Equipments we use - 2 (Software- 1)

The transcription process, as mentioned in our previous section, begins with the audio/video recording to the finalizing of the transcribed text.  In this section, the software aspect of the process will be touched upon.


1.  Recording of the audio/video (Dictaphone, microphones)  Good audio recording is critical to transcription process.  It is very important to invest in a good quality microphone.  There are two kind of microphones; omni-directional (sound recorded from all sides) and uni-directional (sound recorded from one side).  When choosing a microphone, it is best to go with a unidirectional microphone.  This is great for recording narration as it only picks up the sound coming from the narrator, so a lot of ambient noise is eliminated.  Omni-directional microphones are used in group recordings.

 2.  Transfer of audio/video recording (via Internet using secure FTP softwares/share servers).  Once the recorded audio or video is finalized, it is sent to the transcription company for transcription.  We use HTTP servers hosted by ShareFile (http://www.sharefile.com/) for transfer of the recording source. Investing in a fast and reliable internet connection is very crucial, as transfer of large files require faster bandwidth and connection speed, which reduces download and upload time of files.

3.  Processing the audio/video format (sound format converter, sound file extraction from a video, background sound elimination).

a) Format conversion:  Today, since there are so many formats of sounds available (mp3, mp4, mp2, wav, wma), we need to process audio formats that are incompatible with our audio player software.  Depending on the requirement, we process the audio or video source accordingly.  For instance, softwares like Goldwave, Switch, Wavepad , OJOsoft are mainly used to change the format of any file to an Mp3 or wav format as both these formats are compatible with all audio players.

Goldwave interface

b) Sound extraction: While transcribing a video which is very large in size, extracting the sound from the video and then transcribing the audio can also be done.  Larger videos take a longer time to get loaded onto the transcription software player; hence we use softwares such as ‘OJOsoft’ for extracting the audio from a video source.

c) Sound amplification/background noise removal: Generally, all transcription software that we use has a background noise elimination feature, but as our experience has proven, it is always helpful that we eliminate background noise manually rather than automatically given by the software. A software named ‘Audacity’ can also be used for background noise elimination.  Please note that when the audio is really bad, it is not always possible to eliminate backgrounds noises.  A word of caution—when using softwares for background noise removal, there can be loss of original sound.  It is imperative to have some practical experience while using softwares for eliminating background noise.

Equilizer interface

USEFUL TIP:  A very helpful feature is the Sound Manager Feature of your motherboard.  The Sound Manager is a link to the equalizer of your computer system.  This is a very important feature because you can amplify low sounds, remove background sounds, etcetera.  In your equalizer, the Bass feature generally enhances speaker volume, and the Treble option takes out the background sound and clarifies the main speaker voice.  Use of the Sound Manager has become an important practice at Cripton as we can process audios without any loss of sound quality.  This feature is available for most computer motherboards available in the market, and is a must-have for all transcribers.

 A combination of the amplifier speakers (mentioned in the previous blog) and use of the Sound Manager feature gives you the most optimum output of sound to your headphones.

In our next blog (in later January), we will show you different softwares used in transcription, various reference softwares, players, and some useful tips and tricks.

Equipments we use - 1 (Hardware)

In this serial topic, we explain about the equipments which enable/enhance transcription work. Today, we cover hardware (and software in the next post).

The transcription process involves

Cripton editors' room

1.  Recording of the audio/Video.
2.  Transfer of audio/video recording.
3.  Processing the audio/video format.
4.  Transcribing to a text document.
5.  Proof reading, editing, and finalizing the transcribed document.
6.  Delivering the finalized document to the client on the stipulated deadline.

This article will run you through the hardware required in each aspect of the process.

1.  Personal Computer/Laptop
It is very important to invest in a higher configuration PC/laptop.  Having a higher configuration means your PC must have a good processor (Intel or AMD).  Now, the latest processors have faster and efficient processing ability.  Having a higher Random Access Memory (RAM) helps in faster processing (opening and closing documents, saving, copy-pasting large data around).  The computer should also have sufficient storage space.  Since general transcription involves large audio/video data files, you should have sufficient storage space to handle and store data on a daily basis.  Hard drives with large storage capacity are available easily.  In terms of portability, a laptop is a good investment.  To type comfortably on a laptop, you can also attach a separate USB keyboard or mouse.

2.  Internet Connection
Having a good internet connection is a must.  Investing in a good internet connection will decrease your download and upload time, hence you will be able to accept and deliver data faster.  You should also have a backup internet connection in case one goes down.

Foot pedal

3.  Foot Pedal
A foot pedal helps you to playback audio (play, forward, rewind) simultaneously as you are transcribing.  Foot pedals are mainly of two kinds depending on your PC configuration; older ones come with a serial port (game port) and latest ones with a USB port.  This is however optional, as many transcribers use hot-keys on their computers for playback.  Having a foot pedal is an optional requirement if you have a good typing speed.

Speakers on both sides of PC monitor

4.  Headphones and speakers

This, I must say, is the crux of your whole setup.  Invest in good quality headphones.  When buying a headphone, check for voice clarity and comfort, as both go a long way.  Sound amplification has been a major concern amongst transcribers.  In general transcription, our audios can be of varying quality.  This is where amplifier speakers (with 3.5 mm port) come into the picture.  All transcribers must invest in these amplifier speakers, as you can increase or decrease the volume of your audios with just a twist of a button.  One can only realize the importance of these speakers when the volume of the audio is really low, and you can get instantaneous amplification in sound.

All in all, investing in a good computer setup and having the right accessories will go a long way to help you transcribe audios/videos faster and efficiently.

Member profile 2: Amit

Today we are profiling Cripton’s Process Manager, Amit- the almighty superman and Mr. Cool. Despite his crucial role and responsibility, the presence of Process Manager is not recognized much as compared to other functions (such as transcribers or customer care). We discover in this topic what his role in Cripton is, how he processes client job, and whatever he feels at this work.

Amit

Snapshot
He’s one of the most dedicated and reliable members in Cripton team. Call him asking for help, and he comes and solves your problem without fail. People call him Mr. Cool, as he never ever gets upset in any tight situation and amid other member’s panic. He’s also well-known for multitask-taker; from medical transcription, computer-related task solving to agile communication with vendors/freelancers all over the world.

Here’s the interview detail….
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1. We Criptonites all know that you are multi-tasker. List down what you do in this role, just to name a few.


It all starts with getting a job enquiry. The complicated ones/special requests come to me at enquiry stage. Once client has uploaded to our server (or any other third party server) I get it downloaded. The duration mailer sent to Customer Service. Then job gets confirmed with a fixed TAT. Now, here I allocate it to a transcriber who can complete it on time with quality. Once the transcript is ready, I inform the Editor PM and then Editor PM does the editing allocation and delivers it to the Customer Service.

We accept all kinds of audio/video format. Usually, we convert them to mp3. Now, we have software, which plays the video files smoothly. Sometimes we are required to record from online streaming when it’s impossible to download. I always recommend uploading to our server because the audio quality goes down with recording online videos/audios. At times, our clients upload to a Japanese server where we get stuck and ask Customer Service (Japanese) to help us out understanding the Japanese text on the Japanese third-party server.

Now, Merwyn (Process Coordinator) takes care of the job uploading/transcript downloading and since last month he has also started generating freelancers’ invoices and sending them out. Earlier I was the only contact point. I am still involved in decision making and freelancer queries.

Apart from this role, I also coordinate Narration jobs. Wherein, I accept the job from Customer Service. I allocate to client’s preferred narrator. Receive the audio from the narrator. Check it with the client’s script. Finally upload it our server and provide link to Customer Service.

Service development is another area where I am required to contribute.

2. That’s quite a lot. Also I know that you are a major communication nodal point in our team, even though you are not known to our Japanese clients. How do you handle it and any difficulties in it ?

There are difficulties when I am not able to pass on the correct message. There is a high risk of confusing the person at the other end. So, I provide only required information without making it fancy. Regarding different time zones, yes it’s difficult to remember more than one time zone but now I am quite familiar with JST (Japan Standard Time).

3. Who are the person (or the role) you closely work within our team?

I closely work with Customer Service (Satomi) & Editor PM (Chandru) & Process Coordinator (Merwyn).

4. How can you manage so many multi tasks at a hand? Any trick on it?

There is no trick. I try to close tasks as fast as possible and move to the next one. I still have a long way to become a very good multi-tasker. There are many different ways but it ultimately depends upon the urgency on your mind. Of course, I try to be as accurate as possible given the timeframe.

5. When you think about most memorable events/happenings during your stint in Cripton, what comes 1st in your mind?

I really liked the recent activity where we decorated our Cripton Bay. The best part was the teamwork. Everyone from the team was actively involved in it.

6. You’ve got a new SONY laptop recently. Has it changed your life so far?


To certain extent, yes. I am quite excited and want to contribute more and more towards my work. New technology fascinates me!

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(Interview-end)

Importance of reference materials

In today’s article, we are going to focus on the importance of reference files in doing client work.

The very first thing a transcriber or editor checks before starting to transcribe or edit a transcript is to check the “Reference Folder”.  This folder contains information about the content of the audio file.  It might be in the form of PowerPoints, snapshots of PowerPoints, PDFs, MS Word, or text files.

Here are some examples of such references.  In case of an interview, the reference document provides the names of the interviewer (person taking the interview) and the interviewee (person being interviewed).  The document might also contain the sequence of the questions being asked or some information about the interviewee like his field of work, associated institutions, or names of associated books or reviews.

Another instance is in the case of a symposium/conference.  The reference material could contain the agenda of the conference, the participating nations/organizations, the various sessions, the names of the titles, information about the moderators and participants, along with PowerPoints of the presentations made in the symposium.

In case of multiple speakers or a meeting, the reference material may contain the minutes of the meeting identifying speakers according to the time stamps on the audio.  For example, “Mr. Saito – 15:26 – We identified…”  This helps identify the voice of Mr. Saito and that he is going to begin his speech with the words. “We identified….”  Such reference in lengthy audio files helps to positively identify speakers throughout the transcript.

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There are many advantages of having reference material while transcribing a file.  The provided reference can give a clue as to the content of the audio file.  The transcriber gets the material to select the title of the transcript, which identifies the content of the transcript.

The content provided in the reference files also helps the transcriber to search the internet for further information about the speakers or the subject of the audio.  It also can help in understanding content in case of speakers of varied accents which are difficult to comprehend.  Reference material can also help with homonyms (similar sounding words) in case the content is medical or technical in nature.

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In case the reference material is not provided, the transcriber may have a lot of difficulty understanding the content of the audio.  Research for speaker names or technical terms in case of medical or highly technical files could also take up a lot of time and affect the quality of the transcript.

All these factors point out to the fact that reference material is indeed an essential tool which helps transcribers and editors save an incredible amount of time and effort which can then be utilized to work on the content of the transcript.  They can then come up with optimum quality, accurate, and unclear-free transcripts.

Member profile(1): Majid

In this topic, we will cover our Cripton staffs; in every issue we close up one staff and interview about how he works at Cripton, what day-to-day challenges he faces here and how he finds Cripton interesting.

The 1^st interviewee is Cripton’s Department Head, Majid (VP- Cripton) who literally manages all staffs working in our team.

Snapshot

Majid (the right-end) at office Rangoli competition)

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He is Cripton’s head, managing all staff in this team. We (two of us Cripton Japanese staff) secretly call him “Majio” (although he already noticed it), he’s like a mascot character and at the same time, the most indispensable element of Cripton. Young and fun-loving leader who is good at integrating the team members and Enjoying. Recently he purchased a car and yet don’t know how to drive.

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Here’s the interview detail….

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1. (Before joining the team) Tel us about how you joined Cripton, past transcription-related experience, what was the different thing you first felt about Cripton?

I joined Cactus after working for several transcription companies. I was recommended by a friend who had said very nice things about Cactus, it’s focus on quality and its dedication to clients. I was very impressed with it when I joined.

After completing 4 years in Cripton, I can say I made a very good decision to join Cactus. The best thing about Cripton is the team and its people. They are extremely dedicated to quality and client commitment yet enjoy each day at work to the fullest. They are so well bonded that we got a special value card recently from our CEO for being the most well-bonded teams in Cactus. Together with the lovely Japanese ladies in this team, they are a pleasure to work with.

I must say what sets Cripton apart from other transcription companies is its ability to handle all subject matters (typically transcription companies are focused on specific subject matter like medical/business/legal); ability to handle all kinds of accents (again not many companies can handle east asian accents like we do); and the scope of services. We’ve not restricted ourselves only to a transcription business unit, but have expanded to cover various aspects of the service chain to try and give our clients a one-stop solution for all their audio/visual transcription related needs.

2. As a part of initial starting member in Cripton, tell us about the 2~3 struggling experience Cripton had had in its early stage and how we had solved.

I must say there are lots of funny stories here. I remember a time when Cripton didn’t have an in-house team and it used to rely on third-party vendors for its work. In one instance, a vendor backed out on its delivery commitment. Guess what, Cripton got it’s star transcribers in our CEO Anurag Goel and a few other senior members of Cactus, who didn’t allow the client deadline to get affected.

Another experience that’s quite fresh in my mind is how we started our narration service. Once a client enquired an audio in American accent. To us, it was a new thing as we didn’t understand that narration was just the opposite of transcription. It was very hard to find American accent in India at the same time we had to try our best to meet client requirements. Guess what, we managed to get one of the American editors in Editage to do the voiceover by arranging for a recording studio. It all looked very funny and exciting but ultimately client was happy with the output.

3. Now that we have become a big team (as compared to a few years back). Has the Cripton’ working atmosphere changed?

Oh yes, this is one of the biggest changes that I’ve ever seen in my professional life. 4 years back Cripton team was a quiet lot, only focusing on work without any interaction between the team members. All the team members were very introvert and shy. However over the years with the addition of some new members to our team, the team dynamics have changed completely.

The team is an exciting bunch of people who are always together and are one close-knit family. No one is spared from a birthday treat come what may. We even won a bay decoration in Cactus and it’s still suprising to belive that the theme was a “discotheque”.

In addition, the current team is very proactive and focused on the client. They are very vocal about their suggestions for improvement and are always ready to come up with newer ideas that can help us to serve the clients better. I must say this is the best team I’ve worked with so far ever in my career.

4. You have visited Japan for the 1st time in Feb this year. How did you find it (Japan scene, people you met, client talk)?

Oh, it was one big culture shock for me. I was amazed at the Japanese focus on quality and customer satisfaction. Every time I used any service I felt like I was given such special treatment.

The language was a problem but I appreciated the people who were so supportive and cooperative. Only thing is you need to ask for help and they would be ready to help.

The clients I met were so warm and friendly. It took me some time to get used to the Japanese punctuality and precision, but in the end it was such a pleasant experience. They appreciated India and knew so many things about India and its heritage which even the younger generation of Indians may not be aware of.

I must say it was a life changing experience and one that I will cherish for a long time.

5. What’s the most exciting part when working at Cripton?

I must say it’s the dynamism and constant pace at which we strive to give nothing but the best. We disagree over client deadlines, we shout at each other when client instructions arrive late and we have to do a job all over again, we grumble over lack of reference material from client, but in the end we ensure that the client always remember the Cripton experience. So I must say it is our focus on client satisfaction and our respect for each other as team members and belief in each other’s ability is the best and the most exciting part of working in Cripton.

6. Tell us where Cripton goes and want it to be after 3 years.

We have lots of expansion plans for Cripton and we want it to have a dominating presence in the localization marketplace. We plan to cover the entire service range in localization and multimedia space, some of the examples are translation, dubbing, subtitling and all other related services.

We want to cover a larger segment of the clients and ensure that the Cripton brand should be able to meet all of our localization and multimedia needs.

7. Anything you want to tell to our clients?

First of all, I want to say thank you for the trust you’ve shown in our services by giving us an opportunity to serve you.

We will strive continuously to meet your requirements and put in our best effort to give you a world-class experience.

Please feel free to share feedback on our services and do keep on reading this newsletter to know more about Cripton. Feel free to tell us if you want any more things that are needed to be added to this newsletter and we would love to have you a say and your participation in our pursuit of client satisfaction.

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(Interview-end)

Why transcripts contain [Unclear]s?

In general, whenever a client submits a job to us for transcription purpose, we make a commitment to the client that the transcript will be delivered with the highest possible quality, which in an ideal condition is a 100% accurate transcript.  But in reality, the transcript that is delivered generally contains some unclears and words that are phonetically written.  In today’s article, we will focus on unclears, the reasons why transcribers are unable to find certain words sometimes, and how it can be minimized.

In our transcript, when the transcriber is unable to find a word or a string of words, he or she puts the word “Unclear” within a square bracket.  The format being [Unclear].  There can be a number of reasons why the transcriber has to resort to this tool in a transcript.

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1)  Poorly recorded audio/video: Sometimes amateur recording equipment, mics placed away from the speakers, recordings done in a crowded place or in a moving vehicle, recording done in a hall with high reverberation, all result in a poorly recorded audio.  Then, it becomes difficult for the transcriber to hear and decipher the words correctly.  So, instead of guessing the word, the transcriber choses to put an unclear for that particular word or strings of word.

Solution:  A professionally recorded audio/video with care taken to correctly position the mics, avoiding crowds and moving vehicles, and also using halls with good acoustics results in a clearly recorded audio.  Our transcribers then can hear the words correctly and can process the transcript faster resulting an unclear-free transcript.

2)   Audio/video with no or little references:  Our transcribers though with good overall knowledge are not expert in all the fields.  Sometimes, they get audio/video dealing with a very specialized subject matter.  These subjects could range from astrophysics to trials conducted for some new drugs.  Most of the specialized fields have their own set of vocabulary.  If the client has not provided any references or has provided very little references, transcribers are left with little clue to actually find words using online search engines like Google resulting in a transcript with many unclears in it.

Solution:  While uploading the audio/video file, the client is requested to also upload any kind of reference material that is available along with the file.  This could be in the form of word document, pdf file, PowerPoint presentations of the speakers, or any web address of any relevant site.  The transcribers can then relate the reference with the file and easily find any subject-related words resulting in an unclear-free transcript.

3)   Speakers with heavy accent:  When it comes to accent, our transcribers are expert in transcribing Japanese speakers.  This expertise is because of the intensive accent training provided while joining the company as well as the daily interaction with our Japanese colleagues.  But occasionally, our transcribers come across voice files with non-Japanese speakers with heavily accented speech.  Those speakers can be from anywhere, Southeast Asian origin, European origin, etc.  A heavily accented speech combined with poor English sentence structure can spell nightmare to our transcribers.  So, instead of doing any guesswork which may lead to incorrect interpretation of the sentence, our transcribers usually put an unclear for such words or string of words.

Solution:  Frankly, there is no clear solution for this.  Ideally, wherever possible, accented speakers with poor English should be using an interpreter service.  Since this is generally not possible, we at our end are training our transcribers to familiarize with other accents also, especially Southeast Asian accents.  With gradual experience and practice, they are becoming better at picking up other accents and thus eliminating the use of unclears in the transcript.

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Thus, from the above points, we can see that the client can do a lot to help us deliver a transcript that is accurate and unclear-free.

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