Adding subs to VCD or SVCD question!

[beto666]

hi there folks. i've tried other forums unsuccessfully and decided to try this one. i'd like to know what i should do to add subs to my vcd or svcd projetcs so that they play in my home dvd player afterwards. for example: suppose i have a movie in .avi or .mpg format and turn it into a vcd/svcd. i also have the subs for the movie (.txt, .sub, srt, etc.), and i want to make the subs go along with the movie when i play it in my dvd player. is it possible? if so, do i have to rename the subs file or put it in a different folder in the project? are there any special tricks or programs to do it? i use subtitle workshop for sync, and i play the files with radlight 3.03 se.
thanx everybody in advance.
help me, please, and keep on rockin'!

[Phytrax]

I don't know how you'e syncing the subtitles but if you add them directly to the video and then output this to your chosen format they will show up. I know you can manually do this with most video editors but I don't know how to do it from a txt file. If you want subs you can turn on and off, I am not too familiar with this, but I don't think VCD and SVCD support this.

[beto666]

thank you Phytrax for your answer. few doubts though: i use subtitle workshop for syncing. the output format for the sub files are many - .srt, .txt, .sub, .dat, etc., i am the one who chooses them. i already have subs for movie files (.avi) downloaded from the net, usually they come in .srt or .sub formats. you can read them with notepad. i don't know what you mean by "adding them directly to the video and then output this to your chosen format". when we start a project for a SVCD, that's when everything should be done. this is when the subs have to be added. a friend from another forum said i could use DVD2SVCD with the packed encoders to do this. i'm still trying on. have you done it before?
thanx again.

[Qyd]

you can burn the subtitles in the avi video before you convert to vcd/svcd. You can do this with virtualdub, using the subtitler plug-in or vobsub plug-in.
I'm not sure if you can add subtitles during the avi-vcd conversion using a vobsub filter for tmpgenc.
VCD subtitles are hard-encoded in the video frame (you can not switch them on/off).

[beto666]

thanx Qyd. i am using virtualdub to hard-encode the subs to .avi files. does it save the files in mpeg2? i only find "save in avi". i also use dvd2svcd which i think is more complete but i haven't tamed it all right yet. if you know it and have tips to give, please. i have other questions though, and forgive me if they have already been asked in the forum: is it possible to make a menu in the svcd from which i can choose the clips recorded? i mean, i burn video clips (songs) and sub them. i'd like to select from a menu, just like in a dvd, because the svcd's work with pbc deactivated, and i cannot choose forward or backwards the clips i want. i have to use the |< and >| keys. is there any program which does this? and what can i do to make my subs more readable during home dvd player running? it's that when i encode them in white, the edges are squared and not much pleasing to look at. i tried in yellow with virtualdub and things got a bit better. is there anything i can do before encoding to choose the best way for subs to be displayed? anything with the shadows or outlines, maybe?
thanx again for your time sharing.

[Qyd]

yes, virtualdub only outputs avi, you would have to convert to vcd/svcd afterwards (the free version of tmpgenc can do this).
No ideea about svcd and chapters (i only made 1 svcd, and just to see if it works). Howeber, an ideea would be to have individual clips, and compile them in the burning program template (so the back/forward commands would work).
if you are using virtualdub with subtitler plug-in, you would use ssa (substationalpha) subtitles, that allow tags for font, color, outlines, etc. If i remember correctly, you can set this properties form inside virtualdub filter too.

[beto666]

thanx again qyd for your time. i checked and unfortunately i don't have ssa in the list of my virtualdub filters. do you know where i can get it? do you have it? if so you could send, if you want, of course. concerning chapters, it's something i still have to dig up more. one doubt is: what do you mean by "compile them in the burning program template"? i use nero.
thank you a lot.

[Qyd]

virtualdub subtitler plug-in: you can find a link to it in virtualdub's home page (download, extract in virtualdub\plug-in folder); it uses ssa subtitles (you can use subtitle workshop to convert sub/srt/etc to ssa).
easy cd creator vcd teplate has a wizard where you add mpg files one by one; in nero, i guess you just drag your vcd compliant mpg files in the MPEGAV folder.

edit: no, in nero you drag the files in the track window (left bottom one in the vcd template), and the ffwd/back buttons on the remote will work