subtitles with ffdshow and mpegencoder

[beto666]

hi there guys. may sound lame for some of you out there but is a headache for me. so please, gimme a hand. i´m adding subs using ffdshow (subtitles) and encoding with mainconcept mpeg encoder 1.4.2. i have .avi file which i encode in dvd mode to be played in my standalone player. everything is fine but i never get to make the output file (mpg) widescreen (16:9) letterbox and have the subs go under the film and not IN THE FILM!!! it always comes IN THE FILM and i want the subs to go in the black area under the film. anybody uses this kind of enconding and can gimme a hand? anyone familiar with ffdshow and mpegencoder? and more: how can i have selectable subs through the remote(i already have them with my .avi´s)in my final dvd project fast and easy? i use "dvd lab" but it only makes the links for main movie and scene selection, as far as i´m concerned. some told "adobe encore" is nice. anyone can help?
thanx a million fellas.
please don´t make me wait too long for an answer(he,he).

[yaz]

@beto666
if u open the subtitle pane u'll read
To move subtitles below the image, turn on letterboxing to desired aspect ratio and check the "Process whole image" checkbox. just give it a try :-) (it worx for me)
the bests
y
[EDIT]it'll give 'hardcoded' subs, no selection's possible. adding selectable subtitles is an other business. pls, use 'search' !

[beto666]

hi yaz. i think you meant i CANNOT encode the subs to select them with the remote? if it is so, what a pity! you said in the sub pane of ffdshow, is that it? and another one: which is a good prog to encode .avi´s into dvd format (mpg, mpg2)? i have bought or got tons of them but haven´t been able to go for the best: tmpegenc, virtualdub, ffdshow, tmpegenc dvd author, mpeg encoder (mainconcept), flask mpeg, ace video workshop, etc.

thanx again.

[beto666]

hullo again. did as you said but nothing happened. i still get the subs "in the image", not under it. one thing is that in the subs pane in ffdshow i select "letterbox" = 16:9. all the other options (crop, deinterlacing,logoaway, etc.) i leave unchecked. i go to mainconcept mpegencoder, check in "options" > "import modules" that directshow is active, click "OK", open the .avi file, choose "output format > MPEG Type" = DVD, "Stream Type" = Program (video+audio), "video mode" > NTSC, and "audio mode" = LPCM. Click on "Details > Advanced > Video Settings" > Frame Rate=29.97fps non-drop frame rate, and aspect ratio=16:9 display. Go to "Multiplexer Settings" > "Multiplexing Type" = DVD - Variable Bitrate. Is there anything wrong? when i play the output mpg file (i use radlight 3se) i get the subs (in the image). when i record and see it in my standalone player the subs don't even show!
thanx for your help again.

[yaz]

Originally posted by beto666
... i select "letterbox" = 16:9 ... & what do u expect from this ? i bet, u got a 16:9 movie, so, why to letterbox it into 16:9. what u want is a 4:3 letterbox, don't u ?
u can check your setting easily. if ffdshow is set properly (4:3 letterbox) your avi should open with that. simply double-click & check. if everything's right u'll see a 16:9 video stripe in a 4:3 box w/subtitle where u positioned (also in ffdshow). accordingly, u must encode it as a 4:3 movie in MC. (of course, ffdshow must be your decoder. check it out by previewing your avi)
Originally posted by beto666
when i record and see it in my standalone player the subs don't even show! imho, it means that the sub's not overlayed properly. most softw-players have 'autoload-subs' feature, maybe that's why u see subs w/softw-player(s) but not w/hardw-player.
the bests
y

[beto666]

thanx again for takin some time to gimme a hand. i was really messing around a bit. did things right and the letterbox 4:3 is there. unfortunately i still don´t see the subs under there. i´m usin radlight and wmp, and the subs dont come where their supposed to be. this is all cos virtualdub dont save in .mpg format and most of the authoring progs dont accept .avi. i am now encoding the .avi into mpg1 (my vdub complains it doesnt find frames when the files are encoded in mpg2), add subs with vdub (is there anything easier?), save in .avi and re-enc into mpg2. what a roundabout?! i´m afraid i may lose some quality, what do you think?
about the sftw/playas with sub-loading, i disable it (specially in radlight) to avoid what you said. if i encode the subs in the movie file, shouldnt them go along w/ the hardw/player? and more: what you mean by overlay subs properly? doesnt the prog does that? if not, how´s that then?
"the reward you get for being patient, is patience!"
thanx yaz.