Use ffmpeg to add text subtitles [closed]

Answer 1

NOTE: This solution "burns the subtitles" into the video, so that every viewer of the video will be forced to see them.

Use the libass library (make sure your ffmpeg install has the library in the configuration --enable-libass).

First convert the subtitles to .ass format:

ffmpeg -i subtitles.srt subtitles.ass

Then add them using a video filter:

ffmpeg -i mymovie.mp4 -vf ass=subtitles.ass mysubtitledmovie.mp4

Answer 2

ffmpeg -i infile.mp4 -i infile.srt -c copy -c:s mov_text outfile.mp4

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-vf subtitles=infile.srt will not work with -c copy

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The order of -c copy -c:s mov_text is important. You are telling FFmpeg:

1. Video: copy, Audio: copy, Subtitle: copy
2. Subtitle: mov_text

If you reverse them, you are telling FFmpeg:

1. Subtitle: mov_text
2. Video: copy, Audio: copy, Subtitle: copy

Alternatively you could just use -c:v copy -c:a copy -c:s mov_text in any order.

Answer 3

This is the reason why mkv is such a good container, especially now that it's mature:

mkvmerge -o output.mkv video.mp4 subtitle.srt

Answer 4

Simple Example:

videoSource=test.mp4
videoEncoded=test2.mp4
videoSubtitle=test.srt
videoFontSize=24
ffmpeg -i "$videoSource" -vf subtitles="$videoSubtitle":force_style='Fontsize="$videoFontSize"' "$videoEncoded"

Only replace the linux variables

Answer 5

MKV container supports video and audio codecs Virtually anything and also supports subtitles and DVD menus. So you can just copy codecs from input video to output video with MKV container with subtitles. First you should convert SRT to ASS subtitle format

ffmpeg -i input.srt input.ass

and embed ASS subtitles to video

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -i input.ass -c:v copy -c:a copy -c:s copy -map 0:0 -map 0:1 -map 1:0 -y out.mkv

Also worked with VMW file.

ffmpeg -i input.wmv -i input.ass -c:v copy -c:a copy -c:s copy -map 0:0 -map 0:1 -map 1:0 -y out.mkv

see the wiki page Comparison of container formats

Answer 6

You are trying to mux subtitles as a subtitle stream. It is easy but different syntax is used for MP4 (or M4V) and MKV. In both cases you must specify video and audio codec, or just copy stream if you just want to add subtitle.

MP4:

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -f srt -i input.srt \
-map 0:0 -map 0:1 -map 1:0 -c:v copy -c:a copy \
-c:s mov_text output.mp4

MKV:

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -f srt -i input.srt \
-map 0:0 -map 0:1 -map 1:0 -c:v copy -c:a copy \
-c:s srt  output.mkv