Roku TV caches wrong subtitle file

[user84 46]

I'm playing a movie for which I only want forced subtitles. I made some adjustments to the subtitle files on the server, scanned the library files in Emby, restarted the server, and the Roku TV is still playing the wrong subtitle file. Using the Emby app I can see the right subtitles. But the Roku TV is still wrong. How do I remedy this?

[speechles 2055]

Are there multiple defaults set? The Roku can only have one default set for audio and one default for subtitle. There should also be only one subtitle marked forced. If there are multiple subtitles marked as default/forced the Roku will not be able to understand how to change subtitles and will choose the first one.

We would need to see the About info from the bottom of the web app detail view where it shows the media streams. What does it show the subtitles are set? Are there multiple defaults/forced flags set?

What does yours show for the item which cannot change subtitles?

Edited March 26, 2024 by speechles

[user84 46]

1 hour ago, speechles said:

Are there multiple defaults set? The Roku can only have one default set for audio and one default for subtitle. There should also be only one subtitle marked forced. If there are multiple subtitles marked as default/forced the Roku will not be able to understand how to change subtitles and will choose the first one.

We would need to see the About info from the bottom of the web app detail view where it shows the media streams. What does it show the subtitles are set? Are there multiple defaults/forced flags set?

What does yours show for the item which cannot change subtitles?

When I view the episode on my browser, as well as in the Emby app, it shows the correct subtitle. Only one is marked as forced. Only one marked default. I'm not sure how to give you the same information out of the Roku app.

The subtitle I want to play is not marked default, but it is marked as forced.

[pwhodges 2012]

So you have one subtitle marked default and a different one marked forced - I suspect that will upset the Roku.

Paul

[user84 46]

3 minutes ago, pwhodges said:

So you have one subtitle marked default and a different one marked forced - I suspect that will upset the Roku.

Paul

How does one fix this?

[pwhodges 2012]

If it's MKV, you can use MKVToolNix to change the flags (use the header editor to change the flags without rewriting the whole file.  If MP4, I'd use MKVToolNix to copy it to an MKV file with the preferred flags - but someone may know a way to change the MP4 flags in place (note that this would only be a copy to a new container, no transcoding is happening).

If you have a lot of files with the same problem, and the same change would work for all them, you can do the change in bulk using JMKVpropedit - in fact, I use this for such changes on individual files because I prefer the interface (the underlying code is the same as MKVToolNix).

Paul

[user84 46]

13 minutes ago, pwhodges said:

If it's MKV, you can use MKVToolNix to change the flags (use the header editor to change the flags without rewriting the whole file.  If MP4, I'd use MKVToolNix to copy it to an MKV file with the preferred flags - but someone may know a way to change the MP4 flags in place (note that this would only be a copy to a new container, no transcoding is happening).

If you have a lot of files with the same problem, and the same change would work for all them, you can do the change in bulk using JMKVpropedit - in fact, I use this for such changes on individual files because I prefer the interface (the underlying code is the same as MKVToolNix).

Paul

I'm just curious where these identifiers come from? I assumed Emby marks the files as forced or default based on my settings in Emby. Aren't there any settings I can adjust in Emby rather than having to change the files themselves?

[speechles 2055]

You can also extract the subtitles. Have none of them internal, that way the Roku cannot make mistakes and act goofy. Then you can set the external subtitles however you like with flags. The Roku will be able to change them since it is Emby in control of selecting them and dispatching them.

When the subtitles are internal the Roku must parse these. The parser in the Roku in regards to reading the headers/streams of files is not robust at all. It understands the specification and just to the extent that streaming is required. The Roku was not made to play BluRay/DVD. When subtitles are PGSsub or DVDsub the Roku cannot understand those graphical types. The Roku is a streaming device. This is why internally when you have subtitles you will have less control. If you have problems and want your subtitles shown correctly the best way to get this is use external subtitles with MKV.

 

  

9 minutes ago, Blam84 said:

I'm just curious where these identifiers come from? I assumed Emby marks the files as forced or default based on my settings in Emby. Aren't there any settings I can adjust in Emby rather than having to change the files themselves?

They come from the encoding program which ripped the media. Some people set the settings incorrectly which encode poorly and then they share these faulty encodes. Some programs encode incorrectly and you get stuck with these faulty encodes through no fault of your own. It just happens. We must learn to correct these faults.

MKVToolNix is the gold standard at correcting these faults.

Edited March 26, 2024 by speechles

[user84 46]

6 minutes ago, speechles said:

You can also extract the subtitles. Have none of them internal, that way the Roku cannot make mistakes and act goofy. Then you can set the external subtitles however you like with flags. The Roku will be able to change them since it is Emby in control of selecting them and dispatching them.

When the subtitles are internal the Roku must parse these. The parser in the Roku in regards to reading the headers/streams of files is not robust at all. It understands the specification and just to the extent that streaming is required. The Roku was not made to play BluRay/DVD. When subtitles are PGSsub or DVDsub the Roku cannot understand those graphical types. The Roku is a streaming device. This is why internally when you have subtitles you will have less control. If you have problems and want your subtitles shown correctly the best way to get this is use external subtitles with MKV.

 

  

They come from the encoding program which ripped the media. Some people set the settings incorrectly which encode poorly and then they share these faulty encodes. Some programs encode incorrectly and you get stuck with these faulty encodes through no fault of your own. It just happens. We must learn to correct these faults.

MKVToolNix is the gold standard at correcting these faults.

Maybe I'm confused with what you're saying, but all of these subtitles are already external files. They are not internal to the video file itself. What I mean is, the files I mentioned in my previous post are all individual SRT files.

[speechles 2055]

When you log into the web app under the username. Choose the "App Settings" and then choose "Subtitles" and you will wind up on the screen above. Make sure you have your choice set here correctly. This is the way.

[Luke 42077]

@Blam84please let us know if this helps. Thanks.

[user84 46]

10 minutes ago, speechles said:

When you log into the web app under the username. Choose the "App Settings" and then choose "Subtitles" and you will wind up on the screen above. Make sure you have your choice set here correctly. This is the way.

Sounds good. I'll make the change. One last question - I don't have external subtitle files for all of my media. If I change this setting, I assume I will have to manually search for subtitles (Opensubtitles) for any media I don't have files for?I don't have files for?

[Luke 42077]

1 minute ago, Blam84 said:

Sounds good. I'll make the change. One last question - I don't have external subtitle files for all of my media. If I change this setting, I assume I will have to manually search for subtitles (Opensubtitles) for any media I don't have files for?I don't have files for?

You already have to do that regardless of this option. This option only influences what track is selected among the ones you have.

[user84 46]

1 hour ago, Luke said:

You already have to do that regardless of this option. This option only influences what track is selected among the ones you have.

So if I want Emby to download (not automatically select) forced subtitles only, if they don't already exist as external files, how do I set up my settings? 

[Luke 42077]

6 minutes ago, Blam84 said:

So if I want Emby to download (not automatically select) forced subtitles only, if they don't already exist as external files, how do I set up my settings? 

HI, you can enable automatic subtitle downloading in the settings for each library.

Automatic Subtitle Downloads

[user84 46]

7 minutes ago, Luke said:

HI, you can enable automatic subtitle downloading in the settings for each library.

Automatic Subtitle Downloads

I have my library configured this way, but forced subtitles aren't downloading. I have selected "English" as the default download language. What might be causing them to not be downloaded automatically?

Example: Shogun S01E05 has both English and Japanese audio. The only subtitle that is available is a non-forced version (I manually ran the scheduled subtitle job just to be sure that wasn't it)

[Happy2Play 9780]

Need server logs for the specific search.

16 minutes ago, Blam84 said:

I have my library configured this way, but forced subtitles aren't downloading. I have selected "English" as the default download language. What might be causing them to not be downloaded automatically?

Do you have the library setting enable for automatic downloading?

[Happy2Play 9780]

But to follow up they were downloaded when I enabled on library.  Sort of one or the other when it comes to Forced.  But you have have HASH enabled preventint the download also.

2024-03-26 15:52:46.707 Info HttpClient: GET https://www.opensubtitles.com/download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subfile/Shogun.2024.S01E05.Broken.to.the.Fist.1080p.DSNP.WEB-DL.DDP5.1.H.264-FLUXForced.srt
2024-03-26 15:52:47.063 Info SubtitleManager: Saving subtitles to E:\Media\TV Shows - nfo\Shogun (2024)\Season 1\S01E05.en.forced.srt

[user84 46]

5 hours ago, Luke said:

@Blam84please let us know if this helps. Thanks.

Well, unfortunately, after all these adjustments, my problem is not fixed. I even deleted, renamed, and re-added the SRT files. And the Roku TV is still not playing them properly. They work fine in the app and in my Chrome browser. But they don't work on the Roku TV.

[speechles 2055]

There is the playback correction button which may help. Play the item, select the subtitle you want, then go to the cog/gear and press it. Find the "Attempt playback correction" and press it once. That might fix it. You can also press the playback correction a second time to see if that fixes it too. But it shouldn't be necessary to do it twice. Let us know if this helps. Thanks.

[ebr 16169]

Just now, Blam84 said:

But they don't work on the Roku TV.

Hi.  Can you please be specific?  Exactly what "doesn't work"?

[user84 46]

10 hours ago, ebr said:

Hi.  Can you please be specific?  Exactly what "doesn't work"?

When I select the forced subtitles file during playback, it shows subtitles for everything, not just non-english parts. Again, this is only happening on my Roku device. 

[ebr 16169]

Just now, Blam84 said:

When I select the forced subtitles file during playback, it shows subtitles for everything, not just non-english parts. Again, this is only happening on my Roku device. 

If you remove the "default" flag from the other sub track, what happens then?

[user84 46]

55 minutes ago, ebr said:

If you remove the "default" flag from the other sub track, what happens then?

With the changes I made based on advice earlier in this thread, none of the tracks are marked as "default" anymore. One is marked "forced."

[ebr 16169]

8 hours ago, Blam84 said:

With the changes I made based on advice earlier in this thread, none of the tracks are marked as "default" anymore. One is marked "forced."

What if you remove that flag?