The VideoLAN Forums

Hi guys,
This is my first post. I did a search before asking that which is a common question but i did not find the proper answer.

VLC is great! anyhow I have always been wondering is there is a better way to load subtitles than the one i use, which is open+load subtitles and find the movie and the subs that match. Can I do it embedded or automatically and not having to do it over an over when i open a file? Today a friend of mine give a movie with a folder, inside the AVI and then the .txt subtile file. I open the movie and the subs were embedded i did not have to do anything of that. I don´t know how to do it.

Any ideas?

Cheers,
Sebastiao

Well there are "hardcoded" subtitles, which basically means they are a part of the video (so you cannot turn them off). You can also have "softcoded" subtitles where the subtitles are either a part of the file itself (need to be in a container which supports them such as e.g. Matroska (.mkv)), or in a separate subtitle file.

VLC can auto-detect external subtitles files - so, if for example, the subtitle file was named the same as the video (save for the extension) then it should be loaded automatically. Also, if the subtitles don't load then you can drag-and-drop them onto the video to add them (quicker than manually adding a subtitle file before playback). Presumably in you example the subtitles loaded automatically since they were in a file of the same name as the video (except for the extension).

Also (in case you didn't know), to turn on/off subtitles in VLC go to "Video >> Subtitles Track" and select and option.

Cheers, Arite.

Hi Arite,

Thanks a lot for the very complete info. You told me many interesting things i did not know. By the way, what do you mean by "you can drag-and-drop them onto the video" i tried on a couple of movies with .srt files while the movie is running and it does not allow me.

I also do not know why the Subtitles Track option in Video are always grey out or unavailable.

Any idea? Thanks again

Cheers
Sebastiao

The subtitles need to be loaded into VLC in order to turn them on/off. What I meant by darg-and-drop is that you can open a video file, and then find the appropriate subtitle file in you file browser - and drag and drop it onto the playing video. VLC should add it (and should be, for example, be called "Track 1" in "Video >> Subtitles Track"). You can add multiple subtitle files that was too.

I also do not know why the Subtitles Track option in Video are always grey out or unavailable.

If this is the example you mentioned then the subtitles could be hardcoded - is there is not a "Subtitles Track" option the "Video" menu then that will be. Also if you take a snapshot ("Video >> Snapshot") the subtitles will be visibile on the output image.

Arite.

Hi Arite

Thanks again for a very good info. I know a lot more about subtitles than i used to.

Cheers,
Sebastiao

Hello,

I looked around in the forums and haven't found a answer, but is there a way to have the subtitles auto detect?
A lot of the subs are .mkv, is there a easier way instead of hitting "s" ? I am planning on using VLC with a playlist
for a anime convention and rather use this then Mplayer (Love the playlist setup!). I am using OS X 10.5.2 VLC
version 0.8.6.f on a Intel Mac.

Any ideas? Thanks!

If you have swedish subs and want to change them to english you need english subs. If you don't have these you can download them separately. The subs that are automatically playing can be turned off by disabling them. You cannot overlap add new subs without taking the old ones off first.

First you must disable the subs.
Go to Video > subtitles track> disable.

Then add subs as usual.
File>Open file> check Load Subs>Settings> browse for .srt

Presto!

Hope this helps.