Connollydavid
I fixed FFmpeg's subtitle conversion (the bug from 2014)
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What is Connollydavid?
FFmpeg Subtitle Tools (pgs-release) is a set of ready-to-use subtitle conversion utilities built around FFmpeg that focus on robust, loss-minimising conversions between text subtitle formats (SRT, ASS/SSA, WebVTT) and bitmap subtitle formats used on Blu-ray and broadcast (PGS, DVD, DVB). The package preserves styling, animation, fades, colour changes and movement when converting styled subtitles to Blu-ray PGS, and automatically detects animated segments so users don’t need to tag frames manually. It also provides OCR-based conversion from bitmap subtitles back to text, supports a wide range of languages, and includes convenient ready-built binaries for multiple platforms so users can download and run without building from source. The tools are aimed at video enthusiasts, subtitle authors, video encoders and archivists who need accurate bidirectional subtitle conversion, particularly for Blu-ray authoring, remastering, or extracting subtitles from legacy DVD/Broadcast sources.
Connollydavid pricing
Pricing model: Freemium
The project provides ready-to-use binaries and tools on the release page and is distributed under a permissive license; there is no paid plan or subscription mentioned on the release page and downloads are provided free of charge. Users can download pre-built archives for supported platforms and run the tools locally; there are no tiered features or paid upgrades described.
Connollydavid pros
- Preserves ASS/SSA styling (fades, movement, colours) when converting to Blu-ray PGS
- Automatic detection of animated subtitle segments (no manual tagging)
- Handles overlapping subtitles with differing timings correctly
- Bidirectional conversion: text (SRT/ASS/WebVTT) to PGS and bitmap-to-text via OCR
- OCR supports a very large set of languages (114 languages listed)
- Provides ready-to-use pre-built binaries for multiple platforms (no compilation required)
- Uses FFmpeg 8.1 builds, ensuring modern codec and filter support
- Includes specific ffmpeg command examples for common workflows
- Supports RGBA-to-GIF conversion and other utility conversions beyond subtitles
- Designed to integrate with standard FFmpeg workflows (cli-friendly)
- Detects and preserves subtitle animation automatically during encoding
- Supplies both PGS encoding and extraction paths (pgssub and OCR paths)
- Packaged as standalone utilities so there are no extra runtime dependencies
- Suitable for professional Blu-ray authoring workflows
- Clear, short documentation and example commands on the release page
Connollydavid cons
- No hosted GUI—command-line only, which may deter non-technical users
- Site provides binaries but lacks an installer or package manager integration
- No automated batch GUI; batch workflows must be scripted manually
- OCR quality depends on source bitrate/quality—no turnkey accuracy guarantees
- Limited metadata handling for subtitle track names/languages beyond format conversion
- No explicit support matrix for very old FFmpeg/OS combinations beyond listed binaries
- No built-in cloud or web service—local execution required
- Documentation on edge-case options (deep OCR tuning, subtitle burn-in settings) is brief
Frequently asked questions about Connollydavid
What subtitle formats can I convert to Blu-ray PGS?
You can convert text-based formats such as SRT, ASS/SSA and WebVTT to Blu-ray PGS using the provided FFmpeg builds and example commands; styled ASS/SSA animations, fades and colour changes are preserved during conversion.
Can I convert PGS (bitmap) subtitles back into editable text?
Yes — the release includes FFmpeg builds and workflows that perform OCR on bitmap subtitle streams (PGS/DVD/DVB) to produce SRT output, with support for many languages via the bundled OCR setup.
Which operating systems are supported by the provided binaries?
The release page provides pre-built binaries for multiple platforms (six platforms referenced), so users should download the archive matching their OS and architecture and run the included FFmpeg-based tools locally without building from source.
Do I need to compile FFmpeg or any dependencies?
No — the release supplies ready-to-use FFmpeg 8.1-based binaries so you do not need to compile FFmpeg or additional dependencies to use the subtitle conversion tools.
Does the conversion preserve ASS/SSA animations and styling?
Yes — the encoder detects animation automatically and preserves fades, colour changes and movement when converting ASS/SSA to bitmap PGS, avoiding manual frame-by-frame tagging.
How accurate is the OCR when converting bitmap subtitles to SRT?
OCR accuracy depends on the quality and resolution of the source video and the characteristics of the subtitle bitmaps; the release supports OCR for 114 languages, but users should expect variable results on low-bitrate or heavily compressed sources and may need manual correction.
Are there example commands or documentation to get started?
Yes — the release page includes specific ffmpeg command-line examples (for SRT/ASS/WebVTT to PGS, PGS to SRT via OCR, and muxing commands) that demonstrate common workflows and options.
Can I batch-process many files at once?
The tools themselves are command-line utilities intended for single-invocation use; batch processing is possible by scripting the provided ffmpeg commands (e.g., shell loops or automation scripts) but the release does not include a dedicated batch-GUI tool.
What FFmpeg version are the binaries built on?
The provided ready-to-use binaries are built on FFmpeg 8.1 as stated on the release page, ensuring up-to-date codec and filter support for subtitle handling.
Is there licence or redistribution information?
The release page indicates that the tools and binaries are distributed under permissive licensing terms (LGPL mentioned for FFmpeg components) and the author provides downloadable archives for local use without paid restrictions.