Subtitles Won't Display Properly in OGM or MKV

[kalorx]

Hi all,

I have MKV and OGM files with subtitles in them, in both SRT and SSA formats (one format per video file, obviously).

I have VobSub 2.23 installed with DirectShow support enabled. I'm using Celtic Druid's latest Media Player Classic hack with the internal Matroska and Ogg support shut off. I'm using Matroska splitter 1026 and muxer 1009, and I have Matroska Pack Lite 1.0.3 installed with DirectShow support and all that jazz. I have DirectX 9.0c installed. Lastly, I'm using Windows XP Professional Service Pack 1.

Here's the issue: VobSub never loads automatically when needed. It will only load if I tell it to load all the time, which is a pain. Furthermore, even when loaded all the time, it will only display subtitles if the SRT or SSA has been ripped from the video file and placed in a ./subtitle directory on my hard drive. I have no problem with audio tracks. This subtitle issue occurs in both MKV and OGM video files.

I've tried using the latest version of Haali's Media Splitter, but all that accomplished (aside of not solving the issue) was killing Ogg audio playback in MKV files for some reason, but not in OGM files. I've also tried using Core Media Player 4.02, but that also didn't solve the issue.

I've also tried rebuilding the MKV files using MKVToolnix 1.4.1, and properly identifying as many parameters as possible. Didn't solve anything. This tells me that it's not an issue of backward incompatibility in terms of VobSub and splitters.

I just don't get it. All this used to work perfectly about six months ago... but then one day it stopped. Seriously. Bam. End. Zippo functionality. Multiple PC reformats (including one performed not three hours ago) have solved nothing. The issue has occurred across two different video cards from two different companies (Radeon and nVidia), with latest drivers and DirectX. Hell, even two different motherboards!

You know what makes even less sense? In one OGM file I have the subtitles load by themselves. Just one file. I've not been able to determine what makes that blasted OGM any different from others.

This issue is seriously getting on my nerves. Any help would be greatly, greatly appreciated.

[niamh]

I bet it does. I would suspect a vsfilter issue(drove me to distraction last year). You say you have matroska pack 1.03, and this has a newer vsfilter(2.33) than vobsub 2.23(whose vsfilter is a bit old)
ssa I have problems with now and again myself, but all your srt should show regardless.
Please have a look here (http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=82303&package_id=84359 ) and pick a newer vsfilter. run a search in system folders to root out and unregister old vsfilters, and register 2.36.
Another thing I noticed, if I reinstall vobsub after mkv or ogm packs or filters, everything goes to hell.
So if I need to reinstall it, then I need to reinstall the lot after it again too.
As for the ogg audio issue with haali's, it could be you have an old vorbis decoder.(btw haali doesn't split ogm, and I don't think it ever will)
Another thing, did you try another player? always check against mplayer2 when things go very wrong.

Oh, and there is a new beta matroska pack out there :)

[kalorx]

Here's the dilly: I uninstalled VobSub 2.23. Next I killed any reference to Gabest or VSFilter in my registry. Then I downloaded VSFilter 2.36. Then I reinstalled Matroska Pack Lite 1.0.3, and then put VSFilter 2.36 into my System32 directory. I then registered VSFilter.dll with the following line:

"regsvr32.exe /s C:\WINDOWS\System32\VSFilter.dll"

After all that, I'm not sure what I'm supposed to have accomplished. Without VobSub 2.23 I can't even get any subs to display, even using my ./subtitle directory.

Was I supposed to have left VobSub 2.23 installed, but just replaced the VSFilter DLL?

As for using mplayer2, that can't play MKV or OGM files with it... at least not at full functionality; you can't switch audio or sub tracks, or even turn subs on.

EDIT: I reinstalled VobSub, then the Mat. Pack, and then the DLL. It seems, for the time being, things work again... but I have some tests to perform. Namely, I'm going to create a MKV file with multiple sub streams and see if I can choose between them. Maybe even get proper sub stream names for a change...

[niamh]

Was I supposed to have left VobSub 2.23 installed, but just replaced the VSFilter DLL?
Yes

As for using mplayer2, that can't play MKV or OGM files with it... at least not at full functionality; you can't switch audio or sub tracks, or even turn subs on.
You do that from the vobsub tray icon, or the splitter tray icon. It's fully functional and is rock stable. Any player does of course, but I find that this is the fastest way to rule out player issues, as mplayer2 is a no frill/no bugs minimal player(and is part of the OS, so nothing to download). At least have the old gabest mpc stable stored somewhere, so as to rule out potential bugs in the new mpc.(not saying there are any). TCMP is a pretty good player too (it's the one I use), but do not install the mkv/ogm internal support, otherwise you're in for a whole lot more hassle more than likely.
Sub stream names display are a player problem too, btw

I am glad it seems to work again all the same :)