EBU-TT stands for EBU Timed Text. It is an XML-based subtitling format intended as a follow-up to the currently widely used EBU STL format ( EBU Tech 3264).

 

In January 2012, the EBU published EBU-TT part 1 - Subtitling format definition (EBU Tech 3350) for industry comments. This specification defines an easy-to-use XML structure for the interchange and archiving of subtitles. It builds on the W3C Timed text Markup Langauge (TTML) 1.0 .

 

 

Feedback welcome

 

To help developers get started, an XML Schema implementation of EBU-TT part 1 is available for download here . Please note that the XML Schema is informative and cannot guarantee 100% conformance to the spec, so EBU Tech 3350 stays the normative reference.

 

The EBU has also developed a recommendation on the transport of subtitles inside and outside MXF files ( EBU R 133).

 

Why this new focus on subtitling?

 

The broadcast industry is moving more and more to integrated file-based production facilities, HDTV and new outlets. These developments affect the interchange of subtitle files and the integration of new subtitling products into TV production environments. They form the basis for the development of EBU-TT.

 

EBU-TT part 1 focusses on the basic structure of EBU Timed Text. It is part of a series of documents being created by the EBU Subtitling Group (MIM-XMLSubs). If you are interested to join this work, see the XMLSubs Group page .

 

 

Questions

 

If you have any further questions on EBU-TT or related topics, then don't hesitate to send us an e-mail via: subtitling@ebu.ch