Problem merging video and subtitles with mkvmerge.

[csh]

I am using mkvmerge version 5.8.0.

I try to merge a mkv video file with a subtitle. The original mkv video file has 1 video and 2 audios.

Steps to merge:
1. Run mkvmerge.
2. Add the mkv video file to mkvmerge.
3. Add the subtitle to mkvmerge.
4. Change the output file name.
5. Click the "Start muxing" button to start muxing.

During the merging process, mkvmerge shows no error.

After merging, I tried to play the output file with Media Player Classic Home Cinema version 1.6.4. The subtitle not being displayed even though it had been enabled. And, the weird thing is that the size of the output file a few hundreds KB smaller than the original mkv video file.

Why is that?

[Budman1]

Use Mediainfo to see what it says about your finished file. It should list the subtitles if they are included. If they are, then they may need to be turned on in MPC-HC in the filters area:

.

Some types of subtitles need to be selected this way, at least on my MPC-HC, while others play normally by default. This example shows LAV since my computer is using the LAV Splitter but the Haali filter is similar in setup.

[csh]

Use Mediainfo to see what it says about your finished file. It should list the subtitles if they are included. If they are, then they may need to be turned on in MPC-HC in the filters area:


[Attachment 14615 - Click to enlarge].

Some types of subtitles need to be selected this way, at least on my MPC-HC, while others play normally by default. This example shows LAV since my computer is using the LAV Splitter but the Haali filter is similar in setup.

Here are the information displayed by mediainfo for the output file:

General
Unique ID                                : 220441732075143068527102479662521272767 (0xA5D788850337407F879B337869A449BF)
Complete name                            : C:\Users\cshong\Desktop\New folder\trialvideo.mkv
Format                                   : Matroska
Format version                           : Version 2
File size                                : 273 MiB
Duration                                 : 24mn 9s
Overall bit rate                         : 1 583 Kbps
Encoded date                             : UTC 2012-11-07 06:53:08
Writing application                      : mkvmerge v5.8.0 ('No Sleep / Pillow') built on Sep  2 2012 15:37:04
Writing library                          : libebml v1.2.3 + libmatroska v1.3.0

Video
ID                                       : 1
Format                                   : AVC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile                           : High@L3.0
Format settings, CABAC                   : No
Format settings, ReFrames                : 1 frame
Muxing mode                              : Header stripping
Codec ID                                 : V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC
Duration                                 : 24mn 9s
Bit rate                                 : 1 296 Kbps
Width                                    : 768 pixels
Height                                   : 576 pixels
Display aspect ratio                     : 4:3
Frame rate mode                          : Constant
Frame rate                               : 25.000 fps
Color space                              : YUV
Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:0
Bit depth                                : 8 bits
Scan type                                : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.117
Stream size                              : 224 MiB (82%)
Title                                    : J2
Default                                  : Yes
Forced                                   : No

Audio #1
ID                                       : 2
Format                                   : AC-3
Format/Info                              : Audio Coding 3
Mode extension                           : CM (complete main)
Format settings, Endianness              : Big
Muxing mode                              : Header stripping
Codec ID                                 : A_AC3
Duration                                 : 24mn 9s
Bit rate mode                            : Constant
Bit rate                                 : 128 Kbps
Channel(s)                               : 2 channels
Channel positions                        : Front: L R
Sampling rate                            : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth                                : 16 bits
Compression mode                         : Lossy
Stream size                              : 22.1 MiB (8%)
Title                                    : 粵語
Language                                 : Chinese
Default                                  : Yes
Forced                                   : No

Audio #2
ID                                       : 3
Format                                   : AC-3
Format/Info                              : Audio Coding 3
Mode extension                           : CM (complete main)
Format settings, Endianness              : Big
Muxing mode                              : Header stripping
Codec ID                                 : A_AC3
Duration                                 : 24mn 9s
Bit rate mode                            : Constant
Bit rate                                 : 128 Kbps
Channel(s)                               : 2 channels
Channel positions                        : Front: L R
Sampling rate                            : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth                                : 16 bits
Compression mode                         : Lossy
Stream size                              : 22.1 MiB (8%)
Title                                    : 日語
Language                                 : Japanese
Default                                  : No
Forced                                   : No

Text
ID                                       : 4
Format                                   : VobSub
Muxing mode                              : zlib
Codec ID                                 : S_VOBSUB
Codec ID/Info                            : The same subtitle format used on DVDs
Language                                 : Chinese
Default                                  : Yes
Forced                                   : No

For the filter, I use Media Player Classic's built-in filter. The filter cannot be used to enable or disable subtitles.

[Budman1]

Might want to Try MPC-HC instead since it has more features but, if you like MPC best, I installed MPC and turned on subtitles in same way but slightly different place:


Do you have DirectVOBSub installed? It allows most subtitles to be played automatically if included in file or such as SRT, SSA, or ASS if named the same and placed in same folder with the video. Not sure if it's needed by MPC for S_vobsubs or not but I do have it installed on my machine and subs play in Windows Media player, MPC and MPC-HC, MOST automatic but some need to be turned on depending on type and encoding.

[csh]

Might want to Try MPC-HC instead since it has more features but, if you like MPC best, I installed MPC and turned on subtitles in same way but slightly different place:

[Attachment 14622 - Click to enlarge]

Do you have DirectVOBSub installed? It allows most subtitles to be played automatically if included in file or such as SRT, SSA, or ASS if named the same and placed in same folder with the video. Not sure if it's needed by MPC for S_vobsubs or not but I do have it installed on my machine and subs play in Windows Media player, MPC and MPC-HC, MOST automatic but some need to be turned on depending on type and encoding.

The subtitles play just fine if I did not merge it. The original subtitle files have the same name as the video file. MPC-HC load it automatically when I play the file and the subtitles displayed without any problem. The only problem is, after merging the subtitles with the video file by using mkvmerge, the subtitles not displayed when playing the output file, even though I enabled subtitle.

The only temporary workaround is that before merging the subtitle file, edit the idx file, set the "custom colors" to "OFF". If the value of "custom colors" is "OFF", the subtitles will be displayed when playing the original video file and the merged output video file. If the "custom colors" is "ON", the subtitles will only be displayed when playing the original video file, and won't be displayed when playing the merged output file. However, I want the "custom colors" to be "ON".