SRT subtitle checker
Drop in a subtitle file for an instant QC report against cinema and festival DCP, broadcast or web rules. Free, no account, and your file never leaves your computer.
Adjust the rules
Fix it, convert it, keep a record
Fix everything that can be fixed automatically and download a clean SRT, convert to the format your festival or platform asks for, and save the report as a PDF.
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Fix automatically
Re-breaks long lines, splits subtitles with too much text, opens up gaps and overlaps, extends subtitles that are too short or too fast, and tidies tags, spacing and punctuation. Then download a clean, numbered UTF-8 SRT.
Convert
From the subtitles as they are now (fixed, if you fixed them). DCP subtitle XML follows SMPTE ST 428-7 at the frame rate above, for DCP tools that ask for it; DCP-o-matic also imports the SRT directly.
QC report
Every finding, the rules it was checked against and the file’s details, ready to print or save as a PDF for your records or the festival.
Check against the film too
SRT QC loads your video as well, to check every subtitle is in sync with the speech, proofread the text, and fix it all on a timeline. Free with a Flayr account.
Open SRT QCNeed a DCP for a festival?
We make festival-ready DCPs from your master and subtitles, checked and verified, with separate or burnt-in subtitles.
DCP creationQuestions
What does the checker look for?
File structure (numbering, timecodes, blank lines), encoding, subtitles out of order, empty subtitles, timing (too short, too long, overlapping, too close together), line length and line count, reading speed, garbled characters from the wrong encoding, formatting tags players do not support, stray spaces and inconsistent punctuation.
Is my subtitle file uploaded?
No. The file is read and checked in your browser and never leaves your computer. The extras (fixing, converting and the report) run in your browser too.
What rules do festivals and cinemas use?
DCP subtitles follow the ISDCF recommendations that tools like DCP-o-matic check: no more than 52 characters a line, at least 15 frames on screen, and at least 2 frames between one subtitle and the next. Choose the Cinema & festival DCP preset to check against them.
Why do subtitles need a 2-frame gap?
Back-to-back subtitles that end and start on the same frame can flicker, or appear to merge, on some players and cinema servers. A gap of 2 frames lets the eye register that a new subtitle has appeared.
Can I use an SRT to make a DCP?
Yes. DCP-o-matic imports SRT directly and writes the SMPTE subtitle track for you. The checker can also convert to DCP subtitle XML (SMPTE ST 428-7) for tools that ask for it. Either way, fix the issues first: a DCP made from a file with long lines or touching subtitles fails verification.
How is this different from SRT QC?
This checker works on the subtitle file alone, with no account. SRT QC also loads the video to check the subtitles are in sync with the speech, proofreads them and lets you fix them on a timeline. It needs a free Flayr account.