-coding even for alien scripts or foreign languages that are difficult to produce with a standard western keyboard.

[Biker417]

What's wrong with selectable subtitles, like normal people use?

Well as you say, 'nothing' is wrong with selectable subtitles ... BUT I own a PS3 that doesn't support selectable substitles in VOBs
I've tried to re-code the VOBs to other formats but with my PS3 configured to upscale to 1080p the resulting quality is really not good enough to watch on a big flatscreen (upscaling VOBs work fine).
So hardcoding the subtitles into the VOBs seems to be my only solution ...

Thanks for the help !

[manono]

It plays DVDs doesn't it? Rather than reencode, just demux, add in the subs, reauthor to DVD and you're good to go. No reencoding. Here's how I'd do it:
1. Demux. Open the VOB(s) in DGIndex and File->Save Project and Demux Video. That'll give you audio and video.
2 Remux. First convert the subs to SUP for Muxman. If SRT or VobSubs (IDX/SUB), open them in SubtitleCreator and convert to SUP format. Open Muxman and add in the SUP file, AC3 audio (if that's what it is), and the M2V from DGIndex. If you want chapters, create a celltimes.txt with chapters spaced (for example) 5 minutes apart in 29.97fps or 25fps (for NTSC or PAL) frame numbers and add it in File->Import Chapters. Give it an output folder and Process it.
3. When done test it out in a software DVD player, one such as PowerDVD or whatever you have. If you need to adjust the subtitle colors, that's easily done using DVDSubEdit or PGCEdit.
4. Burn to disc and test in the PS3.

If you need tips on anything else, just ask. There are other ways to do this, none of which involve reencoding to hardcode the subs. I just gave you the way I'd do it. If you've ever used a different authoring program you can take the various 'pieces' and use it instead of Muxman.

[Biker417]

Sorry, I should have been more clear for the start. The PS3 indeed plays DVDs (including all the features, chapter selection, subtitles, surround sound), HOWEVER, I want to store my collection of DVDs on my NAS (Synology). Therefore I've ripped them all to harddisk, and afterwards stored the VOBs on the NAS. The NAS streams them nicely to the PS3, surround sounds works works fine, but I can't select the subtitles (known limitation on PS3). Reading different posts on it, the only 'solution' seem to hardcode the subtitles in the VOBs (to keep image quality and AC3 sound). But any other suggestions more then welcome manono !

[manono]

OK, and all that writing wasted. If it were I, I'd make an AviSynth script sticking the subs into it to be hardcoded during the MPEG-2 encoding. There are probably some all-in-one programs that can do the job, but since I don't use any of them perhaps someone else can help. Good luck.