DVD Subtitle is grayed/transparent

[andrekorbes]

Hi everybody,

I am having an issue with VLC (for windows, version 1.0.3) where DVD subtitles just are inconveniently transparent.
Yet I have read that "DVD subtitles are images", it doesn't seem so simple, since Windows Media Player handles them correctly (even though ugly).
I have taken screenshots from the same moment of a DVD film, subtitled in both players:

This is WMP:



And this is VLC:



Since there is no configuration for DVD Subtitles and for other types of subtitles that I tested (SRT files for AVI video) everything is normal, I really need some help here. I am not sure since when it does that, but I am pretty confident it's an issue with VLC or a codec that it uses, I just don't know what to do to solve it.

I am running Windows 7 Ultimate (Build 7100 - Release Candidate), on Brazilian Portuguese, which is also the language of the subtitle and players.
If any more information is necessary, please ask.

Thanks

[VLC_help]

You can use tool called DVDsubedit to confirm if the subtitles are actually transparent.

[andrekorbes]

Thanks for your reply.

This is what DVDSubEdit shows:



I guess it's really transparent on the DVD. But I'm not convinced of it, since WMP presents it correctly, or at least, as one expects to see subtitles.

Any guess?

[VLC_help]

The color tables can be overridden and I would guess that WMP does that to alpha value.

[andrekorbes]

I guess that's the reason each dvd player shows subtitles differently, in white, yellow, with/without borders and so on.

Any chance that this kind of configuration may be included in a future release of VLC?
Or is there something I can do with the current version? I really don't like to use WMP...

Thanks!

[VLC_help]

Any chance that this kind of configuration may be included in a future release of VLC?

I could try to add option that overrides those colors used in DVD movies.

[andrekorbes]

That would be very nice!
Thanks for the help!

[VLC_help]

http://mailman.videolan.org/pipermail/v ... 71411.html
I created patch for this.

[andrekorbes]

Thank You!!

[subby]

i am using vista 64 bit. i did a clean install of 1.03 vlc, but on every dvd, my subtitles are a very fat outline (not thin OR crisp whatsoever) and are unreadable.

mind you it is a clean install and everything is default settings. i even checked the subtitle/osd options and all are default and NOT on "fat outline"

fat outline is the only way i could describe this. i would be really happy if the subtitles are sharp and clear.

[VLC_help]

DVD subtitles are just bunch of images. So the subtitle settings you find in VLC won't help, since they are meant for text based subtitles. Could you share us screenshot that is showing the issue?

[subby]

it has to be vlc, not necessarily a setting. the subtitles for this movie are perfect in windows media player and a couple other players. every single movie i have ever put in and played with vlc..the subtitles look like the screenshot below.

"Bathing suit and sunscreen are packed and ready to go"

that's what it says.


===============================
and below is the same spot but with windows media player...just to prove that there is nothing wrong with the subtitles on this disc.

[subby]

can you help me figure this out, vlcmaster? i posted screenshots for you.

[subby]

oops, i meant vlc_help

[VLC_help]

Does it help if you remove %appdata%\vlc folder?

[subby]

you mean in my user folder? i checked appdata folder within my user folder, then in roaming and local, and found no vlc folder at all.

i was thinking what you asked to..that maybe there is some weird entry that didn't get removed and is affecting it, but aside from where i checked...not sure what else to do. so you agree that the above subtitles is not normal, right?

well i really am not sure what to do. even when i download vlc portable, it does the same thing. whether installed or portable or self contained version...same thing. i kind enjoy using subtitles, and this kinda makes me want to go out and buy some software (windows media player would be great however it does not do true full screen).

help.

[VLC_help]

Just type %appdata%\vlc to Windows Explorer or to start -> run

[subby]

thanks for the tip. nothing comes up. i believe it's all clean. so the subtitles (you never answered my question) are not supposed to look like my screencap of vlc, in vlc, correct? are they supposed to look more like my windows media player snapshot?

what else should i do?

everything is up to date, sp2, all antivirus and firewall and antispyware is uptodate, and computer is scanned and defragmented, etc. etc. etc.

[VLC_help]

so the subtitles (you never answered my question) are not supposed to look like my screencap of vlc, in vlc, correct?

DVD subtitles should look same on all platforms and players (since they are just images).

what else should i do?

You can use tool called DVDsubedit to see what the subtitles should really look like. If they look correct in DVDsubedit, then you could share us small problematic VOB file that shows those subtitle issues in VLC.

[subby]

thanks. hey can you tell me when the next build of vlc is coming? 1.03 has been out forever it seems. also, is there a changelog somewhere for different builds.

lastly, i see there is a nightly build section for vlc, but i do not understand the differences between the packages on the same given nightly build? it seems like they would all work, so what is the difference? i tried a nightly once and i think it was a self contained (portable) version, which is cool i guess.

actually one more question...do you know if running portable vlc will take up more system resources in some way, or installed version? just wondering if there are any advantages to installing vs running a portable version.

[VLC_help]

hey can you tell me when the next build of vlc is coming?

1.0.5 will hopefully be out on February.

but i do not understand the differences between the packages on the same given nightly build?

Robot builds new version after certain code changes or time limits.

do you know if running portable vlc will take up more system resources in some way, or installed version?

The difference should be very minor one if there even is one.

[subby]

thanks. i guess i am wondering if there is a difference between the 7z, exe, or zip, besides just the extension?

[subby]

looks like 1.05 is out. for some reason my subtitle issue is solved!!!!

[andrekorbes]

Hey there!

I've seen that a new release of VLC is out (1.0.5), is this new feature available on it?
If it is, where I can activate it? I couldn't find it....

Thanks!

[VLC_help]

andrekorbes: it is only available in 1.1.0 builds.