Closed Caption Profiles & Formats
Closed Caption Converter supports over 30 file formats through a system of Profiles. A Profile is a module that knows how to read (decode) a specific format into the internal CCPRJ representation, and/or write (encode) a CCPRJ object back out to that format. Because every format passes through CCPRJ, any supported source format can be converted to any supported target format without a dedicated converter for each pair.
Profiles are divided into source profiles (decode) and target profiles (encode). Most profiles support both operations, though some are decode-only (such as raw transcription outputs from speech-to-text services) or encode-only. When selecting profiles in the web application, the Source Profile dropdown shows all readable formats and the Target Profile dropdown shows all writable formats.
The CCPRJ Intermediate Format
CCPRJ (Closed Caption Project) is the internal JSON schema used to store caption data between the decode and encode steps. Every decode operation produces a CCPRJ object containing events (individual caption cues with start/end timecodes and text content), metadata (frame rate, author information, technical attributes), speakers, markers, and format-specific style data. Filters operate directly on CCPRJ, making them format-agnostic. You can also use CCPRJ as a source or target profile directly, which allows you to inspect the raw internal representation of any file or feed pre-built CCPRJ directly into the encoder.
North American Broadcast
These formats are used in North American broadcast television workflows and carry CEA-608 and CEA-708 caption data.
| Profile Name | Extension | Decode | Encode | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scenarist V1.0 (SCC) | .scc | ✓ | ✓ | Standard CEA-608 caption format used across North American broadcast. |
| Scenarist V1.0 Advanced | .scc | — | ✓ | Encode-only variant with extended channel and pop-on configuration options. |
| MacCaption 608/708 (MCC) | .mcc | ✓ | ✓ | Carries both CEA-608 and CEA-708 data with SMPTE timecode headers. |
| MacCaption 608/708 Advanced | .mcc | — | ✓ | Encode-only with extended 708 service configuration and style options. |
| MacCaption Project | .cca | ✓ | — | Native MacCaption project file format. Decode only. |
| 608/708 VANC Data | .raw | — | ✓ | Raw binary VANC payload data. Encode only. |
European Broadcast
These formats are used in European and international broadcast workflows.
| Profile Name | Extension | Decode | Encode | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EBU STL | .stl | ✓ | ✓ | Binary STL format as defined by EBU Tech 3264. |
| Spruce STL | .stl | ✓ | ✓ | Text-based STL variant used in some Spruce editing environments. |
| EBU TT | .xml | ✓ | ✓ | EBU-TT XML format based on the W3C Timed Text specification. |
| ScreenSystems Poliscript (PAC) | .pac | ✓ | ✓ | Binary format used in ScreenSystems and SubStation editors for European broadcast. |
TTML & XML Subtitle Formats
These XML-based profiles cover a wide range of TTML dialect variants used across streaming platforms, broadcast, and localisation workflows.
| Profile Name | Extension | Decode | Encode | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Timed-Text Markup Language (TTML) | .xml / .ttml / .mp4 | ✓ | ✓ | Base TTML profile conforming to W3C TTML 1.0. |
| Distribution Format Exchange Profile (DFXP) | .xml / .dfxp | ✓ | ✓ | DFXP (TTML 1.0 Distribution) used across many delivery specifications. |
| SMPTE TTML | .xml / .ttml / .mp4 | ✓ | ✓ | TTML with SMPTE timecode references. |
| IMSC 1.0 Basic | .xml / .ttml | ✓ | ✓ | W3C IMSC 1.0 Basic document profile. |
| IMSC Text Captions | .xml / .ttml | ✓ | ✓ | IMSC Text profile targeting caption delivery. |
| IMSC Text Subtitles | .xml / .ttml | ✓ | ✓ | IMSC Text profile targeting subtitle delivery. |
| IMSC Text Captions — JA | .xml | — | ✓ | IMSC variant with Japanese language caption styling. Encode only. |
| EBU TT | .xml | ✓ | ✓ | EBU-TT XML. |
| Verizon TTML | .ttml / .mp4 | ✓ | — | Verizon Media TTML variant. Decode only. |
| Disney TTML | .xml | — | ✓ | Disney-specific TTML delivery format. Encode only. |
| Sandflow TTML | .xml / .ttml | ✓ | ✓ | Sandflow-compliant TTML used in IMF workflows. |
| HBO GO TTML | .xml / .ttml | — | ✓ | HBO Go TTML delivery format. Encode only. |
| HBO MAX SMPTE | .xml / .ttml | — | ✓ | HBO Max SMPTE TTML delivery format. Encode only. |
| HBO SMPTE TTML | .xml / .ttml | — | ✓ | Legacy HBO SMPTE TTML. Encode only. |
| Netflix DFXP | .dfxp | ✓ | ✓ | Netflix-specific DFXP format. |
| Netflix TT Captions | .xml | ✓ | ✓ | Netflix Timed Text captions profile. |
| Netflix TT Subtitles | .xml | ✓ | ✓ | Netflix Timed Text subtitles profile. |
| Crunchyroll DFXP | .dfxp | ✓ | ✓ | Crunchyroll subtitle delivery format. |
| YouTube TTML | .xml / .ttml | ✓ | ✓ | YouTube caption TTML format. |
| Ooona TTML | .xml / .ttml | ✓ | ✓ | Ooona platform TTML variant. |
| TTML FooEngine | .xml / .ttml | ✓ | ✓ | Foo Engine platform TTML variant. |
| TTML Legacy | .ttml | — | ✓ | Legacy TTML output for older toolchains. Encode only. |
| MAGIC TT | .xml | ✓ | ✓ | MAGIC TT XML-based subtitle format. |
| DCDM Subtitle | .xml | ✓ | — | Digital Cinema Distribution Master subtitle XML. Decode only. |
| DLP Cinema | .xml | ✓ | ✓ | DLP Cinema subtitle format. |
| FCP XML | .xml | — | ✓ | Final Cut Pro XML caption export. Encode only. |
Web & Streaming Subtitles
These are the most common formats used in online video, OTT platforms, and open subtitle workflows.
| Profile Name | Extension | Decode | Encode | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SubRip Video Subtitle Script (SRT) | .srt | ✓ | ✓ | The most widely-used plain-text subtitle format. |
| WebVTT | .vtt / .webvtt | ✓ | ✓ | W3C Web Video Text Tracks. Supports cue positioning. |
| Able Player DV | .vtt / .webvtt | ✓ | ✓ | Described video WebVTT variant used with the Able Player web player. |
| SubViewer | .sbv / .sub | ✓ | ✓ | Simple text subtitle format compatible with YouTube uploads. |
| Substation Alpha (SSA) | .ssa | ✓ | ✓ | Original Substation Alpha format for styled subtitles. |
| Advanced Substation Alpha (ASS) | .ass | ✓ | ✓ | Extended variant of SSA with advanced styling and layout. |
| Synchronized Accessible Media Interchange (SAMI) | .smi / .sami | ✓ | ✓ | Microsoft caption format used in Windows Media Player. |
| iTunes Timed Text (iTT) | .itt | ✓ | ✓ | Apple's format for iTunes and Final Cut Pro subtitle tracks. |
| iTunes Timed Text Media | .itt | ✓ | ✓ | Media variant of iTT. |
| iTunes Timed Text SMPTE | .itt | ✓ | — | SMPTE timecode variant of iTT. Decode only. |
Binary & Legacy Broadcast
These are binary or proprietary formats used in older broadcast and specialised captioning systems.
| Profile Name | Extension | Decode | Encode | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cavena 890 | .890 | ✓ | ✓ | Binary subtitle format used in Cavena CPC subtitle hardware. |
| Cavena CIP | .cip | ✓ | — | Cavena CIP binary format. Decode only. |
| Cheetah CAP (binary) | .cap | ✓ | ✓ | Binary format used by Cheetah captioning software. |
| Cheetah (ASCII Text) | .asc | ✓ | ✓ | ASCII text variant of the Cheetah format. |
| Videotron Lambda | .cap | ✓ | ✓ | Legacy Videotron Lambda binary caption format. |
| NCI Caption | .cap | ✓ | — | NCI binary caption format. Decode only. |
| CaptionMaker Plus | .cap | ✓ | — | CaptionMaker binary format. Decode only. |
| CaptionMaker Plus V2 | .cap | ✓ | — | CaptionMaker binary V2. Decode only. |
| Caption Inc | .cin | ✓ | — | Caption Inc legacy format. Decode only. |
| Canvass SST Project | .sdb | ✓ | — | Canvass SST project format. Decode only. |
| Vitac | .vnl | ✓ | ✓ | Vitac (Verbit) VNL caption format. |
NLE & Post-Production
These profiles integrate with non-linear editing systems and post-production software.
| Profile Name | Extension | Decode | Encode | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avid DS | .txt | ✓ | ✓ | Caption export format for Avid DS editing system. |
| Adobe Encore | .txt | ✓ | ✓ | Adobe Encore DVD subtitle format. |
| Apple DVD Studio Pro | .txt | ✓ | ✓ | Apple DVD Studio Pro caption export. |
| DaVinci Resolve ADR Cue List | .csv | ✓ | ✓ | ADR cue list CSV export from DaVinci Resolve. |
| DaVinci Resolve Edit Index List | .csv | ✓ | ✓ | Edit index list CSV from DaVinci Resolve. |
| DaVinci Resolve Timeline Markers | .edl | ✓ | ✓ | Timeline markers exported as an EDL from DaVinci Resolve. |
| FCP XML | .xml | — | ✓ | Final Cut Pro XML with embedded subtitle data. Encode only. |
| EZ Title | .txt | ✓ | ✓ | EZ Title plain-text caption format. |
| Eclipse | .txt | ✓ | ✓ | Eclipse caption system format. |
| QuickTime Text | .txt | ✓ | ✓ | QuickTime text track subtitle format. |
| PowerPixel Format | .txt | ✓ | ✓ | PowerPixel caption format. |
| ProCap Transfer | .txt | ✓ | ✓ | ProCap transfer format for caption exchange. |
| Sofni | .sub | ✓ | ✓ | Sofni subtitle format. |
| Micro DVD | .sub | ✓ | — | Micro DVD subtitle format. Decode only. |
| DVD Architect | .sub | ✓ | ✓ | Sony DVD Architect subtitle format. |
Transcription & Speech-to-Text (Decode Only)
These profiles decode the JSON output returned by speech-to-text services into CCPRJ for further processing, encoding, and delivery. They are decode-only because they represent raw transcription data, not a delivery format. These profiles are used internally when an Access Provider performs a transcribe or align API job.
| Profile Name | Extension | Provider |
|---|---|---|
| Deepgram | .json | Deepgram |
| Assembly AI | .json | Assembly AI |
| Amazon Transcribe | .json | Amazon Web Services |
| Google Speech-to-Text | .json | Google Cloud |
| Rev AI | .json | Rev AI |
| Speechmatics | .json | Speechmatics |
| Voicegain | .json | Voicegain |
| ElevenLabs Scribe | .json | ElevenLabs |
Document & Dialogue List Formats
These formats are used to exchange caption content in human-readable document form, often for review, as-broadcast logging, or integration with production scripts.
| Profile Name | Extension | Decode | Encode | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Comma-Separated Values (CSV) | .csv | ✓ | ✓ | Generic CSV with configurable column mapping. |
| JSON | .json | — | ✓ | Generic structured JSON output. Encode only. |
| JSON Format Custom 01 | .json | ✓ | — | Custom JSON variant with a predefined schema. Decode only. |
| Rich Text Format Custom 01 | .rtf | ✓ | — | Custom RTF dialogue list variant. Decode only. |
| As-Broadcast Dialogue List CSV | .csv | — | ✓ | As-broadcast dialogue list in CSV format. Encode only. |
| As-Broadcast Dialogue List Word | .docx | — | ✓ | As-broadcast dialogue list formatted as a Word document. Encode only. |
| Dialogue List Custom 01 | .docx | — | ✓ | Custom Word dialogue list format. Encode only. |
| LMS Transcript | .docx | ✓ | ✓ | Learning management system transcript format. |
| MS2 Transcript | .docx | ✓ | ✓ | MS2 transcript format. |
| DVW QC Script | .xlsx | ✓ | ✓ | DVW quality control script in Excel. |
| DVW Studio Script | .xlsx | ✓ | ✓ | DVW studio script in Excel. |
| ExAD | .xlsx | ✓ | ✓ | ExAD Excel format for audio description and caption exchange. |
| Text Transcript | .txt | ✓ | — | Plain text transcript. Decode only. |
Native Format
| Profile Name | Extension | Decode | Encode | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Closed Caption Project (CCPRJ) | .ccprj | ✓ | ✓ | The native internal JSON format used by Closed Caption Converter. Inspect the raw CCPRJ or pass pre-built CCPRJ objects directly to the encoder. |
| MacCaption Project (CCA) | .cca | ✓ | — | MacCaption project archive. Decode only. |