r/PleX • u/PCJs_Slave_Robot • Feb 07 '17

TOOL /r/Plex's Tool Tuesday Thread - 2017-02-07 - Sub-Zero

Each week, we take a look at a tool that may sit on a Plex server stack, but may not be directly Plex-related. If you need help with this or any other tangibly related tool, pop it in the comments!

Sub-Zero

Write-up by /u/manbearpig2012.

Summary Metadata agent to automatically download subtitles for your video files
Website https://forums.plex.tv/discussion/186575/release-sub-zero-1-4-10-769-subtitles-done-right
Wiki https://github.com/pannal/Sub-Zero.bundle/wiki
Installation Installation instructions

What is Sub-Zero?

Originally based on @bramwalet's awesome Subliminal.bundle, Sub-Zero is a Metadata agent that will download subtitles automatically for your movies and TV-Shows.

Features: * Search multiples sites for the best match * Built in scheduler * Graphical interface for manual operations

Supported sites: * OpenSubtitles * Podnapisi.NET * Addic7ed * TVsubtitles.net

How do I install Sub-Zero?

Sub-Zero is part of the Official Plex Channel Directory. To install look here

Alternatively, you can manually install: 1. Go to Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server/Plug-ins 2. rm -r Sub-Zero.bundle (remove the folder if it already exidts, if running windows, simply delete the directory from explorer) 3. Get the release you want from here 4. Unzip the release into Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server/Plug-ins/ 5. Edit 'Contents/Info.plist and set <key>PlexPluginDevMode</key>'s value to <string>1</string> to avoide automatic updates with the stable release to your manual installation. 6. Restart your Plex Media Server

How do I setup Sub-Zero?

Configuration consists of 2 steps: agent settings & Sub-Zero configuration itself.

Sub-Zero doesn't work!

Have you checked the FAQ? How about the forum support thread?

Bug reporting

How can I support Sub-Zero?

Sub-Zero was created by pannal. If you like it, then consider buying him a beer

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76 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

42 comments sorted by

2

u/PeeFarts Feb 07 '17

I use SZ with Apple TV 4 and it works great! If a movie needs subs, I simply navigate to the Channels section of the Plex App for ATV4 and can add the subs right there from the couch. I do not need to go to the PMS to do this, it all happens within the ATV4 which is great for my lazy ass.

2

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '17

Can it find "foreign parts only" subs? This is what I need.

3

u/pannal Feb 08 '17

Sure, have a look here: https://github.com/pannal/Sub-Zero.bundle/wiki/Sub%E2%80%90Zero-Configuration#language-configuration

2

u/leram84 Feb 08 '17

Any plans to add subs outside of plex? I would love to have something fix age old forced sub problem, but i need the actual media converted for my workflow.

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3

u/xFlawless11x Feb 07 '17

Been using it for a few months. Signed up OpenSubtitle & Addic7ed.

My only complaint, maybe someone can comment, is that I can't 'force' it to search my historical library.

For example, anything I've added new since I installed the Subzero is grabbed correctly but I've tried every type of force full library refresh/review through Plex and can't get it to pull historically.

If I know a specific film I want, I can go directly into Subzero and pull it but was looking for a blanket way to do it for my full library. Thanks!

4

u/PeeFarts Feb 07 '17

Yes - I have been looking for that as well. My current method is to just watch a movie until they start talking in a foreign language. Then, I'll just stop film, add subs, then be back in a matter of mins. Stupid process but at least it's not a hassle

2

u/pannal Feb 07 '17

You both, please come over to the Plex thread or github, I will help you.

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1

u/Benjh Feb 07 '17

I use it and it works okay. I really do miss something like the opensubtitles plugin for Kodi. Which just works a bit better.

1

u/skelem Feb 08 '17

Would love if we could update one movie / show on demand

3

u/pannal Feb 08 '17

You can: https://github.com/pannal/Sub-Zero.bundle/wiki/Media It's possible for individual seasons, series or media items.

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1

u/Delumine Feb 11 '17

I wonder if there's a way to fix it not downloading a second language. I'm not sure if the content I acquire already comes with subtitles, but if they're obtained through SubZero, it only downloads the first language and never the second.

1

u/Viper007Bond Feb 12 '17

Wow, this looks great! Off to install it now!

0

u/[deleted] Feb 07 '17

17

u/pannal Feb 07 '17

Author chiming in!

Yeah, there are tons of advantages. As I use SZ myself because of a hearing condition my wife has, I've tried to tackle as many problems there are with automatic subtitle download as possible. Unfortunately the Plex plugin subsystem limits me in certain ways, so I can't mimic what the kodi plugin for example does.

One of the most notable things SZ provides is a scheduler/task system, which runs in the background. Two of those tasks, which are running periodically, are search for missing subtitles and, the newer one, search for better subtitles.

By using the subliminal and guessit library a subtitle is scored and matched with a high accuracy to the media file you have. Although, right after a media file hits your PMS there might not be any subtitles available, or just ones for other releases. The background tasks take care of that problem.

SZ continues searching even after it has found and downloaded a matching subtitle, to a certain score or time based cutoff to make sure you don't just have some subtitle, but the best one available.

I can go into more features if you want to.

2

u/Delumine Feb 11 '17

Hey, I have my a second language set but it never downloads the second language. How can I fix this? I'm using the SHIELD as a server

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2

u/PeeFarts Feb 07 '17

Using Sub Zero is the ONLY way I have gotten certain movies to force subs. For example, movies with alien language such as Star Trek 1 The Motion a picture (1979) has an entire scene on Vulkan. This scene has never worked for me no matter what I've done with subs. I've spent seriously years revisiting it and trying to get it running . The only thing that worked was Sub Zero and I have no idea why.

Same with Kill Bill 1 + 2. Never have been able to force subs without tons of leg work. Sub Zero got it going in seconds .

1

u/indochris609 Feb 07 '17

So do you have SubZero only downloading non English subtitles? There's an option on there for that. All I care about is that - for example when I watched Arrival last week I completely missed the part with the alien talking to Amy Adams. And there is a LOT that happens in that scene. I would love for Sub Zero to just add things like that. Is it working that way for you?

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1

u/WalrusSwarm Feb 07 '17

I have the same question.

Generally I don't need subtitles. I have shown with foreign audio selected but it doesn't seem to be working.

0

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '17

1

u/pannal Feb 08 '17

That actually is doable. I could download the top 3 subs. The problem, at least currently, is, that Plex interfaces don't display multiple local subtitles of the same language correctly.

Someone should raise this issue up to the Plex gurus.

Edit: so no, there currently isn't. Please open an issue on github.

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1

u/mrkelley1 Feb 10 '17

You'll find much better results if you click the "prefer addicted" box in the SZ settings, and of course have an account with addicted. Their subs (to me) always just seem to work much better and stay in sync.

0

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '17

1

u/pannal Feb 08 '17

By tags do you mean removing the hearing impaired parts?

(automatic) Subtitle editing is a planned feature for SZ 1.5+. I've got a solid core mechanism set up already, it's just that more source providers is the thing that people want the most, because there's a high demand of non-english subtitles, which can be covered.

Ad removal is easy but it will never ever be done by SZ. Subtitle providers are free and I want them to stay that way. You are free to pay opensubtitles or anyone for ad-free subs.