When you upload audio or video that wasn’t recorded on Zencastr, transcripts aren’t generated automatically as they are for Zencastr recordings. Instead, transcripts are created when you take another action with the file. This guide explains how to use Zencastr Editing to apply audio and video enhancements, edit the content, or create clips and get a transcript as a result. Keep in mind that transcripts are available to users on paid plans for recordings in English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish.
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Zencastr Editing Capabilities for Uploaded Content
Zencastr Editing offers different features depending on whether you’re editing a Zencastr recording or a file uploaded to Zencastr. For both types of content, editing operates on postproduction credits as described in this article.
For Zencastr Recordings
Zencastr Editing is a paid feature that enhances and combines separate audio and video tracks from your recording into a polished mixed file. You can apply a variety of audio and video enhancements, such as leveling, noise reduction, and layout customization. Additionally, Zencastr allows for text-based editing, where you can cut or mute sections using the transcript, making it easy to refine your content. For steps on editing Zencastr recordings, see this guide for video recordings and this guide for audio recordings.
For Uploaded Content
When you upload audio or video that wasn’t recorded on Zencastr, not all the editing features available for Zencastr recordings will be accessible. This is because uploaded files don’t include the participant data necessary for certain features. Instead, Zencastr reads the uploaded file as a single track and applies changes directly to it. Despite these limitations, Zencastr Editing still offers helpful features for refining your uploaded content.
Key Differences When Editing Uploaded Content
When editing uploaded audio or video:
Some Audio & Video Enhancements: You can adjust the video’s aspect ratio, add a background, watermark, and upload intros or outros. However, features like layout customization, face centering, and audio enhancements that rely on participant data are not available.
Text-Based Editing: You can make transcript-based edits to uploaded files, such as muting or cutting sections, or use AI tools like long pause removal. These changes directly adjust the source file.
Clipping: You can create clips from uploaded files using manual clipping on all paid plans. If you’re on the Grow plan or higher, you can also use AI-generated clips to find the best moments from your content to clip.
No Speaker Labels: Since uploaded files don’t include participant data, transcripts generated from these files won’t have speaker labels.
Getting Transcripts for Uploaded Content via Editing
When you upload an audio or video file that wasn’t recorded on Zencastr, transcripts aren’t automatically generated. Instead, as you enhance your file—whether by adjusting the video’s appearance, trimming sections, or creating clips—a transcript will be generated as part of that process if your recording is in a supported language.
Follow these make the changes you want to your uploaded file with Zencastr Editing and get a transcript as a result:
On your Dashboard, click the Sessions tab on the left sidebar menu.
Click the Upload in New Session button.
Click Choose File and select the file you want to edit or clip.
For audio files, the format must be MP3.
For video files, the format must be MP4 or MOV.
The maximum file size for episode uploads is 50 GB.
Enter the session name.
Click Create.
Note: This will open the Preview.On the Preview Page, click the Edit button at the top right to open the Editor.
In the Editor on the Audio & Video tab: Customize available enhancements such as adjusting the video’s aspect ratio, adding a layout, background, or watermark, or adding and into or outro.
In the Editor on the Content & Clips tab: Refine your content by applying smart filters, editing the transcript, or creating manual or AI-generated clips.
In the Editor on the Content & Clips tab: Click the Apply button at the top right to return to the Preview.
On the Preview Page: Click the Next button at the top right.
On the Review and Confirm insert: Review the summary of what you are getting and the credits cost, then click Run Now to start the postproduction.
Result: The postproduction will begin to run, and the necessary amount of credits will be deducted from your credits balance when the postproduction completes.
Downloading Your Transcript
Once the postproduction is running, you can either close the Preview Page or stay on it. The postproduction will run in the background and you will receive an email when it completes. The set of files you get with the completed postproducton will include your transcript in TXT format.
Downloading Files From the Preview
If you stayed on the page while the postproduction ran, click the Download button in the top right corner of the Preview Page to download postproduction files.
Result: All your postproduction files will be zipped and downloaded to your computer. Your transcript will be a TXT file within that zip folder.
Downloading Files From the Sessions Tab
To download postproduction files from the Sessions Tab:
From your Dashboard, on the Sessions tab, under the ‘My Sessions’ list, click the name of the session that contains the uploaded file.
Click the Postproductions tab.
Click the 3-dot menu next to the name of the postproduction.
Select Download from the dropdown.
Result: All your postproduction files will be zipped and downloaded to your computer. Your transcript will be a TXT file within that zip folder.
Related Questions
What languages are supported for transcripts?
At this time, transcripts are available for recordings in English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish on paid plans. For uploaded files, the transcript is generated based on your show’s language. We hope to offer support for additional languages in the future.
Do I need to take any action with my uploaded content to get a transcript?
Yes, transcripts for uploaded content are generated only when you take an action with the file. Since Zencastr is a content creation platform, not a standalone transcription service, you’ll need to use tools like Zencastr Editing, Zencastr Clips, or Zencastr Hosting to generate a transcript from your uploaded file.
What is the transcription word error rate/accuracy?
Zencastr Transcriptions are produced by our own language modeling AI and proprietary machine learning tools. The Word Error Rate (WER) of our technology is currently comparable to that of transcription industry leaders such as Google, Descript, and Otter.ai. And we only expect the WER to improve in the future!