Issues with subtitles in Handbrake from blu-ray .mkv source

[Nickerbocker]

Hi -

I'm not sure if I'm having a Handbrake (1.3.3) issue or a MakeMKV (1.15.3) issue (on Windows 10). I'm having an issue with subtitles.

I'm using Handbrake to compress .mkv files produced by MakeMKV into .m4v files usually using Handbrake's General HQ profile (either 480p for DVD or 1080p for Bluray rips). I'm trying to preserve all the language and subtitle tracks when I compress the file, but I'm having issues with this when it comes to the Bluray rips for some reason.

For DVD rips subtitles work fine. For DVD rips, when I load them in Handbrake the option in the Subtitle tab "Add Track->Add All Remaining Tracks" is able to find all the tracks and the default options have been fine. The produced compressed .m4v files from the DVD rips contain all of the subtitles and I can select them when the content is playing in any player.

For bluray, this doesn't work. When I attempt to select that same option ("Add Track->Add All Remaining Tracks") nothing new populates in the subtitle list (added to the default "Foreign Audo Scan" that is set to "Burn In"). If I change the "Foreign Audio Scan" to "Default", I'm able to "Add New" and then select the language of the subtitle (like "English [PGS]"). I can do this for each subtitle. This doesn't include the subtitles properly though, every setting I've tried one of the selected subtitles is burned into the video file as oppose to included with it.

This has been a big problem for me because most Anime blu-ray discs I own have both English and Japanese audio tracks. I'd like the option to watch the content in English without seeing the subtitles (which is how DVD rips are working), but the only output I can achieve is either a subtitle track that is burned into the video of the file or no subtitles at all.

I'm really confused why Handbrake is treating the two types of .mkv files so differently when it comes to the subtitle content. I'm trying to find some other way to rip the subtitles from the .mkv and then add them via Handbrake thinking that might work but I'm having trouble finding software that will work.

Thank you for your input. Sorry for the wall of text.

P.S. I've love MakeMKV and bought it right away after observing its usefulness. I have a large DVD and bluray collection and it has been very handy in backing it all up.

[Woodstock]

The issue is MP4 format restrictions. MP4 cannot have PGS subtitles, which are found on Bluray disks.

You can fix it by outputting MKV format, but as long as you stay with MP4, you'll have to settle for one burned-in subtitle track.

For what it is worth, my anime process is to make TWO files. One MKV with full resolution video, and both English and Japanese audio, and an MP4 file that has only English audio and "forced" subtitles, or Japanese audio and the full English subtitle track if no English audio is available.

[Woodstock]

Additional information: https://handbrake.fr/docs/en/1.3.0/adva ... itles.html

[Nickerbocker]

Thank you for your reply. I'll try the .mkv container and see if that meets my need.

[Chetwood]

but as long as you stay with MP4, you'll have to settle for one burned-in subtitle track.

Unless he does OCR which works fine with DVDSubextractor or Subedit on PGS files. Or does MP4 not support SRT?

[Woodstock]

But that's not sticking with the original subtitles...

Some text-based subtitles can be converted by handbrake to MP4-compatible "timed text", but the other programs mentioned are much more flexible. I know that you're aware of the not-quite-perfect nature of OCR, especially when presented with non-standard words. It will struggle with words (really names) found in a lot of fantasy anime and movies.

[Chetwood]

Right, I just prefer no to touch the video ever, especially as recoding still takes lots of time and energy. And as long as the source is PGS which has bigger letters with more colors than Vobsub, OCRing works usually pretty good. Haven't tried this on Anime movies though.

[HittiittitiH]

The issue is MP4 format restrictions. MP4 cannot have PGS subtitles, which are found on Bluray disks.

You can fix it by outputting MKV format, but as long as you stay with MP4, you'll have to settle for one burned-in subtitle track.

For what it is worth, my anime process is to make TWO files. One MKV with full resolution video, and both English and Japanese audio, and an MP4 file that has only English audio and "forced" subtitles, or Japanese audio and the full English subtitle track if no English audio is available.

Thank you so much for this information, I been at it all day trying to get mkv with pgs subtitles > mp4 with pgs subtitles, its been driving me crazy.