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Transcription software with time coding
Thread poster: Carmen Grabs
José Henrique Lamensdorf
José Henrique Lamensdorf  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 11:19
English to Portuguese
+ ...
In memoriam
Software Nov 16, 2013

Carmen Grabs wrote:

I don't know whether there is a different software for transcription and subtitling, so I was happy to get replies at all.

All I need is a software that "somehow" converts the scenes in a video into time-coded sections, so I can than transcribe the video and translate the transcription for someone, who then embeds the subtitles.

Is there a special software for that?

I checked out the first two links, and they seemed terribly technical to me. But I guess I could work that out. What shocked me more was the price for the software "Spot", over 1700 Euro ...


Carmen,

I came from the translation for dubbing world, where I started in 1987. I only entered the translation for subtitling world in 2004. The result is that I keep some of the old methods.

I began using an open-reel audio recorder and a word processor on the Apple II computer. That's ancient history from the days of the VHS tapes.

To transcribe, you may use Express Scribe and any word processor you like. I prefer the Windows Notepad, as setting the window to my maximum subtitle length and turning on automatic line breaks will make it easy for me to see where I should break my subtitles. This will provide you with a TXT file, which most "subtitling" (i.e. time-spotting) software will take.

The entire misunderstanding between me and Monica was because I thought she had and was advocating for the absurdly-priced Spot you mentioned. I mean, how much video one translator has to subtitle to make it cost-effective?

The freeware option I use is Subtitle Workshop. I don't know what Monica's is.

Some colleagues translate directly on the subtitling software, I know a few that do it on Subtitle Workshop and the timespotting while translating. I do the timespotting while reviewing.


 
José Henrique Lamensdorf
José Henrique Lamensdorf  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 11:19
English to Portuguese
+ ...
In memoriam
No secret Nov 16, 2013

Carmen Grabs wrote:

phantastic! I wish I was as knowledgable as you with my clients.


I learned most of what I know about digital video (apart from direct experence) from http://www.videohelp.com . If anything there is technically over your head, Wikipedia will cover the gap.


 
Carmen Grabs
Carmen Grabs
Germany
Local time: 15:19
Member (2012)
English to German
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you, José Nov 16, 2013

I will look into that, thanks for taking the time, this looks interesting! Especially the footpedal idea sounds exactly like the thing I need

 
José Henrique Lamensdorf
José Henrique Lamensdorf  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 11:19
English to Portuguese
+ ...
In memoriam
On foot pedal Nov 16, 2013

Carmen Grabs wrote:

I will look into that, thanks for taking the time, this looks interesting! Especially the footpedal idea sounds exactly like the thing I need


The foot pedal will be useful if you are an unusually fast typist. I've heard of many "normal" keyboard pounders who gave up on the pedal, as the other option is the F-keys. As your fingers are already in that neighborhood, they work fine too.

However if you get too used to that pedal, I'd be careful when driving a car. Years ago I read the report on an airline pilot. After a long trip, having safely landed a 737 at the Sao Paulo airport, he took his car, and drove home. He was going on the expressway and, upon reaching a hilltop, he suddenly realized that the traffic ahead was fully stopped. Instead of using the brakes, he instictively pulled the VW steering wheel (which obviously didn't budge) towards himself, possibly trying to "fly over" that traffic jam. Of course, he smashed his car against the one stopped in front of it.


 
Carmen Grabs
Carmen Grabs
Germany
Local time: 15:19
Member (2012)
English to German
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
When the day comes ... Nov 16, 2013

that I am more used to the PC-footpedal than to that of my car, I will be so rich that I can afford a new car no problem

I always thought a footpedal might be a good thing in translations, as it

a) keeps your feet busy
b) keeps therefore your feet warm
c) helps you burn calories
d) helps you work faster


 
Monica Paolillo
Monica Paolillo
Italy
Local time: 15:19
English to Italian
+ ...
I don't use freeware... Nov 16, 2013

...but one application for Mac which is not too bad and low cost is Kolibri available from the App store for Mac users.

When you use non professional tools you gotta be extra careful with shot changes.

Jose' you summarized very well what unfortunately happens all the time. I really can't believe how many companies out there simply don't even know what they need and what service they are buying. Sometimes I really feel like I'm running out of patience... But what can you
... See more
...but one application for Mac which is not too bad and low cost is Kolibri available from the App store for Mac users.

When you use non professional tools you gotta be extra careful with shot changes.

Jose' you summarized very well what unfortunately happens all the time. I really can't believe how many companies out there simply don't even know what they need and what service they are buying. Sometimes I really feel like I'm running out of patience... But what can you do?


Till next time, ciao



José Henrique Lamensdorf wrote:

Carmen Grabs wrote:

I don't know whether there is a different software for transcription and subtitling, so I was happy to get replies at all.

All I need is a software that "somehow" converts the scenes in a video into time-coded sections, so I can than transcribe the video and translate the transcription for someone, who then embeds the subtitles.

Is there a special software for that?

I checked out the first two links, and they seemed terribly technical to me. But I guess I could work that out. What shocked me more was the price for the software "Spot", over 1700 Euro ...


Carmen,

I came from the translation for dubbing world, where I started in 1987. I only entered the translation for subtitling world in 2004. The result is that I keep some of the old methods.

I began using an open-reel audio recorder and a word processor on the Apple II computer. That's ancient history from the days of the VHS tapes.

To transcribe, you may use Express Scribe and any word processor you like. I prefer the Windows Notepad, as setting the window to my maximum subtitle length and turning on automatic line breaks will make it easy for me to see where I should break my subtitles. This will provide you with a TXT file, which most "subtitling" (i.e. time-spotting) software will take.

The entire misunderstanding between me and Monica was because I thought she had and was advocating for the absurdly-priced Spot you mentioned. I mean, how much video one translator has to subtitle to make it cost-effective?

The freeware option I use is Subtitle Workshop. I don't know what Monica's is.

Some colleagues translate directly on the subtitling software, I know a few that do it on Subtitle Workshop and the timespotting while translating. I do the timespotting while reviewing.



[Edited at 2013-11-16 21:17 GMT]
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Pavel Slama
Pavel Slama  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:19
Member (2014)
English to Czech
+ ...
Is .SRT any good? Nov 17, 2013

I am a newcomer, but quite keen on subtitling.

What surprises me: I've had more than one client, I presume smaller operations, they probably have me and a video editor to do the burning.

To produce good subtitles, I tend to insist on doing the spotting myself (I think it's integral for rhythm, adjusting length of lines etc). But when I ask them what format they need, whether .SRT is ok, they said just give us a word document, maybe with in and out times.

Co
... See more
I am a newcomer, but quite keen on subtitling.

What surprises me: I've had more than one client, I presume smaller operations, they probably have me and a video editor to do the burning.

To produce good subtitles, I tend to insist on doing the spotting myself (I think it's integral for rhythm, adjusting length of lines etc). But when I ask them what format they need, whether .SRT is ok, they said just give us a word document, maybe with in and out times.

Confused. So is there no way of importing those "amateur" sub formats into "professional" video editing software?!

[Edited at 2013-11-17 15:45 GMT]
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Sylvano
Sylvano
Local time: 15:19
English to French
.srt = fansub Nov 18, 2013

So is there no way of importing those "amateur" sub formats into "professional" video editing software?!


There is. With professional editing software like Final Cut. But that would be DIY subtitling, since FC is not specifically designed for this. SRT is definitely an amateur/fansubber format, as you say. Some other classic formats like .stl are very close to .txt actually, but with a timecode system.


 
kmtext
kmtext
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:19
English
+ ...
More and more companies are starting to ask for .srt Nov 19, 2013

It may have started out as a fansubbing format, but with editing/burning-in increasingly being done on Final Cut it's becoming more of a standard these days. It's also useful in that it supports unicode which comes in handy if you're working with non-Latin text which can be problematic with .stl and .pac.

In terms of video transcription packages there are a lot available for reasonable prices. Which one you choose will probably depend on the formats the client wants. Packages like I
... See more
It may have started out as a fansubbing format, but with editing/burning-in increasingly being done on Final Cut it's becoming more of a standard these days. It's also useful in that it supports unicode which comes in handy if you're working with non-Latin text which can be problematic with .stl and .pac.

In terms of video transcription packages there are a lot available for reasonable prices. Which one you choose will probably depend on the formats the client wants. Packages like InqScribe and Express Scribe are fairly inexpensive, and support foot pedal control, but the timecode is in a non-standard format which you'd have to convert if the client wants something they can use to produce subtitles.

My advice would be that if you expect to get a large volume of work for broadcast or DVD production, where you have to produce frame-accurate captions that can be easily imported into other systems, it's worth going for one of the more expensive packages like Swift, Spot or Wincaps, but if you only expect to do occasional transcriptions for reference or non-broadcast purposes, go for something like InqScribe, Express Scribe or one of the less expensive subtitling packages.
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Luiz Barucke
Luiz Barucke  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 11:19
Spanish to Portuguese
+ ...
Express Scribe Nov 23, 2013

Hi,

I use Express Scribe in my transcription projects (not for subtitling) and it looks perfect to my needs.

The great thing about this little program is its hot-key capabilities. With Word window opened (I don't have to see the Express Scribe window during the process), I control the audio (play, stop, speed, rewind, ff, etc.) and I can copy the time code to paste in the text, everything with hot-keys. I almost make the transcription without any audio stop during the p
... See more
Hi,

I use Express Scribe in my transcription projects (not for subtitling) and it looks perfect to my needs.

The great thing about this little program is its hot-key capabilities. With Word window opened (I don't have to see the Express Scribe window during the process), I control the audio (play, stop, speed, rewind, ff, etc.) and I can copy the time code to paste in the text, everything with hot-keys. I almost make the transcription without any audio stop during the process.
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Ora Tomas
Ora Tomas
United States
Local time: 10:19
English to Hebrew
+ ...
Hebrew to Hebrew audio to text Jul 17, 2019

Hello community,

I have been offered a few assignments to transcript Hebrew audio to Hebrew text.

I am interested in taking the assignments and being totally "green" in this I am requesting your support.

What does time coding look like?

What do you suggest the best software for that ?

Am I actually going be typing on the key board or does the software ?

What is the going rate per hour of audio with time coding?
... See more
Hello community,

I have been offered a few assignments to transcript Hebrew audio to Hebrew text.

I am interested in taking the assignments and being totally "green" in this I am requesting your support.

What does time coding look like?

What do you suggest the best software for that ?

Am I actually going be typing on the key board or does the software ?

What is the going rate per hour of audio with time coding?

What is the ratio of audio hours to text hours for someone who is new at this?

Thank you so much !!
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