: Broadly supported by VLC Media Player and MPC-HC.
The newer version, , is more common today, but many players and editors still support the original SSA format. Files use the .ssa extension. ssa file format
| Task | Recommended Tools | |------|-------------------| | | VLC media player, MPC-HC, Kodi | | Edit | Aegisub (best), Subtitle Edit, Notepad++ (for manual tweaks) | | Convert | FFmpeg, Subtitle Edit (to SRT, ASS, WebVTT, etc.) | : Broadly supported by VLC Media Player and MPC-HC
| Feature | Description | |---------|-------------| | | Define fonts, sizes, colors, borders, shadows, and opacity. | | Positioning | Place subtitles anywhere on screen (top, bottom, custom coordinates). | | Multiple styles | Use different looks for different speakers (e.g., narrator vs. character). | | Effects | Simple transitions like fade, scroll, or karaoke word-by-word highlighting. | | Metadata | Store title, author, script type, and timing precision (centiseconds). | | Task | Recommended Tools | |------|-------------------| |
for styled, positioned, and effect-driven subtitles. While ASS has largely replaced it, you’ll still encounter SSA in older fansubs and archival projects. Use Aegisub to edit, VLC to play, and Subtitle Edit to convert to simpler formats when compatibility is needed.