SRT vs SMI Subtitle Comparison
Understanding the differences and strengths of each format
📄 What is SRT?
SRT (SubRip Text) is the most widely used subtitle format. It's a simple text-based format supported by almost all media players.
File Structure
1
00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:04,000
Hello, this is the first subtitle.
2
00:00:05,500 --> 00:00:08,000
This is the second subtitle.
Multiple lines are supported. Subtitle Number
Sequential numbering
Time Format
HH:MM:SS,mmm
📝 What is SMI?
SMI (SAMI) is a subtitle format developed by Microsoft with an HTML-like structure. It's particularly popular in Korea and Japan.
File Structure
<SAMI>
<HEAD>
<STYLE TYPE="text/css">
.ENCC { Name:English; lang:en-US; }
</STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<SYNC Start=1000><P Class=ENCC>Hello
<SYNC Start=4000><P Class=ENCC>
</BODY>
</SAMI> HTML-based
Styling with tags possible
Time Format
Milliseconds (1000 = 1 second)
📊 SRT vs SMI Comparison
| Feature | SRT | SMI |
|---|---|---|
| Developer | Open format | Microsoft |
| File Extension | .srt | .smi, .sami |
| Structure | Simple text | HTML-based |
| Styling | Limited | CSS supported |
| Compatibility | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ |
| Ease of Editing | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ |
| Popular In | Worldwide | Korea, Japan |
💡 Which Format Should You Use?
Use SRT
- ✓ Uploading to YouTube, Netflix, etc.
- ✓ Playing on various devices
- ✓ Sharing internationally
- ✓ Simple and quick editing
Use SMI
- ✓ Using Korean players like PotPlayer
- ✓ Custom subtitle styling needed
- ✓ Multiple languages in one file
- ✓ Compatibility with existing SMI files
Convert between SRT and SMI formats for free
← Go to subtitle converter