easytranscript is a free transcription software that helps to transcribe audio video files. Transcription simply means to keep printed or written record of spoken or recorded words. Transcript is used by professionals, like a reporter, to store recorded interview, in courts, or even by a common person. For any of the supported media file, you can create transcript with this freeware.
easytranscript provides all the needed features that are required for transcription. It comes with built-in media player, an editor to write what you are hearing, and other tools. Timestamp feature is also available that auto adds timestamp at the end of line/paragraph. Clicking on that timestamp will start playing inserted media file from that point.
In the above screenshot, interface of this transcription software is visible.
Other free software that lets you transcribe audio files: Transcription Aid and Listen N Write.
Key Features:
- You can create multiple projects to transcribe media files. With each project, an individual media file can be transcribed.
- Projects can be saved in native format (*.etp). If you want to export your project as docx or OpenOffice format, you can use a standalone software ‘Pandoc‘.
- Shorthand Feature: This feature lets you auto insert full word for a shortcut. For example, you can set ‘et’ for easytranscript. Access Options window from Tools menu and set abbreviations for full words. You can also export import list of shortcuts.
- Working time monitoring feature is also available that will automatically monitor your start and end working time.
- Preset hotkeys are available for text module and player (rewind, play/pause/forward). You can customize these hotkeys by accessing Options.
How To Use This Free Transcription Software?
To work with this transcription software, you can install it on your PC, or can download its portable file. Use the download link given at the end of this review.
To start transcribing media files, very first thing you need to do is create a new project. You need to setup multiple things for your project, such as:
- Set destination directory for saving your project and name of transcript.
- Enter media file that you want to transcribe. Supported media files are: mkv, wmv, mp4, wma, wav, ogg, mp3, mts, flac, m4a, avi, ogm, 3gp, etc.
- Enable automatically record work time.
Once you have set up all these things, main interface of easytranscript will open. At top left part on its interface, you will find the editor that is used to type text for what you hear. Right part will show you video if media file is a video file. At the bottom part, media playback controls are available. You can pause/resume media file while writing, can adjust volume speed and level, and complete your transcript.
Apart from these main tasks, there are options available to change font, font size for text, and zoom in/out of text in editor window. Some quick buttons, like insert timestamp, search and replace words, and save your project are also available to use.
Conclusion:
easytranscript is better than many similar tools as it can be used to transcribe video files too. Feature to auto insert timestamp and use shorthand are also interesting.
