Convert SCC Subtitles to PGS Format
or drag and drop
About SCC
SCC (Scenarist Closed Caption) is a professional format used for creating Line 21 closed captions, which are the standard for broadcast television in North America. SCC files contain not just the text but also precise data on screen positioning (including roll-up and pop-on styles) and color, conforming to the CEA-608 standard. It's a critical format for broadcast accessibility compliance.
About PGS
PGS (Presentation Graphic Stream) is an image-based subtitle format used exclusively for Blu-ray discs. Unlike text-based formats like SRT, PGS subtitles are stored as a sequence of bitmap images that are overlaid on the video. This means they can have any font, style, or color imaginable, but it also means they are not text-searchable and cannot be easily edited.
SCC vs PGS
| Feature | SCC | PGS |
|---|---|---|
| Styling Support | true | true |
| Positioning Support | true | true |
| Animation Support | false | false |
| Learning Curve | expert | expert |
| Quality Rating | 5 | 5 |
| Patent Status | proprietary | proprietary |
| Year Introduced | 1998 | 2006 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between open captions and closed captions?
Open captions are 'burned' into the video itself and cannot be turned off. Closed captions (like those from an SCC file) are a separate stream of data that the viewer can choose to enable or disable from their television or player.
Can I use SCC files for web video?
While it's possible to convert SCC to a web-friendly format like VTT, SCC itself is not designed for the web. It is a broadcast-specific format. Web platforms have their own standards for accessibility and captions, with VTT being the most common.
Can I edit a PGS subtitle file?
No, you cannot edit the text in a PGS file directly because it's a series of images, not text. To 'edit' a PGS file, you would need to use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software to convert the images back into a text-based format like SRT, edit the text, and then optionally convert it back, though this is a complex and often error-prone process.
Why do Blu-rays use image-based subtitles?
Image-based subtitles guarantee that the text will be displayed exactly as the designer intended, with specific fonts and styles, on any certified Blu-ray player. This avoids issues with players not having the correct fonts installed or not supporting certain text rendering features.
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