Apple DVD Studio Pro 4 - Manual (Page 445)

Importing Older DVD Studio Pro Subtitles
Because of the way they are created, you cannot directly import subtitle files created with
the Subtitle Editor in earlier versions of DVD Studio Pro. These subtitle files have an “.SPU”
extension.
However, you can import older DVD Studio Pro projects that contain subtitles into
DVD Studio Pro 4. Each subtitle entry is converted to a TIFF file and placed on the timeline
at the correct location. Because the subtitles are TIFF files, you cannot edit their text within
DVD Studio Pro 4.
Subtitles and Overlays
All subtitle types use the same advanced overlay method used in the standard menu
creation method. This means that any graphics and subtitle files must be made of up to
four predefined colors, on which you map the actual colors that appear when the title
plays. See
Creating Overlays for information on overlay graphics.
About Subtitles and Closed Captions
While this chapter describes working with subtitles, it is important to understand how
they compare to closed captions, which are also supported by DVD Studio Pro when
creating NTSC SD projects. This is especially important if you are creating DVD titles that
must comply with accessibility requirements.
There are two methods available to you to provide visual text to the viewers of your NTSC
SD-based DVD title: adding subtitles and importing closed caption files. In both cases,
text can be made to appear on the screen along with the video. However, the capabilities
of each method are different.
Note: DVD Studio Pro does not support closed captions in HD projects or PAL SD projects.
Subtitle Capabilities
Subtitles generally provide dialogue text only—there is no text description of sounds
that may also be part of a scene (although those could be added if you wish). Subtitles
are generally intended to provide the dialogue in a second language and assume you
can hear the disc’s audio.
When creating subtitles, you can define their position, size, font, and color. Subtitles do
not actually have to be text—they can be a graphic used to display a logo or point out
an item in the video.
All DVD players, including those used by computers, include the ability to show subtitles.
Subtitles work the same in both NTSC and PAL projects.
445 Chapter 19 Creating Subtitles