Just in passing C-I-SAID offers a whole range of features for transcription
and linking text. These can include creating segments of specific length,
or using wav files, you can create a new segment whenever the sound volume
drops below a given level for a specified time. In most cases there is a
discernable change in volume between speakers. C-I-Said can create a wave
form representation of the speech and you can link by simply clicking the
mouse on the appropriate point.
Regards
Alan
At 14:46 18/07/2003 +0100, you wrote:
>Just briefly to add to Alan's message, Transcriber enables you to do the
>transcription on a computer (PC or Mac) and tie the transcription to the
>audio file. It is free and details are available on both of the links he
>provided. He has details on his excellent site for exporting such a
>transcription to Atlas-TI and on mine I have details for NVivo.
>
>The main issue is that you need to create the audio files - MiniDisc
>(although a digital format, its files cannot be played directly on a
>computer) and cassette players can easily be connected to a computer and
>the sound they produce recorded by the computer.
>
>Alan's discussion of digital recorders summarises well what the sometimes
>opaque audio specialist resources suggest. The advantage is that you can
>transfer the digital files directly from the recorder. The trouble is the
>technology is not yet reliable enough to recommend it - though it should
>be in the next couple of years (a subjective evaluation - you might want
>to test things out yourself). Another brand to check out (and which
>people have reported success with at the recent conference at the
>Institute of Education) is Archos which records directly into mp3 format
><http://www.archos.com/products/prw_500279.html>. You might want to get an
>external microphone for it. In the UK it's c £250 on their website
>"including taxes".
>
>Duncan
>
>--On 18 July 2003 09:21 -0400 Alan Stockdale <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>>I have never used one and the various people that have done transcription
>>for me using Transcriber have never felt the need, although I have offered
>>to buy one if they wanted it. The one I am aware of is the PI Engineering
>>X-Keys Foot Pedal. See http://www.ymouse.com/product/pxkfoot.htm. There
>>may be other options.
>>
>>
>>----- Original Message -----
>>From: "Xavier Moonen" <[log in to unmask]>
>>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>Sent: Friday, July 18, 2003 7:53 AM
>>Subject: Re: Digital audio recording and transcription
>>
>>
>>Allan,
>>
>>Any suggestions about foodpedals?
>>
>>Xavier Moonen
>>
>>-----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
>>Van: qual-software [mailto:[log in to unmask]]Namens Alan
>>Stockdale
>>Verzonden: donderdag 17 juli 2003 19:13
>>Aan: [log in to unmask]
>>Onderwerp: Re: Digital audio recording and transcription
>>
>>
>>Here's my 2 cents ;-)
>>http://www.edc.org/CAEPP/resources/audio.asp
>>also see:
>>http://homepages.gold.ac.uk/duncan/
>>
>>Quick answers to issues you raise below:
>>1. You are correct about the use of VR.
>>2. You could transcribe directly from MD, particularly if you have a
>>recorder like the Sony MZ-B100, but it is probably not the easiest way to
>>go. rerecording the audio to PC and then using software is one way to go.
>>This can be cheap. I buy decent audio recording software (e.g. CoolEdit
>>2000 about $70 online). There are a number of software programs that can
>>be used for transcription that are free: Transcriber, Express Scribe,
>>etc. Some programs will synchronize the audio to the transcript (very
>>useful!). You can buy foodpedals that can be setup to work with any
>>software program if you feel the need.
>>
>>MD has been around for a long time. It is a mature technology. The audio
>>quality is very good. Cost is also low. It has the best quality/cost
>>ratio. You won't go too far wrong with anything made by Sony or Sharp
>>with a mic-in jack (some don't have this). See http://www.minidisc.org/
>>for more information. My own preference is for Sharps. Issues with MD in
>>general are 1. Lack of fast digital transfer to PC. 2. Needs to be used
>>with a little care.
>>
>>Solid state is the future. Several choices at the moment. Best options are
>>probably: 1) Digital memo recorders. I'm not convinced current recorders
>>are suited to doing qualitative research but some people use them. They
>>are getting better each year. Check out the new Olympus DM-20. Not sure
>>what it costs. Probably not really cheap. 2)Professional solid state
>>recorders. Most affordable is the new Marantz PMD670. Very serious
>>interview and meeting recording tool with nearly every bell and whistle
>>one might desire. You may find it too heavy/large, uses too many
>>batteries, and still too costly (although much cheaper that their earlier
>>models). The digital equivalent of the WMD 6C doesn't exist yet. Marantz
>>has told me they understand the need and are working on
>>cheaper/smaller/lighter/simpler solid state recorders. Maybe in 2004 or
>>2005...
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>----- Original Message -----
>>From: "Steff Hazlehurst" <[log in to unmask]>
>>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>Sent: Thursday, July 17, 2003 7:47 AM
>>Subject: FW: Digital audio recording and transcription
>>
>>
>>I recently posted the query below to the research administrators list,
>>but a colleague has pointed me towards this list, where you clearly have
>>lots of expertise in this subject. I've looked in the recent archives and
>>I can't see the exact question I am asking, so I hope you will be patient
>>with me if it has been asked before.
>>
>>I am willing to go digital with audio recordings, but am concerned about
>>how transcription actually works in practice and what it will cost to
>>change over (bearing in mind that we will work in both tape and digital
>>mode for some years as we can't afford to dump all the existing
>>equipment!). Some people have suggested to me that what they do is record
>>on mini-disc, then transfer to tape and transcribe from that. Is this the
>>best we can do? Your advice would be much appreciated.
>>
>>Looks like the standard of the list is open response to all, but am happy
>>to receive private responses and create a summary if preferred.
>>
>>Many thanks
>>Steff
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>I know we are not alone in having been users of Sony Walkman WMD 6C tape
>>recorders hitherto, for recording research interviews and focus groups
>>onto normal-sized cassettes for note taking and transcription. These are
>>then played back, either on the walkman, or on standard transcription
>>machines, by researchers themselves, or contracted out transcribers,
>>depending on the size and nature of the job.
>>
>>However, our supplier has finally run out of WMD 6Cs (having been
>>importing them from the US of late), and tells us Sony is stopping
>>manufacturing them, and wants us to go digital. It's that or a machine
>>which we have previously found inferior (but cheaper!). I should note
>>that we still have one or two Marantz machines, but despite their high
>>quality these are less favoured by users because of the extra weight, and
>>me because of the extra cost.
>>
>>So I would like to know your experience of using digital recording in the
>>sort of circumstances I am outlining. My reservations are:
>>
>>1. That it cannot in practice be sent direct to voice recognition software
>>as the manufacturers claim, because this software takes time to 'learn' to
>>recognise a speakers voice, which is fine for dictation, but will not work
>>for one-off interviews, and worse, focus groups.
>>
>>2. I don't know what the options for playback and review for transcribers
>>are otherwise - do we then need to buy half a dozen new transcription
>>machines at £300 each, say? Or can the recording material (flash memory
>>cards or whatever) be put into PCs and replayed and reviewed via some
>>piece of audio software whilst typing (obviously not going to be as good
>>as using a foot pedal, but might be ok)? Or do you feed it through the
>>voice recognition software once, then get a human being to correct the
>>errors while they listen to it? And I normally assume 4 hours
>>transcription per hour of recording, using standard transcription
>>machines with foot pedal rewind, what will any of these changes mean for
>>that time, and hence my budgets?
>>
>>I will of course be talking to my suppliers about what they recommend,
>>but I suspect what suppliers think happens, and what happens in reality,
>>may be two different things, and any advice on actual human/workload
>>effects/implications would be really helpful. Also if you have gone
>>digital and could make specific recommendations on make/model of
>>recorders and playback equipment (both to choose and to avoid!), that
>>would be particularly helpful.
>>
>>Thanks
>>Steff
Alan Cartwright PhD.,LRPS
Developer Code-A-Text MultiMedia Products
Email [log in to unmask]
Code-A-Text Web Page <http://www.code-a-text.co.uk>
C-I-SAID: Powerful Multi-Media Software for Analysing Interviews and Dialogues.
Kaleid-O-Scope: Abstract Image Generator - the ultimate time waster.
|