Cannot Turn Subtitles Off By Default

[Ikaruseijin]

I don't want subtitles when I view a video in my native language so the majority of the time I don't need them. I disable the subtitles in one video, but every time I start a new video and if it has a subtitle file, there they are again, so I have to disable them again. Naturally, I went to the Subtitles settings in the preferences and I deselected "Enable OSD" in the hopes that it might do something, but no such luck. Every video there they are.

I really do appreciate the effectiveness of the subtitle ability of VLC player... it's a key issue for a lot of people and very useful in foreign language video situations, but why must I disable the subtitles for every video I play? It's quite tiresome. I would like to be able to turn them off as a default.

Perhaps I am missing something, and if so I would appreciate some guidance. If not and this is a bug or a feature not yet implemented, I urge you to consider looking into it.

Thanks in advance.

Version 2.1.2 Rincewind (Intel 64bit)
Mac OS X 10.9.1

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

Are they external files?

[Br.Bill]

Are they external files?

With all due respect, JBK, I know you're trying to determine whether the video has embedded titles, but it would be a lot easier to know that if there was a SETTING to turn off subtitles by default. But there isn't. If you turned them off by default but the titles still appeared, you'd KNOW they were embedded in the file.

There just plain needs to be a setting in VLC to either enable or disable subtitles. I have to turn off subtitles every single time I watch a DVD or an .ISO of a DVD. There is no way to turn them off by default, and that is a failure in design.

The only way to do this for DVDs now is to Disable sub pictures completely from Tools -> Preferences (Show settings: All) Video -> Subtitles/OSD. And this not only turns them off by default, it makes them impossible to turn on until you enable that preference again. Unpleasant.

Seriously, how hard can it be to add a permanent setting for this? A checkbox that lets you choose "none" ? I know the instructions for earlier versions of VLC say that you can turn them off this way, but there is no such setting in VLC 2.1.2. Why it was removed is anyone's guess.

[dfuhrmann]

Are they external files?

With all due respect, JBK, I know you're trying to determine whether the video has embedded titles, but it would be a lot easier to know that if there was a SETTING to turn off subtitles by default.

No. To check if you have external subtitle, its as easy as look in the Finder. Here is no additional setting required for that.

Seriously, how hard can it be to add a permanent setting for this? A checkbox that lets you choose "none" ? I know the instructions for earlier versions of VLC say that you can turn them off this way, but there is no such setting in VLC 2.1.2. Why it was removed is anyone's guess.

Its not only about how hard it is, its about how useful a feature is and if some volunteer steps up and implements a certain feature. Which setting was removed, exactly?

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

Are they external files?

With all due respect, JBK, I know you're trying to determine whether the video has embedded titles, but it would be a lot easier to know that if there was a SETTING to turn off subtitles by default. But there isn't. If you turned them off by default but the titles still appeared, you'd KNOW they were embedded i

First, you're not the original poster. So there is a quite high chance that his issues is not yours.

Then, the question makes A LOT of sense, because embedded and external subtitles (and hardcoded) are not dealt in the same way by VLC. So before lecturing me, please document yourself.

Finally, you can set the subtitles language to "none" and it will hide subtitles, but not in all the cases it works, therefore the question.

[Br.Bill]

I apparently did a bad job of commenting. I'll make it more clear and try not to offend. If I have done so, I apologize. I am not trying to lecture anyone, especially Jean-Baptiste.

My point, even though the OP's issue and mine are not the same, is this: If subtitles can be completely turned off, and you're still seeing them (as you pointed out in your reply), then they must be embedded in the video itself. Yes? If that is true, you don't (or you wouldn't) need to look up external files. By deduction, we would know that these could not be turned off, probably because they were part of the video.

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

I apparently did a bad job of commenting. I'll make it more clear and try not to offend. If I have done so, I apologize. I am not trying to lecture anyone, especially Jean-Baptiste.

My point, even though the OP's issue and mine are not the same, is this: If subtitles can be completely turned off, and you're still seeing them (as you pointed out in your reply), then they must be embedded in the video itself. Yes? If that is true, you don't (or you wouldn't) need to look up external files. By deduction, we would know that these could not be turned off, probably because they were part of the video.

Well, you can for the pref audio language to "none" and it should disable in some situations (and not all of them). You can also set the sub-track to -1.

But I'll have a better look.

[Ikaruseijin]

I apologize but I was busy and couldn't return sooner.

It doesn't matter if it's an external file or in a mkv format, if there are subtitles they play. If there isn't any, they won't.

This is very distracting given most video files I download have them these days... Since apparently there is no feature to toggle subtitles on/off, I suggest there be one added.

I appreciate subtitles for movies not shown in a language I can understand, but the fact that I end up with them playing every time is quite annoying. This is a basic functionality issue as far as I see it.

[GilDawson]

Hmm. I was browsing the documentation on another matter and I came across this:

https://wiki.videolan.org/VSG:Subtitles:Disable/

Perhaps you can use it.

--Gil