Loss of Subtitles when exporting.

Sarumboy

Hi all,

Just purchased VP v 3.89 and using it on Windows 7.

Pleased with it so far but there' a problem! I've compiled a 40min sequence with several subtitles. These show up on the pre-export preview regardless of whether the Show Subtitles button is pressed or not when adding the subtitle. Whatever I do, I can't get the subtitles to burn onto the dvd. All else is OK. Am I doing something wrong? Appreciate any replies. Thanks.

borate

Have you checked the DVD player to confirm that it is configured to display subtitles? If they are laid down as a separate stream (which I cannot confirm) there may be an ON/OFF toggle.

Sarumboy

Thanks for the reply. I've just played one of the 6 dvds that have been exported, on three players (1 blu ray, 1 player and 1 recorder) and they're all the same, can't find anything to inhibit titles on the disk when playing either. The odd thing is that it doesn't matter whether the Show Subtitles button is selected or not when adding subtitles, the subtitles still appear on the preview window but not on the disk.

[deleted]

According to the Help files...

"Hiding Subtitles

You can hide all the subtitles from a sequence by deselecting the Show Subtitles button in the toolbar. Note that any videos you export while this box is checked will not have the subtitles visible."

Indeed, after pressing the button mentioned above (with the Eye) the subtitles disappear from the sequence shown in the subtitle window but they are still present in the main sequence preview pane. This may be a bug since I can't stop them showing short of deleting the subtitle.

Contrary to the help statement, They DO export with the video. (At least to the PC) This seems to be irrespective of the state of the Show Subtitle button. Again, this might be a bug.

I havm't tried exporting to a disc as I normally use a third party DVD burning program however something seems to be wrong.

Vis......

Before adding any subtitles the Hide button is inactive.

Adding subtitles activates the button and depresses it automatically. So button IN = subtitles ON. The subtitles are seen in the preview for the window.

Accepting the window goes back to main screen and the sequence preview shows subtitles at the designated IN/OUT points.

Now if you return to Subtitles window and re click the Hide button the subtitles are hidden. Button now appears UP and subtitles are OFF.

Click Apply to return to main window.......Subtitles are still present although one would have thought they should have been hidden as the button was UP.

Return to Subtitles window....The button is now IN again! Subtitles are present...Surely it should still be UP where it was left with the subtitles hidden?

It may be that something has flagged from the point of view of the export that is not flagged (or has been re-flagged) from the point of view of the editing.

This is in Version 4.00

Nat

borate

Echoing Nat's findings, it seems impossible to keep subtitles from appearing in the MAIN preview window. But they can be toggled on/off in the subtitle preview window. Perhaps this is by design?

I "burned" an ISO file here (which can be used to create a DVD), then extracted its contents and played the VOB video with Media Player Classic, Home Cinema. Subtitles displayed as expected.

Using version 4.0.

Sarumboy

Thanks for both your replies guys. At least we agree on what actually happens when adding subtitles even if it seems illogical. Sorry to be such a novice but I don't understand your last section Borate, what is an ISO file and VOB video. Any suggestions what I can do when burning the dvd to include the subtitles?

I've sent a message to NCH but without paid-for back-up, it could be ages before a reply materialises

borate

When you CREATE DISC|DVD MOVIE you will see a small arrow to the right of the "burner" line. Clicking it displays the list of burners. Or one can select "Image File."

THAT will create an ISO - essentially a compressed version of a DVD. Playing its VOB video file with a suitable viewer, such as MPC-HC, is similar to playing the DVD.

To further test, I burned to a erasable read/write DVD in the conventional manner (no ISO). Though VP hung at the "verifying" phase, it did complete the job. The subtitles were intact.

Sarumboy

Thanks for the explanation Borate, I appreciate your help and I'll give it a go, but I can't help thinking this is not the way the software was meant to be used. Hopefully NCH will reply to my 3 emails before long!

c_major_2

Hi,

I've reproduce what Nat has describe about the "Show" button in subtitle dialog.

Then I tried export to DVD, subtitles are in the DVD no matter "Show" button is pressed or not.

In fact, VdieoPad renders subtitles onto the video frame as images - you don't need a player that support subtitles and you can't even turn it off. I think that's why the "Show" button is there, which allow you to save subtitles into a dedicated subtitle file without render them on the video.

So the bug here is the "Show" button doesn't effect the Sequence.

@[deleted]:

As I mentioned above, text images are rendered onto the video. It doesn't matter if output to DVD or a video file. If you export the video to a mp4 or avi file I would expect the same result.

Please try the least version (v4.00). If the problem still exists we'll have to examine your project files to find out the reason. Please try reproduce the problem on a smaller project so it can be easily uploaded. You can upload and share your project on Drop Box, Google Drive or similar services.

Best regards.

Sarumboy

Thanks c_major. For the time being I've got over the problem by using texts and not subtitles although its a bit more longwinded. Maybe it is something to do with my system as no-one has raised the issue before. I'll look again at the problem in a day or two, who knows, NCH might have replied by then!!

borate

Sarumboy, be aware that "c_major" IS with NCH, and is investigating your issue.

c_major_2

Hi Sarumboy,

When exporting, texts and subtitles are in fact treated the same. So it is really strange that you got text working but not subtitles.

If it can be reproduce easily in the latest version (v4.00), please try upload your project files. You can copy all files into a folder by using File->Back Up Project Files To Folder. Zip the folder into single file and upload it to a file sharing service (DropBox, Google Drive etc.). We'll examine the file and see if there is a bug.

Best regards.

Sarumboy

Sincere apologies c_major, I didn't know you represented NCH. In which case, an even bigger thank you for your help.

I'd like to produce a short test sequence with both subtitles and text for you to check, but are you suggesting I use v4.00? I have v3.89. How can I upgrade? Also I would have trouble sending it as I don't what zipping a folder means & I've never 'shared' info as you suggest. Can you give some guidance please? Sorry to be so non-techie but when I went to school, slide rules had only just been invented!!!

Regards,

c_major_2

Latest version of VideoPad can be downloaded from this page: http://www.nchsoftware.com/videopad/index.html

We've fixed a text related issue discovered from v3.89, so try out v4.00 is highly recommended. You can roll back to v3.89 if don't like it. The installation files will be in your application folder (e.g. C:\Program Files (x86)\NCH Software\VideoPad).

If seems that there will be difficult for you to use file sharing services. Let's try something easier:

1. Create a new project in VideoPad.

2. Add a blank clip (3 seconds by default, you can make it longer) and put it into sequence.

3. Add subtitle on the sequence. Make sure the subtitle is visible on sequence preview.

4. Burn that clip to a DVD. You can use a re-writable DVD so no waste.

5. If the subtitle is missing please let me know. I'll contact you and you can send me the file via email.

Best regards,

Sarumboy

Hi again c_major -

Yesterday I bought a pack of DVD-RW! And I have just created a 6 second blank clip with a text message on the top and a subtitle on the bottom. Both were visible on the sequence preview, burned to a DVD-RW and both messages showed when played!!

Did the same test on 3 video clips with text on one, subtitle on the second and both on the third. Burned to a second DVD-RW and all is well there too!

In the meantime an email has arrived from NCH suggesting disc incompatibility with my player and to change from +R to -R. I have always used +R without problem. Is it possible the subtitle feature alone doesn't like +R discs? I guess the only proof would be to burn the same sequence file on both types of disc, then check.

I look forward to your comments and thanks again for your patience.

Regards.

c_major_2

Changing DVD format from +R to -R probably won't help.

It seems the problem only happens on one particular project?

Have you try that project using v4.00?

Best regards,

Sarumboy

Unfortunately I deleted the original project after it was burned to +R with the text information on it instead of subtitles.

I've started a shorter project which I'll try with subtitles on both +R and -R and RW, then upgrade to v4.00. I'll come back to you when that's done. In the meantime, thanks a million for your help and suggestions.

Best regards