Subtitles

[Khristopher]

This weekend was the first time I've downloaded and watched a video off the Internet which had an included .srt Subtitle file. I wasn't sure if SageMC could handle this, but it looks like it's handling it almost too well.

I dropped the .srt file into the same folder as the imported video and it played the subtitles right away. The only issue I noticed is that when I go into the options, "Subtitles" is not checked. If I check it, then I see a smaller version of the subtitles overtop of the larger text.

Is there an option within SageMC that I'm missing and that's why it's doubling up?

Any help would be appreciated.

[MeInMaui]

Have you tried playing the video without the .srt file in place? Maybe the video has hard subtitles already encoded? I use subtitles almost daily and I haven't seen this problem.

Aloha,
Mike

[Khristopher]

That was the first thing I tried. Moving the subtitle file out of the video directory and then there were no subtitles at all. As soon as I moved it back, they showed up again.

[MeInMaui]

The next step is to switch ot the default STV and see if you get the same behavior there. Subtitle support is now built into the core, so I would expect you to see the same thing there.

Aloha,
Mike

[Khristopher]

Ok......tried it on a couple machines and here are the results.

MediaMVP running SageMC - Subtitles are only displayed when option selected.

SageTV PLaceshifter running default STV - Subtitles are only displayed when option selected.

Obviously something I've got installed on my main machine is playing the subtitles. Suggestions on what to check?

Edit: If I choose "DirectShow" for MPEG4 Playback, the captions show all the time. If I choose SageTV Player, they don't show, but then some of my video files won't play properly.

Suggestions?

[MeInMaui]

There was a caption playback import for SageMC. Do you have that installed on your main machine? Other than that, I can't think of anything right now.

Aloha,
Mike

[Fuzzy]

Can I just interject myself here to mention that this conversation is no where NEAR as interesting as the typo'd thread title leads one to believe?

[MeInMaui]

Didn't even notice that. Gotta get my mind back in the gutter.

[Khristopher]

Even more ironic since I'm Gay! LOL

I don't think I've got any subtitle imports, an as I said it only works when I choose DirectShow for the MPEG4 playback. I've looked at the FFdshow options but don't see anything selected for subtitles.

[Skirge01]

Originally Posted by Khristopher

Even more ironic since I'm Gay! LOL

Now that makes it just hilarious! That might explain the "sub" part... you prefer the smaller ones.

@Fuzzy: I'm glad to know I wasn't the only one who read it that way. I thought I was channeling George Carlin for a second there.

[MeInMaui]

Originally Posted by Khristopher

Even more ironic since I'm Gay! LOL

I wonder what Freud would have to say about this...

I don't think I've got any subtitle imports, an as I said it only works when I choose DirectShow for the MPEG4 playback. I've looked at the FFdshow options but don't see anything selected for subtitles.

Sorry, I'm out of ideas. I use extenders exclusively. If I get get the chance, I'll try to duplicate the scenario on my server.

Aloha,
Mike

[Khristopher]

Originally Posted by MeInMaui

I wonder what Freud would have to say about this...

That's just not somewhere I even want to go! LOL

Originally Posted by MeInMaui

Sorry, I'm out of ideas. I use extenders exclusively. If I get get the chance, I'll try to duplicate the scenario on my server.

Aloha,
Mike

Thanks. My only thought is that it's an option from within ffdshow, but I can't seem to find anything in the config that is either turned on, or looks active.

[Khristopher]

Figured it out. When watching a video with subtitles, a little green arrow shows up in the system tray. (I've read somewhere else that this is VOBSUB but I have never installed it).

It seems to be options for ffdshow and in there I selected "Hide Subtitles". Now I can turn them on and off from within SageTV as required.

Thanks everyone for your input, and sorry about the "Tites"! LOL

EDIT: I spoke too soon. Every time I try disable it here, it always reenables itself and frankly it's driving me crazy!!! Ugh!

[Khristopher]

Found it! I had installed the MediaMVP software on my HTPC a couple years ago, and I guess it installs DirectVOBSUB and sets it to auto-load every time directshow filters are loaded. As soon as I uninstalled the MVP software, it stopped displaying captions all the time!!

Now I just have to figure out how to make the existing captions a little larger!

[tmiranda]

Originally Posted by Khristopher

Now I just have to figure out how to make the existing captions a little larger!

New glasses? (Sorry, I couldn't resist.)

[MeInMaui]

I was going to suggest getting a bigger TV. After all we're all looking for excuses to get bigger TV's, right?

Aloha,
Mike

[Khristopher]

Both of you better keep your day jobs!

I already have a 52" TV, but the subtitles are actually smaller in SageTV as compared to VOBSub. Are there any options from within SageMC to change the subtitle font/size?

[MeInMaui]

I'm not sure if this is for the core subtitle support or leftover from a previous plugin, but I have the following property in my sageclient.properties file in my SageTV directory:

subtitle/font_size=26

You can look for that and try increasing the size to see what happens. (You must fully exit sage first or the change won't take.) There are also a bunch of other subtitle properties there if you want to try to customize the look and position further.

Aloha,
Mike

[Khristopher]

Thanks for the tip!!

[ke6guj]

Originally Posted by MeInMaui

I'm not sure if this is for the core subtitle support or leftover from a previous plugin, but I have the following property in my sageclient.properties file in my SageTV directory:

subtitle/font_size=26

You can look for that and try increasing the size to see what happens. (You must fully exit sage first or the change won't take.) There are also a bunch of other subtitle properties there if you want to try to customize the look and position further.

Aloha,
Mike

Mike, just to let you know, yes, that property does adjust the size of the .srt subtitles.