What is forced subtitle? How to obtain forced subtitles only from a DVD/Blu-ray movie?

What is forced subtitle?

Subtitles are textual versions of the dialog in films and television programs, usually displayed at the bottom of the screen. Subtitles are common on DVD and Blu-ray movies. The most common type of subtitle is narrative subtitle, in which spoken dialogue is displayed. Comparing with narrative subtitle, forced subtitle is not so common.

Forced subtitles only provide subtitles when the characters speak a foreign or alien language, or a sign, flag, or other text in a scene is not translated in the localization and dubbing process. For example, when watching the Blu-ray Avatar movie, on screen subtitles during Navi (aborigines) speeches are so-called forced subtitles.



Forced subtitles and Blu-ray/DVD ripping

Many guys these days convert DVD and Blu-ray movies to a different format in order to play them on PC and portable devices. If you’re planning to put a DVD/Blu-ray movie onto iPad or Android Tablets (phones), I’d suggest you use tool that can print subtitles on the screen when ripping a disc, since most portable devices do not play external subtitles and the audio could be muted after conversion. Pavtube ByteCopy could be a nice choice, as it lets you decide whether to keep all subtitles or forced subtitles only. Just one thing to note- you can keep one subtitles track only and the subtitles can not be turned off. (See how to keep forced subtitles only with Blu-ray Ripper)



Tips: 

1: Pavtube ByteCopy can keep multiple subtitles and still obtain forced subtitles only for DVD/Blu-ray. It allows for multiple subtitles and forced subtitles when enveloping a whole movie to MKV container. Both VLC player and XBMCshow subtitles when playing the MKVs on PC.

2: To play the MKV backup on a HD media player, you’re suggested to pick up ByteCopy, because many HD media players prefer external subtitles and do not support Blu-ray subtitles in MKV container, while ByteCopy can extract .srt subtitles (including forced ones) from Blu-ray (See how to get .srt forced subtitles from Blu-ray Disc/BDMV/ISO)

A list of movies with forced subtitles

(This list will let you know before you start the process if you need to worry about Forced Subtitles or not.)

• Avatar
• Air Force One
• Astronaut Farmer, The
• Bridge Too Far, A – GER & DUT translation
• Dracula
• District B13 – French version
• Eastern Promises – RUS translation
• Equilibrium HD DVD (JAP) – some ENG subs
• Enemy at the Gates
• Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, The
• Flammen & Citronen
• Godfather I, II, & III – ITA translation
• Great Raid, The
• Hidalgo
• Hitman
• Hunt for Red October, The – RUS translation
• Iron Man
• Kill Bill Vol. 1 and Vol. 2
• Ocean's 13
• Pan’s Labyrinth
• Pianist, The
• Proposition, The
• Rendition
• Replacement Killers, The
• Ronin – FRE translation
• Stargate – Alien translation
• Traffic
• Transporter
• The A-Team
• Vantage Point
• 30 Days of Night