[MPlayer-dev-eng] libass behavior when PlayResX & PlayResY are missing in ass subs

[Ergzay]

On Oct 22, 2008, at 1:14 PM, Evgeniy Stepanov wrote:

> On Wednesday 22 October 2008 18:23:39 Robert Ramiega wrote:
>> On Tue, Oct 21, 2008 at 08:09:44PM +0400, Evgeniy Stepanov wrote:
>>> On Tuesday 21 October 2008 19:23:48 Robert Ramiega wrote:
>>>>  Hi!
>>>>
>>>> Lately i've been playing with ass subtitles and i've noticed that  
>>>> when
>>>> subtitle file doesn't specify PlayResX *and* PlayResY libass  
>>>> hardcodes
>>>> them to 384x288.
>>>> What's the reasoning with this?
>>>
>>> Because that's what Vobsub does. And there are scripts out there  
>>> that
>>> don't set either PlayResX or PlayResY, and expect the logical  
>>> screen size
>>> to be 384x288.
>>
>> Out of curiosity could you, please, point me to such script/situation
>> (this "half-PAL" resolution puzzles me).
>
> Sorry, I don't remember where I have seen it.
>
>> As for Vobsub - well it's an
>> argument to keep things as they are but still isn't Vobsub
>> out-of-developement for quite some time. Mimicking Vobsub is  
>> probably good
>> thing but maybe it's time to set new standard =o) (just random  
>> thoughts,
>> please ignore them if they are annoying to you)
>
> But subtitles are still made with Vobsub in mind. Anyway, changing  
> default
> values will not improve anything.
>
>> btw by "script" you mean subtitle file or (shell) script?
>
> Subtitle file.

I know this topic is several months old, but something should be done  
about this. One of the biggest areas in which the full features of ssa/ 
ass fonts are used is in Anime/Japanese softsubs. The groups that do  
these often use the full features of SSA and expect that PlayResX and  
PlayResY if not defined, default to the current resolution of the  
video. In fact I've gone and asked groups that release subs without  
these that their files are bugged and when I say that I'm using  
MPlayer they say that this is a known MPlayer bug. If not changing the  
default, an easy way to switch between the two modes should be  
provided (besides using ssa overrides).
Also I have to ask what does ssa subs have to do with vobsubs? They  
are two entirely different formats. Shouldn't libass (if you are using  
it to decode subtitles) decide based on format of the file to use  
either vobsub defaults or ssa defaults? I have many videos with  
resolutions of 1280x720 resolution that when this default is applied  
to them it makes the subtitles about 1/3 the vertical size of the  
video and completely unwatchable.