DVB subtitles problem

[Prasmus]

Hi there

I have a small but very annoying problem when cutting a ts file recorded from cable tv and want to know if this i fixed in TS-Doctor 4.x - or if it can and will be fixed...

When I cut a recording where the program begin and ends then the cutted version is missing the one or mere subtitles (DVB subtitles) in the beginning of the program.

I guess it's because the first DVB subtitles of the program is before the cutting point of the program (the programs DVB subtitles in the stream starts before the video and audio where I set the begin cutting point).

If I move the begin cutting point 3-10 seconds before the program starts then I get all of the DVB subtitles for the program - but I don't like watching the 3-10 seconds of commercials or whatever that is before the program.

If this is fixed in 4.x I will upgrade right away. If not I hope it will be added.

Edited:
I'm using TS-Doctor 3.2.33 and have been with TS-Doctor from the start :-)

Thank you
Peter

[tsduser]

Hi there as well,

of course, I cannot tell whether or how much the issues you observe are unique to the recordings you operate on, but you might try and install the recent 4.x TSD as a trial alongside your (registered) 3.x installation without any interference...
And if the issues occur identically in 4.x, this would probably dramatically increase your chances of getting a solution implemented...

(In 4.x, I'd assume...)

[Cypheros]

Subtitles are a bit problematic regarding precise cutting as broadcasters are a bit lazy about exact PTS values for subtitles and most mediaplayer just ignore the timers and show it as soon the subtitles arriving.
So it's not easy to estimate precisely what part of the subtitle stream belongs to the ads and what part to the show, you want to keep.

We will look into this and try to find a solution.

[Prasmus]

of course, I cannot tell whether or how much the issues you observe are unique to the recordings you operate on, but you might try and install the recent 4.x TSD as a trial alongside your (registered)

Thank you for the answer.

As I said it's very annoying as it happens on all the TV channel that dosn't use srt subtitles or hardcoded subtitles in the video signal... That is about half of the channel I record from.

For quite some time ago I tried TS-Doctor 4.1x because I had an other issue (not a problem in TS-Doctor) but it was the same in the new version - and I didn't find any changes that would do my cutting easier so I didn't upgrade.
I'm not sure that I can do another try with TS-Doctor 4.xx on the same computer again, besides I'm still very happy with the my old version.
But as I said, I will update (very fast) if a new version will save me time in my cutting work.

[Prasmus]

And to Cypheros, thank your for the very fast reply!

I will add that the subtitle problem also applies to cutting commercials as one or more of the programs subtitles is in the commercials part that is cut off.

I fully know this isn't a direct fail in TS-Doctor at all but if you could find fix it would be so great.
I also know that my buying an upgrade of TS-Doctor is just a raindrop in the ocean compared to the hours you will use for such a fix. That said I don't thing there are any other tool that can do this so it might be a nice feature that no other have.

I will make some suggestions on how the GUI could be - feel free to use them or not!

In the cutting window I would do all the cutting needed to the .ts file. Then press a new "Fix dvb-subtitles" button that will display any subtitles before each cut's - lets say the previous 10 seconds. Checkboxes for each subtitle will select what is needed. A great feature would be that you in the process of selecting subtitles could play the first 10 seconds of sound/video for each cut.

I can see it will be more complicated if what you write (most mediaplayer just ignore the timers and show it as soon the subtitles arriving) is true.
I don't doubting what you say! but I can say that my PC GOM player shows the subtitles in the right place when playing the uncutted .ts file even when it's shown 2 seconds after where I would have made the cut. I can check if it's also the case for my Dune HD player too - if you want that feedback.

When talking about dvb subtitles I have one more feature that is a bit wild...
It would be great to be able to just add a dvb subtitle to the .ts file any place you would like it. It could be in the cutting GUI or as a tool in the tool menu.
This could actually replace the feature above (missing the subtitle before the start cut).
I know dvb subtitles is bitmap pictures so to get the same font for the new subtitle text it would be so nice to (in some way) pick the lettes needed from all the other subtitles. I know that would be a very big job in a GUI so the more easy option is to just generate the subtitle bitmap from text in whatever font you decides to support. That said, picking the lettes from the bitmaps would be so great :-)

Again all this is just ideas you can use or ignore (of cause)!

Please feel free to ask me if something I wrote is unclear or you want my input on something.

[Prasmus]

Let me added this info too:

The reason for the 2. feature (add a dvb subtitle to the .ts file) is that I also have a problem with missing subtitles in recordings from some TV channels. The missing subtitles is listed in the log file TS-Doctor makes - and is listed as warnings (and sometime errors) so i think there are small failures in the dvb subtitles data in the recorded ts file.

My recordings from some movie channel has always those warnings/errors, typically 1-3 warnings but can also be up to 20-30 warnings or errors on each movie.
A warning is always a missing subtitle, an error is NOT always a missing subtitle...

I don't think it's due to transmission errors as it's ONLY AND ALWAYS the dvb subtitle stream, there are no errors or warning in the video or audio stream!
A transmission error will not only hit the subtitle part each time and considering that there are so much more video data compared to the subtitle data it's very unlikely transmission errors.