Caleb13
25th December 2004, 16:09
First to make a few things clear: Previously, I was doing my backups on CDs, using GordianKnot and DivX codecs. I used to use text subtitles (SUB, SRT formats). Now I've switched to 1:1 DVD backups on DVD+R DL (DVD-9) media. Therefore, I don't use any DVD reauthoring/splitting software, I only edit IFO files structure to skip annoying legal warnings, THX/DTS logos and such (using IfoEdit). Rest of the DVD remains unchanged, including menus, extras etc. Now about what I'd like to do:
In most cases, DVD subtitles are positioned so they "interfere" with the picture. Many today's movies are in 2.35:1 format but video on the DVD is of course 16:9, so there are huge black strips above and below the picture itself. Nevertheless, DVD subtitles are almost always positioned over the picture, not the black strips - and this drives me mad (and I use very, very nice words here). This was no problem in case of text subtitles - BSPlayer could move them anywhere I wanted. But subtitles' position on DVDs is "hard-wired"... So I looked for a way how to move position of DVD subtitles in my backups.
There is a wonderful program, DVDFab, which can be downloaded from Doom9. According to this guide http://www.doom9.org/mpg/dvdfab-fullsplit.htm , DVDFab can move DVD subtitles, but unfortunately only towards the CENTRE of the movie, not towards its borders. In other words, it does precisely the opposite of what I want. :-( Of course, I tried to enter negative number in the "Subpicture clean area" prompt, in hope that DVDFab would move the subtitles towards the borders, but it seems that a negative number is regarded as zero (or rather, discarded).
Since I can't hope that author of DVDFab would bother to add/modify this feature just because *I* want it, :-) I had to think about other ways.
Probably the best option which came across my mind was to use SubRip. According to this guide http://www.doom9.org/mpg/dvdsubs.htm , SubRip can rip AND move subtitles to any position in the picture. Unfortunately, SubRip can do this only in mode in which subpictures are stored in BMP files, it can't do it with SUP streams directly. :-/
Anyway, I thought that I could do following:
1. Rip, reposition and save the subtitle stream as BMPs using SubRip.
2. Create a new SUP stream from the BMPs.
3. Replace original subtitle stream by the new one, using, say, Vstrip.
4. (Probably) update VTS Sectors position using IfoEdit (I naively expect that the size of the VOBs will remain the same...)
Problem is that I don't know how to perform item number 2, the conversion from BMPs to a SUP stream (but I also expect there will be another serious problems present). I checked the guides and the entire Subtitles forum here, but I failed to find any program which could do it. And as I said, have no experience with DVD reauthoring softwares, so I don't know their capabilities. Therefore, I hoped that some of you could know a way how to pull this off.
Or alternatively - is there a DVD player for PC which could move the subs directly?! I almost never play my movies on stand-alone DVD players, (PC monitor is much better than TV or rather, I don't have 5000 USD to buy a TV with good screen and good speaker set :-) ) but I always try to make my backups playable on them (you can never know what will come in the future ;-) ).
Thank you for any hints and ideas.
In most cases, DVD subtitles are positioned so they "interfere" with the picture. Many today's movies are in 2.35:1 format but video on the DVD is of course 16:9, so there are huge black strips above and below the picture itself. Nevertheless, DVD subtitles are almost always positioned over the picture, not the black strips - and this drives me mad (and I use very, very nice words here). This was no problem in case of text subtitles - BSPlayer could move them anywhere I wanted. But subtitles' position on DVDs is "hard-wired"... So I looked for a way how to move position of DVD subtitles in my backups.
There is a wonderful program, DVDFab, which can be downloaded from Doom9. According to this guide http://www.doom9.org/mpg/dvdfab-fullsplit.htm , DVDFab can move DVD subtitles, but unfortunately only towards the CENTRE of the movie, not towards its borders. In other words, it does precisely the opposite of what I want. :-( Of course, I tried to enter negative number in the "Subpicture clean area" prompt, in hope that DVDFab would move the subtitles towards the borders, but it seems that a negative number is regarded as zero (or rather, discarded).
Since I can't hope that author of DVDFab would bother to add/modify this feature just because *I* want it, :-) I had to think about other ways.
Probably the best option which came across my mind was to use SubRip. According to this guide http://www.doom9.org/mpg/dvdsubs.htm , SubRip can rip AND move subtitles to any position in the picture. Unfortunately, SubRip can do this only in mode in which subpictures are stored in BMP files, it can't do it with SUP streams directly. :-/
Anyway, I thought that I could do following:
1. Rip, reposition and save the subtitle stream as BMPs using SubRip.
2. Create a new SUP stream from the BMPs.
3. Replace original subtitle stream by the new one, using, say, Vstrip.
4. (Probably) update VTS Sectors position using IfoEdit (I naively expect that the size of the VOBs will remain the same...)
Problem is that I don't know how to perform item number 2, the conversion from BMPs to a SUP stream (but I also expect there will be another serious problems present). I checked the guides and the entire Subtitles forum here, but I failed to find any program which could do it. And as I said, have no experience with DVD reauthoring softwares, so I don't know their capabilities. Therefore, I hoped that some of you could know a way how to pull this off.
Or alternatively - is there a DVD player for PC which could move the subs directly?! I almost never play my movies on stand-alone DVD players, (PC monitor is much better than TV or rather, I don't have 5000 USD to buy a TV with good screen and good speaker set :-) ) but I always try to make my backups playable on them (you can never know what will come in the future ;-) ).
Thank you for any hints and ideas.