Changing the font of subtitles

[Alhuin]

I want to change the font of a particular anime series I've acquired, but for the life of me, I cannot figure out how to do it. I've searched Google, but only gotten results from 2010 (where most links are dead and files missing). I've searched the forums. Fansubbing websites. I can't find anything. So I've decided to just ask the community.

For reference, the file is an .mkv, and I assume the fonts are softsubbed.

[Sapphire]

Wild stab:

*Right click on window-> Options -> Subtitles -> Misc -> Ignore embedded subtitles
*Subtitles -> Default style

Doesn't work?

Make a different .ass file (demux .ass then use aegisubs -> style manager) with the font you want and name the .ass the same as your video file, then right click in video -> subtitles -> the .ass file you want. There's other options like going to your quick launch and messing around w/ your Direct Vob Sub...

Or actually demuxing the .mkv and remuxing a new .ass file (aegisubs -> style manager) w/ the font you want if you wanna embed the subz and be all hardcore about it.

Muxing programs are called mkvmerge gui and mkv extract gui

[Kraco]

I have, when needed, properly extracted the shit out of the mkv, edited the .ass in a Notepad, and then remuxed the stuff back into the mkv, not forgetting the new, better font attachment, naturally. But then again, I archive almost all anime I download, so it's easier this way should I ever rewatch the show.

I have used Aegisub to correct timing and turn a simple .srt into an .ass.

[Alhuin]

Yeah, I archive the shows that I like/would possibly rewatch. Usually, there are multiple releases for any given series, so it's just a matter of obtaining multiple releases to find the best one. However, sometimes, there is only one "best quality" version, and it comes with the ugliest, most horrifying font that no one in their right mind could ever possibly, intentionally, choose to use for releasing to the public. This time I just made the decision to fix it myself, if I can.

Mkvmerge and mkvextract are two of the programs I kept seeing in threads from 2010, but every link was dead. I did a search on Google for one of them (can't remember at the moment) and got results for a Mac version, but no Windows version. I'll try again sometime tonight. I plan on being "hardcore" about it and embedding the subs back in, so I guess I need to get Aegisub too.

I wonder if it's also possible to turn a dual audio release into a single audio release? Or at least change which language is default. That might be a bigger project than it's worth though.

Thanks for the help!

[Sapphire]

Dual audio -> Single audio , use mkv merge

change default language -> i think you can make your direct vob sub (in quick launch when you're playing subs in mpc) target a specific audio file first, just google it.

[Alhuin]

MKVextract/merge and Aegisub seems to be doing the trick. I'm just perfecting adjustments for the default track before applying it to all files.

I was also able to change the default language priority, but once I started using merge, I found it easier to just remove the unnecessary track(s).

Given that I'm pretty bad at making comparisons, and just out of curiosity, what settings does Gotwoot normally use for subtitles? I'm trying to figure out if doing pure white, or a more cloudy color would work better for the text, but I think I have the outline color picked. I'm not sure what the secondary color refers to, and I assume the shadow is best at black. But what about the thickness of the outline and shadow?

[Sapphire]

Depends on the series, just steal another groups font by using extract and export their style from the .ass file in there and save it by using style manager, then import it to your .ass file if you like

Installing the stolen fonts should be fine if your lazy but it's better to just mix the fonts into the .mkv for portability

-on iPhone so lazy grammarz lol

[Alhuin]

I already have the font I want to use. I think I've actually perfected the style for my tastes. At least, for this series. Future series I might have to tweak it again. I still don't know what the "secondary color" refers to. I'll Google it later on though; I've been working on a multitude of issues tonight.

EDIT: The "secondary color" apparently only matters for karaoke. Luckily, there is none in this release, so I don't have to worry about it. I've been having a lot of fun working with this though! I learned the command to give a subtle "blurred edge" to the text, and it looks really good. My changes may not be the best, but it's much better than what it started out as.

[Alhuin]

So it's a lot more work to fix these than I originally thought. I had forgotten about the episode titles. Those are a bit harder than the rest since I have to adjust the position, timing, and sometimes even the color scheme. On average, I've been going through 5 copies of one file just trying to match it all perfectly. How in the hell someone ever released this the way it was in the first place is beyond me.

I did have another quick question though. The command to blur the edges that I've been using is {\be1}. Everything I read said "all text after an override block will be affected, unless they are re-overriden." Does changing the position of a subtitle, or making it bold/italic count as a re-override? I had been assuming it did, which was fine for the first 9 episodes, because the only other override block was the position of the episode title, so I just added another {\be1} to the next line. But now there are a lot more. I'm just wondering if I need to insert that block on every one of those lines.

Another quick, somewhat side question. Say I find a script that I like (regardless of fonts, since I know I can change all that), but I want to download a RAW BDMV version of the series (one of those 50gb+ ones)... since the BDMV format usually isn't .mkv, will mkvmerge be able to turn it into one with a lower file size? Or does that require another program? Then on the other side, say I just use a RAW .mkv version... will there be any timing issues when I try to mux in the script that I want to use?

I apologize for my curiosity, but after working on this series, I'm getting the urge to fix some of my older archived releases with better quality video if I can find it.

[Kraco]

To reduce the file size, you need to reencode the video and probably the audio. BDs are in the standard 8-bit h264. Usually if you encode for computer use (not some shitty PS3 or whatever hardware player use) you use 10-bit x264 these days. Audio compression method also matters somewhat in the final file size, but it's up to you what to use (some lossy or lossless).

Personally I suggest you have a look at MeGUI if you are interested in video encoding (it encodes audio as well for your convenience). I haven't been encoding anything for a while, but when I last used it, you had to switch manually the x264.exe between 8-bit and 10-bit in the subfolder, but that makes no difference inside the GUI. Maybe these days it can handle both at the same time, dunno. An excellent GUI all in all.

There could always be timing issues. You'll just have to see. Most of the time it's just moving all the subs forward or backward a little bit, which takes a few minutes of work in Aegisub. If you are unlucky, there's some actual difference in the video and you'll find yourself going through it all manually.

[Alhuin]

Heh, maybe I'll learn enough and have enough fun to try and start my own website, and release my versions of encodes. I mean, that's all people like Final8 and Dmonhiro do anyways, right? Get a script from somewhere (assuming permission) then remux it with better video, making changes to fonts and whatnot. I mean, I'm sure there is more to it, but if I'm learning this much, I can't be far off from doing that, no?

I was never able to get into fansubbing because of my limited availability, but maybe this will be a way to give back to the community on my own time.

[Kraco]

Yeah, not far at all. Once you have learned to encode the audio and video, you'll know more than I do. Because I never tweaked with the subs as much as you did, based on your earlier posts. I never got that deep into the video encoding either. It's quite an art, I reckon, but I only scraped the surface enough to get my measly projects done. I could hardly substitute a real fansub group encoder. Despite my superficial skills, I have a bunch of anime episodes in my own archive where I combined good subs with video and audio from good raws, instead of the original SD video of the subber's release. Which is basically what you had in mind.