difference between subtitles and closed caption

[lovelove]

The standalone DVD subtitle extractor to VobSub (idx/sub) file format. Also outputs closed caption as .srt when found. DVD to SUB/IDX, VOB to SUB/IDX.

is there a difference between subtitles and closed captions? If yes, what?

[Baldrick]

Yes, the closed captions is a data packet inside the mpeg2 video stream and subtitles is a separate stream inside the vob file, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Closed_captioning#DVDs

[lovelove]

ok, many thanks. Do the tools listed here all adhere to the correct terminological distinction or do some use the terms interchangeably?

And what would be the beginner-friendliest tool to check whether a VIDEO_TS folder on my HDD has subitles, CC or both, ... and to extract them?

PS: I can't recall MediaInfo ever display anything about closed captions (only subtitles) when being fed a VOB file

[loster]

It does. Text stream.

[lovelove]

Does MediaInfo call both CC and subtitles a "text stream"?
And how does MediaInfo distinguish between them then?

[usually_quiet]

Does MediaInfo call both CC and subtitles a "text stream"?
And how does MediaInfo distinguish between them then?

Yes, both are labeled "text stream". Looking at a MediaInfo report in Text Mode, SUP subtitles have "Format: RLE" while closed captions have "Format: EIA-608"

CCExtractorGUI can read EIA-608 closed captions from a DVD and output a .srt file.

[handyguy]

You can get free subs from subscene.com. But sometimes they mention they have HI, that indicates they came from CC's.

[lovelove]

thanks everyone, you have been a big help!

(note to self: HI = Hearing Impaired)

[handyguy]

CC's have sounds in them like 'sound of door opening.' Subs don't, except if they are made from CC's.

[lovelove]

Yes, both are labeled "text stream". Looking at a MediaInfo report in Text Mode, SUP subtitles have "Format: RLE" while closed captions have "Format: EIA-608"

yes, first time I saw that, thank you. Strangely enough, the closed captions were not in VTS_02_1.VOB but in VTS_02_2.VOB ... (i.e. the 2nd 1GB file, not the 1st one).

SubRip says "Information: Closed Captions detected (2x)". Does anyone of you know if SubRip can display/export the CCs (given that it can detect them) ?

[usually_quiet]

yes, first time I saw that, thank you. Strangely enough, the closed captions were not in VTS_02_1.VOB but in VTS_02_2.VOB ... (i.e. the 2nd 1GB file, not the 1st one).

SubRip says "Information: Closed Captions detected (2x)". Does anyone of you know if SubRip can display/export the CCs (given that it can detect them) ?

If MediaInfo is reporting no closed captions, I don't have a good explanation for the absence of closed captions in some VOBs, other than than re-encoding, although you haven't said the video was re-encoded. (When video is re-encoded, closed captions would be lost, since encoders don't preserve the MPEG-2 GOP user data.)

Subrip can only read the flags in IFOs that indicate whether or not closed captions are present. It can't detect them just by examining the video. Note that in some cases, the CC flags in an IFO can be wrong. MediaInfo reports regarding CCs in video files are more reliable.

Subrip can't extract closed captions in .srt format. If you want closed captions saved in .srt format, I recommend that you use CCExtractor GUI (recently updated). VOBSub (last updated in 2002) is also supposed to work for extracting closed captions from DVDs, but I have never used VOBSub.

[loster]

Vobsub does work for extracting the closed captions but can be slow. The options can be tricky as well.