Subtitles created via OCR (VobSUb->srt) are limited to 3 seconds

[walther]

Using "Tools" -> "OCR (VobSub -> srt)" to create srt files from idx/sub works well, but the subtitles length seems to be limited to three seconds. Timecodes for the sub's start is correct and the timecode for the end of the sub is corrected, too, when it's shorter than three seconds. This issue was already reported by someone else in the Mac/OSX section but without any reaction (since I'm using linux it seems not to be OS-related).

Is there a chance to get this fixed? Or is there a way to manually remove this limit?

[Agent_007]

IIRC with 2.6 there will be a separate tool for the OCR.

But I think the code fix for 2.5 should be trivial.

[walther]

Thanks for your reply :-)

A trivial fix would be nice... but can you help with that?

[Agent_007]

I tried to find the part that calculates the time, but I didn't. Maybe it isn't in ADM_ocr folder.

[nibbles]

There are several programs out there whose only purpose is to convert subs.  While you wait for something to happen here, you could also just get it done with ________ or ________.  Problem is I forget the names.  Check Videohelp and Doom9 for the names of the converters I forgot.  You might want to search on opensubtitles.org to see if the subs exist already.

[walther]

@nibbles: Thanks for the info, but I've already searched for the subs. And the (probably) most popular software for converting subs is "Subrip", but it is not that good in converting subs from idx/sub files. That's why I use Avidemux for this purpose.

[nibbles]

Yeah that sounds familiar, subrip.  I've done it a few times with idx/sub because I hate the low res characters and was able to get both high res and adjustable color with srt.  So I hear you.  I didn't realize Avidemux could be better, but I admit I never tried it.  If I get motivated, I'll try to figure what is causing that 3sec limit.  Thanks for your post about this.

[Jan Gruuthuse]

Don't know if you can do anything with this: Ubuntu Manpage: subp2pgm  -  convert  VobSub  DVD  subtitles  into  pgm  files  and xml description

[walther]

@nibbles: IMHO SubRip ignores many subs in idx/sub files and it doesn't recognize all text correctly.

@ Jan Gruuthuse: Thanks for the hint! I managed to create many pgm files with subp2pgm but I fail to convert these files to srt files using subptools. Do you have any experience in the usage of it to give me an example for its usage? ;-)

But in the end... let's hope this issue will be finally fixed in Avidemux :-)

[Jan Gruuthuse]

Sorry no experience with this. Ubuntu Manpage: subptools
looks like there could be a problem?

-c, --cut first[,last]
              Write  only  entries  numbered  from  first  to last, where last
              defaults to the last entry of the file.

-c, --convert format
              Convert the xml subtitles file into a srt  (default)  or  spumux
              file.

Have you tried using --convert instead of -c that may cause conflict with --cut?

[Jan Gruuthuse]

you don't have avidemux 2.4? http://www.my-guides.net/en/content/view/167/1/

[walther]

@Jan Gruuthuse: Thanks again. Yes, I've noticed the wrong option -c -> it should be -t to convert, but it didn't work (or I'm to stupid...)

The OCR routine is the same in Avidemux 2.5 as in 2.4. In the linked guide (http://www.my-guides.net/en/content/view/167/1/) the "3 seconds issue" is illustrated in the last picture (http://www.my-guides.net/en/images/stories/extract_dvd_subs/extract_dvd_subs_20.jpg): no sub is longer than 3 seconds :/

@Agent_007: I've installed Avidemux 2.6 now and you're right: OCR is removed from the main program.

[Jan Gruuthuse]

Thanks again. Yes, I've noticed the wrong option -c -> it should be -t to convert, but it didn't work (or I'm to stupid...)

Instead of using -t try withfull --convert .
If I'm not mistaken, you can use the shorthand (-t) or the full (--convert), see if that makes a difference?

[walther]

Instead of using -t try withfull --convert .

It doesn't make any different :/

But maybe my command is wrong - example:

Code Select Expand

subptools -i xyz.xml -o zyx.srt -t srt
This gives many lines saying "WARNING: Cannot write text (not defined)".
Did I miss something?

[Jan Gruuthuse]

subptools -i xyz.xml -o zyx.srt -t srt

parameter for -t or --convert is 0 or 1 for format. File empty is written with 0 length.
Looks like information is missing? I'm trying to piece together and test each step of the process. Will have a look at it tomorrow. And see if I can get some progress.