I’ve researched as much as I can in the Forums & Reddit but I still can’t for the life of me figure this out. Something must have changed in how Plex handles forced subtitles because I haven’t noticed this issue before.
GOAL: All I want to do is play subtitles marked Forced no matter what, and play the default audio.
For example:
Movie in English with occasional foreign subs (ex. Godfather II).
Foreign language film played with original/foreign language and forced English subs.
Background details:
using embedded PGS subs within MKV files
All subs that I want shown are marked as Forced
I feel like I’ve tested all scenarios in BOTH the server-level Settings->Settings->Languages and User-level Settings->Account-> Audio & Subtitle Settings.
The closest I seem to be able to get is NOT selecting a language and keeping Subs as “use with foreign language”. This gets me everything I want EXCEPT foreign language films do have original audio but it does NOT select the Forced sub track. It seems to select some random sub track instead.
Depends on the language. But the point is that I want to watch the movie as it’s intended. Regardless of language. I’m basically looking for a way for Plex to “play default audio track, always show forced subs”. But there doesn’t seem to be one (anymore?).
Indeed there isn’t one. The decision, which subtitle track is played is based on the language of the audio and which audio language is selected as ‘preferred’ in Plex.
This works well as long as one only uses one language:
if audio language = preferred language, then the forced subs are shown
if audio language <> preferred audio, normal subs are shown
But for poly-glot’s and friends of movies in original audio and subtitles this approach breaks down. It’d require a lot more complex rules to cover
all languages you are capable of understanding
all languages you like to watch in original with full subtitles
Many an Anime fan has experienced this already. (I, for one, can’t stomach dubbed anime.)
Got it. This is unfortunate. I can’t imagine I’m in such the minority of a movie buff whereby I prefer original language with native language subtities.
if audio language = preferred language, then the forced subs are shown
This option doesn’t make sense to me in the desired scenario. This would mean that if I set my language to English (which it’s set to none) that would play a foreign movie with English audio but ALSO show the Forced English subs. So redundant there.
all languages you are capable of understanding
all languages you like to watch in original with full subtitles
I don’t think it needs to be this complex. The above is unnecessary. All that (I think) is required is an option to prioritize subs marked as Forced above everything else. If you choose “none” in the audio, the default audio track plays (so English for English movies, foreign track for foreign movies). It’s the Forced subs that aren’t addressed here.
The only workaround I see here is to go in every foreign move and completely remove all subtitle tracks EXCEPT those Forced. Obviously not ideal.
Forced subs are never redundant. Forced subs are mainly meant to be shown for sections of the movie where something other than the current audio language is spoken. So even if you watch a foreign movie in english, you’d want to see english forced subs for sections of the movie where e.g. some alien language is spoken.
