SBV subtitle format

Reference · Last updated 2025

Overview

SBV (SubViewer) is a minimal subtitle format used primarily by YouTube and some broadcasters. It is functionally similar to SRT but with a different timestamp syntax.

Extension: .sbv
Complexity: Low
Browser support: Via JavaScript players only

Structure

Each cue has a timestamp line and dialogue. No cue numbers.

0:00:01.000,0:00:04.000
Hello and welcome.

0:00:05.500,0:00:08.750
This is an SBV file.

Timestamp format

H:MM:SS.mmm,H:MM:SS.mmm — start and end separated by a comma. Hours are not zero-padded (a departure from SRT).

When it appears

YouTube legacy — YouTube once used SBV for captions; SRT is now recommended.
Broadcast workflows — some broadcasters use SBV.
Legacy archives — older caption files.

Conversion

Subtitle Convert does not currently support SBV conversion. To convert SBV to SRT or VTT, use a subtitle editor or FFmpeg:

ffmpeg -i input.sbv output.srt

Why it matters less today

SBV is largely a legacy format. YouTube accepts it but prefers SRT. Modern web video does not use it. If you encounter an SBV file, convert to SRT and continue with a standard workflow.