Step 3(b): Merging Subtitles With MP4 Files Using Yamb/MP4Box
I am making this post in response to one of the comments left on my previous post explaining how to hard-code (or merge) the subtitles into an AVI(DivX/XviD) video file. I was asked what tools can be used to merge subtitles with MP4 video files and below is the complete procedure to do the merging using MP4Box and Yamb.
To merge subtitles into an MP4 video file, you need to download two very useful tools: MP4Box and its GUI interface called Yamb.
- Download MP4Box
- Download Yamb
- Both the tools can be extracted to any location of your preference. I have extracted the contents of Yamb-2.0.0.8.zip to H:\PortableApps\Yamb and have extracted and copied MP4Box.exe too to the same folder. This is how it looks on my computer:
- Next thing you need to do is to tell Yamb where MP4Box is located. To do that, run Yamb from its folder, click on the Settings icon, double-click on the entry that starts with “Advanced settings for Yamb…”.
Enter the path where you have extracted the MP4Box executable in the Location: text box. In my example, it looks like this:
Click Next. - Now you are ready to try merging subtitles into an MP4 file. Select the Creation icon this time and double-click on the first entry that starts with “Click to create and MP4…”.
Click the Add button first time to add the MP4 file and then click the Add button a second time to select the subtitle file. The window should like something like this:
Remember to change the output file name(like I did) in the Output text box located at the bottom of the window if you don’t want to overwrite your input file with the merged output file. Click Next. - The following screenshot shows Yamb processing your request. It took less than 2 minutes on my computer to finish the job of merging subtitles into a 40 minute MP4 video file.
Click Finish when done to quit Yamb or click Back if you want to do more merging operations. The produced MP4 output file with merged subtitles:
End Notes
You can use the MP4Box directly from the command line if you wish: the command syntax is really very simple, and you can actually do a lot more stuff using this tool. So do explore more about it over the Internet.
This is not hardcoding a sub in to mp4 but only merging. When i play this on a ps3 the sub isnt showing because its not hardcoded!!
QuoteComment by Tiger007 — January 16, 2008 @ 4:33 pm
You are right. When I had first tried to play the file on my PC, sometimes it played with subtitles on and sometimes I had to select it from the “Subtitle” menu. Given the fact that media players on most handhelds don’t allow subtitle track to be selected from a menu, some other way to truly hardcode the subtitles in MP4 needs to be found. I am searching still.
QuoteComment by tabrez — January 17, 2008 @ 10:11 am
I did everything you told and I still can’t see the subs.
QuoteComment by Moshe — October 25, 2008 @ 6:06 pm
me too
QuoteComment by Anonymous — December 4, 2008 @ 7:19 am
i try the instructed method but didn’t work. I retry installing and it worked.
All i did was in step 2. I downloaded Yamb w/ installer, it does everything for you.
Quoteand just select the file and add the sub and do what the guy said. it works!
Comment by yeah — December 31, 2008 @ 8:11 am
Great.Thanks
QuoteComment by S — February 4, 2009 @ 2:39 pm
I try it but i cant see the subs.
I redownload the Yamb with setup, reinstall… and i still cant see the subs.
Does anybody get it on work???
Does the subs maybe should be in some kind of archive different from .srt extension?(i also try to merge the subs in .ttxt and… nothing)
QuoteComment by no — February 25, 2009 @ 12:42 pm
This is not working for me too. I tried everything and still can’t see no subs.
QuoteTried with .srt and .ttxt, but nothing happened.
Comment by Gustavo — March 16, 2009 @ 10:50 am
FAIL!
QuoteComment by FAIL — May 31, 2009 @ 9:52 am
“Given the fact that media players on most handhelds don’t allow subtitle track to be selected from a menu, some other way to truly hardcode the subtitles in MP4 needs to be found”
This isn’t possible by adding the subs to an existing MP4/H.264 without re-encoding the original video stream.
It isn’t possible with *any* video file as far as I know. Hard-coding required the video to be recoded with the subs as part of the frame.
QuoteComment by An0n — September 21, 2009 @ 9:02 pm
Try KMplayer,it seems to work with embebed subtitles.
QuoteWorks for me!
Comment by rucalx — October 10, 2009 @ 9:19 pm
no encuentro las palabras para agradecerte esta informacion, llevaba toda la tarde buscando esto.
QuoteComment by Juanhelo — October 15, 2009 @ 7:48 am
this is fail! :(
QuoteComment by ffs — February 27, 2010 @ 6:01 am