I'm trying to author a DVD with .ass subtitle (top and bottom) and menu

[deadfinger]

I've read all I could find but still can't do what I'm after:

I need to author a very basic dvd, it needs to have: A menu with Play button and subtitle selection (2 languages).

I can do this in Adobe Encore, the problem is my subtitle is .ass, sometimes it appears on top and bottom of the screen simultaneously (character's dialogue and character's name).

I've tried all methods I could find, convert my subtitle to sup, bmp, srt... Either it looks very ugly in Encore(using bmp) or I loose the ability to display both top and bottom subtitle at the same time(using srt).

I don't mind using another program if you have another sugestion.

Thank you.

[Skiller]

For *.ass subtitles with such more advanced formatting you're ought to use avs2bdnxml + BDSup2Sub for making the DVD subs (yes, it says Blu-ray, but it works for DVD as well).

It'll keep the positioning and font and basically all the styling if the limited color palette of 4 colors allows.


For correct positioning and aspect ratio you have to modify your *.ass subtitle style(s) a bit.
Don't forget that for anamorphic 16:9 content you need to make two separate sets of subtitles or else they will have wrong aspect ratio and positioning for one display mode.


If you need more help with those tools let me know, I have created lots of DVD subs with this method.

[manono]

ASS subs can be difficult. If I were you I'd convert them to SSA subs since you said the only effects you have are text on top and bottom. The reason I suggest SSA is because you can then use MaestroSBT to convert those SSA subs to SST or SON or a few other graphical subtitle formats, one of which Adobe might be able to handle. I have no idea what subtitle formats Encore accepts as I've never used it.

And even if it can't, you can reauthor SST subs with the audio, video, and chapter points using Muxman and then add the 'fixed' DVD back to the Adobe one you made earlier using PGCEdit or even VobBlanker.

Kind of a messy workaround, but it'll work.

Edit: I just read Skiller's earlier reply and it sounds like that'll work. Even if Encore doesn't accept what you make, you can, as I suggested earlier, author using Muxman.

[deadfinger]

For *.ass subtitles with such more advanced formatting you're ought to use avs2bdnxml + BDSup2Sub for making the DVD subs (yes, it says Blu-ray, but it works for DVD as well).

It'll keep the positioning and font and basically all the styling if the limited color palette of 4 colors allows.


For correct positioning and aspect ratio you have to modify your *.ass subtitle style(s) a bit.
Don't forget that for anamorphic 16:9 content you need to make two separate sets of subtitles or else they will have wrong aspect ratio and positioning for one display mode.


If you need more help with those tools let me know, I have created lots of DVD subs with this method.

Hi Skiller, thanks for helping me out. I've downloaded AviSynth and followed the procedures you sent me but I'm having a hard time.
I don't know if I'm doing it right but this is my script after reading the tutorial:

video=AviSource("myvideo.m2v")
MaskSub("my_subtitle.ass",720,480,29.97,46812)

I've ran it through cmd using:

avs2bdnxml.exe -o output.sup test.avs

But I got this:

CPU: Using SSE2 optimized functions.
avis [info]: 704x56 @ 24.00 fps (240 frames)
Progress: 240/240 - Lines: 0 - Done

What am I doing wrong? Also, after I convert my subtitle to Sup as you suggested, which software do you use to bring it all together(video, menu, subs...)?

Thank you.

Also, manono, I've tried your method but SubStation Alpha keeps hanging on splash screen forever even after installing the required dll. The SSA generated through Subtitle Edit does not open in Muxman, very weird.

Thanks everyone again for your time.

[manono]

...but SubStation Alpha keeps hanging on splash screen forever even after installing the required dll.

You don't need Substation Alpha at all, if you want to try the method I suggested. You convert your ASS subtitles to SSA format subtitles using any number of subtitle conversion utilities. I would use VobSub Resynch (included in the VobSub package) to do the conversion. The SSA subs will keep all the properties of your original ASS subs. But, as I said, there are other ways to do the conversion and several subbing programs can do it.

Also, after I convert my subtitle to Sup as you suggested, which software do you use to bring it all together(video, menu, subs...)?

I use Muxman, which accepts SUP input (or the SST subs I make from MaestroSBT) along with the M2V video file, AC3 audio, Celltimes.txt file for the chapter points to author DVDs. You can take the result and replace the DVD with your pretty menus you made in Adobe Encore using PGCDemux afterwards. I can't help with Skiller's method as I've never used it, but he knows his stuff and will be around to offer advice, I'm sure.

However, your error indicates a faulty AviSynth script. Try and open it in Virtual Dub which will give you a more understandable error message. That script alone is faulty, but maybe it's part of a larger script?

[deadfinger]

Hi manono, I've managed to get the script working using only:

MaskSub("mysubs.ass",720,480,29.97,46812)

And using the method described by Skiller to generate the SUP file and used AVStoDVD to Mux(I'm not sure if that is the correct way to say it) the VOB in the Dvd folder and it seems to work for now. I'm finishing the subtitles but I think this will work.

I will use a mixed method, converting the subtitle this way and use Encore to generate the menu and chapters and AVStoDVD to "inject" the SUP file in there later, do you think that works? I've tried with a preview and it seems to work, generating a SUP file in the VIDEO_TS folder. I wonder if it will work on the dvd player too.

Thanks again!

edit: Now it occurs me a problem, how will I select the subtitles in menu?

[manono]

And using the method described by Skiller to generate the SUP file and used AVStoDVD to Mux(I'm not sure if that is the correct way to say it) the VOB in the Dvd folder and it seems to work for now.

Yes, AvsToDVD can be used to author when all the assets are DVD compliant already. It uses Muxman for the muxing so it's pretty much what I suggested also.

...and AVStoDVD to "inject" the SUP file in there later, do you think that works?

That's part of the process. I don't use AvsToDVD so I can't be sure, but you can't just 'inject' subs into an already authored DVD. You have to reauthor. You create a whole new DVD with the SUP subs and then 'inject' that reauthored DVD into the one you made with Encore using PGCEdit or VobBlanker. Again, though, if you're following Skiller take your direction from him.

edit: Now it occurs me a problem, how will I select the subtitles in menu?

As I've said twice now, you first create a DVD using Adobe Encore with some subs (doesn't matter what subs (the 'ugly' ones you made before)), and then use the one you reauthored using AvsToDVD or Muxman and replace the one with funky subs with the one with good subs using PGCEdit. Later on you'll also have to fix the colors. That's easy.

[deadfinger]

manono, I've got it working using your method. I followed this guide: https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/217500-How-to-add-your-own-subtitle-to-DVD-%28keep-...u-multi-pgc%29

But the problem is Adobe Encore does not support SUP files, so I can't add a "dummy" subtitle to change later. It only supports FAB image script (bmp). What can I do now? I don't mind using another program to create menu, since my menu is only a background with PLAY and subtitle selection buttons.

I've downloaded Dvdremakepro and I can select my buttons but I'm not sure how to change the subtitle stream in there.

Thanks.

[manono]

But the problem is Adobe Encore does not support SUP files, so I can't add a "dummy" subtitle to change later

You said in your very first post you made subs but they were ugly. So, do whatever you did before coming here for help. Or, if you're not married to Adobe Encore, use some other authoring program that allows you to create a subtitle menu. Since I use only one language of subs and don't create subtitle menus, I can't help you there.

I don't use DVDRemake Pro, either. For freebies, I believe DVDStyler can create subtitle menus but I'm not positive and, anyway, I don't use it. Perhaps someone else can help.

[videobruger]

For freebies, I believe DVDStyler can create subtitle menus

DVDStyler can create menu's with entry "subtitle", ie invoked by pressing "Subtitle" on a remote, as well as using a button on a Titleset Menu to select subtitle.

To avoid "ugly" subtitles look here

https://sourceforge.net/p/dvdstyler/discussion/318795/thread/e4ab351e/

[deadfinger]

For freebies, I believe DVDStyler can create subtitle menus

DVDStyler can create menu's with entry "subtitle", ie invoked by pressing "Subtitle" on a remote, as well as using a button on a Titleset Menu to select subtitle.

To avoid "ugly" subtitles look here

https://sourceforge.net/p/dvdstyler/discussion/318795/thread/e4ab351e/

I've tried DVDStyler but it did not follow top and bottom position of the subtitle. It shows all of them together.

[videobruger]

In the link I provided the method is:

- Use EasySUP to create idx/sub from .ass subtitles.
- Mux the idx/sub with the video using MKVToolnix
- Use the result in DVDStyler.

It'll use .ass formatting.

[deadfinger]

Alright, I will try the solutions and report back later. Thank you all!

[Skiller]

I was searching for which image based subtitle formats Encore accepts and the only image based format it accepts is indeed called FAB which I have never heard of before. So that's not an option.

But anyways, as was mentioned earlier, just compile your DVD in Encore with functioning menus and ugly subtitles. Then take your plain Muxman DVD with no menus and nice subtitles and use Vobblanker to replace the Titleset containing the ugly subtitles with the corresponding Titleset of your Muxman DVD containing the nice subtitles.

The resulting DVD structure has all of your menus and the nice subtitles. You probably have to edit the subtitle color palette as a last step but that's a piece of cake.

[videobruger]

Never used it but Subtitle Edit can export FAB from .ass

[deadfinger]

videobruger, yes it can, I've tried it. But the result is very ugly, pixelated and does not support top and bottom at the same time.

Skiller, that's basically what I'm trying right now. I'm almost there.

edit: I've got it working, finally. Thanks everyone!