Does it work on mobile?

Yes. The converter is fully responsive and works in mobile browsers.

Is my data sent to a server?

No. All parsing happens locally in your browser. Your SMI files never leave your device.

How fast is the conversion?

Nearly instant. HTML parsing and text extraction are computationally lightweight.

What encoding does the output use?

UTF-8, supporting all languages including Korean, Chinese, Japanese, and other CJK characters.

Does it preserve SAMI styling?

No. SAMI CSS styling (fonts, colors, positioning) is removed because SRT does not support styling. Only the plain text content is preserved.

Can I edit the SRT after conversion?

Yes. The output is a standard plain-text SRT file that opens in any text editor.

What happens to SAMI HEAD metadata?

SAMI files have an HTML HEAD section with TITLE and STYLE elements. This metadata is not carried over to SRT, which has no metadata section.

Does it handle SAMI files with errors?

Malformed SYNC elements or broken HTML are skipped. The converter processes valid entries and reports any skipped content.

Can I batch convert SMI files?

Yes. Process each file in turn within the converter.

What is the difference between SAMI and SRT?

SAMI is an HTML-based format with CSS styling and multi-language support, designed for Windows Media Player. SRT is a simple plain-text format with timestamps, supported by virtually every modern player.

Why do Korean platforms use SMI?

SAMI became popular in Korea because it supported Korean text rendering and CSS styling in the Windows Media Player era. Many Korean subtitle archives still distribute content in SMI format.

Does the converter handle SYNC elements without End times?

SAMI SYNC elements only have Start times. The converter calculates the end time from the next SYNC element's Start value. The last entry gets a default duration.

Can I use the SRT for streaming?

Yes. SRT is widely accepted. For web streaming, convert SMI to VTT instead.

SMI to SRT Converter

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SMI

<SAMI>
<BODY>
<SYNC Start=1000><P Class=ENCC>Hello, world!</P>
<SYNC Start=4000><P Class=ENCC>&nbsp;</P>
<SYNC Start=4500><P Class=ENCC>This is a subtitle file.</P>
<SYNC Start=8000><P Class=ENCC>&nbsp;</P>
<SYNC Start=8500><P Class=ENCC>Converted locally!</P>
<SYNC Start=12000><P Class=ENCC>&nbsp;</P>
</BODY>
</SAMI>

SRT

1
00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:04,000
Hello, world!
 
2
00:00:04,500 --> 00:00:08,000
This is a subtitle file.
 
3
00:00:08,500 --> 00:00:12,000
Converted locally!

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Supports .smi files up to any size

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How It Works

Upload SMI File

Drag & drop or select your .smi file

Convert Instantly

We process it locally in your browser

Download SRT

Get your .srt file immediately

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Everything runs in your browser. Your files are never uploaded.

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No file size limits. No daily limits. Completely free.

Works Everywhere

Works on Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android - any modern browser.

Free Online SMI to SRT Converter

Our SMI to SRT converter parses SAMI (Synchronized Accessible Media Interchange) files, a Microsoft format that wraps subtitle text in HTML-like SYNC elements, and extracts the content into plain SubRip format. SAMI files store timing as millisecond offsets in Start attributes, use CSS classes for styling and language tracks, and contain HTML tags throughout. This tool strips the HTML structure, extracts the subtitle text from each SYNC block, converts millisecond timing to SRT HH:MM:SS,mmm format, and produces a clean .srt file that works on any device.

Input Format

SMI

SMI (SAMI, Synchronized Accessible Media Interchange) is a subtitle format developed by Microsoft for Windows Media Player. SAMI files use an HTML-like structure where each subtitle entry is enclosed in SYNC elements, with a Start attribute giving the display time in milliseconds. The format supports CSS styling, multiple language tracks via CLASS attributes, and metadata in the document head. SAMI is still found on Korean video platforms, older media archives, and educational content.

Output Format

SRT

SRT (SubRip) is the most universally supported subtitle format. Each entry has a sequential index number, a timestamp line in HH:MM:SS,mmm --> HH:MM:SS,mmm format (comma before milliseconds, arrow separating start and end), and subtitle text. SRT files are plain text and recognized by virtually every media player, smart TV, video editor, and streaming platform.

Features

Parses SAMI HTML structure including SYNC elements and P tags

Extracts subtitle text from HTML content, stripping all markup

Converts millisecond timing offsets to SRT HH:MM:SS,mmm timestamps

Handles CSS CLASS attributes for multi-language SAMI files

Strips HTML tags, entities, and styling from subtitle text

Outputs clean SRT with sequential numbering and standard format

Why Convert?

SAMI is a legacy Microsoft format that few modern players support; SRT is universal.

Smart TVs, mobile devices, and modern media players cannot read SMI files.

Video editing tools import SRT natively but do not recognize SAMI format.

Korean video platforms often distribute subtitles as SMI, which needs conversion for international use.

SAMI files contain HTML markup that clutters the text; SRT is clean plain text.

SAMI stores timing as raw milliseconds; SRT uses the standard HH:MM:SS,mmm format that humans can read.

Media servers like Plex and Emby auto-detect SRT but ignore SMI files.

Format Differences

SAMI uses HTML structure with SYNC elements; SRT uses numbered entries with arrow timestamps.

SAMI stores timing as millisecond offsets (Start=1234); SRT uses HH:MM:SS,mmm --> HH:MM:SS,mmm format.

SAMI supports CSS styling and CLASS-based language tracks; SRT has no styling or language metadata.

SAMI wraps text in P and other HTML tags; SRT stores plain text only.

SAMI requires an HTML parser to read; SRT is simple plain text that any tool can parse.

SAMI files have HEAD and BODY sections like HTML; SRT has no document structure.

Common Use Cases

Korean Platform Migration

Convert SMI subtitles from Korean video platforms (Naver TV, KakaoTV) into SRT for use on international streaming services and players.

Legacy Archive Conversion

Transform old SAMI subtitle files from Windows Media Player era archives into modern SRT format for current video workflows.

Educational Content

Convert SAMI subtitles from educational CD-ROMs or older e-learning content into SRT for modern video platforms.

Media Server Library

Add readable subtitles to your Plex or Jellyfin library by converting SMI files to SRT, which these servers auto-detect.

Multi-Language Extraction

Extract specific language tracks from multi-language SAMI files (which use CSS CLASS attributes) into separate SRT files.

Subtitle Standardization

Normalize a mixed collection of SMI, SRT, and VTT files into consistent SRT format for easier management.

Related Formats

SMI (SAMI)

The input format: HTML-like Microsoft subtitle format with SYNC elements and CSS styling.

VTT (WebVTT)

The web alternative: if your target is HTML5 video or YouTube, convert SMI to VTT.

SCC (Scenarist Closed Captioning)

The broadcast alternative: if you need broadcast caption delivery, convert SMI to SCC.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is SAMI format?

SAMI (Synchronized Accessible Media Interchange) is a subtitle format developed by Microsoft. It uses HTML-like syntax with SYNC elements for timing, CSS for styling, and supports multiple language tracks via CLASS attributes. It was designed for Windows Media Player.

Does the converter handle HTML tags in SAMI?

Yes. SAMI wraps subtitle text in HTML tags like P, BR, FONT, and B. The converter strips all HTML markup and extracts only the visible text content for the SRT output.

Is the SMI to SRT converter free?

Yes, completely free with no registration or watermarks. All parsing happens in your browser.

How are SAMI timestamps converted to SRT?

SAMI stores display time as a millisecond offset in the Start attribute of SYNC elements (e.g., Start=1234 means 1.234 seconds). The converter transforms this into SRT HH:MM:SS,mmm format. End times are derived from the next SYNC element's Start value.

Can I extract a specific language from multi-language SAMI?

SAMI supports multiple language tracks via CSS CLASS attributes (e.g., class=ENUSCC, class=KRCC). The converter typically extracts the default or first language track. Check the output for the correct language.

Where do SMI files typically come from?

SMI files are most commonly found on Korean video platforms (Naver TV, KakaoTV, Korean broadcasting sites), in older Windows Media Player content, and in educational CD-ROM materials.

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Related Resources

What is SMI?What is SRT?