Showing subtitles when playing a recording

Ian_AW · May 23, 2023, 08:51:24 PM

G'day,

Has anyone managed to get subtitles when playing a recording?

I have all the settings I can find set, but nothing.

Some of the searches say that OSDs are skin dependent. Could there be something in tvheadend that needs to be set that is stopping them from being saved in the first place?

DeltaMikeCharlie · May 24, 2023, 05:47:00 AM

I did a little bit of research into this a few weeks ago.

The data for captions is recorded by tvheadend. I read on a Kodi forum somewhere as part of my research that they are aware of the situation of captions on playback and that it is caused by an outdated captions handling module.

In my research, I took a recording from the IceBox and played it with VLC on my PC and the captions showed. When I copied it to my Topfield PVR, the captions did not show. Whilst in VLC, the metadata showed that captions are contained on teletext page 801.

On the IceBox, I activated teletext page 801 and the captions appeared, however, the synchronisation was woeful.

The standard remote control unit supplied with the IceBox does not contain a number pad. I can't remember if I plugged in a USB keyboard or used an after-market RCU with a number pad to type in the page number.

Only once, did I managed to get captions on playback with the IceBox remote. A list of teletext channels showed on the bottom of the screen and I was able to select a page. However, I have never been able to recreate the key sequence again.

IanL-S · May 24, 2023, 09:12:26 AM

If you change the TVHeadend default configuration for IceTV changing the "Stream profile" to "matroska" then subtitles/closed captions are more likely to work. This works with LibreELEC 10 used by IceTV, but does not work with LibreELEC 11.

raymondjpg · June 17, 2023, 11:47:29 AM

Quote from: IanL-S on May 24, 2023, 09:12:26 AMIf you change the TVHeadend default configuration for IceTV changing the "Stream profile" to "matroska" then subtitles/closed captions are more likely to work. This works with LibreELEC 10 used by IceTV, but does not work with LibreELEC 11.

I'm not sure if subtitles are working with live TV either in LibreELEC 11. Do you see any?

IanL-S · June 17, 2023, 12:02:34 PM

When doing beta testing for the LibreELEC IceBox build I was unable to get closed captions (cc)/subtitles to work. If I recall correctly, on some programs on 9GemHD and 9HD I was able to get them as Teletext.

It is very odd; Kodi automatically recognizes the existence of the cc/subtitles but refuses to display them. In LibreELEC 10 if frequently did not automatically recognize them.

raymondjpg · June 17, 2023, 12:37:05 PM

Quote from: IanL-S on June 17, 2023, 12:02:34 PMWhen doing beta testing for the LibreELEC IceBox build I was unable to get closed captions (cc)/subtitles to work. If I recall correctly, on some programs on 9GemHD and 9HD I was able to get them as Teletext.

It is very odd; Kodi automatically recognizes the existence of the cc/subtitles but refuses to display them. In LibreELEC 10 if frequently did not automatically recognize them.

I just checked that subtitles are working with live TV in IceBox BYO v1 (LibreELEC 10). I can't find any way to make them work in the IceBox BYO v2 (LibreELEC 11).

The only clue I could find as to why this might be is from https://betanews.com/2023/03/06/libreelec-11-linux-kodi-20-nexus/ viz "Two months ago, the Kodi Foundation released Kodi 20.0 'Nexus', the latest incarnation of its hugely popular home theater software. The new release comes with a wealth of changes, fixes and new features, including support for multiple instances of binary add-ons, AV1 Video support, and a massive rework of the subtitle system."

What this means for LibreELEC I don't know. I also do not see any subtitles on live TV in Kodi Nexus in Windows 11 running MediaPortal or Enigma2 back ends, but there might be other reasons for that.

IanL-S · June 20, 2023, 04:00:55 PM

Somewhere there is a statement that LibreELEC no longer supports DVB, and TVHeadend uses DVB. Not sure if that is the explanation. The problems with playback are not limited to those using TVHeadend.

raymondjpg · June 20, 2023, 04:35:08 PM

Quote from: IanL-S on June 20, 2023, 04:00:55 PMSomewhere there is a statement that LibreELEC no longer supports DVB, and TVHeadend uses DVB. Not sure if that is the explanation. The problems with playback are not limited to those using TVHeadend.

Maybe this https://forum.libreelec.tv/thread/27216-tvheadend-not-compatible-with-libreelec-v11-0/? But it's a furfy.

IanL-S · June 20, 2023, 05:36:34 PM

No, it was not that. Clearly it is incorrect statement or somehow the IceTV development team overcame the problem.

raymondjpg · June 21, 2023, 10:06:50 AM

Quote from: IanL-S on June 20, 2023, 05:36:34 PMNo, it was not that. Clearly it is incorrect statement or somehow the IceTV development team overcame the problem.

Then maybe this https://libreelec.tv/2023/03/06/libreelec-nexus-11-0-0/ viz "DVB Add-Ons are currently deactivated. Digital Devices and TBS have currently no support for recent kernels so we are out of options. If you require support for those devices please stay at LE10."

What "DVB Add-Ons" and "Digital Devices" means I don't know, not being in any way a linux, LibreELEC or Tvheadend expert, but I did have Tvheadend working in a vanilla installation of LibreELEC generic 11.0.1 (official) with the Hauppauge WinTV-dualHD Dual TV Tuner as used by IceBox.

TimC · July 29, 2023, 10:28:13 PM

Looking at this thread, I take it that subtitles can't work at present.

Does anyone have an idea of any timeline for getting it working?

MD · July 30, 2023, 08:47:38 AM

It's impossible to put exact time on the subtitles fix as we have to overcome the SSD failures problem first followed by some failing timer issues and then properly integrating the setup procedures so there is no weird 30 seconds wait and it all appears within the IceTV UI/UX. Once that is all done then subtitles would be next. As to how long? Impossible to say right now.

DeltaMikeCharlie · November 23, 2023, 05:18:14 PM

In Kodi, On playback, I went into Teletext and then called up page 801. The Teletext was way ahead of the audio, but it was there.

VLC

raymondjpg · November 23, 2023, 06:25:59 PM

Quote from: DeltaMikeCharlie on November 23, 2023, 05:18:14 PMIn Kodi, On playback, I went into Teletext and then called up page 801. The Teletext was way ahead of the audio, but it was there.

It's always been there, a pity that there is no easy way to get Kodi to display it and get it in sync!

The teletext stream is definitely there in the transport stream for live TV, as using the IceBox as a back end for live TV in Emby Theater, teletext can be selected to display as formatted srt subtitles with MPC-BE configured as an external (live TV) player using its internal mpegts splitter.

DeltaMikeCharlie · November 23, 2023, 06:32:33 PM

I am currently playing with Kodi v21 (Omega). I will have a look to see if there has been any improvement.

UPDATE: In my quick test, it was still the same in Kodi v21.