DOCSEARCHbyAlgolia
Submit Docs

Closed Caption Converter

website·Indexed 32 days ago

https://www.closedcaptionconverter.com/docs/

A suite of software tools for automating closed caption workflows, supporting over 30 file formats. It offers a web application, a REST API, and a CLI for tasks such as conversion, QC, alignment, and retiming. The platform utilizes the CCPRJ Intermediate Format and provides features for timing and sync filters, job presets, and integrations with third-party transcription and translation providers.

Tokens
24.3K
Snippets
59
Records
189
Agent score
61%

What's inside Closed Caption Converter

  1. Overview of Closed Caption Converter Services

    Closed Caption Converter provides a suite of professional tools for broadcast media, film, and developers. The service is accessible via a web application, a programmatic API, and a Command-Line Interface (CLI) for automation and batch processing. Core capabilities include:

    • File Conversion: Support for over 25 formats, including SCC, MCC, and EBU-STL.
    • File Manipulation: Tools for Segmentation & Conform, Timecode Offset (re-timing), Frame Rate Conversion, Search & Replace, and Stretch & Shrink Timecode.
    • Inspection: The SCC Inspector tool for decoding and troubleshooting Scenarist Closed Caption (SCC) files.

  2. Overview of Closed Caption Creator and Closed Caption Converter

    Closed Caption Creator Inc. provides a suite of accessible media solutions for broadcasters, language service providers, and freelance editors. Their primary offerings include:

    1. Closed Caption Creator: A professional timed-text editor used for creating closed captioning, subtitles, transcripts, and audio descriptions. It is available as both a desktop and web application.
    2. Closed Caption Converter: A tool for converting, editing, and delivering closed captioning and subtitle files in over 30 different formats. It supports segmenting, retiming, and automatic quality control (QC) of subtitle files.

  3. Overview of Closed Caption Converter solutions

    Closed Caption Converter provides three primary ways to process closed caption files depending on the scale and security requirements of the workflow:

    1. Web Application: A browser-based tool for quick conversions. Processing happens locally on the user's device; files are not uploaded to external servers.
    2. Cloud API: A REST API for automated processing, third-party integrations, and advanced features including transcription, machine translation, and forced alignment/sync. It supports direct delivery to platforms like Iconik.
    3. CLI (Command Line Interface): A single-file executable for Mac, Windows, and Linux designed for secure, on-premise, or offline environments where internet access is restricted.

  4. Overview of Closed Caption Converter solutions

    Closed Caption Converter provides three primary ways to process closed caption files depending on the user's environment and scale requirements:

    1. Web Application: A browser-based tool for quick conversions. Processing happens locally on the user's device; files are not uploaded to external servers.
    2. Cloud API: A REST API for automated processing, third-party integrations, and advanced features like transcription, machine translation, and forced alignment/sync. It supports direct delivery to platforms like Iconik.
    3. CLI: A single-file executable for Mac, Windows, and Linux designed for secure, on-premise, or offline environments where internet access is restricted. It supports custom presets.

  5. Automate caption workflows with Closed Caption Converter API

    The Closed Caption Converter REST API allows developers to automate the handling of subtitle formats. Key capabilities include converting between 30+ industry-standard formats (such as SCC, MCC, and EBU-STL), correcting timing drift, segmenting files for delivery, and decoding caption data. It also supports advanced features like transcription, machine translation, forced alignment/sync, and direct delivery to cloud storage or platforms like Iconik.

  6. Choose a Closed Caption Converter deployment method

    Closed Caption Converter offers three distinct ways to process subtitles and captions depending on security and scale requirements:

    1. Web Application: Best for quick, one-off or bulk conversions. Runs entirely in the browser; files are processed locally on the device and are not uploaded to external servers.
    2. Cloud API: Best for automated processing, third-party integrations (e.g., Iconik), transcription, machine translation, and forced alignment/sync.
    3. CLI (Command Line Interface): Best for secure, on-premise, or offline environments where internet access is restricted. Available as native binaries for Mac, Windows, and Linux.

  7. Understand Access Providers and the BYOK model

    Access Providers extend the Closed Caption Converter API by connecting to third-party services for transcription, machine translation, cloud storage, and media asset management. They operate on a Bring Your Own Key (BYOK) model: users register their own service credentials in the web application, and Closed Caption Converter uses these to call the provider. This ensures billing is handled directly between the user and the third-party provider without mark-ups. Once configured, providers are referenced in API Job Descriptions using their assigned Provider ID.

  8. Manage caption encoding and decoding options

    Encoding and decoding options are format-specific settings that control how a profile reads or writes a caption file. These options appear automatically based on the selected profile. In the web application, they are found in collapsible panels beneath the source and target profile selectors. For API users, these settings are passed within the decoding_options and encoding_options arrays in the Job Description JSON.

  9. Understand the CCPRJ Intermediate Format

    CCPRJ (Closed Caption Project) is the internal JSON schema used by Closed Caption Converter to store caption data between the decode and encode steps. This architecture allows any supported source format to be converted to any supported target format without needing a dedicated converter for every pair.

    A CCPRJ object contains:

    • Events: Individual caption cues with start/end timecodes and text content.
    • Metadata: Frame rate, author information, and technical attributes.
    • Additional Data: Speakers, markers, and format-specific style data.

    Filters operate directly on CCPRJ, making them format-agnostic. Users can select CCPRJ as a source or target profile to inspect the raw internal representation or feed pre-built CCPRJ data into the encoder.

  10. Understand the Closed Caption Converter Job Description structure

    A Job Description is a JSON object that instructs Closed Caption Converter on how to process a caption file. It is used as the config field in API requests, as a configuration file for the CLI, and is generated by the web application. Every workflow, from simple format conversion to complex transcription and delivery, is defined by this JSON structure.

  11. Use the Closed Caption Converter Web Application for local processing

    For quick, low-volume conversions, the web application processes files locally in the browser. This ensures files stay on the user's device without requiring uploads or downloads for processing.

  12. Choose a Closed Caption Converter deployment method

    Closed Caption Converter is available in three forms depending on the workflow requirements:

    • Web Application: A browser-based tool for ad hoc conversions and small teams. The 'Subtitle Converter' workspace processes files locally on the device. Best for quick conversions and API testing.
    • API: A REST API for high-volume, automated broadcast pipelines and MAM integrations. Supports conversion, transcription, translation, alignment, and delivery. Requires internet connectivity for authentication and processing.
    • CLI: A self-contained binary for macOS, Windows, and Linux. Ideal for on-premise, air-gapped environments, or serverless deployments (e.g., AWS Lambda). Processes files locally and does not require internet access for standard conversions once licensed.