Closed caption support for Apple TV

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dseitz
Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Nov 27, 2014 8:06 pm

Closed caption support for Apple TV

Post by dseitz »

From the online help:
"CC tracks within an MP4 appear as a subtitle track, not a CC track"

As far as I can tell, HandBrake does not support closed caption tracks in the format Apple uses for iTunes playback on an Apple TV.

Yes, "subtitles" are supported, but they will not appear in the playback options on the AppleTV because they are not "closed captions".

Yes, subtitles can be burned in permanently, but I would prefer support for soft captions.

I'd like to request that the HandBrake team add support of the Apple/iTunes/AppleTV closed captioning format to the HandBrake feature set.

Thanks!
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Ritsuka
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Re: Closed caption support for Apple TV

Post by Ritsuka »

The AppleTV can play subtitles tracks too.
dseitz
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Joined: Thu Nov 27, 2014 8:06 pm

Re: Closed caption support for Apple TV

Post by dseitz »

Ritsuka wrote:The AppleTV can play subtitles tracks too.
Thanks for your comment. I do understand that the AppleTV can display subtitles, but it's my understanding those aren't quite the same as closed captions, which are for the hearing impaired. But that's not really my point.

I record programs with ElGato EyeTV software. The EyeTV export to iTunes results in rather large file sizes. I would like to run the files through Handbrake to reduce sizes. But the Handbrake output leaves out the closed caption track.

I've tried to configure Handbrake to output the closed caption track as a subtitle track, but I can't get that to work. So I lose the captioning completely.

I have a workaround, copying the closed caption track resource from the source file into the Handbrake output file using Quicktime Player 7, but it's tedious and time consuming. I suppose a post-processing utility or script that does what I've been doing with QT Player 7 would be helpful, but still not ideal.

I'd prefer that Handbrake simply copy a closed caption track resource to the output file if it exists in the input file. I'm not an expert, but it seems that would be fairly simple to implement.

Is this perhaps an Apple-only format, and not cross platform, so incorporating it in Handbrake is problematic?

Thanks again.
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Ritsuka
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Re: Closed caption support for Apple TV

Post by Ritsuka »

Yes they are not the same, but HandBrake can converts Closed Captions to subtitles, you will lose some information like position or some animations, but the textual content will be identical. You should post an activity log of your encode as per forum rules.
A small EyeTV sample file would be useful too.
dseitz
Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Nov 27, 2014 8:06 pm

Re: Closed caption support for Apple TV

Post by dseitz »

Ritsuka wrote:Yes they are not the same, but HandBrake can converts Closed Captions to subtitles, you will lose some information like position or some animations, but the textual content will be identical. You should post an activity log of your encode as per forum rules.
A small EyeTV sample file would be useful too.
OK, I'll try again and post the activity log soon. I'm not sure it's legal for me to post a sample recording, since it's a commercial product.

Do you think think that eventually Handbrake might handle closed captions as I described, or is that unlikely to happen?
dseitz
Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Nov 27, 2014 8:06 pm

Re: Closed caption support for Apple TV

Post by dseitz »

I read "How To Get Questions Answered on These Forums " but I don't know what a "pastebin website" is.

So I've included my encode log within this post.

I see the statement "add_ffmpeg_subtitle: unknown subtitle stream type: 0x0"
The subtitle settings in Handbrake shows the track as "0: English (Text) (TX3G)"


HandBrake Activity Log for /Users/me/Desktop/test.mp4: 2014-11-29 09:35:22 -0800
Handbrake Version: 0.10.0 x86_64 (2014112200)

[09:35:22] macgui: Rip: Pending queue count is 0
[09:35:22] macgui: getNextPendingQueueIndex next pending encode index is:0
[09:35:22] macgui: scanning specifically for title: 1
[09:35:22] CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-3720QM CPU @ 2.60GHz
[09:35:22] - Intel microarchitecture Ivy Bridge
[09:35:22] - logical processor count: 8
[09:35:22] OpenCL device #1: Intel HD Graphics 4000
[09:35:22] - OpenCL version: 1.2
[09:35:22] - driver version: 1.2(Aug 17 2014 20:29:07)
[09:35:22] - device type: GPU
[09:35:22] - supported: no
[09:35:22] hb_scan: path=/Users/me/Desktop/test.mov, title_index=1
libbluray/bdnav/index_parse.c:162: indx_parse(): error opening /Users/me/Desktop/test.mov/BDMV/index.bdmv
libbluray/bdnav/index_parse.c:162: indx_parse(): error opening /Users/me/Desktop/test.mov/BDMV/BACKUP/index.bdmv
libbluray/bluray.c:2182: nav_get_title_list(/Users/me/Desktop/test.mov) failed
[09:35:22] bd: not a bd - trying as a stream/file instead
libdvdnav: Using dvdnav version 5.0.1
libdvdread: Encrypted DVD support unavailable.
libdvdread:DVDOpenFileUDF:UDFFindFile /VIDEO_TS/VIDEO_TS.IFO failed
libdvdread:DVDOpenFileUDF:UDFFindFile /VIDEO_TS/VIDEO_TS.BUP failed
libdvdread: Can't open file VIDEO_TS.IFO.
libdvdnav: vm: failed to read VIDEO_TS.IFO
[09:35:22] dvd: not a dvd - trying as a stream/file instead
Input #0, mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2, from '/Users/me/Desktop/test.mov':
Metadata:
major_brand : qt
minor_version : 537199360
compatible_brands: qt
creation_time : 2014-11-29 17:25:37
title : Preserve the Romance
artist : Doc Martin
date : 2014-11-27
encoder : HandBrake 0.10.0 2014112200
comment : Season 5 opens with Martin coming to terms with fatherhood while dealing with his GP successor, whose competency he comes to doubt. In other events, he's devastated by the death of someone near and dear to him.
genre : TV Shows
description : Season 5 opens with Martin coming to terms with fatherhood while dealing with his GP successor, whose competency he comes to doubt. In other events, he's devastated by the death of someone near and dear to him.
synopsis : Season 5 opens with Martin coming to terms with fatherhood while dealing with his GP successor, whose competency he comes to doubt. In other events, he's devastated by the death of someone near and dear to him.
Duration: 00:05:00.60, start: -28.233000, bitrate: 209 kb/s
Chapter #0.0: start -249.762000, end 300.601000
Metadata:
title : Beginning
Stream #0.0: Video: h264 (High), yuv420p, 704x358 [PAR 10:11 DAR 320:179], 875 kb/s, 29.97 fps, 90k tbn, 180k tbc (default)
Metadata:
creation_time : 2014-11-29 17:25:37
Stream #0.1(eng): Audio: aac, 48000 Hz, stereo, fltp, 157 kb/s (default)
Metadata:
creation_time : 2014-11-29 17:25:37
Stream #0.2(eng): Subtitle: text / 0x74786574
Metadata:
creation_time : 2014-11-29 17:25:37
Stream #0.3(eng): Subtitle: c608 / 0x38303663, 0 kb/s, PAR 65536:48879 DAR 262144:146637 (default)
Metadata:
creation_time : 2014-11-29 17:25:37
[09:35:22] add_ffmpeg_subtitle: unknown subtitle stream type: 0x0
[09:35:22] scan: decoding previews for title 1
[09:35:22] scan: audio 0x1: aac, rate=48000Hz, bitrate=157533 English (AAC) (2.0 ch)
[09:35:22] scan: 10 previews, 704x358, 29.970 fps, autocrop = 0/0/0/0, aspect 16:9, PAR 10:11
[09:35:22] libhb: scan thread found 1 valid title(s)
[09:35:23] macgui: ScanDone state received from fQueueEncodeLibhb
[09:35:23] macgui: Preset: Normal (Default)
[09:35:23] macgui: processNewQueueEncode number of passes expected is: 1
[09:35:23] macgui: Start / Stop set to chapters
[09:35:23] macgui: prepareJob exiting
[09:35:23] 1 job(s) to process
[09:35:23] starting job
[09:35:23] sync: expecting 9009 video frames
[09:35:23] job configuration:
[09:35:23] * source
[09:35:23] + /Users/me/Desktop/test.mov
[09:35:23] + title 1, chapter(s) 1 to 1
[09:35:23] + container: mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2
[09:35:23] + data rate: 209 kbps
[09:35:23] * destination
[09:35:23] + /Users/me/Desktop/test.mp4
[09:35:23] + container: MPEG-4 (libavformat)
[09:35:23] * video track
[09:35:23] + decoder: h264
[09:35:23] + bitrate 875 kbps
[09:35:23] + filters
[09:35:23] + Framerate Shaper (0:27000000:900900)
[09:35:23] + frame rate: same as source (around 29.970 fps)
[09:35:23] + Crop and Scale (704:358:0:0:0:0)
[09:35:23] + source: 704 * 358, crop (0/0/0/0): 704 * 358, scale: 704 * 358
[09:35:23] + loose anamorphic
[09:35:23] + storage dimensions: 704 * 358, mod 2
[09:35:23] + pixel aspect ratio: 10 / 11
[09:35:23] + display dimensions: 640 * 358
[09:35:23] + encoder: H.264 (libx264)
[09:35:23] + preset: veryfast
[09:35:23] + profile: main
[09:35:23] + level: 4.0
[09:35:23] + quality: 20.00 (RF)
[09:35:23] * subtitle track 1, English (track 2, id 0x2) Text [TX3G] -> Passthrough, Default
[09:35:23] * audio track 1
[09:35:23] + decoder: English (AAC) (2.0 ch) (track 1, id 0x1)
[09:35:23] + bitrate: 157 kbps, samplerate: 48000 Hz
[09:35:23] + mixdown: Stereo
[09:35:23] + encoder: AAC (Apple AudioToolbox)
[09:35:23] + bitrate: 160 kbps, samplerate: 48000 Hz
[09:35:23] reader: first SCR -2540960 id 0x0 DTS -2220388
[09:35:23] encx264: min-keyint: 30, keyint: 300
[09:35:23] encx264: encoding at constant RF 20.000000
[09:35:23] encx264: unparsed options: level=4.0:ref=1:8x8dct=0:weightp=1:subme=2:mixed-refs=0:trellis=0:vbv-bufsize=25000:vbv-maxrate=20000:rc-lookahead=10
x264 [info]: using SAR=10/11
x264 [info]: using cpu capabilities: MMX2 SSE2Fast SSSE3 SSE4.2 AVX
x264 [info]: profile Main, level 4.0
[09:35:23] sync: first pts is 6006
[09:35:23] sync: adding 1574 ms of silence to audio 0x1 start 141742, next 0
[09:35:26] reader: done. 1 scr changes
[09:35:26] work: average encoding speed for job is 0.000000 fps
[09:35:26] sync: got 1822 frames, 9009 expected
[09:35:26] render: lost time: 0 (0 frames)
[09:35:26] render: gained time: 0 (0 frames) (0 not accounted for)
[09:35:26] h264-decoder done: 1822 frames, 0 decoder errors, 0 drops
x264 [info]: frame I:14 Avg QP:16.92 size: 29356
x264 [info]: frame P:629 Avg QP:21.08 size: 6091
x264 [info]: frame B:1179 Avg QP:23.66 size: 946
x264 [info]: consecutive B-frames: 2.7% 26.1% 20.9% 50.3%
x264 [info]: mb I I16..4: 15.8% 0.0% 84.2%
x264 [info]: mb P I16..4: 5.3% 0.0% 2.0% P16..4: 38.7% 19.6% 13.6% 0.0% 0.0% skip:20.8%
x264 [info]: mb B I16..4: 0.5% 0.0% 0.1% B16..8: 13.6% 4.1% 0.7% direct: 5.1% skip:75.9% L0:28.7% L1:47.7% BI:23.6%
x264 [info]: coded y,uvDC,uvAC intra: 42.7% 54.3% 16.2% inter: 11.8% 11.5% 0.1%
x264 [info]: i16 v,h,dc,p: 50% 28% 16% 6%
x264 [info]: i4 v,h,dc,ddl,ddr,vr,hd,vl,hu: 35% 22% 14% 5% 5% 5% 5% 5% 5%
x264 [info]: i8c dc,h,v,p: 51% 20% 25% 4%
x264 [info]: Weighted P-Frames: Y:0.6% UV:0.2%
x264 [info]: kb/s:705.01
[09:35:27] aac-decoder done: 0 frames, 0 decoder errors, 0 drops
[09:35:27] mux: track 0, 1822 frames, 5357071 bytes, 704.95 kbps, fifo 2048
[09:35:27] mux: track 1, 2847 frames, 1151458 bytes, 151.52 kbps, fifo 4096
[09:35:27] mux: track 2, 0 frames, 0 bytes, 0.00 kbps, fifo 8
[09:35:27] libhb: work result = 0
mduell
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Re: Closed caption support for Apple TV

Post by mduell »

dseitz wrote:I read "How To Get Questions Answered on These Forums " but I don't know what a "pastebin website" is.
First hit on Google, no kiddin.
dseitz
Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Nov 27, 2014 8:06 pm

Re: Closed caption support for Apple TV

Post by dseitz »

mduell wrote:
dseitz wrote:I read "How To Get Questions Answered on These Forums " but I don't know what a "pastebin website" is.
First hit on Google, no kiddin.
Thanks.
dseitz
Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Nov 27, 2014 8:06 pm

Re: Closed caption support for Apple TV

Post by dseitz »

I just posted about this again under "Bugs" because I had forgotten I posted this in 2014.

I've been working around this problem since 2014 without a resolution or any further comments to this post.

Perhaps I offended someone. I'm sorry I didn't Google "paste bin website" in the first place, but now I see there is a way to paste code directly into our entries, which is what I did with the new one under "Bugs".

If someone can help resolve this issue I would really appreciate it. Thanks!
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s55
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Re: Closed caption support for Apple TV

Post by s55 »

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