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Subtitle search in MBC?


yardameus
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yardameus

I am just curious if it is possible or relatively simple to create a plugin for MBC that allows you to search for/download a subtitle in MBC?  As well as the subtitle search/download function is working in MBS, I was hoping something could be added on to MBC to utilize that function from the living room. 

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techywarrior

MBS is the "management" portal for the media so firstly not sure if it makes sense to have subtitles in MBC. I would think it's definitely feasible to do if someone wanted to write it. At worst they could be temporary, at best you could have them added to the media location.

 

I don't use the MBS sub title plugin (I render sub titles to the video when I rip my movies when I need them) but my understanding is that it's automatic. (in that it will download the sub titles for you when it scans the library or runs the task) Wouldn't this alleviate the need for an MBC plugin?

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Cheesegeezer

Techy you are correct, what you need with mbc is a way to show the .srt file when its playing as WMC is locked by default to the WMF. So using LAV filters or FFDShow can show the external subs during playback.

 

@@yardameus if you have the subtitle plugin installed and signed up to the site. And entered your login credentials in the server when you add new media it will auto search for subs in your chosen language. Doing a refresh of a media collection and selecting "only replace missing data" option should force the provider to attempt to get subs for that collection.

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techywarrior

If it's just a matter of MBC using the sub title files that you already have, either manually or thru the plugin, then I am sure Ebr would be adding that into a future version of MBC as a core feature.

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yardameus

I understand and agree with most everything you guys are saying.  Mainly, I don't always want subtitles, but if I'm watching something with my wife, she wants them.  So I usually just get subtitles, but if I had a feature in MBC that I could tell the MBS subtitle fetcher to fetch the subtitle, I could do it on demand if she is there watching the show with me.  That's why I was asking if it was something that could be easily done.  It's not at all necessary, and is a non factor if I'm using MBT (I can just turn the subtitle off).  Either way, this would be the lowest of the low priority requests.  Like you all said, I can just turn on the automatic fetch of subtitles, but that just means I have to see them even when she's not there. *gasp*

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techywarrior

MBC will have a way to turn them on/off. You just won't be able to download them directly from in MBC. So I would recommend you turn on the subtitle fetcher and get the files and then wait for ebr to update MBC with the on/off subtitle. (assuming it isn't in the already but I can't test.)

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yardameus

Well, then that takes care of it.  I didn't realize the option to turn the subtitle on/off was going to be possible in MBC.  That's even better.  Auto subtitle it is then.  Thanks for answering my question.

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BATTLE DONKEY

Actually, I'm not sure I can control subtitles in the WMC player...

*fingers crossed* lol

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yardameus

Actually, I'm not sure I can control subtitles in the WMC player...

That's what I thought.

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Cheesegeezer

That's what I thought.

Do you use media control mce?

 

I wrote a quick guide for @@Heckler but you will need to have FFDShow installed to be able to select sub strams, audio syrams in your media.

 

http://mediabrowser.tv/community/index.php?/topic/6936-htpc-upgrade-time/page-2&do=findComment&comment=97967

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techywarrior

Actually, I'm not sure I can control subtitles in the WMC player...

 

Would it not be possible to load a new stream when subtitles are selected (and have the server lay the subtitles onto the video) ? While not nearly as good as having native subtitle support it would be better then having people configure and use Media Control MCE. (as far as ease of use)

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Cheesegeezer

Would it not be possible to load a new stream when subtitles are selected (and have the server lay the subtitles onto the video) ? While not nearly as good as having native subtitle support it would be better then having people configure and use Media Control MCE. (as far as ease of use)

 

The windows media foundation has no way of decoding subtitle streams. I believe that if WMC could decode subs there would already be a hack/solution out there already.

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techywarrior

The windows media foundation has no way of decoding subtitle streams. I believe that if WMC could decode subs there would already be a hack/solution out there already.

I think you misunderstand what I am suggesting. Since the server can already add subtitles to video using ffmpeg the custom overlay ebr created could have a button to select a subtitle track and then start a new stream from the server. It's not perfect, and you lose the ability to direct play the media etc. but it would be a "solution" since WMC can't do subtitles itself.

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I think you misunderstand what I am suggesting. Since the server can already add subtitles to video using ffmpeg the custom overlay ebr created could have a button to select a subtitle track and then start a new stream from the server. It's not perfect, and you lose the ability to direct play the media etc. but it would be a "solution" since WMC can't do subtitles itself.

 

That would work but it would require streaming/transcoding the content through the server which we make every effort to avoid right now.

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techywarrior

That would work but it would require streaming/transcoding the content through the server which we make every effort to avoid right now.

Yea, I know. Like I said. It's a solution... not the perfect solution. But if it's the only way to get subtitles it may be worth doing IMO. I think the usability of asking people who install MBC to then also install and configure another third party WMC addon just to get subtitles in MBC is awkward. And for those people who already use that method, there shouldn't be any change since you aren't required to use the subtitle option in the player overlay.

 

It's just an easy way to make it work (from an end user perspective). Power users still have their better method. And in the future if some way can be figured out to get subtitles in WMC/MBC then you can just change the underlying function call. People won't have to learn a new option/method. They would just get better subtitle support.

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Yea, I know. Like I said. It's a solution... not the perfect solution. But if it's the only way to get subtitles it may be worth doing IMO. I think the usability of asking people who install MBC to then also install and configure another third party WMC addon just to get subtitles in MBC is awkward. And for those people who already use that method, there shouldn't be any change since you aren't required to use the subtitle option in the player overlay.

 

It's just an easy way to make it work (from an end user perspective). Power users still have their better method. And in the future if some way can be figured out to get subtitles in WMC/MBC then you can just change the underlying function call. People won't have to learn a new option/method. They would just get better subtitle support.

 

I think this is sound advice. who knows, maybe the next evolution on top of this is to look at the source code of mce control (if it's OSS), and then build some of these features directly into mbc.

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 maybe the next evolution on top of this is to look at the source code of mce control (if it's OSS), and then build some of these features directly into mbc.

 

I've already been there.  It is more involved than I want to get with MBC at the moment.  Also, it requires FFDShow.

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breezytm

While you guys at it, can you add the mkv prerequisites as well when installing MBC. I think it's weird to ask users to go look for a solution to get their mkv working. It's already being done with the Media Browser Theater. It asks to install lav by default which i think is great. I personally don't like using third party stuff specially in windows. The next minute your CPU and memory level is sky high and you can't tell why. It took me two days to figure out what i really needed to get mkv working. I installed shark007  since everyone had their own opinions and I couldn't tell what was right or wrong. Later one I came on here and find a thread that explains all you really need is LAV. SMH. 

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Heckler

I've not had time to look into it, took the folks on holiday as both are pensioners and my dad's disabled... then the day after we got back we had a call to inform us my dads last remaining brother had died... Which makes him the the last one left from his family... So he's upset (as are we all are) and as we're next of kin, it's falling to me and my mum to deal with everything.

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While you guys at it, can you add the mkv prerequisites as well when installing MBC. I think it's weird to ask users to go look for a solution to get their mkv working. It's already being done with the Media Browser Theater. It asks to install lav by default which i think is great. I personally don't like using third party stuff specially in windows. The next minute your CPU and memory level is sky high and you can't tell why. It took me two days to figure out what i really needed to get mkv working. I installed shark007  since everyone had their own opinions and I couldn't tell what was right or wrong. Later one I came on here and find a thread that explains all you really need is LAV. SMH.

 

Most of the people who install MBC already have WMC setup how they like it including codecs.  Therefore, I have chosen not to force a particular codec installation when installing MBC.  We do, however, recommend LAV to those who don't already have codecs installed because it is a very simple setup and works in most cases.

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breezytm

Most of the people who install MBC already have WMC setup how they like it including codecs.  Therefore, I have chosen not to force a particular codec installation when installing MBC.  We do, however, recommend LAV to those who don't already have codecs installed because it is a very simple setup and works in most cases.

 

Make sense. Can you add them on there and ask the user to check the codecs if they want to install them. Put them in a recommended label box. The user can then choose not to select them and proceed. 

 

I've been wanted to do a fresh install on my HTPC but since I don't remember most of the things I've done to get the codecs work as well as they do i decided to just leave it alone. I would love to just install the bare minimum as long as everything works fine. 

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The MBC installation runs silently with no options or questions presented to the user.

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