Problem with ProjectX + SON2VobSub + VobSub

[Palmnut]

I wish I'd never started on this!

The story so far...

I record UK DVB to a PVA including subitles.

Using ProjectX I demux the video and audio to ES and the DVB subtitles to SON+Bitmap (with ProjectX DVB subtitles set to 16 colour mode). This produces 256 colour bmp files plus a SON file that begins as shown below.

I convert this to VobSub using SON2VobSub, producing a .idx file that begins as shown below.

I start VirtualDub, select the .avs for the demuxed video and add VobSub video filter to permanently write the subs over the video.

What do I get? Nothing. Not a single attempt to display a sub. What could be wrong?

BTW - the VobSub installer always hangs at the end when run on my WinXP SP2 installation - not an auspicious start.

.son file:

st_format 2
Display_Start non_forced
TV_Type PAL
Tape_Type NON_DROP
Pixel_Area (0 575)
Directory C:\Temp\Process Temp

SP_NUMBER START END FILE_NAME
Color (7 1 8 9)
Contrast (15 0 15 15)
Display_Area (072 460 684 536)
0000 00:00:08:24 00:00:12:22 TRDVC_st00000p2.bmp

VobSub .idx file:

# VobSub index file, v7 (do not modify this line!)
#
# To repair desyncronization, you can insert gaps this way:
# (it usually happens after vob id changes)
#
# delay: [sign]hh:mm:ss:ms
#
# Where:
# [sign]: +, - (optional)
# hh: hours (0 <= hh)
# mm/ss: minutes/seconds (0 <= mm/ss <= 59)
# ms: milliseconds (0 <= ms <= 999)
#
# Note: You can't position a sub before the previous with a negative value.
#
# You can also modify timestamps or delete a few subs you don't like.
# Just make sure they stay in increasing order.


# Settings

# Original frame size
size: 704x576

# Origin, relative to the upper-left corner, can be overloaded by aligment
org: 0, 0

# Image scaling (hor,ver), origin is at the upper-left corner or at the alignment coord (x, y)
scale: 100%, 100%

# Alpha blending
alpha: 100%

# Smoothing for very blocky images (use OLD for no filtering)
smooth: OFF

# In millisecs
fadein/out: 0, 0

# Force subtitle placement relative to (org.x, org.y)
align: OFF at LEFT TOP

# For correcting non-progressive desync. (in millisecs or hh:mm:ss:ms)
# Note: Not effective in DirectVobSub, use "delay: ... " instead.
time offset: 0

# ON: displays only forced subtitles, OFF: shows everything
forced subs: OFF

# The original palette of the DVD
palette: 1f1f1f, 600000, 101010, ababab, dfdfdf, 8f8f8f, 0f0f0f, 1f1f1f, 8b8b8b, c1c1c1, 555555, ebebeb, 54551d, c0c11b, 8b8b1d, ebeb1a

# Custom colors (transp idxs and the four colors)
custom colors: ON, tridx: 1111, colors: ff0000, 00ff00, 0000ff, ff80ff

# Language index in use
langidx: 0

# (Not detected)
id: --, index: 0
# Decomment next line to activate alternative name in DirectVobSub / Windows Media Player 6.x
# alt: (Not detected)
timestamp: 00:00:08:960, filepos: 000000000

[violao]

Originally posted by Palmnut
# Custom colors (transp idxs and the four colors)
custom colors: ON, tridx: 1111, colors: ff0000, 00ff00, 0000ff, ff80ff


This #1111 looks suspicious. Perhaps it sets all 4 colors to transparent. Try changing it to 1000 or 0001 and see what happens. Also, are there subpictures in sub file? Check with SubToSup and dvdsuptools.

I'm not familiar with ProjectX, but if it outputs Ifoedit compatible sup file, then you can simply Ifoedit-mux it with some fake m2v, that will produce ifo-bup-vob files and then run Vobsub Configure to extract subs.

[Palmnut]

I suspect a problem with the original .son file (or more liklely with the .spf palette file.

The reason for saying this is when I change the 'contrast'lines in the .son files from (15 0 15 15) to (0 15 15 15), I at least get redish-brown boxes shown in VirtualDub where the STs should be.

Does anybody know the definition of the contrast and color lines in the .son file?

Is there anyway of checking the .spf file?