PS3 and Subtitles

[fasa123]

hi,
i've got this problem: i have a mkv with a h264 video track, 3 audio tracks (2 aac (japanese+english), 1 ac3(german)) and 4 subtitle tracks (2 english, 2 german). I extracted the japanese and german audio track and the 2 german subtitle tracks. I converted the ac3 track to aac and then merged all this stuff with mp4box together. I could play the file and everything was fine, but the I couldn't choose the subs. Then I read that the ps3 wouldn't support subtitles within a mp4 file.
Does anyone know how to make the subtitles readable for the ps3?

btw: I already tried converting the subs to ttxt and srt but both didnt worked.

[Ghitulescu]

Why did you muxed them into an MP4 container in the first place?

Wouldn't it be better to find out before what the limitations your PS3 has?

Did the PS3 not play the DVD/BD as any other DVD/BDplayers? Why all this effort (BD/DVD->MKV->MP4->tricks)?

[sneaker_ger]

Last time I looked the subtitle capabilities of the ps3 were very limited. It basically only supports them in DVD, Blu-Ray/AVCHD and DivX, so you have to choose one of those formats. Subtitles in mp4 are not possible using the ps3.
Try MultiAVCHD (http://multiavchd.deanbg.com/).

[fasa123]

@Ghitulescu
Well I know the limitations of the PS3. I do know which formats and which codecs it can play, the only problem is that half of the internet says it supports soft subs and the other half says it doesn't.
I muxed them into MP4 just because I could use multiple audio and multiple Subtitle tracks. Multiple audio tracks work but not the subtitles as said.

Did the PS3 not play the DVD/BD as any other DVD/BDplayers? Why all this effort (BD/DVD->MKV->MP4->tricks)?
Well I only have to reencode the video if it is over Level 4.1. Else it isn't any real effort as I usually use mkv2vob. But that program hardcodes the subtitles and doesn't support multiple audio tracks.

Last time I looked the subtitle capabilities of the ps3 were very limited. It basically only supports them in DVD, Blu-Ray/AVCHD and DivX, so you have to choose one of those formats. Subtitles in mp4 are not possible using the ps3.
Well as said some people say MP4 Subtitles would be supported some people say not. Now I do belive the PS3 doesn't support it as I tried out every possible variant with h264 as codec and mp4 as container.
Though I found out another method that seems kinda logic: http://www.digital-digest.com/articles/PS3_AVIAddXSubs_AVI_Subtitles_Guide_page2.html
Reencoding the video into DivX and then adding the subtitles. There is one problem though: How can I convert into DivX with a command line tool (ffmpeg,mencoder)? I've tried some different variants but the PS3 showed me for all "Codec not supported". With and without the subtitles.

Btw:
multiAVCHD crashes with nearly all of my mkv files. And mkv2vob crashes with all of my newer mkv files. Downgrading them from 5.1 to 4.1 and remuxing them (with Mp4box) works though but the subtitles are missing.

[sneaker_ger]

Mkv2vob doesn't like mkv's "header removal compression". You can deactivate it in the mkvmerge GUI options and remux the files. But I don't think mkv2vob does soft-subbing, so it isn't suited for your use case anyways.

[fasa123]

But I don't think mkv2vob does soft-subbing, so it isn't suited for your use case anyways.
Lol that's exactly what I said. Thus this:

"Though I found out another method that seems kinda logic: http://www.digital-digest.com/articles/PS3_AVIAddXSubs_AVI_Subtitles_Guide_page2.html
Reencoding the video into DivX and then adding the subtitles. There is one problem though: How can I convert into DivX with a command line tool (ffmpeg,mencoder)? I've tried some different variants but the PS3 showed me for all "Codec not supported". With and without the subtitles."

[sneaker_ger]

Just saying - it might also fix your multiAVCHD problem.

It's been a long time since I last encoded to xvid, but you'd basically need to use -vcodec libxvid. If you search around the forum you should be able to find some examples.

[fasa123]

it might also fix your multiAVCHD problem.
Didn't. multiAVCHD still crashes.

It's been a long time since I last encoded to xvid, but you'd basically need to use -vcodec libxvid. If you search around the forum you should be able to find some examples.
Is Xvid treated the same like Divx?
These are some of the commands I tried out:
mencoder -ffourcc DX50 -oac lavc -ovc lavc -ofps 25 -lavcopts vcodec=mpeg4:vbitrate=10000:vhq:keyint=15:acodec=mp3:abitrate=128 -srate 44100 -vf harddup -o output.DivX.mpg input.avi
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vcodec mpeg4 -acodec mp2 -f avi -threads 2 -vtag DX50 -ab 128k output.avi

[Ghitulescu]

Why would one reencode the video just to obtain selectable subtitles?
The PS3 supports the playback of both DVD/BD ISO and VIDEO_TS/BDMV folders, both local and/or via USB (external HDD). You just need to remux the subtitles if they are not in the original DVD/BD. You can do this with multiAVCHD, as suggested.

[fasa123]

Why would one reencode the video just to obtain selectable subtitles?
Not only because of this but also because the video is level 5.1. And afaik the PS3 only supports up to 4.1.

The PS3 supports the playback of both DVD/BD ISO and VIDEO_TS/BDMV folders, both local and/or via USB (external HDD). You just need to remux the subtitles if they are not in the original DVD/BD. You can do this with multiAVCHD, as suggested.
Well as said multiAVCHD crashes with nearly all of my newer mkv files.
Could anyone provide information how multiAVCHD works which tools it uses with which commands, and how it converts them, for the PS3?

[sneaker_ger]

If you download and extract multiAVCHD you can see which tools it uses. It is a whole bunch of tools, from x264 over eac3to to tsmuxer. You can do it manually by using x264 for the video (instructions are in the sticky in this forum), ffmpeg for ac3 encoding and avs2bdnxml (with assrender or vsfilter in avisynth) for the subtitles, then mux with tsmuxer to AVCHD. Beware that AVCHD subtitles have buffer limitations, so you may want to hard-code any animated subtitles to make sure they run on all players.
For XviD use a program like ripbot or similar, then AviXAddSubs (as you already found out). Hybrid should also do the job and it uses ffmpeg/mencoder, so you can get example command-lines from it if you want.

Or you can look into the multiAVCHD thread here on doom9 and ask for help with your crashes.

[fasa123]

If you download and extract multiAVCHD you can see which tools it uses. It is a whole bunch of tools, from x264 over eac3to to tsmuxer. You can do it manually by using x264 for the video (instructions are in the sticky in this forum), ffmpeg for ac3 encoding and avs2bdnxml (with assrender or vsfilter in avisynth) for the subtitles, then mux with tsmuxer to AVCHD. Beware that AVCHD subtitles have buffer limitations, so you may want to hard-code any animated subtitles to make sure they run on all players.
Is it enough to just demux the mkv, take the raw video and the ac3 audio streams and the converted subtitles and then put them back together as AVCHD with tsMuxer?
And for tsMuxer how can I associate my subtitles/audio tracks to the appropriate video if I have multiple video/audio files and subtitles in it?

[sneaker_ger]

Is it enough to just demux the mkv, take the raw video and the ac3 audio streams and the converted subtitles and then put them back together as AVCHD with tsMuxer?

Not if your video really is level 5.1 (too many ref frames). Otherwise: yes(*). You wouldn't even have to demux video+audio first.

(* Files from mkv and not using the correct procedures will not run on 100% of all hardware players, but should run on the ps3.)

And for tsMuxer how can I associate my subtitles/audio tracks to the appropriate video if I have multiple video/audio files and subtitles in it?

So I assume you are talking about a TV series with several episodes? Then it becomes more complicated and you should really take a look into the multiAVCHD thread to try and find a solution for your crash problem. Or use the Xvid/DivX way. Or look into streaming (PS3 media server). Or buy a different player. Or build a HTPC...
The PS3 is a PITA as a media player.

[fasa123]

Not if your video really is level 5.1 (too many ref frames).
One is 5.1 the other is 4.0.

So I assume you are talking about a TV series with several episodes?
Well I mean in general.

Or use the Xvid/DivX way.
I wanted to use that way originally but as said the DivX files won't play on the PS3.

Or look into streaming (PS3 media server). Or buy a different player. Or build a HTPC...
Streaming isn't possible for me, and the last both methods.. Well I don't have really that much money atm and don't want to buy new things in general.

Then it becomes more complicated
This would mean it is possible? Or am I wrong? Couldn't I just mux the files (subs/audio/video) back together (If I demuxed them) and then add the single mkvs to tsMuxer?

[sneaker_ger]

This would mean it is possible? Or am I wrong? Couldn't I just mux the files (subs/audio/video) back together (If I demuxed them) and then add the single mkvs to tsMuxer?

No. It doesn't not matter if muxed or demuxed. If you drag&drop them into tsmuxer you will not create separate files, but a single large file (either appended or many simultaneous tracks).

[fasa123]

No. It doesn't not matter if muxed or demuxed. If you drag&drop them into tsmuxer you will not create separate files, but a single large file (either appended or many simultaneous tracks).
Well how does multiAVCHD do it then?

[Chetwood]

Not only because of this but also because the video is level 5.1. And afaik the PS3 only supports up to 4.1.
Yet another reason to get a cheap media player and stop wasting time on reencodes.

[Ghitulescu]

Not only because of this but also because the video is level 5.1. And afaik the PS3 only supports up to 4.1.

Strange issue you have indeed. All blu-rays have a profile of 4.1 when encoded in H.264 (more is not needed), that's why the standalones might have problems with anything higher, that includes footages from "high-speed HD camcorders" (those shooting at 50p/60p or more, which have level 5.0). If the file is a movie as it looks like, it has been reencoded to be watched on a computer. Revert to the original and your problems will be mostly solved (it would include multiavchd and subtitles).
On the other hand, the PC has no issues in dealing with higher levels.

[SubJunk]

You probably already found a fix, but for people who have a similar problem and find this thread, there is a very simple fix and that is to use Universal Media Server to stream your videos to the PS3. Then you can choose whatever audio/subtitle combinations you want on the fly (using the "transcode" folder) and no conversion software needed :)

Website: Universal Media Server (http://www.universalmediaserver.com)