How to choose between subtitles in the same language based on the selected audio track? (Plex/VLC)

General Discussions
1

Here is my Plex and VLC language settings:
Prefer audio tracks in: Japanese
Prefer subtitles in: English
Subtitle mode (Plex only): Show with foreign subtitles

Here are the contents of a common MKV file I have:
Audio 1: English (default: yes, forced: no)
Audio 2: Japanese (default: no, forced: no)
Subtitles 1: English [Signs] (default: yes, forced: no)
Subtitles 2: English [Full Dialog] (default: no, forced: no)

When I play this video here is the behavior.
In VLC:
Plays Audio 2 with Subtitles 1. VLC selects Subtitles 1 since they are both in English. I don’t know if it does this because it is first or because it is default.

In Plex:
Plays Audio 2 with no subtitles. It looks like Plex just gives up when it sees two options in my preferred language. This seems to directly conflict with what the docs say should happen:

If a subtitle that matches your preferred subtitle language is found, the first one will be displayed

What I would like to happen:
Plays Audio 2 with Subtitles 2.

So here is the question: Is there a way by changing VLC/Plex settings and/or by changing the file headers (default flag, forced flag, etc.) so that when Audio 1 (English) is played Subtitles 1 is played, and when Audio 2 (Japanese) is played Subtitles 2 is played? As far as I know, there is know way to associate audio and subtitles files, and I also don’t see more specific language codes for the subtitles to indicate which is for the English audio and which is for non-English audio.

Any help would be appreciated.

2

Unfortunately, your use case is not working in Plex.
I have the exact same problem with my anime.

(side note: your MKV is incorrectly muxed. The subtitle track which contains the [signs] needs to be flagged as ‘forced’.)

3

How would making Subtitles [Signs] help though? It sounds like either way you can’t get English audio and Japanese audio to select the correct subtitles track automatically.

If you were just making a general statement, I understand. I was reading some plex forum posts and spec documentation about forced yesterday and I think I understand it correctly now. It’s just a shame that it doesn’t help with my use case.

4

Yes, it was just a general remark.

5

Does anyone else know if this is possible?

6

@seanblue10 said:
Here are the contents of a common MKV file I have:
Audio 1: English (default: yes, forced: no)
Audio 2: Japanese (default: no, forced: no)
Subtitles 1: English [Signs] (default: yes, forced: no)
Subtitles 2: English [Full Dialog] (default: no, forced: no)

This is not tested!!! May or mat not work.
Perhaps you can change Subtitle 2 to Japanese and have the force flag on…
So…
Audio 1: English (default: yes, forced: no)
Audio 2: Japanese (default: no, forced: no)
Subtitles 1: English [Signs] (default: yes, forced: yes)
Subtitles 2: Japanese [Full Dialog] (default: no, forced: yes)

Maybe this might work… Don’t know…

7

@NewPlaza said:
Perhaps you can change Subtitle 2 to Japanese and have the force flag on…
So…
Audio 1: English (default: yes, forced: no)
Audio 2: Japanese (default: no, forced: no)
Subtitles 1: English [Signs] (default: yes, forced: yes)
Subtitles 2: Japanese [Full Dialog] (default: no, forced: yes)

I’d thought of that, and it probably would work. But it’s basically a hack. The subtitles are in English and I’d rather not make them inaccurate just to get this to work.

Thanks for the suggestion though.

8

Yeah, the only other thing I can think of is to burn-in the signs but will require alot of time and effort.