Subtitled MKVs & PS3 Media Server

[Startropic1]

I have some MKVs that for some reason will not display subtitles through PS3 Media Server. Subtitles do work most of the time, there's just something about these particular MKVs.
I'm using PS3 Media Server 1.70, with Mencoder transcoding. I'm running Windows 7 32-bit with 4GB of RAM, 2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor. I've been trying this with a PS3, but I also have an Xbox 360. I tried on the xbox too, and still no subtitles for these MKVs.

MKVtoVob gives a video transcode error, and MultiAVCHD doesn't read them properly either, reading a 99:99 run time (these are 27min long videos.) I also had some trouble extracting the tracks with mkvtoolnix, but I did finally manage that.

They do play just fine in MPC-HC though.

PS3 Media Server debug log:

INFO  2012-09-28 12:05:37.336 [New I/O server worker #1-1] Starting transcode/remux of video 01.mkv
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:37.460 [New I/O server worker #1-1] Creating pipe \\.\pipe\mencoder1348848337460
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:37.554 [New I/O server worker #1-2] Starting "C:\Program Files\PS3 Media Server\win32\ffmpeg.exe" -ss 1 -i "V:\video folder\video 06.mkv" -an -an -s 320x180 -vframes 1 -f image2 pipe:
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:37.554 [New I/O server worker #1-2] Attaching thread: ffmpeg.exe-7
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:37.632 [Thread-41] Waiting for pipe connection \\.\pipe\mencoder1348848337460
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:37.648 [Buffered IO End Checker] Stopping process: ffmpeg.exe-4
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:37.663 [mencoder.exe-8] Starting "C:\Program Files\PS3 Media Server\win32\mencoder.exe" -ss 0 "V:\Video Folder\Video 01.mkv" -msglevel statusline=2 -oac lavc -of mpeg -mpegopts format=mpeg2:muxrate=500000:vbuf_size=1194:abuf_size=64 -ovc lavc -channels 6 -lavdopts debug=0:threads=2 -lavcopts autoaspect=1:vcodec=mpeg2video:acodec=ac3:abitrate=448:threads=2:keyint=25:vqmax=5:vqmin=2:vrc_maxrate=54000:vrc_buf_size=1835 -ass -fontconfig -sid 0 -ofps 24000/1001 -lavdopts fast -mc 0 -noskip -af lavcresample=48000 -srate 48000 -o \\.\pipe\mencoder1348848337460
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:37.757 [mencoder.exe-8] Reading pipe: \\.\pipe\mencoder1348848337460
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:37.757 [mencoder.exe-8] Attaching thread: mencoder.exe-8
INFO  2012-09-28 12:05:37.772 [StartPlaying Event] renderer: 192.168.1.29, file: V:\video folder\Video 1.mkv
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.022 [New I/O server worker #1-1] Starting "C:\Program Files\PS3 Media Server\win32\ffmpeg.exe" -ss 1 -i "Video Folder\Video 07.mkv" -an -an -s 320x180 -vframes 1 -f image2 pipe:
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.022 [New I/O server worker #1-1] Attaching thread: ffmpeg.exe-9
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.116 [Thread-49] MEncoder SB32 (C) 2000-2012 MPlayer Team
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.116 [Thread-49] Custom build by SubJunk, http://www.spirton.com
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.116 [Thread-49] 
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.116 [Thread-49] success: format: 0  data: 0x0 - 0xf8eefe5
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.116 [Thread-49] libavformat version 54.3.100 (internal)
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.116 [Thread-49] libavformat file format detected.
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.225 [Thread-48] [mpeg4 @ 010da6a0]Invalid and inefficient vfw-avi packed B frames detected
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.232 [Thread-49] [lavf] stream 0: video (mpeg4), -vid 0
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.232 [Thread-49] [lavf] stream 1: audio (mp3), -aid 0, -alang jpn
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.232 [Thread-49] [lavf] stream 2: subtitle (ass), -sid 0
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.232 [Thread-49] VIDEO:  [MP4V]  640x360  0bpp  119.880 fps    0.0 kbps ( 0.0 kbyte/s)
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.244 [Thread-49] [V] filefmt:44  fourcc:0x5634504D  size:640x360  fps:119.880  ftime:=0.0083
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.244 [Thread-49] ==========================================================================
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.246 [Thread-48] Requested audio codec family [mpg123] (afm=mpg123) not available.
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.246 [Thread-49] Opening audio decoder: [ffmpeg] FFmpeg/libavcodec audio decoders
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.246 [Thread-48] Enable it at compilation.
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.247 [Thread-49] libavcodec version 54.17.101 (internal)
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.274 [Thread-49] AUDIO: 48000 Hz, 2 ch, floatle, 160.0 kbit/5.21% (ratio: 20000->384000)
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.274 [Thread-41] Result of \\.\pipe\mencoder1348848337460 : true
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.274 [Thread-49] Selected audio codec: [ffmp3float] afm: ffmpeg (FFmpeg MPEG layer-3 audio)
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.275 [Thread-49] ==========================================================================
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.276 [Thread-49] PACKET SIZE: 2048 bytes, deltascr: 884
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.277 [Thread-49] Opening video filter: [ass auto=1]
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.277 [Thread-49] [ass] auto-open
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.309 [Thread-49] ==========================================================================
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.311 [Thread-49] Opening video decoder: [ffmpeg] FFmpeg's libavcodec codec family
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.311 [Thread-48] Unsupported PixelFormat 61
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.311 [Thread-48] Unsupported PixelFormat 53
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.311 [Thread-48] Unsupported PixelFormat 81
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.312 [Thread-48] [ac3 @ 010da6a0]channel_layout not specified
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.311 [Thread-49] Selected video codec: [ffodivx] vfm: ffmpeg (FFmpeg MPEG-4)
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.312 [Thread-49] ==========================================================================
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.312 [Thread-48] [ac3 @ 010da6a0]No channel layout specified. The encoder will guess the layout, but it might be incorrect.
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.312 [Thread-48] Limiting audio preload to 0.4s.
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.312 [Thread-48] Increasing audio density to 4.
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.312 [Thread-49] [mp3float @ 010da6a0]overread, skip -7 enddists: -6 -6
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.313 [Thread-49] [mp3float @ 010da6a0]overread, skip -7 enddists: -6 -6
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.313 [Thread-49] [mp3float @ 010da6a0]overread, skip -7 enddists: -6 -6
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.313 [Thread-49] [mp3float @ 010da6a0]overread, skip -7 enddists: -6 -6
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.313 [Thread-49] [mp3float @ 010da6a0]overread, skip -5 enddists: -2 -2
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.314 [Thread-49] [mp3float @ 010da6a0]overread, skip -5 enddists: -2 -2
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.314 [Thread-49] [mp3float @ 010da6a0]overread, skip -6 enddists: -4 -4
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.314 [Thread-49] [mp3float @ 010da6a0]overread, skip -5 enddists: -2 -2
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.315 [Thread-49] [mp3float @ 010da6a0]overread, skip -5 enddists: -2 -2
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.315 [Thread-49] [mp3float @ 010da6a0]overread, skip -7 enddists: -6 -6
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.316 [Thread-48] [mpeg4 @ 010da6a0]Invalid and inefficient vfw-avi packed B frames detected
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.317 [Thread-49] Movie-Aspect is 1.78:1 - prescaling to correct movie aspect.
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.317 [Thread-49] videocodec: libavcodec (640x360 fourcc=3267706d [mpg2])
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.320 [Thread-49] Movie-Aspect is 1.78:1 - prescaling to correct movie aspect.
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.330 [Thread-49] [mp3float @ 010da6a0]overread, skip -7 enddists: -6 -6
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.331 [Thread-48] [VD_FFMPEG] DRI failure.
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.333 [Thread-49] Writing header...
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.333 [Thread-49] INITV: 0.200, 0.158, fps: 23.976
DEBUG 2012-09-28 12:05:38.333 [Thread-49] 

MediaInfo log:

General

UniqueID                         : 182928198355370013152631208654596099225 (0x899EB0825230B798838FEF5AEFDA4C99)
Complete name                    : V:\video folder\video.mkv
Format                           : Matroska
File size                        : 249 MiB
Duration                         : 27mn 11s
Overall bit rate                 : 1 280 Kbps
Movie name                       : video -01- episode 01
Encoded date                     : UTC 2010-06-14 10:27:16
Writing application              : mkvmerge v3.2.0 ('Beginnings') built on Feb 12 2010 16:46:17
Writing library                  : libebml v0.7.9 + libmatroska v0.8.1
Cover                            : Yes / Yes / Yes
 
Video
ID                               : 1
Format                           : MPEG-4 Visual
Format settings, BVOP            : Yes
Format settings, QPel            : No
Format settings, GMC             : No warppoints
Format settings, Matrix          : Default (H.263)
Codec ID                         : DX50
Codec ID/Hint                    : DivX 5
Duration                         : 27mn 11s
Bit rate                         : 1 095 Kbps
Width                            : 640 pixels
Height                           : 360 pixels
Display aspect ratio             : 16:9
Frame rate                       : 119.880 fps
Color space                      : YUV
Chroma subsampling               : 4:2:0
Bit depth                        : 8 bits
Scan type                        : Progressive
Compression mode                 : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)               : 0.040
Stream size                      : 213 MiB (86%)
Writing library                  : DivX 5.1.1 (Maupiti) (UTC 2003-11-19)
 
Audio
ID                               : 2
Format                           : MPEG Audio
Format version                   : Version 1
Format profile                   : Layer 3
Mode                             : Joint stereo
Mode extension                   : MS Stereo
Codec ID                         : A_MPEG/L3
Codec ID/Hint                    : MP3
Duration                         : 27mn 11s
Bit rate mode                    : Constant
Bit rate                         : 160 Kbps
Channel(s)                       : 2 channels
Sampling rate                    : 48.0 KHz
Compression mode                 : Lossy
Stream size                      : 31.1 MiB (12%)
Language                         : Japanese
 
Text
ID                               : 3
Format                           : ASS
Codec ID                         : S_TEXT/ASS
Codec ID/Info                    : Advanced Sub Station Alpha
Compression mode                 : Lossless
 
Menu
00:00:00.000                     : en:Opening
00:00:40.832                     : en:Part 1
00:10:34.763                     : en:Part 2
00:22:54.430                     : en:Ending
00:24:35.015                     : en:Preview 

[Baldrick]

Maybe try convert the ass subs to srt with for example subtitle edit. You can add back them to the mkv with mktoolnix.

[Startropic1]

Maybe try convert the ass subs to srt with for example subtitle edit. You can add back them to the mkv with mktoolnix.

I tried that, but all formating/fancy fonts are lost, (ok not that big a deal), and I noticed if I try to skip forward/backward the subs get out of sync.