Nero loves removing my subtitles. Why? How can I fight back?

For the second time I would really like help if possible in solving a nagging problem which rather fascinates me. Here are the details:

I downloaded a film called “ Nueve Reinas” in Spanish and “Nine Queens” in English. This is definitely PAL, as it was made in Argentina and is in Spanish. The details of the film are:

Video Format
Codec
4CC: MP43/div3
Name: S-Mpeg 4 version 3
Staus: Codec is installed.
Aspect: 512 x 304 (1.684 : 1)
Bitrate: 743 kb/s
Frames/Sec: 25.000 FPS

Stream/ File format: Audio Visual Interleave (AVI)

Audio Format
Codec
Name: mpeglayer3 (mp3) (0x0055) ISO/MPEG
Staus: Codec is installed
Bitrate:96 kb/s CBR
Sample Rate: 48000 Hz

DirectShow Render
Video Media: MEDIASUBTYPE_YUY2
Audio Media: MEDIASUBTYPE_PCM
Splitter/Other: Mpeg43 Decoder DMO
Video Codec: DirectVobSub (auto-loading version)
Audio Codec: MPEG Layer-3 Decoder --> Morgan Stream Switcher
Staus: File rendered successfully : no errors reported


I download the English subrip subtitles of 25fps and synchronized the subtitles without any problem.

Then I proceeded to put the downloaded subtitles on the .avi file using srt to ssa converter, virtualdub and TMPGEnc. I had no problems and produced an mpeg file which I played using Windows Media player. The sound, image and subtitles were fine, so I went ahead with burning a VCD using Nero version 5.5.9.0. and the Nero wizard.
Finally, I put the VCD into my Pioneer DV-535 VCD player, checked that my TV screen was okay, and lo and behold to my horror I discovered that the image and audio were great but THERE WERE NO SUBTITLES. NERO HAD REMOVED THEM.
I tried again in NTSC format and produced another excellent mpeg file with image, audio and subtitles, and again NERO HAD REMOVED THE SUBTITLES ON BURNING.
I tried the vcds in my dvd drive using Windows Media player and got the same, excellent audio and image but no subtitles.
I would really appreciate knowing why NERO seems to have gone mad here or just hates me, and also how I can get NERO not to remove them ever again.
Thanks a lot for any help. It would be very much appreciated.

 

Since this sounds like possibly an off the wall problem I'm going to suggest a possibly off the wall answer. Check your DVD player and see if there is an option to turn subtitles on or off. I know on my PC dvd player I have seen this when I right click on the mouse and get a menu while playing a movie. Other than that, you've piqued my curiosity so I will look around for an answer.

 

Hello Twilite. Thanks for your reply. I have checked my pc dvd player and there is an option for turning subtitles on and off. I turned the subtitle option to On and in both the NTSC and PAL VCD NO SUBTITLES APPEARED. Quite incredible to think I have two excellent mpegs with excellent image, sound and subtitles and on burning VCDS with Nero, Nero makes the subtitles disappear. Reckon Nero has a hate campaign against me. Thanks a lot for looking around when you have a spare minute.

 

Again Nero has removed the English subtitles of the film, “ Rabbit Proof Fence”, the details of which are listed below, on burning a VCD using NERO, which completely squashes and annihilates Twilite’s theory that this an off the wall problem.
It certainly is not.
The mpg file produced had excellent subtitles, audio and image but again on burning to a VCD [ mpeg], Nero removed the subtitles.


Video Format
Codec
4CC: mp43
Name: S-Mpeg 4 version 3
Status: Codec is installed.
Aspect: 320 x 240 (1.333 : 1)
Bitrate: 302 kb/s
Frames/Sec: 12.500 FPS


Stream/ File format: Audio Visual Interleave (AVI)


Audio Format
Codec
Name: mpeglayer3 (mp3) (0x0055) ISO/MPEG
Status: Codec is installed
Bitrate: 56 kb/s CBR
Sample Rate: 24000 Hz


DirectShow Render
Video Media: MEDIASUBTYPE_YUY2
Audio Media: MEDIASUBTYPE_PCM
Splitter/Other: Mpeg43 Decoder DMO
Video Codec: DivXG400
Audio Codec: MPEG Layer-3 Decoder --> Morgan Stream Switcher
Status: File rendered successfully : no errors reported

Any help as to why Nero should or can remove subtitles from an mpg file when burning to a VCD [mpeg] and any solution would be appreciated. This thread has also been posted on playback problems, as often two heads are better than one. Thanks for any help.

 

I haven't found an answer but here's a bit of what I did find. Nero appears to only be able to write a .bin file (VCD) if there is only 1 track in the BIN. Now making a jump of theory here, I wonder if during the conversion from mpeg to bin the subtitles are being stripped out because they are part of another track. There is a guide on this site for creating permanent subtitles from a vobsub package. I don't know if you want permanent subtitles but you may want to check it out.

 

Yes, all my subtitles are permanent and work wonderfully well on all vcds burnt on Nero except
these two films above. Up to now I have downloaded the subs, synchronise if necessary with Time Adjuster and /or Subedit and use srt to ssa converter, Virtualdub and TMPGEnc, before burning a vcd using Nero. Also remember these films have been downloaded from kazaa and are .avi files. Up to now I have never ever used Vobsub. I have always used the Avery lee subtitler in Virtualdub.
Is the vobsub package you are referring to, the article "Convert DivX video to VideoCD format with VobSub subtitles" in afterdawn.com or is it contained in the VobSub v2.23?
Thanks
Geoffrey Astbury
e-mail:ageoffr@fibertel.com.ar
http://www.pleasantenglish.com