Can't get subtitles working with Mezzmo and WD TV Live (or other) media player.

[TomZzo]

I have some MP4 media files that have a subtitle track embedded in the file (details below).

If I put the media files on a USB stick and plug it into my WD TV Live then it plays with the subtitles.

If I point my WD TV Live at Mezzmo running on my Windows 7 PC then the video plays fine but there are no subtitles. How can I get Mezzmo to add the subtitles to the video stream that it provides?

I had the same problem when I tested Mezzmo with Google TV instead of WD TV Live. I looked through all the Mezzmo settings but couldn't find anything suitable.

In case it is useful I have pasted the ffmpeg info for one of my media files below.

Thanks,
Tom

ffmpeg version N-40693-gc457a29 Copyright (c) 2000-2012 the FFmpeg developers
built on May 15 2012 12:57:14 with gcc 4.6.2
configuration: --enable-memalign-hack --arch=x86 --target-os=mingw32 --cross-prefix=i686-w64-mingw32- --enable-static --disable-shared --enable-zlib --disable-postproc --prefix=/home/peter/ffmpeg/build/gpl --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libx264 --enable-gpl --extra-libs='-lx264 -lpthread' --enable-runtime-cpudetect --extra-cflags=-I/home/peter/cc/include --extra-ldflags=-L/home/peter/cc/lib --pkg-config=pkg-config --disable-w32threads
libavutil 51. 51.100 / 51. 51.100
libavcodec 54. 21.101 / 54. 21.101
libavformat 54. 5.100 / 54. 5.100
libavdevice 53. 4.100 / 53. 4.100
libavfilter 2. 73.100 / 2. 73.100
libswscale 2. 1.100 / 2. 1.100
libswresample 0. 11.100 / 0. 11.100
Input #0, mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2, from 'C:\Users\ham\Videos\Ring Copenhagen\FirstTry\ring-got-1.mp4':
Metadata:
major_brand : mp42
minor_version : 0
compatible_brands: mp42isomavc1
creation_time : 2012-05-07 02:09:54
encoder : HandBrake 0.9.6 2012022800
Duration: 01:56:48.32, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 1587 kb/s
Chapter #0.0: start -0.083433, end 70.403667
Metadata:
title : Chapter 1
Chapter #0.1: start 70.403667, end 986.318667
Metadata:
title : Chapter 2
Chapter #0.2: start 986.318667, end 1183.248733
Metadata:
title : Chapter 3
Chapter #0.3: start 1183.248733, end 1846.644800
Metadata:
title : Chapter 4
Chapter #0.4: start 1846.644800, end 2215.713500
Metadata:
title : Chapter 5
Chapter #0.5: start 2215.713500, end 3005.335667
Metadata:
title : Chapter 6
Chapter #0.6: start 3005.335667, end 3556.578033
Metadata:
title : Chapter 7
Chapter #0.7: start 3556.578033, end 4112.441667
Metadata:
title : Chapter 8
Chapter #0.8: start 4112.441667, end 4819.815000
Metadata:
title : Chapter 9
Chapter #0.9: start 4819.815000, end 5276.938333
Metadata:
title : Chapter 10
Chapter #0.10: start 5276.938333, end 5840.501333
Metadata:
title : Chapter 11
Chapter #0.11: start 5840.501333, end 6405.065333
Metadata:
title : Chapter 12
Chapter #0.12: start 6405.065333, end 7008.318000
Metadata:
title : Chapter 13
Stream #0:0(und): Video: h264 (High) (avc1 / 0x31637661), yuv420p, 720x480 [SAR 2560:2151 DAR 1280:717], 1258 kb/s, 29.48 fps, 90k tbr, 90k tbn, 180k tbc
Metadata:
creation_time : 2012-05-07 02:09:54
Stream #0:1(deu): Audio: aac (mp4a / 0x6134706D), 48000 Hz, stereo, s16, 159 kb/s
Metadata:
creation_time : 2012-05-07 02:09:54
Stream #0:2(deu): Audio: aac (mp4a / 0x6134706D), 48000 Hz, stereo, s16, 159 kb/s
Metadata:
creation_time : 2012-05-07 02:09:54
Stream #0:3(eng): Subtitle: dvd_subtitle (mp4s / 0x7334706D)
Metadata:
creation_time : 2012-05-07 02:09:54
Stream #0:4(und): Subtitle: mov_text (text / 0x74786574)
Metadata:
creation_time : 2012-05-07 02:09:54
At least one output file must be specified

[Paul]

Try this: Go to the Media Devices dialog and edit your WD TV Live device. Go to the Transcoding tab and turn off transcoding for this device. Now restart your Mezzmo server and try streaming the same file again. If it can play, then your device supports streaming this file natively via DLNA - now check if you can see subtitles as well while it is streaming. If you cannot, then your WD TV Live is not letting you see subtitle channels in this native file whilst streaming via DLNA (even though it lets you via USB) .

[TomZzo]

Thanks. I'll give that a try.
Tom

[TomZzo]

I tried your suggestion and was still not able to get sub-titles working.

Sub-titles are really a pain!

Thanks anyway.

[Paul]

Just an update - Mezzmo v2.6.4 has been released and it contains improvements whereby you can now stream external subtitles to your WD TV Live media player.

[li21]

Just an update - Mezzmo v2.6.4 has been released and it contains improvements whereby you can now stream external subtitles to your WD TV Live media player.

I'm using 2.6.4 and I still can't get subtitles to work on MP4 files.

It appears that it is only MP4 files with SRT subtitles that dont work.
Any other combination of video and subtitle file (eg. .sub) work..

[Paul]

This may be a restriction on your WD TV Live (i.e. no external subs displayed when streaming MP4). Perhaps other WD TV Live owners can assist with their knowledge.

[bgeneto]

This may be a restriction on your WD TV Live (i.e. no external subs displayed when streaming MP4). Perhaps other WD TV Live owners can assist with their knowledge.

Unfortunately I'm another WD TV live (wdlxtv firmware) unhappy user that cannot display any external (srt) subtitles while streaming (not transcoding) mkv files from mezzmo v2.6.7.0. MP4 doesn't work too. Maybe it's a firmware problem since the latest version of mezzmo includes improvement in "streaming external subtitles to WD TV Live". Anyone out there with wdlxtv firmware had success in displaying external subtitles?