Bluray/DVD Burned In Subtitles with no Video Compression?

[Tony Jenkins]

Is there a way/program to hard code subtitles to a Bluray and/or DVD without anything being done to the video. Basically, a pass-through that just inserts a subtitle track?

I have tried BD Rebuilder and Clown BD that output subtitles as a separate file- hopefully, I am just missing a setting that allows for it to be burned in?

Ripbot let's me burn in forced subtitles (haven't tried to see if it will select a full English track for a foreign film), but it is my understanding that Ripbot compress the file and you can't simply do a pass-through?

Help is greatly appreciated!

[johns0]

For burned in subs you have to re-encode,no way around it,best to have forced selectable subs if you want the video untouched.

[Tony Jenkins]

Wow, for the past three weeks I have been trying to find a program/system that will do what I thought was so simple: back up my Bluray and DVDs to PC and also be able to stream them to my Xbox 360. I know that the Xbox is the limiter, but WMV files play great on it- problem is there is no good program to get them to WMV. DVDfab would be perfect, but their WMV is broken- all rips are out of sync to WMV. OK, so I look for others, some can't do subs, other's can't do 5.1, etc. OK, I will try MKV, so many problems with that installing numerous codecs, finally get it to work but it's just really sketchy. I would prefer WMV also because of the ff/rew function. Anyone know of a good bluray/dvd to WMV program/system?

[fritzi93]

In BDRB, before starting the encode, click the subs and turn them "ON". They will be displayed as default. I'm not sure if the newest version will force the re-encode or not. Some versions, if the source was small enough for the target size, would *not* re-encode.

If making an MKV with, say HDC, again, turn the subs on and they will display automatically.

That way they are selectable, i.e. you can turn them off as well.

[Tony Jenkins]

My biggest problem is that I will mostly be watching them in my living room via Xbox 360 via Windows Media Extender. So I am really looking to go with WMV files as they are the most compatible to my understanding. I have tried MKVs, but they seem to be up and down in performance, and I don't believe I can select a subtitle track when watching via the xbox anyway.

Fritzi83, your suggestion about BDRB is indicating that it will actually burn in the subs, or just put them out as a sup file or something like that?

I just checked out HDC and it looks like it could do what I want as far as outputting an WMV with subs, but the audio portion has me stumped. When selecting WMA audio in the drop down, the number of channels stays greyed out, but I can select the audio configuration as XXX_XX_X_XX. For example: 440_48_6_16. Does this mean 440kbps, 48khz, 6 channel, 16 bit?

[fritzi93]

No, mux (multiplex) in selectable soft subs, like Johns0 suggested. They can be default ON or default OFF. Dunno why you're determined to have hard subs, for them you gotta re-encode. Maybe it's the terminology that's putting us at cross-purposes.

I use MPCHC to play MKVs on my HTPC, and have selectable subs, chapters and 5 sec. forward/backward jumps (no FF or Rev). The keys for the latter are Control+Right Arrow and Control Left Arrow, programmed into my iMon remote.

Can't help you with encoding WMVs with HDC, never used it for that. Perhaps the HDC help files have something pertinent. Also, I don't have an XBox, so someone who has one should probably advise you on what exactly it will play.

[Tony Jenkins]

Fritzi93- Thanks for the response. The problem with selectable soft subs is I can't select them when watching via Xbox 360. Unless someone knows as way to do this, I don't think it's possible. So it's best to just create a WMV file with whatever subtitles I might need already in them.

I believe I just found the "best" wmv encoder in Expression Encoder 4, but of course there always has to be something missing in that it can't do subtitles. May just use it for non-subtitle films. Still open for suggestions on other WMV encoders.