Outputting Japanese subtitles

[HartleySan]

I want to use VobSub Rip to output Japanese subtitles, but whenever I try, all I get is a jumbled up mess in the text file. I imagine this is because the file is not in UTF-8 format. Anyway, is there any way around this? Thank you.

[Midzuki]

Hi there.

You have not defined very-clearly what is your problem,
so it's unlikely anyone can actually help you.

[HartleySan]

Yes, you're right. I'm sorry. I was in a hurry yesterday when I wrote that. Anyway, here's the scoop:

I have a Japanese region 2 DVD with Japanese subtitles. I want to output those subtitles to a text file. I have always used VobSub Rip to output subtitles and have never had any problems before. However, when I use the same method as always for outputting Japanese subtitles, the file turns into a bunch of garbled text.

I've seen this sort of thing before and it's usually due to the fact that the file is saved with ANSI encoding, and not UTF-8. I imagine in this case as well, VobSub Rip is automatically saving the sub files with ANSI encoding, which won't work.

In any case, regardless of the cause, I simply would like to know the best method for outputting Japanese subtitles to a text file.

Thank you.

[Ghitulescu]

How do you suppose the subtitle text file would look like?

Bravo, you just discovered why DVD and BD subtitles are PGS and not text (SRT etc.).

Just out of curiosity, what do you intend to do with them?

[Keiyakusha]

HartleySan
Try to open file in some text editor, choose character set Shift JIS, convert to UTF8 and save. (or maybe just save as UTF8, depending on your editor.)
I mean I think subtitles is fine and something wrong with your approach to do something with them. As for VobSub Rip, I never used it so don't know if it can be configured to output subs in some different way.

[HartleySan]

I know that the subtitles are not text, but nevertheless, I would think that VobSub Rip would be able to handle foreign subtitles as well. As far as I can tell though, there is no way to configure any options in VobSub Rip.

Keiyakusha, when you say "some text editor", will Notepad in Windows suffice?

[Ghitulescu]

I assume you've checked beforehand whether your windows supports at least one of the three Japanese alphabets?
What do you want to do with them in text form?

[HartleySan]

I'm a Japanese translator, so yes, my Windows supports East Asian Languages, etc.

Anyway, I ran an experiment today and realized that I couldn't even rip the English subtitles off the same DVD. I got the same garbled crap. I wonder if VobSub Rip is just no good. What subtitle ripping program do you all use?

[Ghitulescu]

I think people here use Subrip (not VOB sub rip). I never had myself the need of converting SUP subtitles to text, au contraire, only text to SUP.

[HartleySan]

Alright, I will check that out. Thank you very much.

[sekininsha]

see some comments http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=146504