Properties of SUB Files and How to Open a File with .sub Extension

SUB files exist as 4 different types. Please find information about each of them below.

Type 1: MicroDVD Subtitle File

A SUB file is a subtitle file format used to display subtitles in videos. SUB files contain timing information and text for each subtitle entry. The first line has the subtitle’s start and end times...

General Information

Title	SUB File Extension
Extension	.sub
Full Form	MicroDVD Subtitle File
File Type	Subtitle File
Developer	Tiamat Software
MIME Type	text/plain

File Function

Primary Function	Store subtitles
Additional Functions	Synchronize video
Features	Frame-based, Time-coded

File Characteristics

Quality	Text-based
Supports Layers	No
Supports Transparency	N/A
Editable	Yes

Use Cases

Movie Subtitling	Yes
Video Editing	Yes
Language Learning	Yes

Security and Practices

Security Risks	Low
Best Practices	Verify source, Safe editing

Historical/Version Information

Initial Release	Early 2000s
Latest Version	N/A

Associated Types

Similar Extensions

.srt, .ssa, .ass

Software Compatibility

Software	Usage Policy	OS Compatibility
VLC media player	Free	Windows, Mac, Linux, Unix
Media Player Classic	Free	Windows
SubEdit Player	Free	Windows

Type 2: CloneCD Subchannel File

Here are some suggestions: a) A SUB file is used for subtitles. It has text and timings for the subtitles. The file works with media players. MicroDVD Player is a media player that can use SUB files....

General Information

Title	.SUB File Extension
Extension	.sub
Full Form	CloneCD Subchannel File
File Type	Disk Image Subchannel Data
Developer	SlySoft Inc.
MIME Type	application/octet-stream

File Function

Primary Function	Store subchannel data
Additional Functions	Support copy protection
Features	Audio track info, Control data

File Characteristics

Quality	High accuracy
Supports Layers	N/A
Supports Transparency	N/A
Editable	No

Use Cases

Disk Imaging	Yes
Disk Duplication	Yes
Backup	Yes

Security and Practices

Security Risks	Piracy tool
Best Practices	Legal use, Backup

Historical/Version Information

Initial Release	Late 1990s
Latest Version	As per CloneCD

Associated Types

Similar Extensions

.img, .ccd, .iso

Software Compatibility

Software	Usage Policy	OS Compatibility
CloneCD	Commercial	Windows
Daemon Tools	Free, Paid versions	Windows
AnyBurn	Free	Windows

Type 3: SubTerra Level File

Here are 2 attempts at rewriting the text: Attempt 1: A SUB file shows subtitles with video files. It has text and times for each subtitle. SUB files work with many media players. MicroDVD Player is ...

General Information

Title	SUB File Extension
Extension	.sub
Full Form	SubTerra Level File
File Type	Game File
Developer	Crystal Shard
MIME Type	application/octet-stream

File Function

Primary Function	Store level data
Additional Functions	Store game assets
Features	Level layout, Game content

File Characteristics

Quality	Game-dependent
Supports Layers	Yes
Supports Transparency	Level-specific
Editable	Yes

Use Cases

Level Design	Yes
Game Modification	Yes
Custom Levels	Yes

Security and Practices

Security Risks	Low
Best Practices	Regular backups

Historical/Version Information

Initial Release	2001
Latest Version	Varies with game

Associated Types

Similar Extensions

.lev, .map, .wld

Software Compatibility

Software	Usage Policy	OS Compatibility
SubTerra Game	Free	Windows
SubTerra Editor	Free	Windows

Type 4: VobSub Subtitles File

SUB files contain subtitle text and cue points for displaying subtitles. SUB files can be used in media players as subtitle files. The SUB file is a binary file containing bitmap images of subtitle text. The IDX file lists the display time and file offset for each subtitle. By naming the IDX and SUB files the same as the video file, media players can automatically load the subtitles.

SUB files are text files with timestamps that control the display of subtitles. They dictate timing, formatting and styling. SUB files originated with MicroDVD, a media player for DVD videos with subtitle support. The SUB file extension is now common for multiple subtitle formats.

VobSub extracts DVD subtitle images and saves them to a SUB file. It also creates an IDX index file mapping times to subtitle byte offsets. VobSub supports multiple subtitle tracks and can be embedded in video container formats. Media players like VLC directly support the IDX/SUB format.

The SUB format is a plain text file. Each line has a timestamp in milliseconds followed by text to display. Some media players automatically apply SUB files to video. But subtitles can also be loaded manually from the menu. The simple format does not support styling or effects. However, players can apply visual effects to the text.

SUB files contain entries with timestamped text and control codes for styling, timing, and formatting. The IDX file contains the display time and SUB file offset for the bitmaps. Video players can automatically apply .IDX/.SUB subtitles named identically to the video file.

Description: SUB files provide subtitles for video. The file dictates timing and positioning. SUB files originated with MicroDVD player. Now .sub files are used by multiple programs. VobSub converts DVD subtitles. Media players support SUB files. The text-based format has limited styling. But players can alter the text appearance. Timecodes synchronize subtitles to video.

General Information

Title	SUB File Extension
Extension	.sub
Full Form	VobSub Subtitle File
File Type	Subtitle File
Developer	Doom9
MIME Type	text/plain

File Function

Primary Function	Subtitle display
Additional Functions	Time-syncing, Multiple languages
Features	Text-based, Time-coded

File Characteristics

Quality	Dependent on author
Supports Layers	No
Supports Transparency	Yes
Editable	Yes

Use Cases

Video Playback	Yes
DVD Authoring	Yes
Language Learning	Yes

Security and Practices

Security Risks	Low
Best Practices	Trusted sources

Historical/Version Information

Initial Release	Early 2000s
Latest Version	N/A

Associated Types

Similar Extensions

.srt, .idx, .ssa, .ass

Software Compatibility

Software	Usage Policy	OS Compatibility
VLC Media Player	Free	Windows, Mac, Linux
Media Player Classic	Free	Windows
SubEdit Player	Free	Windows