Convert SBV Subtitles to CSV Format
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About SBV
SBV (SubViewer) is a very simple, comma-separated subtitle format. It's most known for being one of the formats used by YouTube for caption uploads. The format consists of a start and end time on a single line, followed by the subtitle text. It's a very basic format without any styling capabilities, similar in simplicity to SRT.
About CSV
CSV (Comma-Separated Values) is a simple text format for storing tabular data. In the context of subtitles, it's often used for translation workflows or bulk editing. Each row in the CSV file can represent a subtitle cue, with columns for the start time, end time, and text. It's easy to open and edit in any spreadsheet program like Excel or Google Sheets.
SBV vs CSV
| Feature | SBV | CSV |
|---|---|---|
| Styling Support | false | false |
| Positioning Support | false | false |
| Animation Support | false | false |
| Learning Curve | beginner | beginner |
| Quality Rating | 3 | 3 |
| Patent Status | proprietary | open standard |
| Year Introduced | 2009 | 1972 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is SBV the same as SubViewer (.sub)?
They are very similar but have distinct formatting. The .sbv extension is specifically associated with YouTube's variant of the format. While they share the same core principle of 'start_time,end_time' followed by text, there can be minor incompatibilities between them. Our converter handles both.
Why would I use SBV?
The primary reason to use SBV is for uploading captions to YouTube, as it's one of their natively supported formats. It's a simple, no-frills format that is easy to create and edit in a plain text editor.
Can I use a CSV file directly as a subtitle?
No, a CSV file cannot be used directly as a subtitle track in a video player. It's an intermediate format. You would need to convert the CSV file into a standard subtitle format like SRT or VTT after you have finished your edits or translations.
What is the best use case for CSV subtitles?
CSV is ideal for workflows where non-technical users need to edit or translate subtitle text. Giving a translator a simple spreadsheet is much easier than asking them to edit the strict syntax of an SRT or VTT file. It's also great for programmatically managing subtitle data.
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