f4 is our free transcription software for audio and video recordings

23.06.2010

f4 supports your transcription process, meaning your personal typing of video or audio recordings from interview situations. It simplifies the transcription work as you can slow down the playback speed, control via keys (also while using Word), (automatically) insert time markers and auto text via key combinations. Moreover, the audio stream is automatically rewinded a few seconds when pressing the Stop key.

Important note: Please install f4 and the current version of the VLC media player (Version >=1.1.3 is required).

 

 

Applications like Windows Media Player or iTunes do not qualify for this kind of work. They lack essential features that simplify the transcription process. Automatic voice recognition software will cease operating if there is more than one voice involved (which is usually the case during an interview).

f4 alleviates your work by slowing down the playback speed, providing key operated control (also directly from „Word“), performing a short automatic rewind when hitting the Stop button and allowing the (automatic) insertion of text fragments and cue points through simple key combinations. f4 supports all formats supported by the VLC media player. For the ultimate operating experience you may use our USB footswitches  (Transcription Kit „Office“ or "Science")

USB foot switch "science"
Fits perfectly with f4 and saves up to 30% of time

Installation requirements: Current versions of Quicktime and Java

First Steps using f4

1. Download f4 here and unpack the files at a destination of your choice. An installation is not required! This will enable you to use f4 on any computer of your choice even if you don`t have administrator rights.

2. Download and install the VLC media player (free download).

3. launch f4 by double klicking the file f4.exe Open a video or audio file in f4 by simply dragging the file into the application window

4. To start playback please press F4 (guess why our software carries the same name?) on your keyboard or use our „USB Footswitch Office“

5. the typing can be done in f4 or any other word processing software

 

For further information and literature please visit our tutorial.

 

f4 Features

Keyboard controlled and Footswitch controlled operating
The F4 key operates the main functions such as Start, Stop and Rewind. The F4 key will even remain active if the f4 application is minimized or other applications are in the foreground. You may customize your shortcuts under preferences. The keys F3 and F5 allow you to fast forward and rewind acustically, enabling you to find the right point within your dictation.
Using the Footswitch makes it even easier. You can choose between the 3 pedal or the single pedal model. With your hands being able to continue typing while using the Footswitch the transcription process can become up to 30 % faster.

F-keys for operation

Searching, replacing and highlighting
To enable or disable this function press Ctrl+F. You may also search for certain terms and expressions and have them replaced automatically (e.g. this might be useful if a transcript has to be made anonymous). Furthermore, the text location of your search term can be marked with colors. You may also print your transcript including the color marks.

Search/Replace and color marks

Rewind interval
The rewind interval is an essential feature to guarantee a fluent transcription process when stopping the playback. When resuming the playback you can hear the previous words again and you will stay in a constant flow of typing. You may adjust the length of the rewind interval to your personal needs by using the slide control.

Rewind interval (in seconds)

 

Time markers – manually or automatically
Time markers are an important orientation within a transcript because they enable you to check back with your original source by klicking on them. They are being set automatically after each paragraph or can be set manually by pressing F8. They`ll also be transferred to other applications such as Word, MAXQDA2007, Atlas.ti or whichever application you may use for your further analysis. Clicking on a time marker will then automatically initiate the playback of the corresponding audio track. To obtain a document without time markers (respectively their links) you can save your transcript in f4 as an RTF file without time markers or you can open the transcript in Word and then press Ctrl+A followed by Ctrl+Shift+F9 (which deletes the time marker links)

time marker

 

Alternate Speaker
Save time while transcribing conversations with two speakers! Activate our automatic speaker switching by clicking on the symbol, or by entering the menu. Every new paragraph will automatically start with another speaker written down.

f4 speaks many languages
Currently, f4 is available in German, English and French. Support for Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Russian will be added soon. Those languages will be available in future updates.

Autotext feature
There are 10 free selectable text fragments that can be inserted manually through key combinations

Autotext

Playback speed
You may adjust the playback speed - without changing the pitch! - by operating the slide control. For the transcription process you might prefer a slower playback and an accelerated speed for proofreading.

Speed

 

Improved Spooling
The keys F3 and F5 allow you to fast forward and rewind your playback, enabling you to find the right point within your file. Pressing F3 or F5 shortly will cause the application to fast forward or rewind your playback by a user-defined interval of time. Furthermore, you can now use intervals which can be customised with an accuracy of half a second.

Printing
All texts written in f4 can be printed or saved as PDFs (if a PDF writer is installed). You can choose if you want to display the paragraph numbers or not.

Exporting
The transcripts can be saved as RTFs, TXTs or XMLs. Selectively with or without cue points

Synchro Mode
The Synchro Mode is useful for proofreading or text analysis. When playing back your audio files it will simultaneously be scrolling through your text even if you are fast forwarding or rewinding. The actual text passage will be highlighted by color. Synchro mode requires inserted time markers.

Synchro Mode

Backups
Every ten minutes f4 will perform a backup of your transcript and save it under f4/workspace/f4_autosave_files. Under preferences you may change the destination folder of the autosave files.

Export your script as CSV file
With the newly implanted export function you can export your transcript as a CSV file. This will produce a table with three columns which displays the ending and starting time of each of your paragraphs. This enables the user to analyse specifications such as the length of paragraphs and the individual speaking times of those recorded. You can open CSV files with programs such as Excel or OpenOffice’s Calc.

Note: When viewing your CSV files, you should use the separator “tabulator,” if you want your file to be displayed correctly.

Please mind: f4 cannot open CSV files. If you want to continue working with your transcript, you have to use the function “save.”

 

Web Version- no installation required. Launch f4 directly from your browser.

- Only some features of f4
- Works with Mac, Linux and Windows
- For Firefox and Safari (IE is not supported)
- For mp3 and wav files (no video)
- Your transcript and audio files will not be uploaded to our server
Before using f4 for the first time please wait appoximately one minute until all components have been installed. Mac users can use their F4 key to operate the software. All they need to do is to enable the F Keys in the system preferences.
If you have further questions please do not hesitate to mail us!

To download f4web, click here (you will find the right button on the bottom of the page)

f4`s history of development

In 2004 we started developing f4 in collaboration with the computer science faculty of the Philipps University in Marburg, Germany. Ever since we`ve been updating the software every 6 months. Currently 80,000 users are working with our application. f4 has become one of the standard applications when it comes to transcribing interviews. Your trust is our commitment to constantly improve our products in the future. It is our goal to perfectly adapt f4 to the needs of it`s users. To achieve that goal we are now cooperating with a software developing company and will be reinvesting a substantial amount of our revenue to make f4 even better. If you appreciate our free software you can help us to continously improve it by donating 10 Euro/Dollars.