Problems extracting subtitle from MP4 files

[Pegaso1]

Dear All,

I ripped all my DVD library to a media server using DVDFab, subtitles and audios included, but as far as I can see the ripping process didn't create additional file for the subtitles (when ripping I usually choose more than one language). I play the files in a WD TV media player, but it doesn't display the subtitles or additional audio languages, I understand that it requires the subtitles as separated files (SRT, ASS, SSA, SUB, or SMI based on specifications). I know the subs are in the resulting .mp4 file since I can toggle those on/off those in other media players as VLC for instance. How can I extract any of the formats mentioned before from the .mp4 file?

I tried several of the suggestions I found here: CCExtractor, MKVExtract, mp4box but nothing seems to work, no files are created

Can somebody give me a hand with this?

Rgds,

Pegaso1

[Budman1]

If your subtitles are indeed part of the MP4, then they are a separate TRACK not a separate file. Use MediaInfo to make sure there is a subtitle track included. If you need them extracted then there are several programs to use or ffmpeg also.

[Pegaso1]

Thanks Bud!

I'm going to need some extra help with ffmpeg...

MediaInfo confirmed that the subs are there:



...also I see them when playing the movie in VLP.

I installed & opened ffmpeg, I see the DOS "like" screen, and using the posting in here I used the following command to extract them:

ffmpeg -i Movie.mkv -map 0:s:0 subs.srt"

in my case it will look like:

ffmpeg -i Movie.mp4 -map 0:s:0 subs.srt

But after firing the command I get the following message:



and an empty file called subs.srt

I'll try with other movies for the time being, to discard anything wrong with this particular file, but can somebody tell me if I'm using the proper commands in ffmpeg to extract the subs in .srt format?

Warmest regards,

Pegaso1

[Budman1]

Unfortunately the subtitles appear to be in DVDSub format (IDX/SUB or MP4S) and FFMpeg is not to good at that since these are graphically encoded subtitles that are overlaid on the video. They need to be OCR and converted to SRT if that's what you want.

I was able to do this by:

1. Downloading YAMB (Yamb 2.1.0.0 beta 2) and extract the track to SUB/IDX. I USED THE STANDALONE VERSION.
2. Import into Subtitle Edit and it will OCR
3. Save as SRT.

DVDSubs work ok in MP4's but they are a bear to extract unless anyone knows an easier way.

[johns0]

Run the mp4 through mkvmerge and save as mkv,then extract the subs with mkvcleaver.You can also open the mp4 with subtitle edit and ocr the sub directly.

[Budman1]

You can also open the mp4 with subtitle edit and ocr the sub directly.

Unfortunately Subtitle Edit doesn't like MP4's a lot and especially if you try to load one with MP4S subtitles, also known as DVDsubs in some circles. It gives you the same nasty generic message when it doesn't like your subtitles, so i didn't suggest it to reduce possible new problems.

[Pegaso1]

Bud, Johns0

Thanks for the help, but not success yet...

Bud, using YAMB I couldn't find the way to extract to SUB/IDX, below are the options I found:



I don't see the option to extract to SUB/IDX, please help with that...

Johns0

I followed your procedure and I was able to get both .sub files: MovieName.Track00.sub & MovieName.Track01.sub, but again the WDTV did not recognize those, (based on the info provided it should)...

It should be easy to convert .sub to .srt, right? I'll check, but if it is a two minutes answer that could save me some time, I'll appreciate it!

Rgds!

Pegaso1

[Pegaso1]

You can also open the mp4 with subtitle edit and ocr the sub directly.

Unfortunately Subtitle Edit doesn't like MP4's a lot and especially if you try to load one with MP4S subtitles, also known as DVDsubs in some circles. It gives you the same nasty generic message when it doesn't like your subtitles, so i didn't suggest it to reduce possible new problems.


[Attachment 36493 - Click to enlarge]

Bud,

I didn't see this reply before my previous posting.

Using johns0 I goit the .sub files, can I convert those easily to .srt?

[Budman1]

Pegaso, yes if you have the sub file, use subtitle edit to open it. It will switch to the OCR portion and use the Tesseract to decode it.

Then start the OCR. You may have to play with the 'Custom Colors' but the ones from YAMB seem to work without and changing. Then click okay and save as SRT

[Budman1]

Pegaso, yes if you have the sub file, use subtitle edit to open it. It will switch to the OCR portion and use the Tesseract to decode it.

You may need to adjust 'Custom Colors' but YAMB seems to work okay without messing with them. Then click okay and save as SRT

[johns0]

You can also open the mp4 with subtitle edit and ocr the sub directly.

Unfortunately Subtitle Edit doesn't like MP4's a lot and especially if you try to load one with MP4S subtitles, also known as DVDsubs in some circles. It gives you the same nasty generic message when it doesn't like your subtitles, so i didn't suggest it to reduce possible new problems.


[Attachment 36493 - Click to enlarge]

I never get that message,i tried a 8 gb mp4 with no issues,sounds like you got a problem yourself with mp4s and subtitle edit.

[Pegaso1]

Hello folks,

I was able to create an .srt files, I inspected it using a text editor and it looks fine, I haven't had the chance to test it yet in the WD TV.

Now a question arises:

What should be the name of this .srt file such it can be recognized (associated) by the player with the proper movie?

By default I got Moviename.Track01.srt, Moviename.Track02.srt etc for the subs but I'm not sure if that will be recognized by the player.

As always, thanks a lot for your support!

Pegaso1

[Budman1]

I never get that message,i tried a 8 gb mp4 with no issues,sounds like you got a problem yourself with mp4s and subtitle edit.

Probably not my MP4s file but my crappy MP4's that I keep in a folder for the worst of the worst to do worst case tests. HA HA They are really bad but since I got a failure just didn't want to perpetrate it on anyone else, especially since the other methods work well.

[Pegaso1]

Folks,

.srt files tested, not luck

Those are the files in the folder, can you spot something wrong with them? Should I load them somewhere so you can inspect them?

I'm checkin also in WD TV website...

Warmest regards

[Budman1]

I assume you tried the method on http://support.wdc.com/KnowledgeBase/answer.aspx?ID=2741 but looking around it seems that WD-TV will play embeddeed subtitles on DLNA from a media server but external subtitles are not supported on a Media Server.

Where does you WD TV get it stream from?

[Pegaso1]

From a media server in my home network

[Budman1]

http://support.wdc.com/KnowledgeBase/answer.aspx?ID=5461 Looks like it doesn't support external subtitles from a Media server. I do not have WD so can't be sure but browsing this message is hown in a lot of places.