.srt subtitle file won't soft-burn subs but hard burns instead

[FranAccessSubtitling]

http://pastebin.com/0rMRbQy2#

Working on a PC in both Windows 7 and 8, I'm trying to provide MP4 vids with soft burned subs that can be turned on and off in WMP and similar. I've followed every instruction I can find, tried every combination of settings and defaults, and although everyone says you can't hard burn an .srt file in HandBrake, that's all I'm getting. Subs are permanently visible and can't be turned off in WMP or QT. What am I doing wrong? Activity log in the pastebin URL above.

[Woodstock]

"Soft burn" is a conflict of terms; the subtitles are either "switchable" (soft) or "burned in" to the video track.

[Deleted User 11865]

You get what you requested, it seems. SRT subtitles can be burned in now (since 0.10), and the "burned in" checkbox appears to be checked. If you want soft subtitles, then uncheck it

[FranAccessSubtitling]

I agree, Woodstock. Just using the terminology client's using. However, any idea on why the subs don't appear to be "switchable", "soft", closed captions?

Ah, that's one question answered, Rodeo. But I've tried checking and unchecking "burn" and "default" in turn, plus leaving both boxes unchecked. The last two of those don't appear to give me any subtitles I can choose in WMP/QT at all.

[Deleted User 11865]

Log for those attempts too, please

[FranAccessSubtitling]

Default checked here:
http://pastebin.com/rF2TNgZW

Neither default nor burn checked here:
http://pastebin.com/XvhCfYVi

[JackNF]

IIRC Handbrake switched the MP4 muxer under the hood sometime last year and the new muxer can't handle inserting text subtitles into an MP4 container (yet?), and also the ability to burn-in text format subtitles was added somewhere along the way as well. The up-shot, old Handbrake could not burn in text subs while new Handbrake can ONLY burn in text subs when using the MP4 container. If switching to the MKV container is an option then doing so should allow you to keep your text-based soft subs.

[JohnAStebbins]

IIRC Handbrake switched the MP4 muxer under the hood sometime last year and the new muxer can't handle inserting text subtitles into an MP4 container

Incorrect. The new mp4 muxer handles all the same subtitle formats as the old muxer now.

...and also the ability to burn-in text format subtitles was added somewhere along the way as well. The up-shot, old Handbrake could not burn in text subs while new Handbrake can ONLY burn in text subs when using the MP4 container.

Burning SRT subtitles into the video is a new feature. All subtitle formats supported by HandBrake can now be burned.

[JohnAStebbins]

Default checked here:
http://pastebin.com/rF2TNgZW

Neither default nor burn checked here:
http://pastebin.com/XvhCfYVi

From your log, I see that the SRT was indeed added as a separate track that you should be able to enable and disable in the player.

Code: Select all

[19:48:45]  * subtitle track 1, English (track 0, id 0xff) Text [SRT] -> Passthrough, offset: 0, charset: UTF-8

I can't tell you why your player will not allow you to disable it.

[Deleted User 11865]

Code: Select all

[19:48:58] mux: track 2, 13 frames, 462 bytes, 0.07 kbps, fifo 16

Should work in VLC. But there are only 13 packets in this track, apparently, makes them easy to miss.

[JohnAStebbins]

/me wonders if there are subtitles *already* burned into the source video.

[FranAccessSubtitling]

Thanks, everyone. Your time much appreciated. Still none the wiser and can't persuade QT or WMP to see the subtitle track, but at least I know I'm not alone

And sadly, John, nope - it was a clean source video with no subtitles already burned. Good idea, though!

[Deleted User 11865]

QuickTime should see the subs… if you rename your file to <whatever>.m4v instead of .mp4 - yes, QT is that dumb. Windows Media Player doesn't support MPEG-4 Timed Text subtitles, as far as I know.

[FranAccessSubtitling]

Rodeo, that's superb. Yes, QT sees the subtitle track after a quick rename to m4v. Thank you. This guy demonstrates playing MP4 with SRT subtitles on WMP, but maybe updates since mean it's not now possible.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AWtxpG5vAk

Thanks again for your help.
Fran