1. How does the subtitle feature work?
Perian supports QuickTime playback of subtitles provided as external SRT or SUB files. Install it from perian.org. If you have a video file and supplied an SRT file with the same name located in the same folder (e.g. MyMovie.avi and MyMovie.srt), VideoDrive will make sure the subtitle is included in the video in iTunes. Just make sure you do not use import method 1 as this does not support subtitles. After importing, the SRT file will be included in the video file (as a separate track, not hard coded in the image) so you may remove the SRT file from your hard disk if you want to. This is not the case for import method 8, where the external SRT file remains necessary.
2. Can I hide subtitles without having to re-import videos?
Yes, use the ‘Toggle Subtitles’ option available on the VideoDrive main window or in the iTunes script menu to show or hide subtitles. This option is only available for videos imported with VideoDrive import methods 2, 3 and 4. By default, subtitles are toggled on when importing videos. Keep in mind that when the trial version of VideoDrive expires, the option to toggle subtitles is no longer available.
3. Are subtitles shown when playing on external devices such as iPhone and iPod?
Yes.
4. Why does VideoDrive not use the “Closed Captioning” feature in QuickTime and iTunes to toggle subtitles?
Because there are several technical issues involved resulting in playback issues and a sub-optimal user experience. Support for this feature may be added in future versions of VideoDrive.
5. What does the subtitle option “Force Subtitles in Leopard Front Row” do?
There are currently issues with displaying subtitles in Front Row under Leopard and Snow Leopard. As soon as subtitles appear, the screen goes black while the sound continues to play. These issues are not caused by VideoDrive, but are caused by incompatibilities between Front Row and Perian. Apple is currently investigating the issue but a fix has not been announced yet. In the mean time, VideoDrive includes a practical workaround to display subtitles in Front Row anyway:
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1.Select any videos in iTunes
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2.Click the “Toggle Subtitles” button in VideoDrive (or go to the script menu in iTunes)
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3.Check the “Force Subtitles in Leopard Front Row” options and click the “Toggle” button
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4.Videos will be correctly played with subtitles in Front Row
As this is a workaround, these videos may not play properly in iTunes anymore. Uncheck the “Force Subtitles in Leopard Front Row” option to restore playback in iTunes. Note that if the videos have already been playing in iTunes, a restart of iTunes is required. We recommend using this feature only on videos imported with VideoDrive. Keep in mind that when the trial version of VideoDrive expires, this option is no longer available.
6. Perian 1.1.3 and higher also support subtitles in Front Row. How does this work with VideoDrive?
Perian has enabled a hack to display subtitles in Front Row. The image quality of the VideoDrive approach is much better. If you prefer to use the Perian solution you need to import your videos using import method 9. To toggle subtitles, you will need to click on the Perian icon in “System Preferences” and (un)check the option “load external subtitles”.
