avi with more than one subtitle streams not permanent

[clauv]

Beg your pardon, maybe this issue is already treated in other threads but I wasn't able to find the right one.

I want to make an avi file containg 2 or more audio streams and the relative subtitles so that I can play it in my standalone player (which is able to play mpeg4 files).
How can I do it (for the subtitle part which is the one this forum is about ?)

Thank you

[thoralf]

AVI is a silly container. According to its specs, it allows for only one video and one audio stream, and that's it. There are hacks to put more than one audio stream (Morgan Stream Switcher) and sub(s) (recent versions of alex noe's avimux) into an avi - but your DVD player will most likely not know how to handle this stuff.
Push your DVD player's manufacturer to support advanced containers like Matroska :-)

[eb]

@clauv,
Could you specify the extensions of subtitles that can be played on your standalone player /like .srt, .sub, or another/
Then I can prepare the samples and you will check them.

eb

[stephanV]

@thoralf: don't make silly comments about avi. avi can hold four types of streams

one video stream and up to (i believe) 99 others which can be:
- audio streams
- text streams (e.g. srt-subtitles)
- MIDI streams (don't laugh, its there)

multiple audio streams or srt-subs are not a hack unlike what a lot of people would like to make you believe. all of the above streams can be muxed with the avi-muxer in the qcap.dll and be opened with the avi-splitter in the quartz.dll, which are the standard muxer and splitter for avi. you can do all this in graphedit if you like, all you need is the subtitles source-filter from gabest and of course his vsfilter to read the subtitles and morgan stream switcher for multiple audio streams. BTW calling multiple audio streams a hack because of the morgan stream splitter is silly. it is also used for matroska files and how else would one be able to choose between audio streams? you don't call video in MP4 a hack because you need a MPEG4 decoder, no?

other things like MP3 and packed bitstream (for b-frames) can be considered a hack, but on your PC they will cause very little compatibility problems.

@clauv: i would check the manual of your DVD/MPEG4-player if it supports avi-files with muxed srt-subs and multiple audio-files, because i don't think this will be a standard option for most players (if there is such a player at all).

but if you want to make such files, use avimux GUI (http://www-user.tu-chemnitz.de/~noe/Video-Zeug/AVIMux%20GUI/index-eng.html). its quite easy to use, just drag and drop all your files in there and save your file.

[thoralf]

Originally posted by stephanV
@thoralf: don't make silly comments about avi.

Alright, I learned a lot :-)

However, with mkv maturing more and more, I don't see any reason to use avi anymore. Be that for the vbr mp3 issue, the b-frames one ... or the overhead. But I guess that depends heavily on personal likes or dislikes.

With kind regards,
Thoralf.

[stephanV]

don't get me wrong, i personally use matroska too (because of the overhead). but since there arent any standalone matroska-players and mp4 is just about to begin if im right (and mp4 tools arent really usable yet), avi is still a very useful container. it can do far more than people think, be it sometimes with a little hack. but hey, if crappy ms-splitter thinks its ok, it can't be that much of a hack right ;) (although VBR MP3 wouldnt work with a "perfect" avi-splitter i think)

also, for nostalgic reasons i think avi deserves more respect than most people give it. no reason to call it dumb or silly. remember that the format was invented more then a decade ago and it is still around!

anyway, good thing is: avimux GUI is a very good tool for making matroska files as well. :)

[clauv]

Thank you for your answers. The problem is that the standoalone player is not owned by me but from a friend of mine.
Personally I use ogm files, which allowd me to use both subtitles than multiple audio streams, but this friend of mine (which owe a Kiss Player) ask me if I can give him some films to see on the standalone player.

Instead of converting all the files in avi, single audio stream, I thought to start to make the films using a container good to be played also in standalone.

I give a look to the Avimux GUI to see if fits my needs.

Thank you very much

Clauv

(BTW if for some reason I decide to migrate to MKV container, there is a good guide?)

[thoralf]

Originally posted by clauv
(BTW if for some reason I decide to migrate to MKV container, there is a good guide?)

I don't think you need one, matroska is pretty straightforward. Just install the latest splitters, get hold of either avimux or mktoolnix, and you're set - it's all pretty much self-explaining.
Oh, and don't forget to have a look at the mpeg4 / container forum, which is the right place for your questions.

@StephanV:

also, for nostalgic reasons i think avi deserves more respect than most people give it. no reason to call it dumb or silly.

I agree :-)