(Soft)Subtitles not working

[peripheralgordon]

Hi,
recently HB started showing problems merging .SRTs with my videos. When I play the video with VLC (v3.0.4) it just doesn't show any sub, even though i can see there are enabled subtitles by the player menu. This problem shows up with several files, althought not all files.

I load my video on HB (mkv or mp4), set video quality, add external sub with 'add external SRT' and check 'default'. It seems to work fine, except it doesn't.

my laptop is a Macbook Pro early 2015, running macos Mojave (10.14), Handbrake 1.1.2 and VLC 3.0.4.

Last useful activity log

Code: Select all

HandBrake Activity Log for Session: 2018-11-04 20:13:00 +0100
Handbrake Version: 1.1.2 (2018090500)
Kohei Oguri - 1981 - Muddy River (Doro no kawa) [LOWQ].mkv
Preset: Fast 1080p30 (Modified)
[20:13:00] macgui: QueueCore scanning specifically for title: 1
[20:13:00] CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-5257U CPU @ 2.70GHz
[20:13:00]  - Intel microarchitecture Broadwell
[20:13:00]  - logical processor count: 4
[20:13:00] hb_scan: path=/Users/Gordon/Desktop/Kohei Oguri - 1981 - Muddy River (Doro no kawa) [LOWQ].mkv, title_index=1
udfread ERROR: ECMA 167 Volume Recognition failed
disc.c:323: failed opening UDF image /Users/Gordon/Desktop/Kohei Oguri - 1981 - Muddy River (Doro no kawa) [LOWQ].mkv
disc.c:424: error opening file BDMV/index.bdmv
disc.c:424: error opening file BDMV/BACKUP/index.bdmv
[20:13:00] bd: not a bd - trying as a stream/file instead
libdvdnav: Using dvdnav version 6.0.0
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
[20:13:00] dvd: not a dvd - trying as a stream/file instead
Input #0, matroska,webm, from '/Users/Gordon/Desktop/Kohei Oguri - 1981 - Muddy River (Doro no kawa) [LOWQ].mkv':
  Metadata:
    CREATION_TIME   : 2018-11-01T11:54:29Z
    ENCODER         : Lavf57.7.2
  Duration: 01:44:40.38, start: 0.000000, bitrate: N/A
    Stream #0:0: Video: h264 (Main)
      yuv420p, tv, smpte170m/smpte170m/bt709
      712x478 [PAR 8:9 DAR 2848:2151], PAR 79:89 DAR 316:239
      23.98 fps, 1k tbn (default)
    Stream #0:1(jpn): Audio: aac (LC)
      48000 Hz, stereo, fltp (default)
    Metadata:
      title           : Stereo
    Stream #0:2(eng): Subtitle: ssa (default) (forced)
[20:13:00] scan: decoding previews for title 1
[20:13:00] scan: audio 0x1: aac, rate=48000Hz, bitrate=1 日本語 (AAC) (2.0 ch)
[20:13:00] scan: 10 previews, 712x478, 23.976 fps, autocrop = 0/0/0/0, aspect 1.32:1, PAR 8:9
[20:13:00] libhb: scan thread found 1 valid title(s)
[20:13:00] macgui: QueueCore scan done
[20:13:00] macgui: QueueCore started encoding Kohei Oguri - 1981 - Muddy River (Doro no kawa) [LOWQ].mkv
[20:13:00] 1 job(s) to process
[20:13:00] macgui: QueueCore with preset Fast 1080p30 (Modified)
[20:13:00] starting job
[20:13:00] decomb filter thread started for segment 0
[20:13:00] decomb filter thread started for segment 1
[20:13:00] decomb filter thread started for segment 3
[20:13:00] decomb filter thread started for segment 2
[20:13:00] decomb check thread started for segment 0
[20:13:00] decomb check thread started for segment 3
[20:13:00] decomb check thread started for segment 2
[20:13:00] mask filter thread started for segment 0
[20:13:00] decomb check thread started for segment 1
[20:13:00] mask filter thread started for segment 1
[20:13:00] mask filter thread started for segment 2
[20:13:00] mask filter thread started for segment 3
[20:13:00] mask erode thread started for segment 0
[20:13:00] mask erode thread started for segment 1
[20:13:00] mask erode thread started for segment 2
[20:13:00] mask erode thread started for segment 3
[20:13:00] mask dilate thread started for segment 0
[20:13:00] mask dilate thread started for segment 1
[20:13:00] mask dilate thread started for segment 2
[20:13:00] mask dilate thread started for segment 3
[20:13:00] yadif thread started for segment 0
[20:13:00] yadif thread started for segment 1
[20:13:00] yadif thread started for segment 2
[20:13:00] yadif thread started for segment 3
[20:13:00] work: only 1 chapter, disabling chapter markers
[20:13:00] job configuration:
[20:13:00]  * source
[20:13:00]    + /Users/Gordon/Desktop/Kohei Oguri - 1981 - Muddy River (Doro no kawa) [LOWQ].mkv
[20:13:00]    + title 1, chapter(s) 1 to 1
[20:13:00]    + container: matroska,webm
[20:13:00]  * destination
[20:13:00]    + /Users/Gordon/Movies/Kohei Oguri - 1981 - Muddy River (Doro no kawa) [LOWQ].mkv
[20:13:00]    + container: Matroska (libavformat)
[20:13:00]  * video track
[20:13:00]    + decoder: h264
[20:13:00]    + filters
[20:13:00]      + 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)
[20:13:00]      + Decomb (mode=39)
[20:13:00]      + Framerate Shaper (mode=2:rate=27000000/900000)
[20:13:00]        + frame rate: 23.976 fps -> peak rate limited to 30.000 fps
[20:13:00]      + Crop and Scale (width=712:height=478:crop-top=0:crop-bottom=0:crop-left=0:crop-right=0)
[20:13:00]        + source: 712 * 478, crop (0/0/0/0): 712 * 478, scale: 712 * 478
[20:13:00]    + Output geometry
[20:13:00]      + storage dimensions: 712 x 478
[20:13:00]      + pixel aspect ratio: 8 : 9
[20:13:00]      + display dimensions: 632 x 478
[20:13:00]    + encoder: H.264 (libx264)
[20:13:00]      + preset:  fast
[20:13:00]      + profile: main
[20:13:00]      + level:   4.0
[20:13:00]      + quality: 22.00 (RF)
[20:13:00]  * subtitle track 1, English [SRT] (track 0, id 0xff, Text) -> Passthrough, Default, offset: 0, charset: ISO-8859-1
[20:13:00]  * audio track 1
[20:13:00]    + decoder: 日本語 (AAC) (2.0 ch) (track 1, id 0x1)
[20:13:00]      + samplerate: 48000 Hz
[20:13:00]    + mixdown: Stereo
[20:13:00]    + encoder: AAC (Apple AudioToolbox)
[20:13:00]      + bitrate: 160 kbps, samplerate: 48000 Hz
[20:13:00] sync: expecting 150578 video frames
[20:13:00] encx264: min-keyint: 24, keyint: 240
[20:13:00] encx264: encoding at constant RF 22.000000
[20:13:00] encx264: unparsed options: level=4.0:ref=2:8x8dct=0:weightp=1:subme=6:vbv-bufsize=25000:vbv-maxrate=20000:rc-lookahead=30
x264 [info]: using SAR=8/9
x264 [info]: using cpu capabilities: MMX2 SSE2Fast SSSE3 SSE4.2 AVX FMA3 BMI2 AVX2
x264 [info]: profile Main, level 4.0
[20:13:00] sync: first pts video is 0
[20:13:00] sync: "Chapter 1" (1) at frame 1 time 0
[20:13:00] sync: first pts audio 0x1 is 30
[20:37:35] reader: done. 1 scr changes
[20:37:37] work: average encoding speed for job is 102.032654 fps
[20:37:37] comb detect: heavy 34 | light 1926 | uncombed 148616 | total 150576
[20:37:37] decomb: deinterlaced 34 | blended 1926 | unfiltered 148616 | total 150576
[20:37:37] vfr: 150576 frames output, 0 dropped and 0 duped for CFR/PFR
[20:37:37] vfr: lost time: 0 (0 frames)
[20:37:37] vfr: gained time: 0 (0 frames) (0 not accounted for)
[20:37:37] aac-decoder done: 294391 frames, 0 decoder errors
[20:37:37] h264-decoder done: 150576 frames, 0 decoder errors
[20:37:37] sync: got 150576 frames, 150578 expected
[20:37:37] sync: framerate min 23.981 fps, max 23.981 fps, avg 23.976 fps
x264 [info]: frame I:994   Avg QP:17.10  size: 30701
x264 [info]: frame P:44058 Avg QP:19.90  size:  6180
x264 [info]: frame B:105524 Avg QP:22.32  size:  1713
x264 [info]: consecutive B-frames:  1.7% 13.8%  2.0% 82.5%
x264 [info]: mb I  I16..4: 28.5%  0.0% 71.5%
x264 [info]: mb P  I16..4:  3.3%  0.0%  4.4%  P16..4: 37.7% 16.0%  7.8%  0.0%  0.0%    skip:30.9%
x264 [info]: mb B  I16..4:  2.1%  0.0%  1.0%  B16..8: 21.0%  5.1%  0.6%  direct: 3.4%  skip:66.8%  L0:42.1% L1:44.1% BI:13.8%
x264 [info]: coded y,uvDC,uvAC intra: 48.9% 0.0% 0.0% inter: 10.0% 0.0% 0.0%
x264 [info]: i16 v,h,dc,p: 40% 27% 21% 12%
x264 [info]: i4 v,h,dc,ddl,ddr,vr,hd,vl,hu: 16% 32% 15%  5%  6%  5%  9%  4%  8%
x264 [info]: i8c dc,h,v,p: 100%  0%  0%  0%
x264 [info]: Weighted P-Frames: Y:7.7% UV:0.0%
x264 [info]: ref P L0: 68.2% 31.8%
x264 [info]: ref B L0: 81.2% 18.8%
x264 [info]: ref B L1: 96.3%  3.7%
x264 [info]: kb/s:615.98
[20:37:37] mux: track 0, 150576 frames, 483519954 bytes, 615.91 kbps, fifo 8192
[20:37:37] mux: track 1, 294391 frames, 97029108 bytes, 123.60 kbps, fifo 16384
[20:37:37] mux: track 2, 0 frames, 0 bytes, 0.00 kbps, fifo 8
[20:37:37] libhb: work result = 0

[Woodstock]

[20:13:00] * subtitle track 1, English [SRT] (track 0, id 0xff, Text) -> Passthrough, Default, offset: 0, charset: ISO-8859-1

Handbrake passed the SRT file through, although it would have converted it to a more standard ASS/SSA format. VLC should not have a problem with playing it... But "should" and VLC have become less true over the past few years.

[peripheralgordon]

[20:13:00] * subtitle track 1, English [SRT] (track 0, id 0xff, Text) -> Passthrough, Default, offset: 0, charset: ISO-8859-1

Handbrake passed the SRT file through, although it would have converted it to a more standard ASS/SSA format. VLC should not have a problem with playing it... But "should" and VLC have become less true over the past few years.

Thank you for your help.
I forgot to mention that I tried opening the output file with some other player (Elmedia Video Player) and subtitles not only do not show up, but they also appear to be turned off by default.

[Deleted User 11865]

The log doesn't show how many subtitle packets/frames there were… it's possible the character set was incorrect.

[peripheralgordon]

The log doesn't show how many subtitle packets/frames there were… it's possible the character set was incorrect.

Thank you! it was a case of bad char-set indeed. The following trial-and-error got the job done:

- First I checked past log files that had no problem with subtitles. Ex:

Code: Select all

[18:02:20] mux: track 2, 1441 frames, 74127 bytes, 0.08 kbps, fifo 64

Track ID 2 is my .SRT file, as confirmed by mkvtoolnix. Since a good log file prints the number of frames and bytes, while a bad one does not, I thought the issue must have been related to the char-set (as suggested above) or the .SRT file structure.

- VLC was already capable of using my .SRT (only as external file though). To exclude definetly any structural issue related to my .SRT, I merged .MKV and .SRT using mkvtoolnix and the mkvmerge command.
It worked fine and VLC showed subs correctly.

- I focused on HB and tried changing char-set: UTF-8, 16,etc. As expected, since I'd already tried, nothing worked.

- The only thing remaining to do was: opening my .SRT in Jubler, saving it with my preferred char-set and selecting the same set in HB.
It really worked and VLC opened my .MKV and showed its subtitles.

Until now i used this procedure twice, both succesfully - although it needs the help of Jubler.
It seems HB has problem handling mismatched char-sets, contrary to VLC and mkvtoolnix (both were capable of using the original .SRTs).

I thank you again for your support and hope this post could help someone in the future.

[Deleted User 11865]

The log doesn't show how many subtitle packets/frames there were… it's possible the character set was incorrect.

It actually does, I was jet lagged. Only in the case of burn-in do we not know how many packets/frames there were. But at least my guess was correct, glad it's solved!