Convert SBV Subtitles to LRC Format
or drag and drop
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 LRC
LRC is a format designed to display synchronized lyrics for audio files, most commonly used by music players and karaoke software. The format is a simple text file with a timestamp at the beginning of each line of lyrics. As the audio plays, the player displays the line of text that corresponds to the current time, creating a simple but effective karaoke-style experience.
SBV vs LRC
| Feature | SBV | LRC |
|---|---|---|
| Styling Support | false | false |
| Positioning Support | false | false |
| Animation Support | false | false |
| Learning Curve | beginner | beginner |
| Quality Rating | 3 | 3 |
| Patent Status | proprietary | open format |
| Year Introduced | 2009 | 1999 |
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 LRC files for video subtitles?
LRC is not suitable for video subtitles. It only has a start timestamp for each line and no end time, meaning the text would remain on screen until the next line appears. It's specifically designed for the line-by-line nature of song lyrics and lacks the features needed for proper dialogue subtitling.
What is the difference between simple and enhanced LRC?
Simple LRC format provides a timestamp for each line. Enhanced LRC format adds the ability to have timestamps for each word within a line, allowing for a more precise word-by-word highlighting effect in karaoke applications.
Transform Your Videos with AI Subtitles & Closed Captions
Get started with 10 minutes of free transcription. No credit card required.