Convert TTML Subtitles to TXT Format
or drag and drop
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 TXT
A plain text (.txt) file is the simplest possible format, containing only raw text characters without any timing or styling information. When used in the context of subtitles, it typically represents a transcript of the audio. To be used as subtitles, this transcript would need to be processed by another tool to add the necessary timestamps to sync the text with the video.
TTML vs TXT
| Feature | TTML | TXT |
|---|---|---|
| Styling Support | true | false |
| Positioning Support | true | false |
| Animation Support | true | false |
| Learning Curve | expert | beginner |
| Quality Rating | 5 | 1 |
| Patent Status | open standard | open standard |
| Year Introduced | 2010 | 1963 |
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.
How can I turn a TXT transcript into an SRT file?
This process is called 'timing' or 'syncing'. It requires specialized software where you can load the video and the text file, and then go through the video, marking the start and end times for each line of dialogue. Many professional subtitle editors offer features to help with this process.
When is a plain TXT file useful?
A plain text file is very useful for creating a simple, readable transcript of a video for reference, for search engine optimization (SEO), or as the first step in a translation workflow before the text is timed.
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