What is a .IDX file?
An IDX file is a type of file known as an Index File, specifically used for storing subtitles. It is created by a program called VobSub, which is designed to help users pull subtitles directly from DVDs. Inside an IDX file, you'll find important details like settings in plain text and timestamps. These details are crucial for displaying the subtitles contained in a .SUB file, which works alongside the IDX file. The .SUB file holds the actual subtitle images, while the IDX file tells the media player how to display these subtitles in terms of color, placement on the screen, and the timing for each subtitle to appear.
To open an IDX file, you can use various programs such as SMPlayer, VideoLAN VLC media player, any basic text editor (since the settings are in plain text), VobSub, DirectVobSub, MPlayer, and on mobile devices, an app like J2 Interactive MX Player is suitable. These tools can read the IDX file and use the information within to correctly display subtitles when watching a movie.
VobSub is particularly notable because it not only extracts subtitles but also allows for the playback of these subtitles as they were intended to be seen on DVDs. When VobSub is used to extract subtitles, it generates both a SUB file, which contains the subtitle images, and an IDX file, which contains the metadata for displaying these images as subtitles. This metadata includes the color of the text, its position on the screen, and the timing and sequence for showing each subtitle image.
The beginning of an IDX file usually starts with subtitle settings marked by lines beginning with "#". Following these, you'll find timestamps and references to the subtitle images, indicated by lines starting with "timestamp:". This structure helps media players understand how and when to display each piece of subtitle text.
Using the IDX and SUB files together, you can watch movies with subtitles on various media players that support this format. This is especially useful if you have a movie in a format like .MP4 and want to add subtitles to it. By finding the corresponding SUB and IDX files, you can load them into a compatible media player and enjoy the movie with subtitles. Additionally, these files can be embedded into .MKV files to include subtitles directly within the video file.
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