Players and Subtitles

[jrockow]

I'm trying to understand how NPVR uses media players and handles subtitles.

When I play an MKV video file with a matching SRT subtitle file, the subtitle appears in the center of the screen. If I use MPC or VLC the subtitle shows up near the bottom, which is what I want.

It's my understanding that NPVR is using the default Windows Media Player?
If so, I can't find any way to adjust the subtitle position with that player.

Is it possible to have NPVR use MPC directly, or must MPC first be the default player?
If so, I haven't had much luck getting Windows to use MPC as the default player.

To confuse me even more, I wasn't able to get subtitles to show up in either MPC or WMP when I play a TS file.
What player does NPVR use for TS files?

Help a confused old man

[sub]

NextPVR always uses DirectShow for playback. These are Windows' media playback components (decoders/splitters/renderers etc). Most players on Windows are also using directshow for playback. (VLC doesn't)

When it comes to the playback of .ts files, it chooses explicitly chooses what directshow components to use, like the NextPVR TS reader, and the decoders the user has selected etc.

When it comes to the playback of non-.ts files, it lets Windows choose what directshow components to use.

[sub]

When it comes to subtitles for .ts files, NextPVR built in playback components can add subtitles on top for closed captions, teletext subtitles, DVB subtitles and SRT subtitles. (NextPVR's components are reading the stream, extracting the subtitle information, making pictures, and overlaying them on the video)

For non-.ts files, NextPVR can show subtitles supplied by the default directshow components for that file type, if the splitter implements the standard IAMStreamSelect method for selecting subtitles. For these types of file, NextPVR is also able add SRT subtitles on top itself. When NextPVR does it's own SRT on .mp4/.mkv, it always places the text in three specific line locations at the bottom of the screen, as shown in the screenshot below. Are these the subtitles causing you problems? I'd consider it near the bottom, but some people might call it 'in the center of the screen'?

[jrockow]

The subs I see are more towards the middle of the screen.

[drmargarit]

I get subtitles all over the place. Sometimes they are across the eyes in the picture above. My subtitles are much bigger and have a black background. They are quite obtrusive and hard to tolerate. FireTV/SlingTV subtitles are much nicer.
-.ts playback, W10, latest NPVR.

Jim

[sub]

I get subtitles all over the place. Sometimes they are across the eyes in the picture above. My subtitles are much bigger and have a black background. They are quite obtrusive and hard to tolerate.

What type of subtitles though? SRT like he is talking about, or Closed Captions, or something else?

When it comes to Closed Captions, Microsoft decide where they're shown (based on information in the stream), and how the they look, and the background color etc.

[sub]

The subs I see are more towards the middle of the screen.

What video renderer are you using?

[sub]

The subs I see are more towards the middle of the screen.

If you move the mouse, does your OSD graphics sit right at the bottom of the screen, as shown in my screenshot? (or do you have a big black bar at the bottom before the OSD graphics begin? (and you should be able to see the SRT subtitles behind them)

[drmargarit]

What type of subtitles though? SRT like he is talking about, or Closed Captions, or something else?

When it comes to Closed Captions, Microsoft decide where they're shown (based on information in the stream), and how the they look, and the background color etc.

Closed captions in .ts stream. Is there more control if I strip them out with ffmpeg and add them back as an .srt file?

Jim

[sub]

Closed captions in .ts stream. Is there more control if I strip them out with ffmpeg and add them back as an .srt file?

You could try converting recordings to SRT subtitles if you want, to see if the look suits you any better. They'd then look like screenshots above. You may find ffmpeg does not do a good job of converting some types of closed captions though, and it makes them a lot less usable.

The font / size / color aren't currently tweakable with SRT, but mainly because no one has asked for it. I can add this if need be.