SOLVED: Subtitles sometimes not shown

[besenwesen]

Hi!

TLDR for the solution:
you can select what subtitles jellyfin should process. In the library configuration, you can set the option "Disable different types of embedded subtitles" to "Allow All". That solved it.


I have a small problem regarding subtitles.
Some of my videos have embedded subtitles, when watching (regardless of client) the subtitle selection menu is not shown in the player. It is a consistent behavior for certain files. However, according to ffmpeg the streams and their metadata are exactly the same.

Here is the output of ffmpeg:
ffprobe file_without_selectable_subs.mp4:

Code:

Input #0, mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2, from 'file_without_selectable_subs.mp4':
  Metadata:
    major_brand    : mp42
    minor_version  : 512
    compatible_brands: isomiso2mp41
    creation_time  : 2024-03-25T11:17:15.000000Z
    encoder        : HandBrake 1.3.1 2020032300
    comment        : 2023
  Duration: 01:32:49.20, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 5663 kb/s
    Stream #0:0(und): Video: hevc (Main 10) (hvc1 / 0x31637668), yuv420p10le(tv, bt709), 3840x1600 [SAR 1:1 DAR 12:5], 5336 kb/s, 23.98 fps, 23.98 tbr, 90k tbn, 23.98 tbc (default)
    Metadata:
      creation_time  : 2024-03-25T11:17:15.000000Z
      handler_name    : VideoHandler
    Stream #0:1(eng): Audio: aac (LC) (mp4a / 0x6134706D), 48000 Hz, 5.1, fltp, 319 kb/s (default)
    Metadata:
      creation_time  : 2024-03-25T11:17:15.000000Z
      handler_name    : English [5.1]
    Stream #0:2(eng): Subtitle: mov_text (tx3g / 0x67337874), 3840x240, 0 kb/s (default)
    Metadata:
      creation_time  : 2024-03-25T11:17:15.000000Z
      handler_name    : English

file with selectable subs:

Code:

Input #0, mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2, from 'file_with_selectable_subs.mp4':
  Metadata:
    major_brand    : mp42
    minor_version  : 512
    compatible_brands: isomiso2mp41
    creation_time  : 2024-02-28T17:12:25.000000Z
    date            : 2005
    encoder        : HandBrake 1.3.1 2020032300
  Duration: 00:23:40.57, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 1863 kb/s
    Chapter #0:0: start 0.000000, end 411.099000
    Metadata:
      title          : Chapter 1
    Chapter #0:1: start 411.099000, end 713.943000
    Metadata:
      title          : Chapter 2
    Chapter #0:2: start 713.943000, end 1039.602000
    Metadata:
      title          : Chapter 3
    Chapter #0:3: start 1039.602000, end 1373.185000
    Metadata:
      title          : Chapter 4
    Chapter #0:4: start 1373.185000, end 1420.482000
    Metadata:
      title          : Chapter 5
    Stream #0:0(und): Video: hevc (Main) (hvc1 / 0x31637668), yuv420p(tv, bt709), 1440x1080 [SAR 1:1 DAR 4:3], 1537 kb/s, 23.98 fps, 47.95 tbr, 90k tbn, 23.98 tbc (default)
    Metadata:
      creation_time  : 2024-02-28T17:12:25.000000Z
      handler_name    : VideoHandler
    Stream #0:1(und): Audio: aac (LC) (mp4a / 0x6134706D), 48000 Hz, 5.1, fltp, 319 kb/s (default)
    Metadata:
      creation_time  : 2024-02-28T17:12:25.000000Z
      handler_name    : English [5.1]
    Stream #0:2(eng): Subtitle: mov_text (tx3g / 0x67337874), 1440x162, 0 kb/s (default)
    Metadata:
      creation_time  : 2024-02-28T17:12:25.000000Z
      handler_name    : English
    Stream #0:3(eng): Data: bin_data (text / 0x74786574)
    Metadata:
      creation_time  : 2024-02-28T17:12:25.000000Z
      handler_name    : SubtitleHandler
Unsupported codec with id 100359 for input stream 3

I installed the subtitle extractor plugin but that does not change anything.
I run the newest stable version of jellyfin in a docker container with hardware transcoding capabilities if this is important.

Can someone point me in the right direction?
I transcoded all my media to x265 with handbrake and lately to hevc_vaapi with ffmpeg. As i am new to jellyfin and transcoding in general, i appreciate any help, even if its totally obvious.

Thanks!
(Sidequest: what does "Unsupported codec with id 100359 for input stream 3" mean? i tried filtering that stream with ffmpeg but without success.)


~besenwesen

[TheDreadPirate]

For the file in question without subtitles, can you rescan and "replace all metadata" and once that finishes can you share the jellyfin log with us via sourcebin or pastebin?

[FactoriedMyAuth]

Does this only happen with your .mp4 files?

I ran into a similar issue when I started transcoding my files. If you are doing a transcode from a .mkv container with embeded subtitles to a .mp4 container, the subtitle type matters. I don't remember what the type is called that most blu-rays and 4k movies use, but it's incompatible with the .mp4 container.

You will either end up transcoding and having the subtitles forcibly baked into the video or not there at all. If you transcode and add an external .srt subtitle file (and set it to not forced), it will be selectable in your final video.

[besenwesen]

The 'docker logs $containername' command returns nothing useful. Are there debug logs or something more verbose that is stored in the container?
When clicking "Media Info" in the media overview, it does not show the subtitle information (in contrast to the video that shows the subtitles), even after rescanning.

Does this only happen with your .mp4 files?

I ran into a similar issue when I started transcoding my files. If you are doing a transcode from a .mkv container with embeded subtitles to a .mp4 container, the subtitle type matters. I don't remember what the type is called that most blu-rays and 4k movies use, but it's incompatible with the .mp4 container.

You will either end up transcoding and having the subtitles forcibly baked into the video or not there at all. If you transcode and add an external .srt subtitle file (and set it to not forced), it will be selectable in your final video.

The subtitle codec you are referring to is called 'ass'. I therefore used mov_text. ffmpeg does not allow 'transcoding' a subtitle codec into a container that does not support it. At least the ffmpeg version i am using.

[FactoriedMyAuth]

Gotcha. My transcoding experience at the moment is limited to handbrake GUI.

[besenwesen]

Gotcha. My transcoding experience at the moment is limited to handbrake GUI.

To be fair, both files i referenced are transcoded with handbreak. But it also applies to media that was done purely with ffmpeg.

[besenwesen]

Okay i solved it.
I transferred the files in question to another directory and created a new library for this purpose. Both were showing subtitles.
Turns out; There is an option: "Disable different types of embedded subtitles" = "Allow None" that should be set to "Allow Text/Allow Image/Allow All".

I spend the whole day of transcoding, reading ffmpeg manuals etc. etc. I learned a lot, but this was the stupidest move this year... till now.

...You can roast me now...

~besenwesen