Amazon Full-Screen 1920x1080 "Subtitles"

[Mauser]

StreamFab 6.0.0.4

Subtitles vs on-screen text

I am brand new to this software - only started using it yesterday, so I am sorry if I am missing something obvious. I have noticed that When I download, the software analyzes the target video and only lets you download the screen resolution that it thinks is correct (such as 1920x800 instead of 1920x1080). I think this is a problem.

When I watch the Amazon series Rings of Power, Episode 1, at around 24:45 into the program, there is a brief meeting between two characters in a different language, and the translation is shown in the black bar below the video, similar to a subtitle. If this video is downloaded in full 1920x1080, this text is visible, but with StreamFab, it will only download in 1920x800, so all of the on-screen text shown on the lower portion of the screen is lost. I do not believe that this is a subtitle issue - I think that the program really needs to be captured at fill 1920x1080.

How can I fix this so that all of the language translations in these programs are not lost?

[KidJoe]

StreamFab 6.0.0.4

Subtitles vs on-screen text

I am brand new to this software - only started using it yesterday, so I am sorry if I am missing something obvious. I have noticed that When I download, the software analyzes the target video and only lets you download the screen resolution that it thinks is correct (such as 1920x800 instead of 1920x1080). I think this is a problem.

Not really a problem, it depends on how the movie/tv show was shot. I'm not great a explaining, so I'll try but also suggest you google 1080p Letter boxing, or Movie Aspect Ratio for better explanations.

A typical "wide screen" TV is 16x9, or 1.78:1 aspect ratio. Meaning 16 units (be it pixels, inches, cm, feet, etc) by 9 units. So 1920x1080 would fill the typical 16x9 screen.

When being filmed, directors and cinematographers can use different aspect ratios to give a "more dramatic effect." While TV shows are typically filmed at 16x9 or 1.78:1, Movies are often filmed at 1.78:1, 1.85:1 or 2.35:1 (sometimes 2.35:1 is really 2.4:1 or 2.39:1). Then there is IMAX which is like 1.43:1. (watch The Dark Knight Rises bluray and see the size of the black bars increase/decrease during certain scenes in the movie as they intermixed IMAX and non-IMAX scenes).

1920x800 would be 1080P at 1.85:1 aspect ratio. The TV, or streaming device, would fill in the extra pixels above and below as black to make it fill a 16x9 screen. If it was shot at 2.35:1, the size of the black bars at the top and bottom would be different.

Also consider googling Zooming or Pan and Scan.

When I watch the Amazon series Rings of Power, Episode 1, at around 24:45 into the program, there is a brief meeting between two characters in a different language, and the translation is shown in the black bar below the video, similar to a subtitle. If this video is downloaded in full 1920x1080, this text is visible, but with StreamFab, it will only download in 1920x800, so all of the on-screen text shown on the lower portion of the screen is lost. I do not believe that this is a subtitle issue - I think that the program really needs to be captured at fill 1920x1080.

How can I fix this so that all of the language translations in these programs are not lost?

IF you mean the text "Lindon receives you with grace" and "With grace I am received" at that time mark, that will depend on your player.

Those are forced subtitles (the non-english words only) that are a separate track in the download. Its up to your player to render them based on its subtitle settings.

For example, when I use DVDFab PlayerFab on my computer, they render inside the picture, at the bottom. Same with using VLC Player and nothing is lost.

[Mauser]

IF you mean the text "Lindon receives you with grace" and "With grace I am received" at that time mark, that will depend on your player.

Those are forced subtitles (the non-english words only) that are a separate track in the download. Its up to your player to render them based on its subtitle settings.

For example, when I use DVDFab PlayerFab on my computer, they render inside the picture, at the bottom. Same with using VLC Player.

Thank you for the reply, I really do appreciate the help. But I cannot agree with you at all unless I am still missing something. I fully understand everything you said about video ratios, etc., and I am not new to letter-boxing. And I also understand embedded subtitles. I am specifically referring to the quoted text, and as I described it in my post, the translation BELOW the video display is NOT a subtitle.

When I play the recorded program in VLC with Sub Track "Disable", this translation is not shown anywhere. If I do enable Track 1 in VLC, I get ALL of the totally unnecessary and unwanted subtitles shown on the lower portion of the displayed video. While these subtitles do contain the translation, they are NOT what I am looking for.

I do not understand what you refer to as "forced subtitles (the non-english words only) that are a separate track in the download." Where is this separate track and how to I control it? I do see the check box in the StreamFab software Settings to Always download forced subtitles, and this is checked, but I do not see any way to turn it on or off in VLC. I do not get any subtitles displayed with I play the downloaded files directly on my Samsung TV.

Please enlighten me.

[Mauser]

Just another bit of information about this problem. I have tried playing back these downloads with both VLC and PlayerFab 7.0.3.0, and no "Forced Subtitles" are displayed in either program. I can turn on regular English subtitles in both, but the expected Forced Subtitles of the language translations that I see while streaming the programs is never shown during playback of the file downloaded with StreamFab. Any more ideas?

[jpp72]

Resolution has nothing to do with it. It's all about which subtitles you downloaded and how your player renders them and at which position.

In Kodi, i set them to always render at the bottom of the screen so depending on the aspect ratio, it will render in the black bars or in the video.

Here is a screenshot of Kodi with the subtitles at the part we think you are talking about. Notice that i did get the 1920x800 version. This version has no black bars inside the video. They are added by Kodi while the 1920x1080 has the black bars as part of the video itself



Here is the mediainfo. I did not download the forced subtitles. Just the full ones in English, French and Romanian

Format                                   : Matroska
Format version                           : Version 4
File size                                : 2.30 GiB
Duration                                 : 1 h 5 min
Overall bit rate                         : 5 011 kb/s
Movie name                               : A Shadow of the Past
Description                              : Series Premiere. Galadriel is disturbed by signs of an ancient evil’s return; Arondir makes an unsettling discovery; Elrond is presented with an intriguing new venture; Nori breaks the Harfoot community’s most deeply-held rule.
Writing application                      : Lavf58.76.100
Writing library                          : Lavf58.76.100
ErrorDetectionType                       : Per level 1
DATE                                     : 2022
EPISODE_ID                               : 1
SEASON_NUMBER                            : 1
SHOW                                     : The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

Video
ID                                       : 1
Format                                   : HEVC
Format/Info                              : High Efficiency Video Coding
Format profile                           : Main@L4@Main
Codec ID                                 : V_MPEGH/ISO/HEVC
Duration                                 : 1 h 5 min
Bit rate                                 : 4 271 kb/s
Width                                    : 1 920 pixels
Height                                   : 800 pixels
Display aspect ratio                     : 2.40:1
Frame rate mode                          : Constant
Frame rate                               : 24.000 FPS
Standard                                 : NTSC
Color space                              : YUV
Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:0
Bit depth                                : 8 bits
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.116
Stream size                              : 1.96 GiB (85%)
Writing library                          : HEVC Coding
Default                                  : Yes
Forced                                   : No
Color range                              : Limited
Color primaries                          : BT.709
Transfer characteristics                 : BT.709
Matrix coefficients                      : BT.709
VENDOR_ID                                : [0][0][0][0]

Audio
ID                                       : 2
Format                                   : E-AC-3
Format/Info                              : Enhanced AC-3
Commercial name                          : Dolby Digital Plus
Codec ID                                 : A_EAC3
Duration                                 : 1 h 5 min
Bit rate mode                            : Constant
Bit rate                                 : 640 kb/s
Channel(s)                               : 6 channels
Channel layout                           : L R C LFE Ls Rs
Sampling rate                            : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate                               : 31.250 FPS (1536 SPF)
Bit depth                                : 32 bits
Compression mode                         : Lossy
Stream size                              : 301 MiB (13%)
Language                                 : English
Service kind                             : Complete Main
Default                                  : Yes
Forced                                   : No
VENDOR_ID                                : [0][0][0][0]

Text #1
ID                                       : 3
Format                                   : UTF-8
Codec ID                                 : S_TEXT/UTF8
Codec ID/Info                            : UTF-8 Plain Text
Duration                                 : 59 min 29 s
Writing library                          : Lavc58.134.100 srt
Language                                 : English
Default                                  : Yes
Forced                                   : No

Text #2
ID                                       : 4
Format                                   : UTF-8
Codec ID                                 : S_TEXT/UTF8
Codec ID/Info                            : UTF-8 Plain Text
Duration                                 : 1 h 2 min
Writing library                          : Lavc58.134.100 srt
Language                                 : French
Default                                  : No
Forced                                   : No

Text #3
ID                                       : 5
Format                                   : UTF-8
Codec ID                                 : S_TEXT/UTF8
Codec ID/Info                            : UTF-8 Plain Text
Duration                                 : 1 h 2 min
Writing library                          : Lavc58.134.100 srt
Language                                 : Romanian
Default                                  : No
Forced                                   : No​

[Mauser]

Yes, that is exactly the issue. As I have already said, the StreamFab settings are on to always download forced subtitles, and they are NOT showing up when I play the file in PlayerFab, so my problem would seem to be either a bug in the software or some setting in either StreamFab or PlayerFab that I do not know about. It would seem highly doubtful that PlayerFab cannot properly display the Forced Subtitles if they are actually in the download from StreamFab.

I do see that your file is MKV, while my testing has been with MP4. I'll try changing that.

[jpp72]

StreamFab 6.0.0.4

I do not understand what you refer to as "forced subtitles (the non-english words only) that are a separate track in the download." Where is this separate track and how to I control it? I do see the check box in the StreamFab software Settings to Always download forced subtitles, and this is checked, but I do not see any way to turn it on or off in VLC. I do not get any subtitles displayed with I play the downloaded files directly on my Samsung TV.

Please enlighten me.

Sounds to me like you didn't select the forced subtitles. Download them and see what happens...Subs settings in StreamFab are a total shit show. That checkbox doesn't work on Amazon my experience... I think it works for Netflix but i am not 100% sure



After that, in VLC, go to Subtitle | Sub Track and pick the Forced subs

[KidJoe]

Re: Aspect ratio.

Rings of Power series is 2.39:1 per IMDB -> https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7631058/technical so yes 1920x800 is the correct resolution for the download.

Re: Subtitles.

Amazon does not have any subtitles burned into the video for this series. They are stored separate from the video, and your player can enable them or disable them.

For Rings of Power S01E01 there are 2 options of English sub title tracks that you can download with StreamFab (and a competing product that I also tried).. English [CC] and English Forced Narrative. You may have to scroll through the list to find both.

If you download the English [CC] and have it toggled on during playback, it has the full movie dialog subtitles, including the non-English translations like at 24:26 "[in Quenya]
Lindon receives you with grace." and 24:29 "With grace I am received".

The English Forced Narrative has just 3 lines of subtitles. at 15:17 "Snow Troll", at 24:26 "Lindon receives you with grace", and 24:29 "With grace I am received" and that is all. These are 3 Non-English language speaking parts. These are considered the "forced subs"

When I download either of those Subtitle tracks, and toggle them on, they show on the video, not in the black space below when using VLC or PlayerFab.

This has nothing to do with StreamFab downloading as 1920x1080 or 1920x800 as you question in your original post.

Keep in mind that downloading and playing back using VLC, PlayerFab, Kodi, Plex, or the like, can be different than how Amazon's native play works (either via web or streaming device). For example, by default VLC renders subtitles over the video, but if you go Tools -> Preferences -> Subtitles/OSD you can adjust Force Subtitle Position (default is 0px) to have it show lower on the screen. PlayerFab has a setting for top or bottom of the video.



Now, why doesn't StreamFab download the English Forced Narrative if you have "always download the forced subtitles" checked? Unfortunately subtitle tracks are not always labeled consistently. This makes it difficult to detect when downloading. In this case it could be that StreamFab doesn't recognize the description for these subs as being the forced, as it does appear that it could be the descriptive subs as well. This is something we should post logs for, and ask the developers to check. Maybe they can update the app to catch forced subs named this way?

[october262]

Just another bit of information about this problem. I have tried playing back these downloads with both VLC and PlayerFab 7.0.3.0, and no "Forced Subtitles" are displayed in either program. I can turn on regular English subtitles in both, but the expected Forced Subtitles of the language translations that I see while streaming the programs is never shown during playback of the file downloaded with StreamFab. Any more ideas?

do you have what is circled in the picture selected ??

[Mauser]

Thank you jpp72, that is an amazingly simple and obvious answer! And it certainly looks like the right one - I had NOT included the "forced narrative" subtitles, mainly because I did not understand what they were. I was relying on the Settings check box that said it would "Always download the forced subtitle". I guess you cannot always believe what you read (or maybe that really is a bug)? Anyway, I am re-testing this now with the "English forced narrative" checked.

CONFIRMED: When I included the "forced narrative" subtitles, the translations now show as expected. Thank you all for your help getting me sorted out in this matter - too bad that it wasn't more obvious so that I could get all the needed information included in the first downloads. Now my worry is knowing when I need to look for an additional "forced narrative" subtitle instead of just relying on the check box in the settings.

[jpp72]

Thank you jpp72, that is an amazingly simple and obvious answer! And it certainly looks like the right one - I had NOT included the "forced narrative" subtitles, mainly because I did not understand what they were. I was relying on the Settings check box that said it would "Always download the forced subtitle". I guess you cannot always believe what you read (or maybe that really is a bug)? Anyway, I am re-testing this now with the "English forced narrative" checked.

CONFIRMED: When I included the "forced narrative" subtitles, the translations now show as expected. Thank you all for your help getting me sorted out in this matter - too bad that it wasn't more obvious so that I could get all the needed information included in the first downloads. Now my worry is knowing when I need to look for an additional "forced narrative" subtitle instead of just relying on the check box in the settings.

You're very welcome

As i said, i am pretty sure that checkbox works for Netflix. Other services, just make sure to double-check.

I don't have that problem as i always download full subs in English, French and Romanian. My wife loves English subtitles and she has made me a convert, We have them on all the time. French subs are for my parents and Romanian ones are for my wife's sister. I bought StreamFab 60% because i wanted to download shit with these 3 subtitles. When i download from the scene, having 47 subs i don't need just annoyed the shit out of me. Yes i could remove them but the other 40% was to be able to download stuff in H265 instead of converting shit and losing quality like i was doing before

[Cats4U]

When i download from the scene, having 47 subs i don't need just annoyed the shit out of me.

I've said it before and I got totally blasted for it but I'll say it again even more infaticly... That is exactly how StreamFab should do it. Grab every sub that the provider offers and download it. The additional file size would be minimal. Let your player choose what subtitle you want from the many that you now have. More than likely it is already set with your default language and you would have to do nothing extra. Almost every other complaint on this forum is about someone not being able to download the subtitle that they want. That would be totally eliminated because they would have everything available. StreamFab could be improved in so many ways if the Developer didn't have to waste time chasing down everybody's subtitle.

[Bradf3rdc]

Resolution has nothing to do with it. It's all about which subtitles you downloaded and how your player renders them and at which position.

In Kodi, i set them to always render at the bottom of the screen so depending on the aspect ratio, it will render in the black bars or in the video.

Here is a screenshot of Kodi with the subtitles at the part we think you are talking about. Notice that i did get the 1920x800 version. This version has no black bars inside the video. They are added by Kodi while the 1920x1080 has the black bars as part of the video itself

Off topic but which video player is this?

[jpp72]

Off topic but which video player is this?

The absolute best Media Center: Kodi
Skin is Aeon Nox: SiLVO