iTunes Timed Text (iTT)
- .itt
- Read
- Write
Closed Caption Converter reads and writes iTT files. Convert iTT to and from 56 other caption and subtitle formats in the web app, with the REST API, or offline with the CLI.
What is an iTT file?
iTunes Timed Text (iTT) is Apple’s subtitle format for the iTunes Store and the Apple TV app. It is an XML document based on TTML, restricted to a profile Apple defines in its video asset delivery specifications. Final Cut Pro also imports and exports iTT, so the format is common in Apple-centric post-production as well as in distribution.
Unlike SRT or WebVTT, iTT times every subtitle in SMPTE timecode at a declared frame rate. The ttp:frameRate, ttp:frameRateMultiplier and ttp:timeBase="smpte" attributes on the root element tell the player how to read each begin and end value. That frame rate has to match the video it ships with, and frame-rate mismatches are one of the most common reasons iTT deliveries are rejected.
Apple’s profile supports a small set of styling: italics, bold, underline, and placement in a top or bottom region. Each document declares its language with xml:lang, so one .itt file holds one language.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<tt xmlns="http://www.w3.org/ns/ttml"
xmlns:ttp="http://www.w3.org/ns/ttml#parameter"
xmlns:tts="http://www.w3.org/ns/ttml#styling"
ttp:timeBase="smpte" ttp:frameRate="24"
ttp:frameRateMultiplier="1000 1001" xml:lang="en">
<body region="bottom">
<div>
<p begin="00:00:01:00" end="00:00:03:12">Where were you last night?</p>
<p begin="00:00:03:18" end="00:00:05:00"><span tts:fontStyle="italic">Nowhere.</span></p>
</div>
</body>
</tt>Variants in Closed Caption Converter
Closed Caption Converter ships three iTT profiles. iTunes Timed Text is the standard read/write profile. iTunes Timed Text Media is a read/write variant for media-time documents. iTunes Timed Text SMPTE reads SMPTE-timecode variants and is decode only.
Convert iTT files
Every readable format converts to every writable format, through the web app, the API or the CLI.
Popular iTT conversions
Convert iTT to
- Cavena 890
- Closed Caption Creator Project
- Caption Inc.
- LMS Transcript
- JSON
- Substation Alpha
- Advanced Substation Alpha
- SCC
- MCC
- Rich Text Format
- SRT
- WebVTT
- Subviewer
- Sofni
- Micro DVD
- DVD Architect
- Avid DS
- Adobe Encore
- Apple DVD Studio Pro
- EZ Title
- PowerPixel Format
- ProCap Transfer
- QuickTime Text
- Eclipse
- EBU-STL
- Spruce STL
- PAC
- Cheetah (binary)
- Videotron Lambda
- NCI Caption
- Cheetah (ASCII Text)
- TTML
- DFXP
- DLP Cinema
- Netflix TT Captions
- Netflix TT Subtitles
- MAGIC TT
- EBU-TT
- SMPTE-TTML
- IMSC Text Captions
- IMSC Text Subtitles
- DCDM Subtitle
- Verizon TTML
- Bento MP4-DASH IMSC
- Netflix DFXP
- Synchronized Accessible Media Interchange
- Comma-Separated Values
- As-Broadcast Dialog List
Convert to iTT from
- Cavena 890
- Closed Caption Creator Project
- Caption Inc.
- LMS Transcript
- JSON
- Substation Alpha
- Advanced Substation Alpha
- SCC
- MCC
- Rich Text Format
- SRT
- WebVTT
- Subviewer
- Canvass SST Project
- Sofni
- Micro DVD
- DVD Architect
- Avid DS
- Adobe Encore
- Apple DVD Studio Pro
- EZ Title
- PowerPixel Format
- ProCap Transfer
- QuickTime Text
- Eclipse
- EBU-STL
- Spruce STL
- PAC
- Cheetah (binary)
- Videotron Lambda
- NCI Caption
- Cheetah (ASCII Text)
- TTML
- DFXP
- DLP Cinema
- Netflix TT Captions
- Netflix TT Subtitles
- MAGIC TT
- EBU-TT
- SMPTE-TTML
- IMSC Text Captions
- IMSC Text Subtitles
- DCDM Subtitle
- Verizon TTML
- Bento MP4-DASH IMSC
- Netflix DFXP
- Synchronized Accessible Media Interchange
- Comma-Separated Values
- Google STT Transcript
- Assembly AI STT Transcript
- Deepgram STT Transcript
- RevAI STT Transcript
- Voicegain STT Transcript
- Speechmatics STT Transcript
- Vitac
iTT questions
The same frame rate as the video you are delivering. For a 23.976 fps master, that means ttp:frameRate="24" with ttp:frameRateMultiplier="1000 1001". Closed Caption Converter lets you set the target frame rate explicitly, so timings are recalculated rather than relabelled.
Apple’s delivery specifications call for specific timed-text formats, and SRT is generally not one of them. Check the current Apple spec for your title type; converting SRT to iTT is a common last step before delivery.
Yes. Final Cut Pro imports iTT as a caption role, and exports iTT too. Converting an SCC or SRT file to iTT is a convenient way to bring captions into a Final Cut Pro project.
Convert your iTT files in minutes
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