FAQ

Compatibility with macOS 13.0 Ventura

Versions 2.4.4 and earlier are not compatible with macOS 13.0 Ventura. Due to a bug in this OS release, the display of the transcript is corrupted with gaps between speaker ranges and some speaker ranges will be clipped so the transcript is not visible. A new version 2.5.2 update has now been released for direct download (https://speedscriber.s3.amazonaws.com/SpeedScriber.pkg) or automatic update and fixes the issue. It is also available on the Mac App Store for users who have installed from th...

How do I purchase more minutes?

Additional minutes can be purchased by clicking the Buy Minutes button in the navigation bar. If you downloaded the app from the Mac App Store then this will show in-app purchases for 30, 60 and 120 minutes which are aimed at non-business users. If you're purchasing minutes for a business then we recommend buying minutes direct at app.speedscriber.com (https://app.speedscriber.com) where volume discounts, multiple currencies, choice of payment methods and invoices are available.

Why haven't purchased minutes been added to my account?

Purchased through Apple using in-app purchase (30/60/120 mins) When you successfully make an in-app purchase, the SpeedScriber app receives a notification from Apple which it forwards onto our servers to verify and then add the minutes to your account. If you do not see purchased minutes being added to your account then please view your Apple purchase history (https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204088) and check if the relevant purchase is shown as Pending status. - If the purchase is show...

Which platforms is SpeedScriber available for?

Currently the SpeedScriber app is only available for macOS although we do plan to support other platforms in the future. However the SpeedScriber panel for Adobe Premiere Pro CC is cross-platform and available for macOS and Windows. By using a single SpeedScriber account, you could have one macOS system importing files (and editing if desired) and then multiple systems running Premiere Pro on Windows which can access that transcript data and add it to clips. The administrator portal for seeing...

What types of audio and video files can be imported?

SpeedScriber can import any audio or video file that can be played in QuickTime Player. An unsupported codec message will be displayed in the SpeedScriber viewer for any file that isn't supported by Apple's media frameworks, e.g. RED (.r3d) or 10-bit H.264 (as created by Panasonic GH5). There are some additional enhancements for these professional file formats: Broadcast Wave SpeedScriber reads the start timecode (BEXT or iXML (http://www.ixml.info)) and iXML (http://www.ixml.info) channel ...

Why is importing a file taking so long?

If it is an MXF file or a clip from Final Cut Pro X that contains one of more MXF files, then unfortunately this could probably normal. When you import a file, one of the first things that SpeedScriber does is to create an audio waveform. This allows the app to determine if any audio channels that have audio are enabled. While reading of MXF files is possible with installation of the Apple Pro Codecs, some customers have been experiencing a severe performance issue that we reported to Apple. I...

Does SpeedScriber support multiple languages?

Yes. SpeedScriber currently supports the following languages: - Dutch - English (Australian spelling) - English (British spelling) - English (North American spelling) - French - German - Italian - Portuguese - Spanish We do plan to support other languages in future releases. Please let us know which languages you'd like to see.

Does SpeedScriber support timecode?

Yes. Timecode is displayed while viewing or editing the transcript and used when exporting transcripts for the following formats: - QuickTime Movies (.mov) - Broadcast Wave Files (.wav) - MP3 files containing timecode metadata in ID3 tags (as created by Sound Devices (https://www.sounddevices.com/) hardware) If no timecode is found, then absolute time from the start of the file will be used.

Why have I used more minutes than the duration of the files?

When transcribing multiple files, each file is always processed separately and the duration of each file is rounded up to the next minute. For example, transcribing the following files would result in 8 (not 7) minutes being deducted from your account balance: * 1m10s (rounded up = 2m00s) * 2m50s (rounded up = 3m00s) * 2m30s (rounded up = 3m00s)

Can I use SpeedScriber on multiple computers?

While we don't officially support this, it is possible to log in with the same SpeedScriber account on multiple computers at the same time (with some restrictions). This could be useful if you want to have one person importing and submitting files for transcription and another person editing transcripts. The first user to open a file will get permission to edit the transcript. If a second user on another computer opens the same file, then they will see a message that they are only able to view...

Can I copy transcript text for use in other apps?

Yes. Selected words can be copied and pasted in the normal way into any other app. It is also possible to copy selected words with speaker name and timestamp by doing one of the following: * Choose Edit > Copy with Metadata * Press Command-Option-C When pasted into another app, this will give Leland [00:00:21] I'm in London now at a wonderful park bench here in Cleveland Square. And in New York, Central Park is the park bench capital of the world. _Please note selected words m...

Why are there timestamps missing from some lines when printing or exporting to PDF?

When printing a transcript or exporting to PDF, timestamps are shown in the right column for the start of the first sentence on that line. So if there is no timestamp shown it's because that line doesn't contain a start of a sentence.

Can I export a single PDF that contains transcripts for multiple files?

Not directly. Right now each transcript must be exported to a separate PDF file. What you could do is merge the individual PDF files together which would allow searching of the transcript across multiple files. See this external article for how to merge PDF files using Preview app: http://www.idownloadblog.com/2016/07/11/combine-two-pdf-files-into-one-preview-mac/

What is the most reliable way to drag a Final Cut Pro X library to SpeedScriber?

Due to some quirks in macOS, drag and drop between Final Cut Pro X and SpeedScriber can be rather frustrating sometimes. Final Cut Pro X will start exporting the XML file when the cursor passes over any application icon that can open an XML file. This is very easy to do by accident when you are dragging, and once the export starts you have to wait for it to finish before you can actually drop the library onto SpeedScriber. To avoid this frustrating situation, we recommend you do the following ...

Why can't I import clips from Final Cut Pro X?

If you see the following message when dragging a library from Final Cut Pro X to the SpeedScriber icon: No clips were identified for import or export in this Library then check that the clips to be imported: - Have the SS Pending keyword applied. This must be exactly as stated, not ss pending or SS pending etc which will not work. The keyword range can be anywhere in the clip and any duration. - Are audio, video, synchronized, compound or multicam clips. Projects and clips that contain ...

Why can't I export clips back to Final Cut Pro X?

If you see the following message when dragging a library from Final Cut Pro X to the SpeedScriber icon: _No clips were identified for import or export in this Library_ and you're sending back clips that were originally imported from a dragged library, then check that: * The file in SpeedScriber is set to Verified status. * The original clips in Final Cut Pro X have the SS Processing keyword applied. This should have been added automatically by SpeedScriber after importing, but you can a...

Why can't I see the transcript on the clip in Final Cut Pro X?

When you export to Final Cut Pro X, either using direct export or roundtripping, SpeedScriber creates multiple keyword ranges. The Name field is set to the speaker name and the Notes field is used for the transcript. To view the transcript make sure: * The Event Browser is in List View mode. * The clip's disclosure triangle is open (i.e. pointing down). * The Notes column is visible in the Event Browser. By default the Notes column is positioned on the far right so it could be hidden. ...

Can I reimport transcripts to Final Cut Pro X clips?

If you've already sent back the transcript to the clip, but since made changes in SpeedScriber that you want to make available in Final Cut Pro X, then please do the following: * In Final Cut Pro X, remove the keywords from the clip, either by pressing Control-0 to remove all the keywords or by selectively removing the transcript keywords by selecting the keyword collection for each speaker name in the sidebar and pressing Command-Delete * Add the SS Processing keyword to the ciip. * I...

Can I export captions as Final Cut Pro X titles?

Not currently but you can use X-Title Caption Convert (http://www.spherico.com/filmtools/TitleExchange/XTCC/index.html) from Spherico to convert closed captions to titles:

I accidentally imported a transcript to the wrong clip in Premiere Pro, how can I fix this?

* Remove the SpeedScriber ID from the _incorrect_ clip or sequence. * Save the project and quit Premiere Pro. * Relaunch Premiere Pro. * The Import button will now be available for that SpeedScriber file and you can now import to the correct clip or sequence in the usual way,

How can I see a list of the usage on my account?

* Log into app.speedscriber.com (https://app.speedscriber.com) to manage your account. * Click the Usage tab which displays a table of all the usage on your account including date, file name, minutes used and balance as well as purchases with a link to the PDF invoice.

How can I download an invoice for a past purchase?

For purchases made directly through app.speedscriber.com, you will automatically be emailed an invoice when the purchase is completed but it is also possible to download any previous invoice: - Log into app.speedscriber.com (https://app.speedscriber.com) to manage your account. - Click the Usage tab which displays a table of all the usage on your account. - Find the purchase by date and click the link to download a PDF invoice. If you've purchased with Apple from as an in-app purcha...

Can I set up billing information that is pre-filled when I make a purchase?

Yes, this it is possible to set up the following information in the Billing tab of your account page: * Company name * VAT number (for business customers in the EU) * Address * Log into app.speedscriber.com (https://app.speedscriber.com) to manage your account. * Click the Billing tab and enter or update the desired fields. Changes are saved instantly and will be applied for future purchases.

How do I change the first name, last name, email address or password on my account?

* Log into app.speedscriber.com (https://app.speedscriber.com) to manage your account. * Select the Profile tab where there are buttons for changing first name, last name, email address and password.

How long are uploaded media files stored for?

In order to make it possible to diagnose any problems with transcripts, the audio-only version of your imported media files are stored for 7 days and then deleted. If you have any concerns about this then you can choose to have media files deleted immediately after transcription is complete by doing the following: * Log into your account at app.speedscriber.com (https://app.speedscriber.com) * Click the Profile tab. * Enable the checkbox to delete media files immediately.

How do I close my SpeedScriber account?

When you close your SpeedScriber account, all data and any remaining balance will be permanently deleted and cannot be restored. - Log into app.speedscriber.com (https://app.speedscriber.com/) to manage your account. - Select the Profile tab and click the Close Account button. - Agree to the closure by enabling the checkbox and enter your account password, then click the Close Account button. Your account will be closed within 24 hours.