Changing Subtitles in DVD Studio Pro

[ This article was first published in the November, 2006, issue of
Larry’s Final Cut Pro Newsletter. Click here to subscribe. ]

Sue Sie wrote:

I’m almost finished with your instructional DVD for DVDSP. It’s been very helpful so far. The only problem is that in the subtitle part of the instructions, I believe I am following all your scripting and instructions to a ‘T’ and for the life of me can’t get the simulator to run and shut off the subtitles. Is there anything you can think of that I might have missed, maybe in preferences. I’ve gone through it 3 times fastidiously with no positive results. I am working with version 4.0.3.

Larry replies: Sue, the secret is the View checkbox, which is in the Simulator and part of the Subtitle script command in the Inspector.

You turn on, and set, subtitle tracks through scripts; generally attached to buttons. So, to change subtitle tracks:

1. Create a menu with a button for each subtitle language on your DVD.
2. Set the button target to jump to a script when clicked.
3. Set the Script to use the “Set System Stream” command to select the subtitle track you want to display, or hide.
4. If you want subtitles ON, turn ON the View checkbox in the script command menu.
5. If you want subtitles OFF, turn OFF the View checkbox in the script command menu.