Universal Media Server | Forum

When there is a signs:songs subtitle track UMS defaults to that instead of full subtitles. In the transcode folder the "Sub: SSA:English (English Signs:Songs)" file is listed before "Sub: SSA:English (English Subtitles)" due to alphanumeric sorting and it seems UMS just defaults to the first Sub file for playback. Is there a way to have the program use full subtitles over signs:songs when the audio is not the same language as the subs or just an option to select doing so?

I know you can just pick the correct thing in the transcode folder. This is just a convenience thing, especially when you are binge watching multiple episodes. Nice to have them play one after the other instead of having to back out and go into the transcode folder of the next one.

Sorry if this has already been addressed. I only found one topic on this when I searched the boards and it was not replied to: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2299

Is there a way to have the program use full subtitles over signs:songs when the audio is not the same language as the subs or just an option to select doing so?

UMS loads first match of prefered subs so in your case forced subs are loaded.
There is only option how to force "forced" subs but not "full" ones (defining audio/subs preference and forced tag to e.g. "Forced,Signs,Song" etc.).
But you can override this behavior for your purpose but it is quite restricted and influence all other movies.
Set english as your forced subs language (native language) and set forced tag to something what is different from "Signs/Songs". In your case it should be "Subtitles" from example below.
With this settings if UMS will find in file your native audio track, it will load it. But if there is also forced subs detected, it forces transcoding with these subs (also in case you will set eng,off as forced subs are forced also for native audio).
If you don't understand, I will try to reformulate it if you will fail in configuring it (when you provide info from MediaInfo and your preferred audio/subs settings).

Thanks for replying ExSport

I attached screenshots of my audio/subs settings. Are you saying that to receive the desired effect I need to change the content of the Forced Tags field from "forced" to "Subtitles"?

I tried that but then ran into an entirely new problem. The .mkv that i tried to test with no longer plays the Japanese audio track by default. It played the Japanese audio track by default just last night so I thought it was the change I made but the same thing happened after reverting the change. I tried with another .mkv and the Japanese audio played with the English subs (note: this .mkv does not have a signs:songs sub file). Tried the first .mkv again and the same thing happened, English audio. Attached the trace log so someone smarter than me can tell me what is happening.

If a moderator wants to move this from Feature Suggestions to General Help and Support that would be great

You set audio preference to "jpn,eng" but there is also audio/subs preference set which has a precedence so "eng,off;*,eng;*,und" is used.
How to read audio/subs priority? If eng audio is present, play it with disabled subs. For any other language use eng subs. If there is no eng subs, try to load undefined subs (I am sure you can set undefined audio but totally not sure if same way it is possible to set undefined subs).
So in your case audio/subs priority is used and that means english audio if exists and no subs.
Now what no subs really means? It means no subs except forced subs (depending on forced language/tag setttings) or any subs in case "Forced external subtitles" is checked.
In last post I wrote about the way how to override full subs instead of signs/songs without remuxing file and changing order of subtitle tracks (e.g. with MKVToolNix). But this way has side efects on any other files which are not similar to ones you describe. So if you have whole series of similar files, with same descriptions of subtitle tracks, then it will work for them but not with others.
And yes, if you are trying to force second subtitle track instead of first one which is signs/songs, then use "subtitles" string instead of "forced" as "subtitles" is only present in tag/description of second subtitle track which includes full subs.
So if you want to play jpn audio with full eng subs for your specific file(s) you need to add at the beginning to the audio/sub priority this: "jpn,off;" and forced tags change to "subtitle".
This change will force jpn audio and no subs but detected forced language override it so full subs are taken.
This settings is totally wrong but will work for your specific request and your specific file(s).

So I made those changes but it didn't work. Then I found out there was a better renderer config for my TV. I also decided to take a look at that MKVToolNix program (which is great). I found that the Sign:Songs file was marked as the default. Changed the Subtitles file to be the default. Then I was able to get the desired effect with just the Subtitles tag and it didn't affect my other files.

That program was great, first time doing any sort of video editing and it was really intuitive. Thanks Ex