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SMI to STL 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>
STL
// Spruce Subtitle File
// Format: Start Time, End Time, Subtitle Text
 
00:00:01:00 , 00:00:04:00 , Hello, world!
00:00:04:15 , 00:00:08:00 , This is a subtitle file.
00:00:08:15 , 00:00:12:00 , Converted locally!

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Supports .smi files up to any size

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How It Works

1

Upload SMI File

Drag & drop or select your .smi file

2

Convert Instantly

We process it locally in your browser

3

Download STL

Get your .stl file immediately

Why Choose AllSubConverter?

Your Privacy Matters

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

Lightning Fast

Optimized processing engine converts files in seconds.

Truly Unlimited

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 STL Converter

Our SMI to STL converter reads Synchronized Accessible Media Interchange input and produces Spruce Subtitle output entirely in your browser. Source SMI timing (whole milliseconds (Start=...)) is converted to STL timing (SMPTE HH:MM:SS:FF frame timecodes). Styling and markup that the target format cannot represent are normalized or stripped, leaving valid, ready-to-use output. The conversion runs client-side, so your subtitle files are never uploaded to a server.

Input Format

SMI

SMI (SAMI, Synchronized Accessible Media Interchange) is a Microsoft subtitle format built from HTML-like <SYNC> elements whose Start attribute is given in milliseconds. SMI supports multiple language tracks through CSS classes and was widely used for Windows Media Player captions and accessibility content.

Output Format

STL

STL (Spruce Subtitle) is a text-based subtitle format used in DVD authoring and some broadcast workflows. Entries use comma-separated start and end timecodes followed by subtitle text, with the pipe character (|) for line breaks. The output is accepted by DVD authoring tools and Spruce-based workflows.

Features

Generates a Spruce STL file with the standard comment header.
Converts source timing to SMPTE timecodes (HH:MM:SS:FF).
Uses the pipe character (|) for line breaks as the STL format expects.
Outputs comma-separated start, end, and text entries.

Why Convert?

STL is accepted by DVD authoring tools and Spruce-based broadcast workflows.
STL's comma-separated timecode-plus-text structure is simple to produce and inspect.
STL is useful when a target system expects the Spruce subtitle text format rather than SRT or VTT.
Converting to STL gives you frame-based SMPTE timecodes suitable for video production.

Format Differences

SMI and STL use different internal structures; the converter normalizes the source cues into the target layout.
SMI uses millisecond Start attributes on <SYNC> elements; STL uses SMPTE frame timecodes HH:MM:SS:FF.
SMI may carry styling or markup; STL supports its own styling model, so unsupported formatting is mapped or dropped.

Common Use Cases

DVD Authoring

Produce STL subtitle files for DVD authoring tools that expect the Spruce format.

Broadcast Workflows

Generate STL for Spruce-based and legacy broadcast subtitle pipelines.

Frame-Accurate Timing

Output SMPTE frame-based timecodes suitable for video production systems.

Related Formats

Frequently Asked Questions

It reads a Synchronized Accessible Media Interchange file, parses each cue's timing and text, normalizes the structure for Spruce Subtitle, and writes a valid .stl file. Source SMI timing (whole milliseconds (Start=...)) is converted to STL timing (SMPTE HH:MM:SS:FF frame timecodes).

Absolutely. Every conversion runs client-side in your browser. No subtitle data, file contents, or metadata is ever transmitted to a server.

SMI and STL both support styling, but their styling models differ. Styling that cannot be mapped is normalized or dropped, while dialogue text and timing are always preserved.

Yes, completely free with no sign-up, no watermarks, and no file size limits. All processing happens in your browser, so your files are never uploaded to a server.

Source SMI timing (whole milliseconds (Start=...)) is converted to STL timing (SMPTE HH:MM:SS:FF frame timecodes).

Yes. The converter is fully responsive and works in any modern mobile browser on iOS and Android.

Ready to convert your subtitles?

Drop your SMI file here and convert to STL instantly.

Related Resources