Odd subtitle troubles

erikohgr · Post by **erikohgr** » Fri Apr 20, 2018 3:03 am

I'm trying to rip a DVD to MP4 with subtitles burned-in (for a home media server), and having some really odd troubles.

The disc itself is a custom creation I downloaded from a movies group about 10+ years ago, a Japanese disc (unavailable in the US) with custom subtitles added. The subs show up just fine in DVD Player, but not in my usual DVD rip software.

I managed to get the disc ripped to MKV with the subs embedded in it -- VLC and my TV both recognize them -- but now I want to downsize the file from 4+ GB to 1.5 or so. Only one conversion program I've tried has been able to read & burn-in those subs, and it puts them just about dead center, vertically, in the middle of the picture. (Adding insult to injury: because the video is anamorphic 2.35:1, the letterboxing leaves plenty of room to put the subs at the bottom without having them overlay the film itself. But that's outside the scope of this forum....)

So now, I'm trying to use Handbrake to convert the MKV. When I try to select subs to add/burn-in, Handbrake recognizes that there is a track "0: English (Bitmap) (VOBSUB)", but nothing I choose in that section will make them appear in the finished MP4.

The log below is from a recent attempt. I've been testing it out on the first chapter so I can get it to work before I convert the whole thing.

HandBrake version (e.g., 1.0.0): 1.0.7
Operating system and version: Mac High Sierra 10.13.4
HandBrake Activity Log

Code: Select all

HandBrake Activity Log for Session: 2018-04-19 22:03:51 -0400
Handbrake Version: 1.0.7 (2017040900)
Conflagration [Enjyo].mp4
Preset: Custom
[22:03:51] macgui: QueueCore scanning specifically for title: 1
[22:03:51] CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-3615QM CPU @ 2.30GHz
[22:03:51]  - Intel microarchitecture Ivy Bridge
[22:03:51]  - logical processor count: 8
[22:03:51] hb_scan: path=/Volumes/shared/Movies/Conflagration [Enjyo].mkv, title_index=1
udfread ERROR: ECMA 167 Volume Recognition failed
disc.c:274: failed opening UDF image /Volumes/shared/Movies/Conflagration [Enjyo].mkv
disc.c:352: error opening file BDMV/index.bdmv
disc.c:352: error opening file BDMV/BACKUP/index.bdmv
[22:03:51] bd: not a bd - trying as a stream/file instead
libdvdnav: Using dvdnav version 5.0.1
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
[22:03:51] dvd: not a dvd - trying as a stream/file instead
Input #0, matroska,webm, from '/Volumes/shared/Movies/Conflagration [Enjyo].mkv':
  Duration: 01:39:05.13, start: 0.000000, bitrate: N/A
    Chapter #0:0: start 0.000000, end 108.158050
    Metadata:
      title           : Chapter 01
    Chapter #0:1: start 108.158050, end 253.670083
    Metadata:
      title           : Chapter 02
    Chapter #0:2: start 253.670083, end 719.034983
    Metadata:
      title           : Chapter 03
    Chapter #0:3: start 719.034983, end 1136.251783
    Metadata:
      title           : Chapter 04
    Chapter #0:4: start 1136.251783, end 1454.903450
    Metadata:
      title           : Chapter 05
    Chapter #0:5: start 1454.903450, end 1812.393917
    Metadata:
      title           : Chapter 06
    Chapter #0:6: start 1812.393917, end 2056.838117
    Metadata:
      title           : Chapter 07
    Chapter #0:7: start 2056.838117, end 2357.438417
    Metadata:
      title           : Chapter 08
    Chapter #0:8: start 2357.438417, end 2609.556950
    Metadata:
      title           : Chapter 09
    Chapter #0:9: start 2609.556950, end 2852.132617
    Metadata:
      title           : Chapter 10
    Chapter #0:10: start 2852.132617, end 3129.042583
    Metadata:
      title           : Chapter 11
    Chapter #0:11: start 3129.042583, end 3713.292917
    Metadata:
      title           : Chapter 12
    Chapter #0:12: start 3713.292917, end 3925.037783
    Metadata:
      title           : Chapter 13
    Chapter #0:13: start 3925.037783, end 4295.975017
    Metadata:
      title           : Chapter 14
    Chapter #0:14: start 4295.975017, end 4764.409650
    Metadata:
      title           : Chapter 15
    Chapter #0:15: start 4764.409650, end 5111.790017
    Metadata:
      title           : Chapter 16
    Chapter #0:16: start 5111.790017, end 5662.239917
    Metadata:
      title           : Chapter 17
    Chapter #0:17: start 5662.239917, end 5944.405133
    Metadata:
      title           : Chapter 18
    Chapter #0:18: start 5944.405133, end 5945.139200
    Metadata:
      title           : Chapter 19
    Stream #0:0(eng): Video: mpeg2video (Main)
      yuv420p, tv, 720x480 [PAR 32:27 DAR 16:9], 9800 kb/s, PAR 186:157 DAR 279:157
      29.97 fps, 1k tbn
    Metadata:
      BPS-eng         : 5289652
      DURATION-eng    : 01:39:05.139200000
      NUMBER_OF_FRAMES-eng: 142553
      NUMBER_OF_BYTES-eng: 3930965008
      SOURCE_ID-eng   : 0100E0
      _STATISTICS_WRITING_APP-eng: MakeMKV v1.12.0 darwin(x64-release)
      _STATISTICS_WRITING_DATE_UTC-eng: 2018-04-19 19:05:53
      _STATISTICS_TAGS-eng: BPS DURATION NUMBER_OF_FRAMES NUMBER_OF_BYTES SOURCE_ID
    Stream #0:1(eng): Audio: ac3
      48000 Hz, stereo, fltp, 384 kb/s (default)
    Metadata:
      title           : Stereo
      BPS-eng         : 384000
      DURATION-eng    : 01:39:05.120000000
      NUMBER_OF_FRAMES-eng: 185785
      NUMBER_OF_BYTES-eng: 285365760
      SOURCE_ID-eng   : 0180BD
      _STATISTICS_WRITING_APP-eng: MakeMKV v1.12.0 darwin(x64-release)
      _STATISTICS_WRITING_DATE_UTC-eng: 2018-04-19 19:05:53
      _STATISTICS_TAGS-eng: BPS DURATION NUMBER_OF_FRAMES NUMBER_OF_BYTES SOURCE_ID
    Stream #0:2(eng): Subtitle: dvd_subtitle (default)
    Metadata:
      BPS-eng         : 4553
      DURATION-eng    : 01:37:30.174966666
      NUMBER_OF_FRAMES-eng: 740
      NUMBER_OF_BYTES-eng: 3329736
      SOURCE_ID-eng   : 0120BD
      _STATISTICS_WRITING_APP-eng: MakeMKV v1.12.0 darwin(x64-release)
      _STATISTICS_WRITING_DATE_UTC-eng: 2018-04-19 19:05:53
      _STATISTICS_TAGS-eng: BPS DURATION NUMBER_OF_FRAMES NUMBER_OF_BYTES SOURCE_ID
[22:03:51] scan: decoding previews for title 1
[22:03:51] scan: audio 0x1: ac3, rate=48000Hz, bitrate=384000 English (AC3) (2.0 ch)
[22:03:51] scan: 10 previews, 720x480, 23.976 fps, autocrop = 66/62/2/2, aspect 16:9, PAR 32:27
[22:03:51] libhb: scan thread found 1 valid title(s)
[22:03:51] macgui: QueueCore scan done
[22:03:51] macgui: QueueCore started encoding Conflagration [Enjyo].mp4
[22:03:51] macgui: QueueCore with preset Custom
[22:03:51] 1 job(s) to process
[22:03:51] starting job
[22:03:51] decomb filter thread started for segment 0
[22:03:51] decomb filter thread started for segment 1
[22:03:51] decomb filter thread started for segment 2
[22:03:51] decomb filter thread started for segment 3
[22:03:51] decomb filter thread started for segment 4
[22:03:51] decomb filter thread started for segment 5
[22:03:51] decomb filter thread started for segment 6
[22:03:51] decomb filter thread started for segment 7
[22:03:51] decomb check thread started for segment 0
[22:03:51] decomb check thread started for segment 1
[22:03:51] decomb check thread started for segment 2
[22:03:51] decomb check thread started for segment 3
[22:03:51] decomb check thread started for segment 4
[22:03:51] decomb check thread started for segment 5
[22:03:51] decomb check thread started for segment 6
[22:03:51] decomb check thread started for segment 7
[22:03:51] mask filter thread started for segment 0
[22:03:51] mask filter thread started for segment 1
[22:03:51] mask filter thread started for segment 2
[22:03:51] mask filter thread started for segment 3
[22:03:51] mask filter thread started for segment 4
[22:03:51] mask filter thread started for segment 5
[22:03:51] mask filter thread started for segment 6
[22:03:51] mask filter thread started for segment 7
[22:03:51] mask erode thread started for segment 0
[22:03:51] mask erode thread started for segment 1
[22:03:51] mask erode thread started for segment 2
[22:03:51] mask erode thread started for segment 3
[22:03:51] mask erode thread started for segment 4
[22:03:51] mask erode thread started for segment 5
[22:03:51] mask erode thread started for segment 6
[22:03:51] mask erode thread started for segment 7
[22:03:51] mask dilate thread started for segment 0
[22:03:51] mask dilate thread started for segment 1
[22:03:51] mask dilate thread started for segment 2
[22:03:51] mask dilate thread started for segment 3
[22:03:51] mask dilate thread started for segment 4
[22:03:51] mask dilate thread started for segment 5
[22:03:51] mask dilate thread started for segment 6
[22:03:51] mask dilate thread started for segment 7
[22:03:51] yadif thread started for segment 0
[22:03:51] yadif thread started for segment 1
[22:03:51] yadif thread started for segment 2
[22:03:51] yadif thread started for segment 3
[22:03:51] yadif thread started for segment 4
[22:03:51] yadif thread started for segment 5
[22:03:51] yadif thread started for segment 6
[22:03:51] yadif thread started for segment 7
[22:03:51] work: only 1 chapter, disabling chapter markers
[22:03:51] job configuration:
[22:03:51]  * source
[22:03:51]    + /Volumes/shared/Movies/Conflagration [Enjyo].mkv
[22:03:51]    + title 1, chapter(s) 1 to 1
[22:03:51]    + container: matroska,webm
[22:03:51]  * destination
[22:03:51]    + /Volumes/shared/Movies/Conflagration [Enjyo].mp4
[22:03:51]    + container: MPEG-4 (libavformat)
[22:03:51]  * video track
[22:03:51]    + decoder: mpeg2video
[22:03:51]      + bitrate 9800 kbps
[22:03:51]    + filters
[22:03:51]      + Comb Detect (mode=3:spatial-metric=2:motion-thresh=1:spatial-thresh=1:filter-mode=2:block-thresh=40:block-width=16:block-height=16)
[22:03:51]      + Decomb (mode=39)
[22:03:51]      + Framerate Shaper (mode=0:rate=27000000/1126125)
[22:03:51]        + frame rate: same as source (around 23.976 fps)
[22:03:51]      + Subtitle renderer ()
[22:03:51]      + Crop and Scale (width=720:height=480:crop-top=0:crop-bottom=0:crop-left=0:crop-right=0)
[22:03:51]        + source: 720 * 480, crop (0/0/0/0): 720 * 480, scale: 720 * 480
[22:03:51]    + Output geometry
[22:03:51]      + storage dimensions: 720 x 480
[22:03:51]      + pixel aspect ratio: 32 : 27
[22:03:51]      + display dimensions: 853 x 480
[22:03:51]    + encoder: MPEG-4 (libavcodec)
[22:03:51]      + bitrate: 2000 kbps, pass: 1
[22:03:51]  * subtitle track 1, English (track 0, id 0x2) Picture [VOBSUB] -> Render/Burn-in
[22:03:51]  * audio track 1
[22:03:51]    + decoder: English (AC3) (2.0 ch) (track 1, id 0x1)
[22:03:51]      + bitrate: 384 kbps, samplerate: 48000 Hz
[22:03:51]    + AC3 Passthru
[22:03:51] sync: expecting 2593 video frames
[22:03:51] encavcodecInit: MPEG-4 ASP encoder
[22:03:51] encavcodec: encoding with stored aspect 32/27
[22:03:52] sync: first pts video is 0
[22:03:52] sync: first pts audio 0x1 is 4500
[22:03:52] sync: "Chapter 1" (1) at frame 3 time 11223
[22:03:57] reader: end of chapter 1 (media 1) reached at media chapter 2
[22:03:57] reader: done. 1 scr changes
[22:03:57] work: average encoding speed for job is 451.325684 fps
[22:03:57] comb detect: heavy 10 | light 62 | uncombed 2523 | total 2595
[22:03:57] decomb: deinterlaced 10 | blended 62 | unfiltered 2523 | total 2595
[22:03:57] vfr: lost time: 0 (0 frames)
[22:03:57] vfr: gained time: 0 (0 frames) (0 not accounted for)
[22:03:57] ac3-decoder done: 3383 frames, 0 decoder errors
[22:03:57] mpeg2video-decoder done: 2595 frames, 0 decoder errors
[22:03:57] sync: got 2595 frames, 2593 expected
[22:03:57] sync: framerate min 8.547 fps, max 23.981 fps, avg 23.948 fps
[22:03:57] starting job
[22:03:57] decomb filter thread started for segment 1
[22:03:57] decomb filter thread started for segment 0
[22:03:57] decomb filter thread started for segment 2
[22:03:57] decomb filter thread started for segment 3
[22:03:57] decomb filter thread started for segment 4
[22:03:57] decomb filter thread started for segment 5
[22:03:57] decomb filter thread started for segment 6
[22:03:57] decomb filter thread started for segment 7
[22:03:57] decomb check thread started for segment 0
[22:03:57] decomb check thread started for segment 1
[22:03:57] decomb check thread started for segment 2
[22:03:57] decomb check thread started for segment 3
[22:03:57] decomb check thread started for segment 4
[22:03:57] decomb check thread started for segment 5
[22:03:57] decomb check thread started for segment 6
[22:03:57] decomb check thread started for segment 7
[22:03:57] mask filter thread started for segment 0
[22:03:57] mask filter thread started for segment 1
[22:03:57] mask filter thread started for segment 2
[22:03:57] mask filter thread started for segment 3
[22:03:57] mask filter thread started for segment 4
[22:03:57] mask filter thread started for segment 5
[22:03:57] mask filter thread started for segment 6
[22:03:57] mask filter thread started for segment 7
[22:03:57] mask erode thread started for segment 0
[22:03:57] mask erode thread started for segment 1
[22:03:57] mask erode thread started for segment 2
[22:03:57] mask erode thread started for segment 3
[22:03:57] mask erode thread started for segment 4
[22:03:57] mask erode thread started for segment 5
[22:03:57] mask erode thread started for segment 6
[22:03:57] mask erode thread started for segment 7
[22:03:57] mask dilate thread started for segment 0
[22:03:57] mask dilate thread started for segment 1
[22:03:57] mask dilate thread started for segment 2
[22:03:57] mask dilate thread started for segment 3
[22:03:57] mask dilate thread started for segment 4
[22:03:57] mask dilate thread started for segment 5
[22:03:57] mask dilate thread started for segment 6
[22:03:57] mask dilate thread started for segment 7
[22:03:57] yadif thread started for segment 0
[22:03:57] yadif thread started for segment 1
[22:03:57] yadif thread started for segment 2
[22:03:57] yadif thread started for segment 3
[22:03:57] yadif thread started for segment 4
[22:03:57] yadif thread started for segment 5
[22:03:57] yadif thread started for segment 6
[22:03:57] yadif thread started for segment 7
[22:03:57] work: only 1 chapter, disabling chapter markers
[22:03:57] job configuration:
[22:03:57]  * source
[22:03:57]    + /Volumes/shared/Movies/Conflagration [Enjyo].mkv
[22:03:57]    + title 1, chapter(s) 1 to 1
[22:03:57]    + container: matroska,webm
[22:03:57]  * destination
[22:03:57]    + /Volumes/shared/Movies/Conflagration [Enjyo].mp4
[22:03:57]    + container: MPEG-4 (libavformat)
[22:03:57]  * video track
[22:03:57]    + decoder: mpeg2video
[22:03:57]      + bitrate 9800 kbps
[22:03:57]    + filters
[22:03:57]      + Comb Detect (mode=3:spatial-metric=2:motion-thresh=1:spatial-thresh=1:filter-mode=2:block-thresh=40:block-width=16:block-height=16)
[22:03:57]      + Decomb (mode=39)
[22:03:57]      + Framerate Shaper (mode=0:rate=27000000/1126125)
[22:03:57]        + frame rate: same as source (around 23.976 fps)
[22:03:57]      + Subtitle renderer ()
[22:03:57]      + Crop and Scale (width=720:height=480:crop-top=0:crop-bottom=0:crop-left=0:crop-right=0)
[22:03:57]        + source: 720 * 480, crop (0/0/0/0): 720 * 480, scale: 720 * 480
[22:03:57]    + Output geometry
[22:03:57]      + storage dimensions: 720 x 480
[22:03:57]      + pixel aspect ratio: 32 : 27
[22:03:57]      + display dimensions: 853 x 480
[22:03:57]    + encoder: MPEG-4 (libavcodec)
[22:03:57]      + bitrate: 2000 kbps, pass: 2
[22:03:57]  * subtitle track 1, English (track 0, id 0x2) Picture [VOBSUB] -> Render/Burn-in
[22:03:57]  * audio track 1
[22:03:57]    + decoder: English (AC3) (2.0 ch) (track 1, id 0x1)
[22:03:57]      + bitrate: 384 kbps, samplerate: 48000 Hz
[22:03:57]    + AC3 Passthru
[22:03:57] sync: expecting 2595 video frames
[22:03:57] encavcodecInit: MPEG-4 ASP encoder
[22:03:57] encavcodec: encoding with stored aspect 32/27
[22:03:58] sync: first pts video is 0
[22:03:58] sync: first pts audio 0x1 is 4500
[22:03:58] sync: "Chapter 1" (1) at frame 3 time 11223
[22:04:03] reader: end of chapter 1 (media 1) reached at media chapter 2
[22:04:03] reader: done. 1 scr changes
[22:04:03] work: average encoding speed for job is 445.213593 fps
[22:04:03] comb detect: heavy 10 | light 62 | uncombed 2523 | total 2595
[22:04:03] decomb: deinterlaced 10 | blended 62 | unfiltered 2523 | total 2595
[22:04:03] vfr: lost time: 0 (0 frames)
[22:04:03] vfr: gained time: 0 (0 frames) (0 not accounted for)
[22:04:03] ac3-decoder done: 3383 frames, 0 decoder errors
[22:04:03] mpeg2video-decoder done: 2595 frames, 0 decoder errors
[22:04:03] sync: got 2595 frames, 2595 expected
[22:04:03] sync: framerate min 8.547 fps, max 23.981 fps, avg 23.948 fps
[22:04:04] mux: track 0, 2595 frames, 17155073 bytes, 1266.54 kbps, fifo 2048
[22:04:04] mux: track 1, 3383 frames, 5196288 bytes, 383.64 kbps, fifo 2048
[22:04:04] libhb: work result = 0

Woodstock · Post by **Woodstock** » Fri Apr 20, 2018 12:34 pm

If you tell handbrake to NOT burn them in, is the track available in VLC?

Also, you should try this with v1.1.0, to see if it is something that was fixed since 1.0.7 was released.

erikohgr · Post by **erikohgr** » Fri Apr 20, 2018 9:14 pm

Upgraded to 1.1.0, and so far, still no luck with the embedded subs.

VLC does see that there's a subtitle track when it's embedded (and not burned in), but it won't render them as it plays the file. (OTOH: VLC actually does the same thing with the source MKV file, though I could just about swear it wasn't misbehaving like that last night.)

I ripped another subtitled disk to MKV and put it through Handbrake, and it burned in the MKV's embedded subs just fine. I also spent some time digging around and found an SRT for the first movie, and Handbrake burned those subs in perfectly.

Baffling -- but problem solved, I guess.

Woodstock · Post by **Woodstock** » Fri Apr 20, 2018 9:45 pm

Without looking at the subtitle track itself, it would be difficult to say further. You MIGHT try having handbrake do a "foreign audio scan" with Forced Only checked, which (I think) will enumerate the subtitles found in the subtitle track...

Post by **BradleyS** » Sat Apr 21, 2018 8:23 pm

VOBSUB in MP4 is a bit of a hack that many players do not support. Either burn them in or use the OCR feature in Subler if you prefer MP4.

erikohgr · Post by **erikohgr** » Sun Apr 22, 2018 2:07 am

Woodstock: I had already tried that one, too. At one point, I had something like 20+ test rips in my Trash, with all the different combinations of things I'd checked and unchecked...

BradleyS: That's what I was trying to do -- burn in the VOBSUB subtitles that had been embedded in an MKV by MakeMKV. The problem was that Handbrake, for whatever reason, couldn't seem to read them in the MKV. My TV's player can read the subs in the MKV, so I know that they're there. So can WonTube's free converter (though I disliked how that program rendered them).

Like I said above: someone had added English subs to a Japanese-only DVD, and most of the DVD rippers I tried couldn't read them from the disc itself -- so I'm guessing it was a slightly-glitchy subtitle track on the disc, maybe?

I ended up bypassing the MKV file's VOBSUB track entirely, and downloaded an SRT file to use instead, which worked just fine. I was just hoping there was some kind of workaround in Handbrake if this happens again....

HandBrake

Odd subtitle troubles

Odd subtitle troubles

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Re: Odd subtitle troubles

Re: Odd subtitle troubles

Re: Odd subtitle troubles