EBU STL files saved by FAB Subtitler

FAB Subtitler is using the EBU STL File format (EBU TECH 3264-E February 1991) as the standard format for saving subtitle files. However some subtitling systems cannot load EBU STL files correctly because they do not implement the specification correctly.

When a EBU STL subtitle file is saved in FAB Subtitler using “File/Save” or “File/Save as” it will automatically contain user data which may cause problems with such file when opening it within some other subtitling systems. Such systems will typically display “FABst” with some random text as part of the subtitle.

To save a subtitle file without user data in FAB Subtitler please select “File/Export” and then select “Special EBU STL N19 File / Simplified EBU STL File”

If an EBU STL file contains “FABst” then it was saved in FAB Subtitler by “File/Save” or “File/Save as” and not exported in the simplified EBU STL format.

Detailed information

FAB Subtitler is using a standard feature of the EBU STL file format to store user defined data with the EBU STL subtitle file. Subtitling systems that do not support this standard feature of the EBU STL file format will load the user data as part of the subtitle and display it on the screen. The text will start with “FABst” and will be followed by random characters as displayed in below screenshot of an STL file opened in a hexadecimal representation using Total Commander (F3-View).

Screenshot

In case that some subtitling system will not open such EBU STL file ask the manufacturer for correct implementation of the EBU STL file format.

This page was last updated on 2021-05-06