Adding external subtitles to 3D Blu-ray playback

[the13thman]

Some players (e.g. Oppo) will allow external subtitle files to be displayed when playing back a 3D Blu-ray. This thread can be used to discuss which players have this option and how it's done.

See also https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=314129

[Tober27]

People were saying select Panasonic players can do this.
If anyone is aware, is there a list of compatible Panasonics, or firmware available to enable this? I have two different models and would be very interested.
Thanks!

[Matthew22]

Originally Posted by Tober27

People were saying select Panasonic players can do this.
If anyone is aware, is there a list of compatible Panasonics, or firmware available to enable this? I have two different models and would be very interested.

You can do that with a modified firmware (you have to pay for it). More info on this site:

https://www.regionfreedom.com/index....-eg-gk-gn-p-pc

Best regards!

[Tober27]

Originally Posted by Matthew22

You can do that with a modified firmware (you have to pay for it). More info on this site:

https://www.regionfreedom.com/index....-eg-gk-gn-p-pc

Best regards!

Thanks, but I've already tried. I'd be happy to pay, but it doesn't seem to be available for either of my players:
DMR-BWT955
DMR-UBT1GL-K

I tried contacting them to ask if any firmware would be compatible, but didn't get any response.

[Jlardonio]

Originally Posted by Tober27

Thanks, but I've already tried. I'd be happy to pay, but it doesn't seem to be available for either of my players:
DMR-BWT955
DMR-UBT1GL-K

I tried contacting them to ask if any firmware would be compatible, but didn't get any response.

https://www.regionfreedom.com/index....d-models-gl-gz

I don't know if it will be enough for getting external subs on that player.

[Tober27]

Originally Posted by Jlardonio

https://www.regionfreedom.com/index....d-models-gl-gz

I don't know if it will be enough for getting external subs on that player.

Thanks. I purchased this firmware from the site years ago to unlock regions. It seems they've updated it since then, as I have 1.24A, and they're now on 1.27A. I guess they don't offer free upgrades.
There's no mention of external subtitles in the descriptions though.

I just tried to contact them again, this time mentioning I purchased firmware previously, to ask if the new firmware supports the subs. Will see if I hear back.

[emailking]

I used my Oppo UDP-203 for Shang Chi and had some problems. For example, punctuation marks (periods, question marks) at the end of a subtitle were ALWAYS cut off. (if not at the end, they were fine) I had one line that ended with the word "empowered" and the d was cut off. I even tried removing a comma in the line to make it shorter, but it made no difference, still cut off the d.

And then there were a few lines that would not appear on screen no matter what, even after rewinding, rebooting the player, etc. I even tried making them appear seconds earlier, in case the lines after them were interfering somehow. But this made no difference.

If I switch to the native English subtitles on the disc, all punctuation marks appeared, that letter was not cut off, and all lines appeared at the right time.

Any ideas? Has anyone encountered anything like that?

[Jlardonio]

Originally Posted by emailking

I used my Oppo UDP-203 for Shang Chi and had some problems. For example, punctuation marks (periods, question marks) at the end of a subtitle were ALWAYS cut off. (if not at the end, they were fine) I had one line that ended with the word "empowered" and the d was cut off. I even tried removing a comma in the line to make it shorter, but it made no difference, still cut off the d.

And then there were a few lines that would not appear on screen no matter what, even after rewinding, rebooting the player, etc. I even tried making them appear seconds earlier, in case the lines after them were interfering somehow. But this made no difference.

If I switch to the native English subtitles on the disc, all punctuation marks appeared, that letter was not cut off, and all lines appeared at the right time.

Any ideas? Has anyone encountered anything like that?

Do you have the latest firmware?

Are those subtitles encoded the way that the player is compatible with?

[emailking]

Yes and I have no idea.

[Jlardonio]

Originally Posted by emailking

Yes and I have no idea.

Probably a programming issue.

I'd sudjest you to change those subtitles encoding to UTF-8 as most devices are set to work better with that settings.

Try add a char or another pontuation at the end of the missing character/pontuation so you don't note those issues if the above doesn't work.

Try do a hard reset to the device or do firmware reinstall and hard reset after and test it if the problem is solved. If not, do the char/point adding.

[Tober27]

Originally Posted by Tober27

I just tried to contact them again, this time mentioning I purchased firmware previously, to ask if the new firmware supports the subs. Will see if I hear back.

Well, I never heard back, so it seems my 2 Panasonics are no go for external subs.
So I've heard the Oppos can do it, and some Panasonics with firmware.

Who has a player than can do it, and what is your player's model?
I'd like to put together a list, as I may be looking for a new player that can do external subs now.

And are there any downsides to yours?
Some were saying they can't control depth of subs, and some players can?

For any info, thanks!

[BLMN]

Originally Posted by Tober27

Well, I never heard back, so it seems my 2 Panasonics are no go for external subs.
So I've heard the Oppos can do it, and some Panasonics with firmware.

Who has a player than can do it, and what is your player's model?
I'd like to put together a list, as I may be looking for a new player that can do external subs now.

And are there any downsides to yours?
Some were saying they can't control depth of subs, and some players can?

For any info, thanks!

I have the Cambridge Audio CXUHD, its an Oppo 203 identical clone and it has the ability for external subs just like the Oppo. It has all the same pros Oppo has, the only cons is the secondary market price for this unit.

take a look here https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=337548 this brand just released 3 players recently, maybe they are capable of taking external subs.

[Jlardonio]

Originally Posted by Alain57

Hello, I found the English subtitles of Monster Run, but nothing in French.


https://subscene.com/subtitles/monst...-wu-xian-sheng

You can use google translator... you just need to copy the text and paste there... after translated you can just copy the translation and past it on notepad and save it as a .srt file or use a software for subtitles. Usually the translator changes the "-->" to "->" and that way the subtitles don't work... just need to replace the -> to --> in one step and you get them working normally.

Some translation adaptation may be needed on your part, nothing much.

[thestrangestick]

Paging @Mobe1969 to try a 3D Blu-ray with external subs in the Panasonic player with the modified firmware and report back! Bonus points if you can provide pictures of what it looks like, you had mentioned when you tried in 2D they were a bit ugly.

[Tober27]

Anyone use the Panasonic DP-UB9000?
I'm considering getting one for the DolbyVision, but also the external subtitles for discs which can be added with regionfreedom firmware. Mostly for 3D movies (Marvel from Japan).

Has anyone used this firmware with this model? Or external subtitles with any prior Panasonic model? Any thoughts or problems?
Very little info here from anyone who has used this feature.
Thanks.

[Tober27]

Not an active thread.
So, I purchased a Panasonic UB820, partially for this, partially for DolbyVision. Then I got the firmware from RegionFreedom.com.

It can successfully play an srt subtitle file from a USB. There are very limited controls for the subtitles though. You can change the position, up and down on the screen. You cannot change the luminance. You can change the size and synch.

While the white-letter subtitles look fine, there is a blue border/background around them than can't seem to be changed. This kind of sucks, but happy to be doing it at all.

If anyone knows any more options or way of changing this, I'd love to know.
You can also change "Character Code" from "UTF-8" to "ANSI/GB2312". I have no idea what this does and didn't notice any change.

That's just a first impression, throwing in Black Widow 3D to see how it worked. Will proper watch the movie when I have time.

[Jlardonio]

Originally Posted by Tober27

Not an active thread.
So, I purchased a Panasonic UB820, partially for this, partially for DolbyVision. Then I got the firmware from RegionFreedom.com.

It can successfully play an srt subtitle file from a USB. There are very limited controls for the subtitles though. You can change the position, up and down on the screen. You cannot change the luminance. You can change the size and synch.

While the white-letter subtitles look fine, there is a blue border/background around them than can't seem to be changed. This kind of sucks, but happy to be doing it at all.

If anyone knows any more options or way of changing this, I'd love to know.
You can also change "Character Code" from "UTF-8" to "ANSI/GB2312". I have no idea what this does and didn't notice any change.

That's just a first impression, throwing in Black Widow 3D to see how it worked. Will proper watch the movie when I have time.

Thank you for your effort on getting the hardware and doing your testings.

The encoding(character code) is for languages that use special characters. Such as "ç", "ë", "ö", "í", "à" and so on.

[Tober27]

Originally Posted by Jlardonio

Thank you for your effort on getting the hardware and doing your testings.

The encoding(character code) is for languages that use special characters. Such as "ç", "ë", "ö", "í", "à" and so on.

Ah, thank you.

[Tober27]

Just to finish off my post, this is how the subtitles look. The blue background can't seem to be removed. (would love to know if it can)
The first is their default position. The 2nd is how I always make them as low as possible, outside the frame where applicable.

[Mobe1969]

Pretty hideous, the serif font and blue background. Did it handle the 3D layer though?

Zidoo is so much better for 3d subs honestly. But need them digital.

Regards characters, I run my srt files thru this to find any non ascii characters:
https://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~markm/ascii.html