WHY is it impossible to embed .srt subtitles to the matching MP4

[Steamywee]

I have seen and attempted to follow Sooo many video tutorials on this subject and all have ended in disappointment!
Usually ending up with a promising looking .mp4 file, which has been stripped of its video content and still has no Subtitles, effectively an mp3 Grrr
Can anyone offer a solution using VLC?
Both the mp4 Video and the Subs .srt files match and will play together in some players but I want to be able to play the video with subs on a TV via USB.
Currently only the video file is recognised.
The alternative seems to be to use Handbrake, ...which scares me 'cos it looks complicated!

EDIT: I'm using Ver: 3.0.16 Vetinari if that helps!

[unidan]

Hi, VLC 3 doesn't support muxing subtitles, and the support in VLC 4 is still a bit rough currently but should improve before release.

[Steamywee]

Hi @unidan, thanks for confirming that I'm not doing something wrong when following those fake tutorials!
Any idea when VLC 4 will be released, ...or advice on how to achieve this as a novice in the meantime?

[Neptun3]

So it isn't possible at the moment to add subtitles and save it in vlc?
Doing everything as said and nothing happens when i try to convert... it just closes... no loading bars or anything and no files.
Or which video output should i pick? i use the 1st one, Video - H.264 + MP3 (MP4)

[Steamywee]

Exactly!
I was more cruelly deceived, in that when following countless so called tutorials, VLC dutifully went about its business, leaving me "expectant" of its usual brilliant results.
Hopes have been repeatedly dashed as one attempt after another resulted in nothing more than an mp3 in mp4 clothing!
One attempt even rotated the view through 90deg whilst simultaneously denying me the much anticipated subtitles!

[Neptun3]

Exactly!
I was more cruelly deceived, in that when following countless so called tutorials, VLC dutifully went about its business, leaving me "expectant" of its usual brilliant results.
Hopes have been repeatedly dashed as one attempt after another resulted in nothing more than an mp3 in mp4 clothing!
One attempt even rotated the view through 90deg whilst simultaneously denying me the much anticipated subtitles!

So sad, spent whole day trying add subtitles to a video, i still don't know if it is possible or not on vlc... hope someone in high ranking will reply to us. I may help.

[Steamywee]

@Neptune3, I think unidan, being a developer is near enough to "God" in this organisation for me to believe his advice!

[Neptun3]

@Neptune3, I think unidan, being a developer is near enough to "God" in this organisation for me to believe his advice!

thanks for the reply, sorry if i look rude but i urge to add some subtitles to some videos, is it possible or not on vlc ?
if not i'll move on and as i said i may help solving the problem. VLC is good. Other programs that ask us money are worse. Lol.
Guess i'll have to dive more into the deep hole.

[Steamywee]

thanks for the reply, sorry if i look rude

Not at all, I'm afraid that I have been using VLC for almost 18 years and still need a crib sheet because I can't always remember how to do some things.
It really is the Swiss Army Knife of Media players, constantly amazes me.
I have only just recently, (last 7 days) been made aware that it "Supposedly" could embed .srt files.
after driving my self mad following several YT Video tutorials, only to fail!
That's when I came here to get the PROPER Information!
Next stop for me will be Handbrake, ...another steep learning curve, but I'm assured that it can Embed Subs.
give it a try!

[Neptun3]

thanks for the reply, sorry if i look rude

Not at all, I'm afraid that I have been using VLC for almost 18 years and still need a crib sheet because I can't always remember how to do some things.
It really is the Swiss Army Knife of Media players, constantly amazes me.
I have only just recently, (last 7 days) been made aware that it "Supposedly" could embed .srt files.
after driving my self mad following several YT Video tutorials, only to fail!
That's when I came here to get the PROPER Information!
Next stop for me will be Handbrake, ...another steep learning curve, but I'm assured that it can Embed Subs.
give it a try!

Yeah but at least they shouldn't go out waging vlc could do subtitles if it can't.

[Hitchhiker]

I have seen and attempted to follow Sooo many video tutorials on this subject and all have ended in disappointment!
Usually ending up with a promising looking .mp4 file, which has been stripped of its video content and still has no Subtitles, effectively an mp3 Grrr
Can anyone offer a solution using VLC?
Both the mp4 Video and the Subs .srt files match and will play together in some players but I want to be able to play the video with subs on a TV via USB.
Currently only the video file is recognised.
The alternative seems to be to use Handbrake, ...which scares me 'cos it looks complicated!

EDIT: I'm using Ver: 3.0.16 Vetinari if that helps!

I'm wondering whether it's just a misunderstanding on your part by using the term "embed" when what you really mean is that you want to overlay subtitles on a video. The difference between the two is that if subs are embedded users can turn them on and off whereas if you overlay them they'll be burned into the video which in turn means they'll be there permanently.

If you want permanent subs following instructions in this tutorial illustrated with screenshots.

I suggest you make a copy of the video and proceed with that just in case you accidentally burn something in that you don't want.

[Steamywee]

@Hitchhiker, thanks for that pearl of wisdom!
You are absolutely correct, my logic tells me that if something is "Embedded", then it has "become a part" of what ever is the subject matter "overlay" however suggests to my simple mind that it has just been laid on top of it!
My command of my own language often leaves me speechless!
I have just followed the tutorial you linked me to and waited with baited breath for the possibility of success, sadly, after 15minutes, this was the result:-

It could only happen to me!
Why on earth has VLC taken it upon it's self to rotate the video 90°?
The "Subs" are certainly there but attempting to play it on my TV, I'm told "Playback not available"!

I have since been experimenting with get_iplayer using the command "--subs-embed" and although they play and display the subtitles in VLC, they don't show up when played on my TV
As you point out, since they are embedded, they are "selectable", but the default is "Off" hence they are not shown when played on my TV.

The reason I'm attempting this is for my winter holiday in Mallorca. Our 2.1m dia. Sat dish has blown away!!!
The general consensus is that we should not replace it due to cost and the maintenance required to keep it "on track".
Don't know if you've been to Mallorca in the dead of winter, but the wind is reminiscent of my many visits to Amsterdam in November but there is not as much to do!

Another possible route might involve taking a FireStick, which I bought in December but have not yet unpacked!
I'm led to believe that it would allow me to view the content of my External drive, via VLC and as I understand it with "Kodi", of which I have equally little experience or knowledge!

[Hitchhiker]

It's possible the Transform filter to rotate the video by 90 degrees is checkmarked. To check click Tools ---> Effects and Filters ---> Video (tab) ---> Geometry ---> Transform menu.

Even if it's not checkmarked you can enable it and then select one of the options to rotate to the correct orientation and then save it. A vlc restart is necessary to make permanent. To undo permanent, reverse the procedure and then restart again.

Is it a digital TV or an analogue model?

[jbrook]

Hi,
using Windows 10, VLC 3.0.16

I have a folder of MP4 files from a GoPro camera (H264) each with an SSA file of the same basename. Using Convert/Save I select multiple files, then check the "Use a subtitle file" box without selecting any files. After clicking Save/Convert I select the "Convert" radio button and choose Video - H.264 + MP3 (MP4) and check the "Append '-converted' to filename" box, and click start.

This produces an output video corresponding to each of the input videos, with the subtitles burnt in, but there appears to be loss of resolution and some video missing from the start.

So I wanted to try using the "Dump raw input" radiobutton instead. But there are two issues - firstly, only one file is generated, corresponding to the last file in the list, and it has the name (literally) "Multiple Files Selected" with no file type. Secondly, the subtitles are not burnt in.

I suspect that the first issue is a bug, and the second issue is functioning as intended, and the only way I can burn subtitles is through a conversion?

Regards

James

[Steamywee]

Ratz! I knew that'd come back and bite me on the bum!
I deleted the file as it was annoying me sat on my desktop!
had no idea it was possible to change the orientation of videos.
I'll try again later.

[Steamywee]

Not yet tried to re-do the overlaid subs, since rummaging in my "toy-box" has sent me off at a tangent!
I've re-discovered an old Android TV Box, a "Z69 4K UHD Android TV Box" AKA a Kodi Box.
This has allowed me through the medium of Kodi, to watch various USB sticks with content which both my Home TV and the one in the apartment have previously refused to play directly!
All attempts to update the Kodi App have failed, I think that the "Box" is a bit too old for that, however it seems to have overcome much of the "pickiness" of my TV and I hope it will have the same effect on the TV in Spain!
I am finding when playing Files from "get_iPlayer" with embedded subs stored on a HDD, I have to play about with the Audio and Subtitle delay settings each time I play a file , nuisance, but acceptable!

Whilst in my "toy-box", I also discovered a truly Iconic US TV series beloved by those of a certain age: "M*A*S*H The Martini's And The Medicine" Box Set!
Somehow back in 2016, I managed to copy the first few episodes, complete with subtitles and most are in .mkv with one in .ts format.
I have no DVD Ripping software, and wonder if I've managed this with VLC, despite the obvious copy protection on the disks!

[unidan]

Hi, it can also be that the file has a 90° rotation that is taken into account during playback, but lost during transcode. Please notify if this is the case.

[Steamywee]

Hi @unidan, well that's another half hour of my life I've lost!
Just followed the same Video Tutorial https://www.movavi.com/learning-portal/ ... ently.html again and behold, the same result!
They do say the first sign of madness is to repeat the same steps and expect a different result!
I have been through the entire VLC Menu and can't find any way to rotate the output, only to change the aspect ratio from "Default" (this vertical display) to 16:9, ... which just stretches the same view across the 16:9 screen!

Shame really, so near and yet so far. the subs are, in the words of @Hitchhiker "overlaid", but the file is not recognised by my TV, and I suspect my Android box will likely attempt to play it in "Vertical Mode" if at all!

Is there some way the file can be rotated from within VLC, or does some setting need to be changed before attempting to follow the tutorial?

I've just been Googling for help and found that Win 10 Video editor will rotate the video, ...but sadly the Subs remain vertical on the right side of the screen!

Same result when using the inbuilt Geometry adjustment!