MKV Subtitles That Can Be Turned On/Off?

I want to first apologize in advance (and I’m sure you get that more than enough times) if this question has been asked several times before and answered somewhere. If it has, please just point me to that thread. I have done hours and hours of research and reading (not just on the WD community either). Typing in every possible way I can think of.

I will start with what I have:

WD Live with the latest update
WD My Book 4TB external hard drive
Dell computer with Windows 10

I have several programs:
Leawo blu-ray ripper (able to get “forced” subtitles that are always on)
Leawo Blu-Ray to MKV converter (subtitles work on everything but the WD Live due to PGS subtitles is my understanding)
mkvtoolnix (just recently download and made a complete mess of)
just about every PavTube including byte copy (byte copy works okay but won’t do many new movies and has a tendency of putting black screen for a minute or so during the movie and then returning to movie)

Here’s what I am desperately trying to do:

I would like to back up my blu-ray discs (with four kids in and out of the house and two siblings that like to “long term borrow”) and be able to take the subtitles with the format that can be turned on and off. I don’t like having the subtitles on all the time (I tend to read the subtitles and not watch the movie), but need the subtitles at times for languages other than English (I’m not fluent in Dorthraki, Valyrian, Na’vi or any other language).

So to be clear:
Back up blu-ray discs with as close to original disc quality
Subtitles that can be turned off/on

Please, please, please understand that I am no way near technically proficient in just about anything. I try my best and I don’t mind hard work and reading instructions. I know that has to be super frustrating for those who know what they are doing, so again I apologize.

Thanks for any help.

While I was hopefully waiting on a reply from the community, I continued to work on the subtitles problem. Researching endless hours and testing time after time with nothing but frustrating failure after frustrating failure. Then, I happened upon another forum that was also discussing subtitles and here’s what I found out:

The subtitles on a normal disc are in a PNG format and the WD media players do not recognize this format. First, you have to be able to get the subtitles in a non forced format. Leawo makes a great program called Blu-ray to MKV Converter. This program will allow you to convert the disc to MKV format with the subtitles attached and not forced. Then you have to get the subtitles off of the MKV file and thankfully, there is a program for this (of course) called Subtitle Edit. This beautiful little program will allow you to take subtitles off your file and convert them to the SRT format that the WD media players do recognize. Now you may ask, once I have the subtitles off and converted, how do I put them back on? Great question. I asked it myself, and I found that the wonderful people at MKVToolNix have a software program for that!

So here’s the exact way I take my blu-ray movies from disc to MKV format with subtitles that can be turned on and off.

1.) Convert the disc using normal converter software. I use Leawo, but any will do. Do not force the subtitles on.
…a.) This may seem strange since you will have to convert the disc twice, but my reasoning is that this first conversion is much smaller file size (usually half or more) than the second one that takes the subtitles with it. For instance, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone on the normal converter is 9.21 GB and on the Blu-ray to MKV with subtitles is 23.83 GB.
…b.) Note: I label the movies after I finish converting and put reg behind this conversion and sub behind the second conversion so that I can easily tell them apart. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone reg.MKV and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone sub.MKV

2.) Convert the disc the second time with Leawo Blu-ray to MKV Converter.
…a.) Before selecting convert, in the right top side of the movie there is Subtitles and Audio. Click the Subtitles arrow. A drop screen will drop with options for subtitles. Usually all the subtitles are selected. Click “None” first and then select the language you want. There are times that there are two “eng” options. I click the first “eng” option. Then select convert and let run.
…b.) I suggest only one subtitle otherwise, there will be more work in the subtitle edit process.

3.) Open Subtitle Edit.
…a.) Click the button on the top left side that looks like a file with paper inside.
…b.) Then select the the MKV file that has the subtitles. Let the program run. It’s takes a bit of time and do not worry if it says the program is “Not Responding”. It’s working.
…c.) Once it’s run 100% (bottom of the screen), click the OCR button. It will begin to run through the subtitles.
…d.) Here is where you can make corrects. Yes, this takes some time and I recommend you make the changes (carefully). I did a test and ran the same movie with not making any changes and fixing the errors I saw and the errors will show up if you do not make the corrections. For instance: g0 will show it correctly on the subtitle edit as go; however when playing the movie, it shows g0.
…e.) After you finish with the OCR an error may pop up. You can download what it asks to fix this, but so far it hasn’t made a difference for me. Just say okay to close it.
…f.) On the upper part, format should be sub rip .SRT
…g.) Correction . . . Do not unbreak. Leave as broken. Unbreak makes the titles super long on the screen instead of two or (possibly three lines).
…f.) Next to the open button you selected in the beginning is a button with a green arrow for save. Click that and save the file.

4.) Open MKVToolNix
…a.) Select new if that is an option.
…b.) Select at the bottom of the page select “add source”.
…c.) Select the original “reg” movie and the srt file.
…d.) Select “start multiplexing”.
…e.) Note: If you plan to use a file that has the original subtitles in PNG format, you will want to deselect them in the section to the left otherwise, when you play the movie you will be able to turn the on and off the PNG file subtitles, but nothing will show up but the srt subtitles.

5.) Ta da. It’s all done. Now you should be able to turn the subtitles on and off.

I hope this helps someone. I think I described it as accurately as I can. If you have questions, feel free to ask. I’ll try to help. Please note that some of the programs will require payment and others are free.

Thank you for sharing the outcome with the WD Community. Hopefully this will help other Users in need.

1 Like

The original subtitles of Blu-ray movies are hard subtitles that are written on top of the image permanently. They can not be turned on or off like on the DVD. Only software subtitles that have been added external that will appear as separate select-able tracks in your output file. With the correct playback software, you will be able to enable/disable these subtitles as required.

Can you expand on “Blu-ray movies, hard subtitles are written on top of image permanently”? Maybe i’m wrong in understanding what it is you’ve written. Because “Blu-ray” does not mean a file will automatically have hardcoded subtitles if they were originally on the disc or not. What determines if subtitles are hard coded to a video is the writing application and the encoder performing the task. Statistically Blu-ray files that have an MP4 file extension will have hard coded subtitles 99% of the time. And it’s the opposite for a file that has a MKV extension.
It should be noted there have been rare occasions when a Blu-ray has been encoded by someone with common sense and you will get a soft coded MP4. Also MKV can have hard coded subtitles, but thats just sloppy encoding IMO. And subtitles that have been hard coded to a video file are not as permanent as they use to be. Software has evolved a lot over the last decade. I don’t know the exact ratio but depending on what was used to hard code subtitles determines if they CAN be removed with the right application.

Hey man, it seems that you know well about MKV problems. May I ask you a question here: i am using this software (http://www.videoconverterfactory.com/tips/rip-dvd-to-mkv.html) to convert my DVD files to iPhone. The output image is okay but the sound is out of sync. Somebody told me it was casued by the software itself. However, I have used it several times before and they all worked well. Does anyone has an idea how to deal with this problem? I am not sure whether MKV and iPhone is compatible with each other.

Your message was in a different inbox .
MKV and iphone(iOS) dont mix without a 3rd party application. After trying
multiple app’s, the right one was found. It’s called “Player Xtreme HD”.
Using it hundreds of mkv titles have been watched on my iPad/iPhone.
Depending on the options you get, it can give you many advantages beside
playing MKV. Basic free version plays mkv, mp4, avi, etc.video files that
are on the device access the www to download or stream. Upgrading the app
can be done 1 option at a time or All at once. I got the full upgrade
version. It’s more than worth it. I can access all media files on my PC
thru a router to stream, download even upload files is just a few of the
advantages to the upgraded pro version.
Enjoy.
NetGhost

NetGhost, my apologies for it taking me many months to respond. Family illness and I’ve only recently been able to clear out my emails.

So many years ago, I went through an extended process of decided which type of file extension I wanted. After testing all that I could do with my software, I decided for the size of the file and the picture quality I wanted, MKV was what worked best. Silly me did not think about needing subtitles at the time because how many movies have a foreign language at some point in the movie right? Just kidding. Way, way more that I ever dreamed.

As stated in my solution post, I use Leawo conversion and when I chose English subtitles, the subtitles were on the movie file, but they were there all the time, hard subtitles. I couldn’t turn them on and off as I needed them. So while I’m watching say “The Avengers” (because who doesn’t llove the “I have an army; We have a Hulk” line not to mention Hulk slamming Loki), I need subtitles at the beginning with Black Widow in the warehouse when they’re speaking Russian. I can’t have subtitles on all the time (unless it’s a foreign film) because all I do is read the subtitles instead of watching the movie.

For me, the process I wrote about in the solution post works. I would love not to have to do all that work. It does take time, but for now, it’s what I have since I couldn’t find another solution.

Jrsioolium I replied to your question a while ago. But the way these message’s are stacked up in this thread. I’m not sure if you reposted to your question or posted it again. .

No worries, it takes me just as long to reply sometimes. After reading your last message It occurred to me that I didn’t include the names of a couple app’s. that should give you more choices and are easier to use. You already have MKVtoolnix. But do you have ver.8.3 or older. Version 8.3 was the last time MKVmerge could be used as standalone app from it’s package. The user interface is different and easier to use. If you decide to check it out the rest will explain itself. Older versions can be downloaded from [MKVToolNix news – Matroska tools for Linux/Unix and Windows] homepage Instead of starting toolnix the usual way, goto the application folder and make a shortcut to ??? or copy/paste MKVmerge.exe to a different folder. The other is Handbrake.exe You can encode/re-encode anything anyway really easy. the newest version comes with 15-20 presets for multiple devices use for payback.

NetGhost,
Thank you for the advice and information. I will look into those and try to learn.