Sub format compatibility?

[Carpo]

Which format would give me the greatest compatibility for all players? Whether they are on windows, Mac OS X, or Linux.

.srt or .ssa, would it be best to have them as external or embedded within the mkv container?

Seems some of the films i have done that use bluray's .sub format play fine on windows yet vlc and mplayer have issues with them on Mac OS X and Linux

[Chetwood]

From my experience SRT external.

[Ghitulescu]

Not all players under Windows (to name only one OS from your list) have the same requirements for subtitles. Not to mention the extension to other OSes. It's only you the one that has all the players on all three (all flavours of Linux counted as one, all Windowses counted as one) OSes, so only you can perform the tests.

For text subtitles one should not forget that there are other languages besides EN as well (see a part of the list here -> http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1419192#post1419192) and thus one may enter into ANSI-code page issues or Unicode.

That's why I stick with industrial formats (DV, DVD, BD), they are the most compatible (they may not be the best for one features or the other, but I never had any problems therewith).

[Carpo]

Not all players under Windows (to name only one OS from your list) have the same requirements for subtitles. Not to mention the extension to other OSes. It's only you the one that has all the players on all three (all flavours of Linux counted as one, all Windowses counted as one) OSes, so only you can perform the tests.

For text subtitles one should not forget that there are other languages besides EN as well (see a part of the list here -> http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1419192#post1419192) and thus one may enter into ANSI-code page issues or Unicode.

That's why I stick with industrial formats (DV, DVD, BD), they are the most compatible (they may not be the best for one features or the other, but I never had any problems therewith).

Well at the moment Bluray .sup format isnt winning any compatibility tests.

Going to test internal .srt and .ssa later.

[tetsuo55]

SRT is most compatible simply because older devices will more like support that instead of ssa

[Chetwood]

That's why I stick with industrial formats (DV, DVD, BD), they are the most compatible
Doubtful. I'm pretty sure there are more standalones out there that support SRT than those that suppot graphical subs.

[Ghitulescu]

Doubtful. I'm pretty sure there are more standalones out there that support SRT than those that suppot graphical subs.

Be my guest. Any standalone (including mediatanks or mediaplayers, whatever be their name) plays a DVD structure (on disc or on HDD or even SD card). Additionally, some of them play other formats, like AVI, MKV, and their support for subtitles is limited (the very first generation had no idea what subtitles are, other, newer generations know about subtitles, but only as external ones etc.). I never heard of a mediaplayer that can play AVI but fails on DVD (some older models had a problems with the menus).

To come around the issue, the DVD specs have been integrated into the BD specs (for SD), so one can simply import the video/audio data into a BD project, and bingo. AVI and MKV are bonuses that are used by the manufacturers to get a bigger market share, as they are not required. Because of this, each manufacturer implements them as they like (or forced to "like"): some do not play HD content (MKV) from external sources (like USB), others don't play AVIs from optical discs ....

Mediaplayers can play content on any medium, however, except a few models, one can forger about HD audio lossless or multichannel. Some even strike at 24fps. And 3D is a distant dream (available only on BD players and some TVs with cardslot, from the same manufacturer that offers 3D camcorders, too).

[tetsuo55]

I think you have a good point here, due to historical facts, the strongest being that formally only commercial container formats exist.
Your argument that a DVD structure and DVD subtitles will be the most compatible is probably correct.

If for whatever reason you decide against DVD than a good 2nd place would be AVI with hard-subs, and 3rd place AVI with external SRT.

Personally i have replaced all my players with small mediaplayers that support all the popular current codecs, containers and subtitle formats so i don't really have to worry about it. I have also used makemkv to remux all my disc's to mkv with the original subtitle format muxed in. Sometimes i replace them with .ASS because dvd subs are pretty ugly on a big full-hd panel.

[Ghitulescu]

If for whatever reason you decide against DVD than a good 2nd place would be AVI with hard-subs, and 3rd place AVI with external SRT.

Indeed. You may add MKV together with AVI, as the new (and not so old) mediaplayers can handle them.

[Chetwood]

I was under the impression the OP did not want to commit to the DVD format, which makes sense to me. And for single files, be it AVI or MKV SRT is supported best, also by networked media tanks.

[Ghitulescu]

In that case, yes, MKV/AVI + external SRT (with the same name) would be the most compatible. For Macs I've heard of MOV container to be widespread (QuickTime), but I don't own a Mac.

[Carpo]

I have decided to use .srt converted from bluray .sup and have them contained within the mkv file, all three OS's and all the media players i have tried play them fine :-)