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Author Topic: Subtitles in MKV  (Read 4362 times)

zuiko

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Subtitles in MKV
« on: August 17, 2010, 07:36:56 pm »

I have subtitle streams encoded into some MKVs but I have never been able to get them to show up during playback. I tried changing the playback settings to always show subtitles in preferred language and picking a preferred language but that didn't help (MC does choose the appropriate stream but they still don't show up). I can see all the subtitle streams and switch between them during playback but nothing ever shows up. They are mostly in PGS format. I have tried demuxing some subtitle tracks, converting them to SUP/IDX, then remuxing into the MKV and that didn't seem to help any.

My ultimate goal is to get forced subtitles to show up but until I can get subtitles to show up at all it doesn't seem like that is gonna happen. I think it is probably something really simple I am missing. Any suggestions?
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fitbrit

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Re: Subtitles in MKV
« Reply #1 on: August 17, 2010, 09:20:41 pm »

Can you tell us how you are playing mkv files? Go into options -> Video and select mkv from the menu. Which options for playback do you have? e.g. Automatic, J River Engine with Directshow etc. If it's thedirectshow option, which filters are selected, and which splitter and renderer is being used. Finally, which video card or integrated GPU are you using?

These questions will give us more clues as to how to help you.
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zuiko

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Re: Subtitles in MKV
« Reply #2 on: August 17, 2010, 10:57:35 pm »

JRiver video engine (using DirectShow filters). Source: Automatic / Other: JRiver Bitrate Monitor filter / Video: Automatic. I have haali media splitter installed. Radeon HD 4200 (on board). Windows 7. I think I ended up with the JRiver video engine when I was messing with them trying to get FF/Rew etc to work reasonably well.
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fitbrit

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Re: Subtitles in MKV
« Reply #3 on: August 18, 2010, 12:07:07 am »

Thanks for the info.

I'd suggest installing the latest version of ffdshow tryouts. Select ffdshow audio decoder and subtitle filters. Choose Haali as the Source filter. If you know how to do it, I would recommend installing the MPC-HC standalone Matroska splitter and the MPC Vides decoder. You download these as .ax files and have to register them before MC15 can see them.
With ffdshow subtitle filter installed, you most likely will only have to check off a single box and you'll have your subtitles. An alternative to that would be the ffdshow dxva filter.

Right now, MC is set to automatic and is just trying to use what can work. It's much better to install and specify what works very well/best.
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llafriel

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Re: Subtitles in MKV
« Reply #4 on: August 18, 2010, 12:53:00 am »

With ffdshow I think you also have to check a box under subtitles called 'allow embedded subtitles' or something similar.
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zuiko

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Re: Subtitles in MKV
« Reply #5 on: August 21, 2010, 04:15:12 am »

Thanks I did get the subtitles working with the ffdshow subtitles filter. Now I am just wondering how to get it to show forced subtitles to show up automatically - and only if it is present. My first thought was to just remux it with the forced subtitle stream as the first stream (since it seems to be picking the first one by default) but that wouldn't work for the majority of videos which have no forced subtitles. My other idea was to remux it with the forced subtitles flagged as some goofy language that will never appear in real life and then have MC set to display that whenever it is present (which seems like it would be possible, but it is a pretty klugy solution). Are there any other options I am missing?
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mojave

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Re: Subtitles in MKV
« Reply #6 on: October 04, 2010, 03:58:01 pm »

I just ripped the Blu-rays Mongol and Red Cliff into an MKV. Mongol is in Mongolian and Red Cliff is in Mandarin, but both have English subtitles. I ripped using Another EAC3to GUI Plus. I am playing back using Haali Media Splitter, ffdshow audio decoder, ffdshow subtitle filter, ffdshow video decoder, and Haali Video Renderer.

There are two English subtitle streams showing up for each movie. When I use Media Player Classic-Home Cinema to play back, I get the subtitles with no problems. When I use MC15, the subtitles will show up for a minute or two and then disappear. If I change streams, I might or might not have them again. If they disappear, I can select "No Subtitles" and I'll get a subtitle flash on the screen for a second.

What am I doing wrong? When I ripped the movies, I saved the separate subtitle, audio, and video files so I can remux if I need to. Any suggestions? Thanks.
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glynor

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Re: Subtitles in MKV
« Reply #7 on: October 04, 2010, 04:08:38 pm »

Hmmmm.... Usually subtitles in MKV files (and sidecar subs and everything else) would be handled by VSFilter (aka DirectVobSub) and not by FFDSHOW.  I'm confused by the above comments.

If you are having trouble with subtitles:

1. Do you have VSFilter installed?
2. Is it enabled?

Please Note: Subtitle display is often turned off by default in VSFilter in many implementations (such as CCCP).  If you are using CCCP, you need to enable VSFilter support in the CCCP Settings dialog.  The setting is on the second page of the settings application, called Autoload VSFilter (WMP & MC Support)

Then, VSFilter should load when you play a file that has subtitles embedded.  This shows in the Tray with a Green Arrow icon.  Then you can enable or disable the showing of Subtitles in the VSFilter right-click menu, on demand.  If you want them to be hidden unless you specifically turn them on (which is my preferred setting), then you go to the VSFilter Settings dialog, to the Misc tab, and check the Hide Subtitles box.

If you aren't using CCCP, you can enable it right in the Haali Media Splitter Properties application.  Open that up, then on the Options tab, under Compatibility, enable Autoload VSFilter.

FFDSHOW does have some level of subtitle support built in now with recent builds, but VSFilter is generally the most mature and fully working system.  It looks like FFDSHOW takes a fair bit of tweaking to get set up properly to handle subs.  VSFilter Just Works.
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mojave

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Re: Subtitles in MKV
« Reply #8 on: October 04, 2010, 04:29:27 pm »

I disabled ffdshow subtitle filter and I installed DirectVobSub and enabled it in Haali Media Splitter and added it as a filter in MC. It now works great! Thanks for the quick help.
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glynor

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Re: Subtitles in MKV
« Reply #9 on: October 04, 2010, 04:39:51 pm »

Oops.  I always get confused which is the old name and which is the new.  The current version of this filter is called DirectVobSub (VSFilter was a previous incarnation).  Usually searching for either works.

A good build of the current version of DirectVobSub can be found here: http://www.videohelp.com/tools/VSFilter_DirectVobSub

Be wary... Older versions from the original project are known to cause problems with modern software and filters.
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