Adding Subtitles to a DVD

[caalip]

Hi all,

I recently found out may DVDs have forgien language subtitles tracks. I was wondeing how come the Video -> Subtitles Track -> Open File option does not seem to work.

I expect that while playing a DVD, I could select this option open the subtitles files start seeing subtitles.

However, when I select the Open File option nothing happens. I do not see any dialog. I expect the an open file dialog to appear. HOwever, no dialog appears.

Am I doing something wrong? I generally start the DVD playing before attempt to open a subtitle file. Is there some different way to do this?

Is there some work around to add subtitle tracks to DVDs?

Grae

[VLC_help]

AFAIK this is a known issue. And there isn't any easy workaround for this. (MPC-HC might support that but, I haven't tested)

[solazy]

Hi caalip & VLC_help

Interesting topic indeed !
After reading you, I tried something that worked :

First of all, don't let Vlc open automatically the DVD disc, because you won't be able to access the wanted menu (Video => Subtitles Track => Open File... won't open any dialog box, as described by caalip)

Instead, open your DVD disc using one of these 2 methods :
* Windows Explorer => Right-clic on Video_TS folder => Play with VLC Media Player
* or double clic Vlc icon => Media => Open Folder => Video_TS

If you open your DVD disc this way, then you'll be able to access the wanted Subtitles menu and open an additional .srt file. Also remember, don't use Media => Open DISC , because if you do so, then you won't be able to access the wanted subtitles menu.

If this works for you , then we'll discuss about the next steps (which probably need to be improved, but well...that's a start)

[caalip]

Thanks all,

VLC_help,

I will try MPC-HC.

Solazy,

I could not get a folder to play using either of you methods. I tried it with two different DVDs. I don't know why I am not able to play the DVD that way. Would it help if I copy the file off of the DVD?

Thanks, for your help.

Grae

[caalip]

Solazy,

I got the DVD folder to play. What is next?

Grae

[solazy]

So you were able to launch the DVD disc by opening its Video_TS folder, that's great

Now that's how my test went :
* The DVD menu was playing in VLC, with an option to "Play All scenes" (we need to start at 00h00m00s)
* It started to play the 1st chapter, I paused it quickly (let's say at 00h00m03s) then dragged the slider totally to the left (while Paused), to rewind to the very beginning of the movie (00h00m00s)
* Now you add your external subtitle .srt file (Video => Subtitles Track => Open File... it opens the dialog box, right ?)

And now we're facing "2 steps which probably need to be improved" because :
1) The sync isn't really accurate (for example, if the 1st subtitle is expected at 13s and it displays at 15s then something is wrong)

How do you know it is expected at 13s ?
By opening the .srt file using NotePad, and reading it starts at 13s (.srt file is a simple text file)

How do you know it appears at 15s ?
Because Vlc clock shows you it appears at 15s (instead of 13) and what you hear is not what you read.

2) If you drag the slider (to move quickly within the movie) then no external subtitle appears anymore and you'll have to do all this again.

Now maybe I got those 2 issues because of my slow PC but I'm not sure it's the cause...who knows, maybe all will work at your place fluently, in case you got the right external subtitle file ?

This being said, if Vlc developers think there's something to improve in this, maybe they'll find the test interesting . If I understand well, VLC_help thought it was impossible actually to add an external subtitle file (as the dialog menu didn't open) . Maybe this test shows it's possible to get the dialog menu, using the 2 "special" openings described in the precedent post. I'm sure he'll do his best (when he got time) to see if there's something to improve and maybe help you solve your issue.

But don't forget this point : you won't easily find external subtitles that will perfectly be in sync with your DVD.
If the subtitles were'nt initially included in the original DVD you got, it means someone prepared them by himself, maybe after a DVD rip, so there are chances that the sync will not be perfect with your DVD

Anyway, good luck and I hope you'll make it

[caalip]

I got it to work for one language, but not Chinese. Any guesses?

Thanks,
Grae

[caalip]

Solazy,

Which file format did you get to work? I am trying SRT, because the subtitles for the language I want are in that format. Basically, I am having no luck. Basically, I can add the file, and a new option appearsin the subtitles menu, but no actually subtitles appear.

I tried playing with the default encoding, thinking I needed unicode and some Chinese encoding, since the language I am going for is chinese. The Chinese is for my wife and her family. I thought maybe VLC was using the wrong encoding, because nothing is getting displayed to th screen. (I don't get gibbish characters, just nothing shows up, so it may not be encoding.)


I was wondering which subtitles format you used, because I got something working with a .ass file. However, the subtitles were in a different language. I can't confirm if they were right or not. They looks a little messed up. However, atleast something showed up on the sceen.

Grae

[solazy]

Hi Grae,
The format I use is a standard .srt subtitle
Here are 7 pics to explain clearly how it worked for me :

Media => Open Folder
Choosed Video_TS from the DVD disc in H:



Here is the DVD menu that appears, clicked on "Start the journey" (to play all chapters)



Video => Subtitles Track => Open File...
Please note there are already 5 different subtitles in the DVD



Now here it is : the one and only Open dialog, it works and asks for a subtitle file.
Let's open any standard .srt file...why not a "Twilight Zone" episode ?



A 6th subtitle has just been added in the Subtitles menu, and it's checked



Here is a sample of the srt content
Line 13 should display from 1min to 1min 04s



All works fine : line 13 displays correctly
Please note Vlc time in the pic : 1min 01, which is correct.



I note that the subtitles displayed correctly as long as I didn't touch the slider. As soon as I drag it left or right, nothing appears anymore.
Now that we clearly see there are 2 ways to open the subtitle dialog box (on a DVD disc), maybe Vlc staff will help you in the Chinese encoding issue. Good luck and I really hope you'll make it in the end

[caalip]

Thanks, for all your help. Now I have gotten to the point that it may be a issue with the display of chinese characters. All the characters show up as little squares.

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

Change the font.

[Watanabe]

Hi,
I've got the same problem. The 2 solutions suggested above only partially work. I open the DVD (from disk or folder) via "Open Folder" and then use either the menu (subtitle - open file) or drag & drop a subtitle file on the VLC window. The subs are displayed for the first 20 seconds only. After that no subs are shown. I tried with different dvds/video_ts-folders and different subtitle files (both .srt and .ass). I checked the subtitle files with Subtitle Workshop and Media Subtitler, and they are ok. When using .mkv or .mp4 videos with the same subtitle files, everything works fine. The problem is only with DVDs and .VOB files. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

I'm using VLC 2.02 Twoflower on Win 7 64bit (Toshiba Satellite laptop, Nvidia Geforce graphics).

[Watanabe]

Maybe I should mention, I'm not trying any "exotic" subtitles, just plain english ones.