Subtitles in and out of MKV Questions

[Phydeaux]

I've read the release notes for both SageTV betas and the HD200 firmware betas and I'm not entirely clear on this. Hopefully someone can put me straight...

I have a handful of movies in MKV format and matching IDX/VOB subtitle files separate from the MKV file (external subs). Although I'm able to view these via the HD200 extender, the bottom tends to get cut off of the subs. I assume this is because I created the MKV using the anamorphic option in Handbrake, yet the subs are meant to align assuming letterboxing. This is a wild-ass guess, by the way. I would love it if someone can set me straight on how to account for or better yet overcome this issue.

So, taking the above three files (MKV, IDX, VOB) and using MKVMerge I add the subtitles as a separate stream into a new MKV file. When will viewing of this be supported? According to the SageTV release notes it's supported now with the beta I'm using - 6.5.14, but they note support in a future release of the HD200 firmware. I just updated last evening to 20090429 0. In attempting to play one of these merged files, I can see the option to select the subtitle, but as soon as I select it the HD200 shuts down and I need to soft-start it again. Same problem every file of this type I tried.

So my question is... is this function supported yet with the HD200 (maybe with the 20090505 0 version released yesterday)? If so, is this an issue I should submit a bug report on? If not, any comment on when it will be supported?

And to bring the question full circle, back to where I started - will the anamorphic video AR be in conflict with the subtitle overlay AR and cause the same or similar issues with merged MKV files as I'm seeing with external IDX/VOB subs? Anyone know how to overcome this issue?

RLW

[Taddeusz]

You need to make sure you rip the wide subtitles rather than the ones meant for letterboxing. That will take care of your clipping.

Another option would be to convert the graphical vobsub subtitles to an SRT. There are programs that will do OCR on the subtitles and convert them to text. You'll still need to check the file for accuracy as OCR isn't perfect. Once you have the SRT the HD200 will render the text to the screen. It actually looks smoother than the original graphical subtitles although placement might be different.

[Phydeaux]

Thanks the reply ... but I'm confused. "Wide subtitles"? Is that like a board stretcher or a bucket to catch voltage drops? In all the movies I've ripped I'm only seeing one or two English subtitle streams and the when there are two the difference is typically that one will have CC information or one will be director commentary etc. I've never seen wide and letterbox sub options... Could you elaborate on that for me?

I actually would have a slight preference for text based subtitles, but the find the fix-up work very tedious. I know some can be downloaded also, but it can be a lot of trial and error. I'm all about workflow and automation. I buy half a dozen DVDs, rip them all at once, queue them up in Handbrake and walk away. Rip the subs, mux them in and copy to the NAS. I want less computer time, not more...

RLW

[Taddeusz]

Originally Posted by Phydeaux

Thanks the reply ... but I'm confused. "Wide subtitles"? Is that like a board stretcher or a bucket to catch voltage drops? In all the movies I've ripped I'm only seeing one or two English subtitle streams and the when there are two the difference is typically that one will have CC information or one will be director commentary etc. I've never seen wide and letterbox sub options... Could you elaborate on that for me?

I actually would have a slight preference for text based subtitles, but the find the fix-up work very tedious. I know some can be downloaded also, but it can be a lot of trial and error. I'm all about workflow and automation. I buy half a dozen DVDs, rip them all at once, queue them up in Handbrake and walk away. Rip the subs, mux them in and copy to the NAS. I want less computer time, not more...

RLW

Usually each stream will have a wide and letterbox format. You actually have to dig in and figure out which is which. When I'm extracting the subtitles I use DVD Decrypter and it will tell you what streams are what. It just depends on the DVD. All the ones that I've done have separate wide and letterboxed subs.

[Phydeaux]

Wow, I never knew that. DVD Shrink doesn't seem to give up that information. I still have DVD Decrypter kicking around somewhere - I'll check it out.

Thanks!

Anyone know when SageTV/HD200 will support IDX/VOB merged into MKV?

RLW

[Taddeusz]

Originally Posted by Phydeaux

Wow, I never knew that. DVD Shrink doesn't seem to give up that information. I still have DVD Decrypter kicking around somewhere - I'll check it out.

Thanks!

Anyone know when SageTV/HD200 will support IDX/VOB merged into MKV?

RLW

It does now as of the beta firmware before last.

[Phydeaux]

Oh. Well that brings me full circle, back to where I started. IDX/VOB subs embedded in an MKV container do not work for me with the HD200 firmware before last - they cause an immediate reboot of the HD200 when the subs are selected. With the latest firmware there is no reboot, but some general weirdness, garbage characters, paused video etc. I'll submit a bug report.

RLW

[Taddeusz]

I've had my own issue with IDX/SUB's on my HD200. The HD200 apparently doesn't deal well with fading subtitles and will occasionally skip one. It seems to work fine with ones that don't have fading. Vsfilter in Windows doesn't know what to do with them at all and doesn't display anything.