I Need help with Closed Captioning

dcooper wrote on 6/7/2010, 8:40 AM
First, let me state that I am not a professional at this stuff. I was put into this position and have learned Vegas on my own.

I am still on Vegas 8.0.

I have figured out how to add the text to the timline, but when I render the file, the Closed Captioning does not work when I play the DVD on a TV or a PC. Even when I rendered it as a Windows media format as the help tab suggests.

For what I do, I need to render in AC3 Studio and mpg2 for dvd architect.

What am i missing to get this to work? What am I doing wrong?

Please help

David

Comments

Former user wrote on 6/7/2010, 8:49 AM
The Closed Caption file is added when you author the DVD. But you have to import a CC formatted file. Is that what you are doing?

Actually, I don't think DVDA supports closed captioning. It does support subtitles.

Dave T2
dcooper wrote on 6/7/2010, 9:00 AM
well, i just noticed that the directions i have for adding captioning to the timeline is for a streaming Windows Media Video presentation. So I guess that means I can't make a DVD with CC from it?

Is the CC formatted file that you are talking about from a CC company?

This is the first time i've had to deal with CC and getting this far into Vegas. I really just know the basics to do what I need to do.

I'm really lost with this.

David
Former user wrote on 6/7/2010, 9:02 AM
Sorry, I edited my post after you responded. DVDA does not support CC. You will need other software for that.

If you need Subtitles, it will support that. The HELP in DVDA and Vegas tells you how to create subtitles.

Usually a CC file is created by captioning software.

Dave T2
PerroneFord wrote on 6/7/2010, 1:10 PM
Ok, a couple of things:

1. Closed Captioning is not the same as subtitles.
2. Unless you are submitting to a TV station, you are not doing closed captions, you are wanting subtitles.
3. Vegas did not support closed captions until Version 9, however subtitles are supported in DVDA.
4. You can create subtitles in Vegas, but I do *NOT* recommend it as it is a royal pain.


So how do you do what you want to do?

1. You can have a service transcribe your audio file and give you a caption file. This is what I do, and I use Automated Sync Technologies. They are reasonable and quite accurate. Or you can do your own file. I recommend a program called Subtitle Workshop. It's free, and excellent.

2. Save the file (or have it delivered to you) in Adobe Encore format. Most people will not know DVDA, but DVDA reads and understand Adobe Encore format just fine.

3. Follow the instructions in DVDA for importing a subtitle file. It's not too tricky to do.

4. Output your DVD as per the instructions.


I have to do this for every video I create at work. Takes some extra work, but these programs do a nice job.
winrockpost wrote on 6/7/2010, 1:26 PM
What Perrone said... also doing cc and subtitles on regular basis...went through it for the first time a couple a months ago,Automated Sync Technologies was great.. they also transcribe.. upload transcription with mp3 and get results in minutes...found them reasonable and reliable
ChipGallo wrote on 6/7/2010, 1:29 PM
That's http://www.automaticsync.com/captionsync/ and they support an output format for DVDA. I have always uploaded a small version of the entire video rather than just the audio file. I think it may need the video for the timings. If you have a transcript they allow you to upload that along with the video and the system conforms it to the video and sends you a file by e-mail in a few minutes.

Then you take the "SonicDVD Creator" subtitle file (.sonic.sub) and follow the DVDA manual instructions found on page 118 of the Pro manual on bringing in prepared subtitles. I say this with a bit of trepidation because I have never done a project this way, but AutomaticSync output works with Flash, WMV and Quicktime files for me so I have faith ...

PerroneFord wrote on 6/7/2010, 1:39 PM
I've never had any trouble with the timings from just doing audio. And some of my projects are well over 2-3 hours, so uploading even a "small" video file would be prohibitive.

I request the Adobe Encore file (as well as Avid) caption files to cover my bases. I've not had as much luck with Sonic stuff trying to go into DVDA.
dcooper wrote on 6/7/2010, 1:58 PM
Thank you all for your help. You are most generous with your time and talents.

I wanted to do CC but realize that it has to be outsourced, so i am going with subtitles.

Is there a way to make a button for the DVD menu in DVDA to turn subtitles on/off?

Thanks again. You guys are awesome!

David
PerroneFord wrote on 6/7/2010, 2:19 PM
As far as I know, you turn on/off subtitles just like you would with a commercial disk. It's on the remote control.
Former user wrote on 6/7/2010, 3:18 PM
Yes. You can create buttons to change video streams, audio streams and subtitles.

It is in the right hand side where you actions and end actions for the buttons.

Dave T2
rs170a wrote on 6/7/2010, 5:26 PM
Perrone is correct.
I've done several subtitled DVDs and all I do is put a notice on the main screen telling viewers to enable or disable it as desired.
BTW, it can be set to be on so that the viewer has to turn it off if they don't want it displayed.

Mike
ChipGallo wrote on 6/7/2010, 6:02 PM
Most commercial movies have software selectable subtitles in the "setup" area, where you chose the type of audio to listen to. With DVDA 4.5, I had a blank subtitle track and a populated one for our production of CATS ON ICE (yes, an ice skating version of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical). During authoring one could choose which was the default (off in this case) and add a button to select the visible subtitles.

I was surprised to find that some inexpensive DVD player remotes do not have a button for subtitle on/off. YMMV.
Former user wrote on 6/7/2010, 6:11 PM
Ooh, I don't like it when subtitles play by default. Just a personal perference.

I always make two play buttons on the Menu. One for PLAY and one PLAY WITH SUBTITLES.

Dave T2
rs170a wrote on 6/7/2010, 6:41 PM
DaveT2, when the DVDs I produce are specifically for the hearing impaired, subtitles are on by default.
Otherwise it's up to the individual viewer.

Mike
Former user wrote on 6/7/2010, 6:46 PM
Of course that makes sense.

Dave T2
dcooper wrote on 6/14/2010, 2:35 PM
OK. Vegas 9 users. If you have CC in your timeline When rendering for DVDA using MPEG 2, do the work thru DVDA?
cold-ones wrote on 6/14/2010, 3:07 PM
This may not be responsive, but here goes: I use DVDA to create DVDs with movies that are closed captioned. This is my workflow: create an scc (Scenarist closed caption) file, export the movie from Vegas as an m2v (video stream only), then use an old Mac utility called "Mpeg CC Insert" that inserts the scc file into the m2v. DVDA accepts this final m2v file for creating the final DVD, closed captions and all.

(FWIW, I also include subtitles, because many DVD players don't "pass through" closed captioning to TVs. A viable alternative is SDH Subtitles, which use the grammar and formatting of closed captions but are subtitles, which are playable on most any DVD player.)