Frequently Asked Questions
Technical issues
Frequently asked questions about recording equipment, file formats and other issues.
Does audio quality influence the quality of transcription?
Yes. Audio recording quality has a serious impact on the resulting quality of transcription. To achieve the best results while recording, make sure there are no background noises and that all speakers talk directly to the microphone (it is not sufficient to just place a phone on a desk etc.). Which microphones will ensure a top-quality transcription?
What influences the quality of automatic recognition of speakers and speaker segmentation?
As with the quality transcription, it depends on the quality of the recording, the amount of background noise/music, whether the speakers interrupt one another, or how often they pause during their speech.
How to make an optimal recording?
Record in an environment with as few distractions as possible and speak into the recording device or microphone up close. If you are going to make a recording on a mobile phone, you need to speak into it directly as if you were making a phone call. Each speaker should have their own microphone and speakers should try not to interrupt each other much. For more tips, see How to make a good quality audio recording.
Which audio and video formats are supported by Beey?
Beey supports the vast majority of commonly used audio and video formats. Besides the file extension, also the video codec type and other technical parameters decide whether the file can be transcribed. For optimal results, we recommend the following settings:
– MP4, MP3, WAV, AAC (MP4 audio), VORBIS or OPUS file
– H.264 video codec
– fragmented MP4 (streaming media format)
– constant framerate and bitrate (as high as possible, at least 128 kbps)
– ideally in mono mode (Beey merges stereo recordings into one channel anyway)
If you still experience issues with file processing due to its format or need help with its settings, please send the file to [email protected].
How to convert my recording to the correct format?
The most common cause of recording processing errors is having an incorrect video codec type. Learn how to easily convert your recording to the correct format using VLC Player.
How do I set the parameters correctly when recording?
A recording’s optimal sample rate should be 16 kHz. If you set a higher frequency, the transcription quality will not improve by much but your recording will be unnecessarily large. The second key parameter is the recording’s bitrate. Set this to the highest value possible – at least 128 kb/s. Ideally, select mono mode as well.
How do I test that my video is in the required format?
If you want to quickly and easily verify that your video is in the correct format, see if it can be opened in your Chrome browser. Just drag and drop your file into the browser window or on the Chrome icon on your desktop. If the file starts playing, Beey will probably process it without any problems.
What is the maximum length of recording for transcription?
The maximum length of a recording you can transcribe is 6 hrs. However, it is recommended to transcribe longer recordings in 2-hour long segments or shorter. Longer and/or larger files may cause processing errors or slower application responses.
To split your recording into multiple shorter sections, use the Splitter app or contact us at [email protected].
What should I do if Beey says “The project is queued for transcription” but I don’t have any other ongoing transcription?
There is probably a processing error in the previous project that blocks further transcription. If the previous project keeps loading or reporting an error, deleting it should clear the transcription queue.
If all your projects are in order or there is no change after deleting the problematic project, please contact us at [email protected].
Apps
Questions concerning add-on features and integrated applications in Beey
Which URLs can be transcribed via the Link app?
The Link app works best with YouTube or Facebook videos. However, it also supports a variety of other sites. If your source is on the list but the transcription repeatedly fails, please contact us at [email protected].
Can I dictate directly into Beey and edit the resulting transcript at the same time?
Yes, we’ve been developing the new Beey Voice app specifically for transcription of live speech. You can start recording immediately via your default microphone and view the ongoing transcription in an adjacent browser tab. There you can immediately start working with the project as usual.
This app is still in the beta version, we would therefore appreciate all feedback about your user experience at [email protected].
Is it possible to edit the transcript without interrupting the playback?
Yes, you can set up the playback reaction in Settings (one of the icons in the top right corner of your editor). You can disable the Move caret with audio function, which stops the playback while typing.
Does Beey show the preview of edited subtitles in my video?
Yes. You can preview the subtitles you have created and revise them in the Subtitle mode. There you can set the exact timing and distribution of individual subtitle segments, indication of speaker changes, and much more.
How can I transcribe a multi-language recording?
Unfortunately we have not devised an easy solution for this case in Beey. The best available option is transcribing the recording multiple times – in each of the languages in question. The resulting transcripts can be simply combined manually.
Where can I find the tools for translation or subtitle revision?
Smart translation of a project (Beey Translate) can be accessed in the Controls panel on the left side of the project editing page.
Subtitle revision in the Subtitle mode is also located in the Controls panel, just below the Beey Translate button.
Both features are currently in beta versions, we would therefore appreciate all feedback about your user experience at [email protected]. In case you don’t see these options in your editor, please try logging out and in again or contacting us at the e-mail address above.
Which provider of machine translation do you use for Beey Translate?
For most languages (Bulgarian, Czech, English, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish, Ukrainian), we use the DeepL translator, as it has reached the best testing results. For the remaining languages not supported by this provider, we substitute the service by Google Translate.