Faint subtitles with HandBrake 1.4.1 on Mac (Intel)

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paul
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Aug 19, 2021 2:12 pm

Faint subtitles with HandBrake 1.4.1 on Mac (Intel)

Post by paul »

Description of problem or question:
I've been using HandBrake for a few months now but I have a problem with the new version 1.4.1. So this is my first post here. And, as many people do, I am in the process of putting my DVD shelf onto electronic storage for home use only.

Encoding suffers from faint subtitles with HandBrake 1.4.1 Mac (Intel). It worked perfectly with HandBrake 1.3.3, but with 1.4.1, subtitles appear faint and barely readable. I have two Macs and the result is identical on both Macs, so it's most likely not the hardware difference or model specific.

As you can see from the log, I created and ISO image of the DVD first using MacX DVD Ripper Pro, but again, this makes no difference. It's the same when encoding from the ISO images as it is when encoding from the real DVD. The ISO image is good.

It's the same for both libdvdread and libdvdnav. No difference there.

Can someone please help? I have to stick to version 1.3.3 until this is resolved.

Steps to reproduce the problem (If Applicable):
Example: Dilbert, season 1, episode 1 (name: "The Name"), frames 5120-5130.

Foreign Audio Search: on
- Forced only: checked
- Burned in: checked
- Default: unchecked
- Language: No Value
- Encoding: No Value
- Offset: 0

Do the following:
- install HandBrake 1.3.3, encode episode as above. Result: good
- install HandBrake 1.4.1, encode episode as above. Result: subtitle present but very faint and barely readable.

The frame range 5120-5130 show the episode name "The Name" as a subtitle.

HandBrake version (e.g., 1.0.0):
1.4.1

Operating system and version (e.g., Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, macOS 10.13 High Sierra, Windows 10 Creators Update):
macOS Big Sur 11.5.2, Intel
Darwin brinkley 20.6.0 Darwin Kernel Version 20.6.0: Wed Jun 23 00:26:31 PDT 2021; root:xnu-7195.141.2~5/RELEASE_X86_64 x86_64

HandBrake Activity Log ***required*** (see How-to get an activity log)

Code: Select all

HandBrake Activity Log for Session: 2021-08-29T08:53:07Z
Handbrake Version: 1.4.1 (2021081500)
Dilbert 1.4.1.s01.e01.5120-5130.mp4
Preset: Fast 1080p30, Audio en & de, Foreign Audio
[10:53:07] macgui: fr.handbrake.HandBrakeXPCService scanning specifically for title: 2
[10:53:07] CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-6700K CPU @ 4.00GHz
[10:53:07]  - Intel microarchitecture Skylake
[10:53:07]  - logical processor count: 8
[10:53:07] hb_scan: path=/Users/paul/Movies/TV Series/ISO/Dilbert/Dilbert.1.1.iso, title_index=2
disc.c:437: error opening file BDMV/index.bdmv
disc.c:437: error opening file BDMV/BACKUP/index.bdmv
bluray.c:2646: nav_get_title_list((null)) failed
[10:53:07] bd: not a bd - trying as a stream/file instead
[10:53:07] scan: DVD has 8 title(s)
[10:53:07] scan: scanning title 2
[10:53:07] scan: duration is 00:21:50 (1310160 ms)
[10:53:07] pgc_id: 2, pgn: 1: pgc: 0x7f8b8c77edd0
[10:53:07] scan: checking audio 1
[10:53:07] scan: id=0x80bd, lang=Deutsch (AC3), 3cc=deu ext=0
[10:53:07] scan: checking audio 2
[10:53:07] scan: id=0x81bd, lang=English (AC3), 3cc=eng ext=0
[10:53:07] scan: checking subtitle 1
[10:53:07] scan: id=0x20bd, lang=Deutsch (4:3) [VOBSUB], 3cc=deu ext=0
[10:53:07] scan: checking subtitle 2
[10:53:07] scan: id=0x21bd, lang=English (4:3) [VOBSUB], 3cc=eng ext=0
[10:53:07] scan: checking subtitle 3
[10:53:07] scan: id=0x22bd, lang=English (4:3) [VOBSUB], 3cc=eng ext=0
[10:53:07] scan: title 2 has 3 chapters
[10:53:07] scan: chap 1, 204480 ms
[10:53:07] scan: chap 2, 1104960 ms
[10:53:07] scan: chap 3, 720 ms
[10:53:07] scan: aspect = 4:3
[10:53:07] scan: decoding previews for title 2
[10:53:07] scan: title angle(s) 1
[10:53:07] scan: audio 0x80bd: ac3, rate=48000Hz, bitrate=224000 Deutsch (AC3) (2.0 ch) (224 kbps)
[10:53:07] scan: audio 0x81bd: ac3, rate=48000Hz, bitrate=224000 English (AC3) (2.0 ch) (224 kbps)
[10:53:07] scan: 10 previews, 720x576, 25.000 fps, autocrop = 0/0/0/0, aspect 4:3, PAR 16:15, color profile: 5-5-6
[10:53:07] libhb: scan thread found 1 valid title(s)
[10:53:07] macgui: fr.handbrake.HandBrakeXPCService scan done
[10:53:07] macgui: fr.handbrake.HandBrakeXPCService started encoding Dilbert 1.4.1.e01.5125.mp4
[10:53:07] Starting work at: Sun Aug 29 10:53:07 2021

[10:53:07] macgui: fr.handbrake.HandBrakeXPCService with preset Fast 1080p30, Audio en & de, Foreign Audio
[10:53:07] 1 job(s) to process
[10:53:07] Starting Task: Subtitle Scan
[10:53:07] Skipping crop/scale filter
[10:53:07] job configuration:
[10:53:07]  * source
[10:53:07]    + /Users/paul/Movies/TV Series/ISO/Dilbert/Dilbert.1.1.iso
[10:53:07]    + title 2, frames 5120 to 5129
[10:53:07]  * destination
[10:53:07]    + /Users/paul/Movies/TV Series/MP4/Dilbert/Dilbert 1.4.1.s01.e01.5120-5130.mp4
[10:53:07]    + container: MPEG-4 (libavformat)
[10:53:07]      + align initial A/V stream timestamps
[10:53:07]      + chapter markers
[10:53:07]  * video track
[10:53:07]    + decoder: mpeg2video 8-bit
[10:53:07]      + bitrate 200 kbps
[10:53:07]    + filters
[10:53:07]      + 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)
[10:53:07]      + Decomb (mode=39)
[10:53:07]      + Framerate Shaper (mode=2:rate=27000000/900000)
[10:53:07]        + frame rate: 25.000 fps -> peak rate limited to 30.000 fps
[10:53:07]    + Output geometry
[10:53:07]      + storage dimensions: 720 x 576
[10:53:07]      + pixel aspect ratio: 16 : 15
[10:53:07]      + display dimensions: 768 x 576
[10:53:07]  * Foreign Audio Search: Render/Burn-in, Forced Only
[10:53:07]    + subtitle, English (4:3) [VOBSUB] (track 1, id 0x21bd, Picture)
[10:53:07]    + subtitle, English (4:3) [VOBSUB] (track 2, id 0x22bd, Picture)
[10:53:07] sync: expecting 10 video frames
[10:53:08] reader: done. 1 scr changes
[10:53:08] work: average encoding speed for job is 0.000000 fps
[10:53:08] comb detect: heavy 0 | light 0 | uncombed 0 | total 0
[10:53:08] decomb: deinterlaced 0 | blended 0 | unfiltered 0 | total 0
[10:53:08] vfr: 0 frames output, 0 dropped and 0 duped for CFR/PFR
[10:53:08] vfr: lost time: 0 (0 frames)
[10:53:08] vfr: gained time: 0 (0 frames) (0 not accounted for)
[10:53:08] mpeg2video-decoder done: 0 frames, 1 decoder errors
[10:53:08] sync: got 0 frames, 10 expected
[10:53:08] Subtitle track 1 (id 0x21bd) 'English (4:3) [VOBSUB]': 1 hits (0 forced)
[10:53:08] Subtitle track 2 (id 0x22bd) 'English (4:3) [VOBSUB]': 531 hits (0 forced)
[10:53:08] Found a subtitle candidate with id 0x21bd
[10:53:08] Starting Task: Encoding Pass
[10:53:08] Skipping crop/scale filter
[10:53:08] job configuration:
[10:53:08]  * source
[10:53:08]    + /Users/paul/Movies/TV Series/ISO/Dilbert/Dilbert.1.1.iso
[10:53:08]    + title 2, frames 5120 to 5129
[10:53:08]  * destination
[10:53:08]    + /Users/paul/Movies/TV Series/MP4/Dilbert/Dilbert 1.4.1.s01.e01.5120-5130.mp4
[10:53:08]    + container: MPEG-4 (libavformat)
[10:53:08]      + align initial A/V stream timestamps
[10:53:08]      + chapter markers
[10:53:08]  * video track
[10:53:08]    + decoder: mpeg2video 8-bit
[10:53:08]      + bitrate 200 kbps
[10:53:08]    + filters
[10:53:08]      + 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)
[10:53:08]      + Decomb (mode=39)
[10:53:08]      + Framerate Shaper (mode=2:rate=27000000/900000)
[10:53:08]        + frame rate: 25.000 fps -> peak rate limited to 30.000 fps
[10:53:08]      + Subtitle renderer ()
[10:53:08]    + Output geometry
[10:53:08]      + storage dimensions: 720 x 576
[10:53:08]      + pixel aspect ratio: 16 : 15
[10:53:08]      + display dimensions: 768 x 576
[10:53:08]    + encoder: H.264 (libx264)
[10:53:08]      + preset:  fast
[10:53:08]      + profile: main
[10:53:08]      + level:   4.0
[10:53:08]      + quality: 22.00 (RF)
[10:53:08]      + color profile: 5-5-6
[10:53:08]  * subtitle track 1, English (4:3) [VOBSUB] (track 1, id 0x21bd, Picture) -> Render/Burn-in
[10:53:08]  * audio track 1
[10:53:08]    + decoder: English (AC3) (2.0 ch) (224 kbps) (track 2, id 0x81bd)
[10:53:08]      + bitrate: 224 kbps, samplerate: 48000 Hz
[10:53:08]    + mixdown: Stereo
[10:53:08]    + encoder: AAC (Apple AudioToolbox)
[10:53:08]      + bitrate: 320 kbps, samplerate: 48000 Hz
[10:53:08]  * audio track 2
[10:53:08]    + decoder: Deutsch (AC3) (2.0 ch) (224 kbps) (track 1, id 0x80bd)
[10:53:08]      + bitrate: 224 kbps, samplerate: 48000 Hz
[10:53:08]    + mixdown: Stereo
[10:53:08]    + encoder: AAC (Apple AudioToolbox)
[10:53:08]      + bitrate: 320 kbps, samplerate: 48000 Hz
[10:53:08] sync: expecting 10 video frames
[10:53:08] encx264: encoding at constant RF 22.000000
[10:53:08] 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=16/15
x264 [info]: using cpu capabilities: MMX2 SSE2Fast SSSE3 SSE4.2 AVX FMA3 BMI2 AVX2
x264 [info]: profile Main, level 4.0, 4:2:0, 8-bit
[10:53:10] sync: first pts video is 0
[10:53:10] sync: first pts audio 0x81bd is 0
[10:53:10] sync: first pts audio 0x80bd is 0
[10:53:10] sync: first pts subtitle 0x21bd is 0
[10:53:10] sync: reached video frame 10, exiting early
[10:53:10] sync: reached audio 0x81bd pts 37440, exiting early
[10:53:10] sync: reached audio 0x80bd pts 37440, exiting early
[10:53:10] work: average encoding speed for job is 0.000000 fps
[10:53:10] comb detect: heavy 0 | light 0 | uncombed 10 | total 10
[10:53:10] decomb: deinterlaced 0 | blended 0 | unfiltered 10 | total 10
[10:53:10] vfr: 10 frames output, 0 dropped and 0 duped for CFR/PFR
[10:53:10] vfr: lost time: 0 (0 frames)
[10:53:10] vfr: gained time: 0 (0 frames) (0 not accounted for)
[10:53:10] ac3-decoder done: 6749 frames, 0 decoder errors
[10:53:10] ac3-decoder done: 6749 frames, 0 decoder errors
[10:53:10] mpeg2video-decoder done: 5400 frames, 0 decoder errors
[10:53:10] sync: got 10 frames, 10 expected
[10:53:10] sync: framerate min 25.000 fps, max 25.000 fps, avg 25.000 fps
x264 [info]: frame I:1     Avg QP:22.42  size: 20408
x264 [info]: frame P:5     Avg QP:24.01  size:  9208
x264 [info]: frame B:4     Avg QP:23.96  size:  1816
x264 [info]: consecutive B-frames: 30.0% 40.0% 30.0%  0.0%
x264 [info]: mb I  I16..4: 34.8%  0.0% 65.2%
x264 [info]: mb P  I16..4: 11.2%  0.0%  2.7%  P16..4: 45.7% 12.6%  9.9%  0.0%  0.0%    skip:18.0%
x264 [info]: mb B  I16..4: 12.3%  0.0%  0.4%  B16..8:  8.3%  0.6%  0.0%  direct:14.4%  skip:64.0%  L0:20.9% L1:54.5% BI:24.7%
x264 [info]: coded y,uvDC,uvAC intra: 33.5% 54.8% 13.8% inter: 23.0% 36.7% 2.6%
x264 [info]: i16 v,h,dc,p: 39% 31% 20% 10%
x264 [info]: i4 v,h,dc,ddl,ddr,vr,hd,vl,hu: 42% 18% 17%  3%  3%  3%  8%  4%  3%
x264 [info]: i8c dc,h,v,p: 46% 26% 25%  4%
x264 [info]: Weighted P-Frames: Y:80.0% UV:80.0%
x264 [info]: ref B L0: 91.1%  8.9%
x264 [info]: kb/s:1474.24
[10:53:10] mux: track 0, 10 frames, 73668 bytes, 1227.80 kbps, fifo 16
[10:53:10] mux: track 1, 22 frames, 16303 bytes, 271.72 kbps, fifo 32
[10:53:10] mux: track 2, 22 frames, 17150 bytes, 285.83 kbps, fifo 32
[10:53:10] Finished work at: Sun Aug 29 10:53:10 2021

[10:53:10] libhb: work result = 0
paul
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Aug 19, 2021 2:12 pm

Re: Faint subtitles with HandBrake 1.4.1 on Mac (Intel)

Post by paul »

Wow! 1181 views currently and zero answers. 😞

Meanwhile I tried the current version 1.4.2 and the effect remains exactly the same. So I still work with 1.3.3.
Woodstock
Veteran User
Posts: 4613
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2013 6:39 am

Re: Faint subtitles with HandBrake 1.4.1 on Mac (Intel)

Post by Woodstock »

The subtitles in question are image-type (VOBSUB), which are to be overlaid on the video when active. Presumably, the disk author took into account the background when choosing the color(s) for the subtitle text.

There isn't much handbrake can do about this, since handbrake simply overlays the image over the frame it would appear in, then encodes the result. That should not have changed between versions.
Deleted User 11865

Re: Faint subtitles with HandBrake 1.4.1 on Mac (Intel)

Post by Deleted User 11865 »

Woodstock wrote: Sun Oct 17, 2021 3:31 pm The subtitles in question are image-type (VOBSUB), which are to be overlaid on the video when active. Presumably, the disk author took into account the background when choosing the color(s) for the subtitle text.

There isn't much handbrake can do about this, since handbrake simply overlays the image over the frame it would appear in, then encodes the result. That should not have changed between versions.
If it looks different in 1.4.x than in 1.3.3, then it's most likely a bug though.
User avatar
JohnAStebbins
HandBrake Team
Posts: 5709
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 7:21 pm

Re: Faint subtitles with HandBrake 1.4.1 on Mac (Intel)

Post by JohnAStebbins »

FYI, quick test here with a couple DVD samples using HandBrakeCLI 1.4.2 and git master on Linux doesn't show any issue.

But I did notice that the log above shows this:

Code: Select all

[10:53:08]      + color profile: 5-5-6
And my test using HandBrakeCLI shows this

Code: Select all

[10:40:06]      + color profile: 6-1-6
Not sure if that would contribute.
Deleted User 11865

Re: Faint subtitles with HandBrake 1.4.1 on Mac (Intel)

Post by Deleted User 11865 »

paul: it would be quite useful to see the encode log of the same source with HandBrake 1.3.3, BTW.
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