Video or audio transcription can be a tricky process – one which involves many steps. With all of the technical aspects involved in the transcription process, whilst experience, qualifications and skill sets go a long way in creating good transcripts, top quality software also plays a big part in the final results. Transcribing in a way that is accurate and easy to read involves excellent writing ability and understanding of the subject matter, and better transcription services software typically means better results, and here’s why…

Video Transcription Software

The process of transcription involves listening to a video or sound file and audio typing speech, word for word. For closed captions, the transcription process also involves transcribing sound effects, speaker identifications and other non-visual cues.

Better software for transcription comes down to saving time. For a sound or video file, transcription typically takes between three and four times the length of the video. So a one hour video may take up to four hours to transcribe. Using Windows Media Player or other generic software to transcribe means taking your hands away from the keyboard to pause and play. This effectively means taking almost twice as long as the standard time, with transcription taking up to seven times the length of a video!

Why Better Transcription Software Improves Writing Quality

Using transcription software can vastly improve quality because a tired or frustrated transcriptionist may lose patience with the transcription process. Saving time helps to improve concentration on the task at hand in order to achieve the best results.

Recommended Transcription Services Software

There is a wide range of transcription software available for purchase or free download, but we recommend NCH Express Scribe. The software allows users to connect foot pedals, freeing up your hands for faster transcription. It also allows assigning shortcut keys for copying time codes, as well as setting delays as necessary.

Most media player software has an option for using shortcuts to play and pause video, which is useful, but still not as effective as pedals. Using a programme like Pedable can mean transcriptionists can connect their pedals and assign these same shortcuts to allow compatibility. In addition to this, transcription software works seamlessly with audio. Programmes like Express Scribe actually skip back a few milliseconds or frames after pausing so nothing is missed. This can make for word-perfect transcripts.

And Extra Note on Editing to Improve Sound Quality

When it comes to transcription services software, for typists working with professional video or audio created for distribution, sound quality should not be an issue. But compare this with working on student interviews, noisy focus groups or conferences held in large, echoey halls, and sound quality can play a huge role in transcript quality. Transcriptionists are highly experienced, skilled individuals but they are not super humans. If sound quality is poor, words or even entire sentences may be missed.

Good video editing software for improving sound quality is crucial when working a lot with video or audio files. The better the sound, the better the transcript quality.

If you have a requirement for transcription, take a look at our Transcription sectors and contact us for your quote.