MP4 (containing multisubs) to DVD disc...

[alexxx78]

Hi guys!




I have a MP4 file including multisubs (all in 1 file) that I want to play in my DVD player.

I would preferably just have 1 language in the encoded file. Is that possible?

If not, is it enough to just encode? And will I then get a disc with all selectable subtitles?




Thanks for the help!

[classfour]

In the "tools" section to the left: https://www.videohelp.com/tools?toolsearch=&Submit=Search&convert=MP4+to+DVD&s=&orderby=Name&hits=50

FAVC scores well, but I haven't used it. I use format factory for conversion, TDA3 to author (payware).

Good luck,

[Case]

I have a MP4 file including multisubs (all in 1 file) ...

I haven't come across such a file, yet. A media player like the WD TV would have no problem with the file as-is.

... that I want to play in my DVD player.

Do you need an MPEG-2 DVD-Video disc or does your player do DivX or MP4 as well?

I would preferably just have 1 language in the encoded file. Is that possible?

Yes. Even easier than all languages.

If not, is it enough to just encode? And will I then get a disc with all selectable subtitles?

If you want a DVD-Video with selectable subtitles, then ffmpegX will just offer 1 subtitle stream, as far as I know. You'll have to extract the subtitle first, and preferably (converted) in SubRip .srt format.

[alexxx78]

Hi!



OK, I might have been wrong. The file is named movie.mp4 but it´s a MPEG-4 File. When I play it in VLC I can choose between many subtitle languages.

Not sure about the formats the DVD player plays (it´s for my father) but I have encoded in mpeg2enc with great success earlier.

So what should I do? I hoped it would be the same, easy procedure as before. I mean the video encoding is easy but how do I get 1 subtitle language with it?!



Many thanks...

[alexxx78]

So Case....


Any suggestions?

Getting all subtitles or just 1 doesn´t really matter?

[Case]

(Not having a multi sub MP4 file, I had to create one first, to figure this out.)

You'll have to extract the subtitle first, and preferably (converted) in SubRip .srt format.

To extract subtitles from an MP4 file, you may have to resort to command line MP4Box. I haven't found a Mac GUI for it yet.

When playing the file in VLC, notice the order of the subtitle tracks, the track number of the one you want, and if it has an identified language description attached to it.


MP4Box numbers all tracks together: video, audio, subtitles, etc. So the numbering of tracks will be different from VLC's subtitle menu, but the order of the subtitle streams will be the same: the second subtitle track in VLC's list will be the second subtitle track (Timed Text) in MP4Box, but will likely have a different track number.

Type mp4box -info foo.mp4 in the main shell window of Terminal to get information on your MP4 file. Replace "foo.mp4" with the full path and file name of your file, or use drag-and-drop for the file.
Identify the track number of the wanted subtitle in MP4Box's listing.

Use the Track ID that corresponds with the wanted subtitle, to extract it from the MP4 file, again using MP4Box.
Type mp4box foo.mp4 -srt 3 to convert the text track with trackID 3 to SRT. Replace "3" with the trackID that you identified in the previous step. The SRT file will be written in the same folder as the MP4.

[alexxx78]

Hi Case and thank you very much!


Seems like you did quit a lot to try and help me.

I´m a novice on computers and this looks a bit much to handle for me. I´ll just burn a disc for my father to watch without subtitles.


Have a nice weekend!

[Case]

this looks a bit much to handle for me.

Sorry to hear that. It is just five extra words to type. I tried to make it easy to understand.

1/ Download MP4Box. (Move it to e.g. /usr/local/bin for easy access, so that Terminal knows where to look for it.)
2/ Check the tracks as described.
3/ Type the two commands.
4/ Use the .srt as you would with any other conversion using ffmpegX to get subtitles in your output file.

[alexxx78]

Hi Case!


I downloaded MP4Box.

I then type mp4box -info + the file name (or just drag and dropped it) in Terminal but I only get "command not found".

I type it exactly like shown in your txt.file

[Case]

You would get a "command not found" error when Terminal doesn't know where the MP4Box binary is. There are two ways to solve this. Either one will do.

1/ Instead of typing mp4box, you may drag-and-drop the MP4Box icon to Terminal, so that Terminal fills in the full path to MP4Box. The end result would look something like:
/Users/username/Desktop/MP4Box -info /Users/username/Desktop/sample2.mp4

2/ Install MP4Box manually, by moving the file to a special location. When this is done, mp4box will become one of the known commands to Terminal.
In the Finder, use menu Go > Go to Folder… to open a folder that is normally invisible. Type (or copy-paste)
/usr/local/bin
and press Go. This will open the folder "bin" (if it exists (*)). Move MP4Box to this folder. After this, Terminal will know where to look, and the full path to MP4Box isn't needed.

(*) If the folder "bin" doesn't exist, you may go to /usr/local and create a folder "bin".

[alexxx78]

OK, thanks!

I drag-and-dropped the MP4Box icon directly on to Terminal and it worked:

Track # 17 Info - TrackID 17 - TimeScale 90000 - Duration 01:23:12.455
Media Info: Language "Swedish" - Type "subp:mp4s" - 977 samples
MPEG-4 Config: NeroDigital Subpicture Stream - ObjectTypeIndication 0xe0
Synchronized on stream 1

But when typing the second command (dragging-and-dropping MP4Box icon + mp4 file and adding -srt 17) I get error message: Track ID 17 is not a 3GPP text track

What do you think? I used the exact spaces that you wrote.



Cheers!

[Case]

The command was right, but your subtitles seem not to be in text format, but in picture format (NeroDigital Subpicture Stream). A kind of setback I didn't anticipate.

Try mp4box foo.mp4 -raw 17
That should extract that track into its raw native format, which I hope is .idx + .sub.
Untested, as I do not have such a file.

[alexxx78]

OK, I did what you said and got 2 files: .idx and .idx.sub

Can I use those files when encoding? Or must I convert them to .srt? If so, how?

[Case]

ffmpegX can use image based subtitles, when they are
(1) in VOB files (like DVD), or
(2) in MKV files.
Your subtitles will be burned into the video ('hardcoded').

You can use this VobSub subtitle format with ffmpegX, but it requires a slight detour, a tip provided by another forum user.
For this, you'll make an MKV file from your MP4 (see below). This should be relatively fast, as nothing is encoded, but only copied into other files.
1/ Rename .idx.sub to just .sub, so that you have movie.mp4, movie.idx and movie.sub.
2/ Get MKVToolNix, which is able to make MKV files from several sources, and adjust a bunch of settings of the MKV file.
3/ Open MKVToolNix/MkvMerge, add the MP4 file, set the output name (.mkv) and location.

4/ Perhaps you can use the MP4 tracks in an MKV as-is (I can't test your file). Does MkvMerge see the existing subtitles tracks? Perhaps you need to de-select all subtitle tracks and add your .idx and .sub. Not really sure about this step. You may have to try both ways.

5/ Start muxing. This will create an MKV file from the MP4 file.
6/ Open ffmpegX. Load the MKV file in ffmpegX. Set the DVD mpeg2enc preset. Check the framerate in the Video tab. Set Autosize to 'DVD' for 4:3 aspect ratio or to 'DVD 16:9' for 16:9 aspect ratio. Set VOB subtitles in the Filters tab. Select the subtitle stream from the pull down. Set Burn. Do not set other subtitle options. Set Decode with mplayer in the Options tab.
7/ Use the Preview button in the bottom right of the Filters tab to check the subtitles.
8/ Encode.

[alexxx78]

OK, but not quit there yet!


In MKVToolNix I can only add movie.mp4 and movie.idx in default settings (all supported media files) but not movie.sub

However, I tried muxing with only movie.mp4 and movie.idx and I get a movie.mkv file. When I play it in VLC I get the right subtitles hardcoded.

Is that enough? Do I need really need to mux with movie.sub? If so, how?

And in ffmpegX there is one setting I don´t understand. What do you mean with "Select the subtitle stream from the pull down"?

[Case]

In MKVToolNix I can only add movie.mp4 and movie.idx in default settings (all supported media files) but not movie.sub

I think this is normal and I think it is enough.

However, I tried muxing with only movie.mp4 and movie.idx and I get a movie.mkv file. When I play it in VLC I get the right subtitles hardcoded.

This is a good test if VLC isn't accessing the external .idx/.sub files unintentionally. VLC looks for subtitle files in the same folder as the movie and in a subfolder 'subtitles' if it exists. Do make sure the external subtitles (.idx/.sub) are elsewhere when testing.

And in ffmpegX there is one setting I don´t understand. What do you mean with "Select the subtitle stream from the pull down"?

Between the checkbox for "VOB Subtitles" and the "Burn" option is a drop-down menu to select which subtitle stream to use. If ffmpegX can associate a language to an option then you'll see that, if not then you'll see just numbers. ffmpegX starts counting the subtitle tracks at "0", so e.g. subtitle track 8 will be no. 7 in ffmpegX's list.

[alexxx78]

Hi again!

But in the pull down I only get numbers, what number to choose? When I choose any number and click preview I get error message "Can’t get text item 3 of "No video". (-1728)".

[Case]

Did you try "0"?

[alexxx78]

Yes, I tried "0"

Trying to encode anyway but sure I won´t work

[alexxx78]

OK, I give up but thank you so much Case, you´re the man!

[Case]

Thanks for trying, though. Without knowing what is happening on your screen with your files, it is difficult to predict where and why my expectations do not match your situation. If I ever get my hands on such an MP4 file as yours, I may try again and be more precise. Sorry it didn't work out.

[alexxx78]

No worries!