Subtitles

[sheila roberts]

I have a trial license for Anystream. If I decide to buy it, I would most likely be downloading mainly from Amazon. I have been experimenting with subtitles. So far, using the same episode of All Creatures Great and Small, I have had mixed results with subtitles. I can get them on the computer no problem, but if I want to view on our projector using Roku, the only reliable way is to use the srt option and burn them in afterwards with Handbrake. One time I was able to enable the srt on the Roku, but that download had an error. I was hoping subtitles could be turned off and I'm thinking maybe I shouldn't buy this. Is this likely to be resolved in the future?

I've attached the most recent log. I was able to burn the srt subtitles from this download using Handbrake.

 

[Zirujauak]

I usually just mux the downloaded mp4 and srt files in a single mkv using mkvtoolnix. VLC and Plex both play these files fine and allow subtitles to be turned on and off at playback.

 

[gdc333]

I've also used external srt files with Roku. No remuxing needed for that to work.

I was never able to get 'embedded' subtitles to work with Roku hardware.

 

[sheila roberts]

I've also used external srt files with Roku. No remuxing needed for that to work.

I was never able to get 'embedded' subtitles to work with Roku hardware.

It worked once with srt subtitles on the roku, then never again.

 

[sheila roberts]

I usually just mux the downloaded mp4 and srt files in a single mkv using mkvtoolnix. VLC and Plex both play these files fine and allow subtitles to be turned on and off at playback.

Plex requires internet I believe? One of the places I watch doesn't have internet. I'm stuck with a roku or bluray player.

 

[sandchar99]

In my experience, if I open the SRT file using Notepad and see WebVTT at the top, the subs won't work for me in PLEX. I have to convert the subs using this site to standard SRT ---> https://gotranscript.com/subtitle-converter

And then it all works for me.

 

[RedWeasel]

You can convert non srt subtitles with Subtitle Edit or extract embedded subtitles with CCExtractor.
Then MKVToolNix can be used to create mkv's with subtitles and chapters.

 

[RedFox 1]

Wow, a lot of good advice in this thread. Thanks, people.

 

[sycor]

Does anyone know if there is a way to automate MKVToolNix? I've just bee dragging and dropping the mp4 and srt for each movie/show and it gets a little tedious.

Oh, and maybe without having to use the Command Line because I'm command line dumb.

 

[Zirujauak]

Heh - I use the command line:

$ for f in *.mp4; do name=${f%.mp4}; mkvmerge.exe -o "$name.mkv" "$name.mp4" "$name.en-US.cc.srt"; mkvpropedit.exe "$name.mkv" -e track:a1 -s name="5.1 Dolby Digital" -e track:s1 -s flag-default=0 -s language=en-us; done

 

[RedFox 1]

Heh - I use the command line:

$ for f in *.mp4; do name=${f%.mp4}; mkvmerge.exe -o "$name.mkv" "$name.mp4" "$name.en-US.cc.srt"; mkvpropedit.exe "$name.mkv" -e track:a1 -s name="5.1 Dolby Digital" -e track:s1 -s flag-default=0 -s language=en-us; done

Thats the perfect way to do it.

 

[sandchar99]

Heh - I use the command line:

$ for f in *.mp4; do name=${f%.mp4}; mkvmerge.exe -o "$name.mkv" "$name.mp4" "$name.en-US.cc.srt"; mkvpropedit.exe "$name.mkv" -e track:a1 -s name="5.1 Dolby Digital" -e track:s1 -s flag-default=0 -s language=en-us; done

Ad
Is there an additional flag to be put in the commandline to get chapter points every 300sec? I drag and drop episodes with their SRT subs, 'Add to job queue...--->remove source files' and add the Addd Chapters in fixed intervals stays in the settings as I add the next episode and SRT subs.

 

[Zirujauak]

try:

--generate-chapters interval:300s

I haven't tried this, just cribbed it from the docs.

 

[sycor]

Heh - I use the command line:

$ for f in *.mp4; do name=${f%.mp4}; mkvmerge.exe -o "$name.mkv" "$name.mp4" "$name.en-US.cc.srt"; mkvpropedit.exe "$name.mkv" -e track:a1 -s name="5.1 Dolby Digital" -e track:s1 -s flag-default=0 -s language=en-us; done

Yeah, that's all gibberish to be and I don't even know how to use the command line. LOL Thanks for the info though.

 

[RedFox 1]

Yeah, that's all gibberish to be and I don't even know how to use the command line. LOL Thanks for the info though.

Open the CMD prompt, run as Admin, paste what he has above.

 

[sycor]

But how does that line tell it where to look for the files?

 

[RedFox 1]

But how does that line tell it where to look for the files?

If I thought I could explain it, I would, you know that I love to help, but this is hard to explain. ,I really can't explain it but I know it works. I am really sorry.

 

[DrXenos]

But how does that line tell it where to look for the files?

It's looking in the "current directory" you are in, which by default shows in the command prompt.

You can type cd "<path>" to change the path. If the path is on a different device, use the /D option, or just type the device letter and the colon (e.g., D and press enter to "log on to" that device.

Another way is to hold down shift and right click on a directory in file explorer and click on "open command window here." That's may or may not have been replace in Windows 10 to open a PowerShell window instead. I don't remember because I have my set so the option is always there when I right click.

You can also just put the paths you want right in the command itself (e.g., "C:\filepath\file.mp4").

 

[DrXenos]

Sorry, I just noticed his example was bash not a batch file, but the process is the same. Either used cd to change to the directory you want, or put the right paths in the command itself.

A better way is to make an actual script file and use command line arguments to feel it the paths you want, but that's beyond the scope of this quick example.

 

[sycor]

And I guess I should have been more specific. What I'd like to do is just batch convert everything in a folder. Meaning if I have 40 .mp4 and 40 .srt just convert them in to 40 .mkv files with the corresponding subtitles merged in to them all at once.

But from what I've been able to gather that doesn't seem possible. Or I'm too dumb. I did find a tool that can do it but it sets the subtitle to the default (and names it which I don't want either) and I don't want it set to default because then Plex will always play it. I just want the option to have the subtitle. Oh well.