Subtitles don't show for one episode when using Roku

[frankmb 27]

For some reason, I have an episode where the Roku app won't show the subtitles even when I have them selected. This episode plays correctly with subtitles when using the Emby web app and Emby Theater for Windows. Subtitles type is "SUBRIP"

In the log attached, the last attempt to play is at 23:14 local (10:14 PM EST) using Roku app and subtitles did not work.

I also did a "Send Logs" inside the Roku app.

 

embyserver.txt

[ebr 14958]

Hi.  Is the subtitle internal or external?  Can you try refreshing metadata on this item and see if it still has the problem?

[frankmb 27]

Subtitle is internal. Refresh metadata does not fix it.

If I do "Attempt Playback Correction" server starts remuxing and subtitles work.

Edited August 21, 2022 by frankmb

[ebr 14958]

How was the item created?  It appears that the Roku simply is unable to display (or find) that subtitle.  It could be related to the metadata inside the item.  Can you try remuxing it?

[frankmb 27]

7 hours ago, ebr said:

How was the item created?  It appears that the Roku simply is unable to display (or find) that subtitle.  It could be related to the metadata inside the item.  Can you try remuxing it?

Not sure how it was created. How would I manually remux it? Is there a ffmpeg command that says "just keep all streams"?

 

Edit: mkvs were created using: 

Writing application                 : mkvmerge v49.0.0 ('Sick Of Losing Soulmates') 64-bit
Writing library                          : libebml v1.4.0 + libmatroska v1.6.1

Edited August 22, 2022 by frankmb

[frankmb 27]

I poked around some more and found other episodes of the same season that don't work.

Those that don't work have both a "English (Default Forced SUBRIP)" and "English (SUBRIP)" subtitles. When I choose the "English (SUBRIP)" I don't see subtitles.

For other episodes that do not have a "English (Default Forced SUBRIP)", the "English (SUBRIP)" works.

Edited August 22, 2022 by frankmb

[ebr 14958]

Okay, use an MKV editor to remove the "default" flag from those other subtitles and the ones you want may start to work.

[pwhodges 1538]

I always remove all "forced" flags as well.

To change flags on multiple files in a batch, Jmkvpropedit can simplify life (you need Java installed). 

Paul

Edited August 22, 2022 by pwhodges

[Luke 37229]

3 hours ago, frankmb said:

I poked around some more and found other episodes of the same season that don't work.

Those that don't work have both a "English (Default Forced SUBRIP)" and "English (SUBRIP)" subtitles. When I choose the "English (SUBRIP)" I don't see subtitles.

For other episodes that do not have a "English (Default Forced SUBRIP)", the "English (SUBRIP)" works.

At what point in the file are you testing and concluding that no subtitles are displayed? Can you test in the same spot that you would see subtitles with the forced track?

I think it's possible the Roku player might always be selecting the forced track even when we're trying to tell it to play the other one.

[frankmb 27]

2 hours ago, Luke said:

At what point in the file are you testing and concluding that no subtitles are displayed? Can you test in the same spot that you would see subtitles with the forced track?

I think it's possible the Roku player might always be selecting the forced track even when we're trying to tell it to play the other one.

Yes that is exactly what is happening. The forced english subtitles are always shown and the selection I made for subtitles is ignored. I confirmed this by finding a spot with forced subtitles. They are always the same whatever subtitles I choose.

Edited August 23, 2022 by frankmb

[frankmb 27]

4 hours ago, ebr said:

Okay, use an MKV editor to remove the "default" flag from those other subtitles and the ones you want may start to work.

Ok I used mkvtoolnix gui to change subtitle flags.

Removing the "default" flag did not fix anything. Always the same Forced English Subtitles used, whatever I select.

After that I removed the "forced" flag from the Forced English track and that fixed the problem. Now my selected subtitle track is working.

To me this sounds like a significant issue with Roku playback then.

[ebr 14958]

11 hours ago, frankmb said:

After that I removed the "forced" flag from the Forced English track and that fixed the problem. Now my selected subtitle track is working.

To me this sounds like a significant issue with Roku playback then.

What it is I think is a very strict interpretation of that flag on the part of Roku.  Technically, "forced" means these subs must be shown but, in practice, it is used for non-base language dialog mostly - which only needs to be shown conditionally.

[pwhodges 1538]

It's worth noting that in the current version of Handbrake, at least, selecting the default flag on a subtitle stream also sets the forced flag, even though that is not selected in the GUI.

Paul