HDConvertToX & hardcoding subtitles

[Magna JC]

Hello all, can someone help out this newbie with an ongoing subtitle problem please?

In short its like this; I'm trying to hardcode sup/idx subtitles into an MKV container. In fact my problem is identical to that of OLP as per this forum;

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=154802

Like OLP, I have an mkv containing a h264 video stream, ac3 audio stream & sub/idx subtitle stream. The subtitle is already flagged as forced and will play automatically on cue on VLC player.

My intent is simply to run this mkv through the HDConvertToX program leaving the video & audio streams in their original forms while hardcoding the forced sub into the video stream.

Unfortunately I am grappling with how avscript & vsfilter work, and importantly, how to apply them in the program. Even so, I've followed all the instructions to OLP with success up until the comment;

"if YES open the script with your preferred encoding suite , don't worry, about missing subs detection.. it will be encoded anyway"

Is anyone able to step me through the rest of the process to hardcoding the subtitles in question please?

Hope to hear from you soon;

Magna JC

[Magna JC]

P.S, had another attempt at it, this time beginning with an m2ts container. same result, no burned/hardcoded subtitles:-(

Attached is the log file for anyone interested in helping out.

[Magna JC]

OK, I think at long last I understand why I'm not getting the desired result..:o

When hardcoding subtitles, the video stream MUST undergo a conversion of some sort.. Its during this process, providing all the right tools are installed & configured correctly, that hard-coding can take place.

My big mistake (being a dumbass newbie) has been to keep the video stream as-is, in its original h264 format during m2ts to mkv conversion.

If I'm right, its impossible to hardcode onto a video stream thats being forced to remain untouched:o

Feel free to comment anyone.

Regards,
MJC

[microchip8]

Magna JC,

you are correct. It's like trying to deinterlace a video stream but checking the option to not re-encode it. Obviously, deinterlacing won't work in such case as you're copying the video 1:1. It's the same with hardcoding subs

[Magna JC]

thanks for the reply froggy1.

Since my last post I'm able to confirm that I can get HDConvertToX & Ripbot to hardcode subtitles so long as I force the program to re-encode video stream rather than pass-thru video stream.

One last question; why does a recode reduce the finished file size so drastically. i.e.; a 30gb file with untouched audio stream ends up at 18Gb after recode & hard-coding!!

Does the picture quality deteriorate accordingly and if so, should i be trying to beef the file size back up to 30gb (somehow)?

Regards,
Magna JC

[Sharc]

One last question; why does a recode reduce the finished file size so drastically. i.e.; a 30gb file with untouched audio stream ends up at 18Gb after recode & hard-coding!!

Probably because you selected the compression in the encoder GUI accordingly, e.g. by either selecting the target size (bitrate) or the CRF (kind of Quality factor).
Can you post the log file?

If your CRF was say 18 ... 20 you can expect a substantial reduction of the video file size with still a very good quality.
Watch your encode and tell if you can see a difference to the original. Let your eyes decide.

[Magna JC]

Hello Sharc, thanks for your interest in my query.

Attached is the log file for a recent conversion i did with HDConvertToX. As you’ll see, the original m2ts file started out at 30.5 Gb and contained a h264 video stream, ac3 audio stream and subtitle. I’ve attempted to have the program retain the same size and retain original audio (untouched). The whole purpose of the conversion is to hardcode the subtitle into the video stream (which it successfully does). I also opted to allow the program to “use best video encoder” But I’m at a total loss to explain why the finished file is only 18gb...

Comments anyone?

MJC