Convert TTML Subtitles to SSA Format
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About TTML
TTML (Timed Text Markup Language) is an XML-based standard for delivering timed text, meaning subtitles and captions, for web video and television broadcast. It's a W3C recommendation and is designed to be a professional, feature-rich format for the broadcast and streaming industry. It supports extensive styling, timing, and layout options and is the basis for many other professional formats like DFXP.
About SSA
SubStation Alpha (SSA) is the predecessor to the more feature-rich ASS format. It was one of the first subtitle formats to allow for basic styling, including control over fonts, colors, and text position. While it has largely been superseded by ASS, it laid the groundwork for advanced subtitle scripting and is still supported by many players that support ASS.
TTML vs SSA
| Feature | TTML | SSA |
|---|---|---|
| Styling Support | true | true |
| Positioning Support | true | true |
| Animation Support | true | false |
| Learning Curve | expert | intermediate |
| Quality Rating | 5 | 3 |
| Patent Status | open standard | open format |
| Year Introduced | 2010 | 1998 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is TTML used by major streaming services?
Yes, TTML and its profiles (like DFXP for Netflix) are the backbone of subtitle delivery for many major streaming platforms, including Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video, as well as in professional broadcasting. Its robustness and rich feature set make it ideal for these high-stakes environments.
Is TTML easy to create by hand?
No, TTML is not designed to be human-readable or easily editable by hand. Its XML structure is verbose and complex. It is typically generated and processed by professional authoring software and is not suitable for casual subtitling.
Should I use SSA or ASS?
You should almost always choose ASS over SSA for new projects. ASS is fully backward-compatible with SSA and contains a much larger and more powerful feature set. SSA is primarily of interest for compatibility with very old files or legacy workflows.
What can SSA do that SRT cannot?
Unlike SRT, SSA allows you to define specific styles for your subtitles, such as the font family, font size, primary and secondary colors, and basic positioning on the screen. However, its capabilities are much more limited compared to its successor, ASS.
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