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Convert .SCC to .SRT — decode CEA-608 control codes instantly

An .SCC file is raw caption data, not readable text. Turn the hex control codes back into words and get a standard SubRip track your editor can actually import.

Full CEA-608 decoding Frame timecodes fixed Runs in your browser

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.ITT · .SCC · .STL · .ASS · .SSA · .VTT · .SBV · .SRT

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    Background

    What an .SCC file actually is

    Scenarist Closed Caption is the exchange format used for North American broadcast captions. It is not a text format at all — it is a stream of hexadecimal bytes that encode the CEA-608 caption character set, plus a stack of control codes that position and style the text.

    Scenarist_SCC V1.0

00:00:01:00	9425 9425 94ae 94ae 9470 9470 4c6f 7265 6d20 6970 7375 6d20 646f 6c6f 7265

    Read that block literally: the header, then a start timecode of 00:00:01:00, then the payload 4c6f 7265 6d20 6970 7375 6d20 646f 6c6f 7265 — which is simply the ASCII bytes for "Lorem ipsum dolore". Everything before it (9425 9425 94ae 94ae 9470 9470) is control code traffic that carries no words.

    Under the hood

    The control codes a decoder has to understand

    Preamble Address Codes (PAC)

    A control byte in the 0x10-0x1F range followed by an attribute byte positions the cursor on a caption row and sets colour, italics or indent. SubRescue tracks row changes so multi-row captions keep their line breaks.

    The double-pad rule

    When a control code's attribute byte is a space, CEA-608 transmits an extra padding byte. Decoders that ignore it end up with a stray space in the middle of every caption.

    Extended character sets

    Accented letters, currency symbols and the North American Spanish / French sets live in special PAC ranges. A naive decoder prints raw hex garbage instead of "café".

    Parity bits

    Bytes are transmitted with odd parity, so the high bit is set on roughly half of them. The decoder masks it off before looking up the character.

    Troubleshooting

    Why an .SCC will not import anywhere

    No NLE, no streaming platform and no social network accepts Scenarist SCC. It exists for one purpose: shuttling caption data between broadcast automation systems and the facilities that burn it into video. Once the caption has to travel with the programme file — for a streaming release, an archive, a festival screener or a master delivery — it has to become SubRip, WebVTT or EBU STL.

    Manually decoding hex by hand is not viable: a one-hour programme can carry several thousand blocks, each with a dozen control codes. SubRescue decodes the whole track in one pass and hands you a numbered SubRip file.

    Under the hood

    How SubRescue decodes SCC

    1. 01

      Blocks are located

      Each HH:MM:SS:FF line starts a new block; its hex payload is read whether it sits on one line or wraps across several.

    2. 02

      Frames become real time

      Frame counts are resolved at 29.97 fps and the caption's end time is derived from the start of the next block, which is how SCC encodes duration.

    3. 03

      CEA-608 is decoded

      Control codes, PAC row changes, mid-row styling, extended characters and the double-pad rule are all handled, leaving only displayable text.

    4. 04

      A SubRip track is written

      Every caption is renumbered, trimmed and given an explicit start and end time, ready for import or web delivery.

    Other conversions

    Related subtitle converters

    .ITT to .SRT Apple iTunes Timed Text → .ASS to .SRT SubStation Alpha → .VTT to .SRT WebVTT & YouTube SBV →

    FAQ

    Frequently asked questions

    What is an .SCC file?
    An .SCC (Scenarist Closed Caption) file is the standard exchange format for North American broadcast captions. It stores the CEA-608 caption byte stream as hexadecimal words alongside frame-based timecodes, which is why it cannot be opened in a text editor and read directly.
    How do I turn an .SCC file into subtitles my editor understands?
    Use the converter above: drop the .SCC file in, choose SRT as the output, and download the result. SubRescue decodes the CEA-608 control codes, resolves the frame-based timecodes and writes a standard SubRip file that Premiere Pro, Resolve, Avid and YouTube all accept.
    Why do some converted SCC captions have a stray space in the middle?
    That is almost always the CEA-608 double-pad byte: a control code whose attribute byte is a space is followed by an extra 0x20 filler byte. Decoders that do not skip the filler produce captions with phantom spaces. SubRescue implements the padding rule correctly.
    Which frame rate does SubRescue use for SCC timecodes?
    SCC timecodes are frame-based SMPTE non-drop timecodes, so SubRescue resolves them at 29.97 frames per second, matching broadcast NTSC. If your programme was cut from a 25 fps PAL master and the captions sit early or late, use the Custom Timecode Shift tool to correct the offset in one step.
    Can SubRescue convert SCC captions that use accented or Spanish characters?
    Yes. The decoder implements the CEA-608 basic, extended North American and extended Spanish/French character sets, so accented vowels, currency symbols and inverted punctuation are rendered correctly instead of as hex noise.
    Does the .SCC to .SRT conversion happen on a server?
    No. The decoder is plain JavaScript running in your browser tab. Nothing is transmitted, so confidential or embargoed broadcast material never touches a third-party server.