Q about pulldown method for synching SON files (Maestro)

[skeg64]

Hi,

I am wondering about the method for synching SON files to the video in Maestro. According to this method, you run pulldown.exe on the video, and set the option "drop frame = true".
My question is, what does pulldown do to the video file? Is it just setting a flag in the header, or is the video itself changed somehow?
Would it therefore be "better" to adjust the timing of the subtitles in the SON file instead? Are there any advantages or disadvantages of one method over the other?
I am trying to re-construct a backup dvd as closely as possible to the original using Maestro. Any info would be appreciated.

Thanks! :)

[Matthew]

It's just a flag...

The subtitles will sync, and all will be fine and dandy.

[skeg64]

OK, could it be done with Restream instead? Could I just change the framerate in Restream from 29.97 to 30?
Please correct me if I have my framerate conversions backwards or something. :)
Cheers.

[Matthew]

You could try that if it makes you feel better...Maestro won't even accept the asset though.

As an aside, if I recall correctly, with Scenarist you don't even need to flag the video as drop frame, you can set that option in the app.

If you are using Maestro the usual course is to flag the video as drop frame, so just do it :p

[skeg64]

hmm... well the reason I'm asking is that I've been adjusting the timing of the subs instead. I made a little program that simply divides the frame timings by 1.001, using 20 significant figures for increased accuracy. I was trying to figure out if there is any disadvantage to doing this.
If there is none then I would continue doing this, because it takes all of 3 seconds to work. :)
I tried using subtitle workshop to do this, and it does work of course, BUT it removes the extra information in the SON file, such as when the colours for a particular sub are different to the rest of the set.

eg. this is output from subrip:

Color (4 7 13 2)
1584 02:00:14:06 02:00:17:12 eng01584.bmp
Color (4 7 10 2)
1585 02:00:18:05 02:00:22:29 eng01585.bmp
1586 02:00:24:05 02:00:31:17 eng01586.bmp
etc.

after adjusting in subtitle workshop, you get:

1584 02:00:07:00 02:00:10:05 eng01584.bmp
1585 02:00:10:28 02:00:15:22 eng01585.bmp
1586 02:00:16:28 02:00:24:10 eng01586.bmp

So my program copies across any lines that are not the subtitle information, which could be colour, contrast, comments, bitmap dimensions etc, eg:

Color (4 7 13 2)
1584 02:00:07:00 02:00:10:06 eng01584.bmp
Color (4 7 10 2)
1585 02:00:10:29 02:00:15:23 eng01585.bmp
1586 02:00:16:29 02:00:24:10 eng01586.bmp

Occasionally there are small discrepencies between my output and the output from SW. They are usually only one frame or two different, as seen in my examples. I have tried to figure out why, but my only conclusion is that SW is not as accurate. (?) In any case you would not notice one or two frames difference, although it would be good to know if my method is wrong.

Does anyone see any problems with my approach?

Thanks! :)