[tctimmeh]

Here's a real newb question... I have a few MKV rips where the main language is english but large portions of the movie are spoken in another language. I can enable enligh subs but then I get subtitles for the whole movie when I only want subtitles for the non-english dialog (like it would be if watching from the disc).

Is there a way I can fix this or is it a problem with the rip?

[hogfan]

What are you encoding to MKV with? If you are using handbrake, when choosing subtitles you can choose the English subtitle track, check the box for "Forced Only", and the check "Default". This will only display the forced subtitles which are the ones for the foreign language scenes. However, some forced subtitles are separate subtitle tracks, so handbrake also has a "Foreign Audio Search" option that finds these. If you movie has more than 1 English subtitle track, or and English sub track, and others listed as "Unknown" you should select the "Foreign Audio Search" option instead of the english track. Be sure to still check "Forced Only" and "Default".

If you choose "Burned In" Handbrake with embed the subs into the video. However, I think this feature sucks because the subtitles are burned in yellow. I want white subs!

[gabbott]

The rip would need to contain a subtitle track specific to only the non-english parts.

[tctimmeh]

ya, these aren't rips that I've done myself. I'm surprised that they didn't come with subs for the non-english parts only and that no one else has complained about it. Do people just watch their movies with the subtitles on all the time?

[prae5]

Typically for movies like that have forced subs for foreign lang bits it has them embedded.

[hogfan]

The rip would need to contain a subtitle track specific to only the non-english parts.

This is only true sometimes. Sometimes the "Forced Subtitles" for the foreign language scenes are actually in the regular English Subtitle stream but are "flagged" as "Forced". (I just experienced this with Angels & Demons) This tells the player to always display these subtitles, even when the subtitles track is disabled.


Other times, these "Forced Subtitles" will be in a separate subtitle track(s) specifically for the "Forced Subtitles".

Typically for movies like that have forced subs for foreign lang bits it has them embedded.

This is also only true sometimes only, however it is fairly common. This is my favorite kind of source to work with. The only disadvantage to this is the Engilsh (or native language) subs are embedded (or burned in) to the video. If you try to watch the movie with say "Spanish Subtitles", the foreign language scenes will still be English since the subtitles are part of the video.

You have the option in Handbrake of burning the forced subtitles into the video, but Handbrake burns them in Yellow instead of white which I do not like.