In this article I show how you can add “embedded” subtitles to a video file. This is handy when you don’t want to have to add the subtitle file (I.e. “srt” file) each time you want subtitles.
In this example, I am using the VLC media player to convert the video portion of the file to overwrite the subtitles. The original file is in a “MKV” container and I chose to convert it to an “MP4” container, passing thru the audio and making the video a 1080p file using the H264 codec with the option to “overlay” the subtitles.
Setting up a Profile
An important step is to set up “profile” in VLC - so that you can save all the parameters to maintain the audio (don’t convert it) but does the video compression at a fast “bitrate” to maintain the quality of the video. I used “3500” as the bitrate with a frame rate of 24 fps and ended up with rather large but good quality mp4 video file with “hard coded” subtitles.
File Size
The resolution, frame rate and bitrate will impact the size of the file. The higher the resolution, frame rate and the bitrate the larger the file - with bitrate being the most influential factor.
Bitrates
For 1080p videos, the ideal bitrate ranges from 3,500 to 6,000 Kbps. If you're using a standard frame rate (24 fps), aim for the lower end of the range, between 3,500 and 5,000 Kbps. If you have a high frame rate (e.g. 60 fps), aim for a bitrate of 4,500 to 6,000 Kbps.
Frame Rate
Frame rate is the measurement of how quickly a number of frames appears within a second, which is why it's also called FPS (frames per second). Motion pictures, TV broadcasts, streaming video content, and even smartphones use the standard frame rate of 24 fps. So set the frame rate to 24 fps when making your profile (or use "Same as source" to use the same as your source video).
SRT File
To add subtitles, you will need a video file and a copy of the corresponding subtitles (I.e. the “srt”) file that is aligned with the timing of the video. An “srt” file is encoded with the time stamps and the text to show.
Here is a video walking through how to “embed” or “hard code” subtitles into a file without loosing the quality of the original video:
Comments powered by CComment