Automatic transcription with f4

Sometimes it can take several hours for a file to be fully uploaded. This does not necessarily have anything to do with the length of the file, but mostly with the file size. If your files are larger than 1 GB (1000 MB), it is advisable to reduce their size before uploading. This can be done, for example, by converting a video file into a pure audio file or by compressing a large audio file into mp3 with 192kBit (e.g. with Switch from NCH). However, if the upload takes several hours, e.g. because your Internet connection is very slow or our server is overloaded, you may be logged out unintentionally and the upload may not have been completed successfully. In this case, restart the upload at a later time and try a faster Internet connection or a smaller file size if necessary.

Unsuccessful uploads are not charged, but are initially noted as reserved. The credit will be credited back to you after a maximum of 24 hours. You can then start the upload again at a later time.

If you have not yet downloaded your transcripts and need to change your password, these transcripts will be deleted. As your files are encrypted with your old password, existing transcripts can no longer be opened after resetting the password. Consequently, all existing transcripts are deleted when the password is reset, as no one can read them. Any lost quota will be booked back to you and you can have the transcripts generated again at no extra cost. We take the security of transcript data very seriously. In this case, this means a small loss of convenience, but significantly more security for your data.

Some audio or video files were created in a format that is not supported by f4x. Unfortunately, this is possible regardless of the file extension. For example, an mp3 file may have been created in very different ways. If your files are not supported by f4x, you can convert them using the freeware version of NCH Switch or numerous other programs. Stereo MP3 with 192kBit fixed (not variable) bit rate has proven to be quite reliable here.

Very rarely (< 1%), our speech recognition system is unable to recognize that different speakers can be heard on a recording (e.g. in interviews with twins). In such a case, the transcript looks like a very long continuous text without paragraph breaks. Even uploading the recording again would not produce a better result. The aim here is to automatically insert paragraphs wherever there has been a change of speaker and to insert the names of the speakers and, if necessary, time stamps. The easiest way to do this is directly in f4transcript – the names for speakers can be entered there and automatically inserted alternately when a paragraph changes. Time stamps are then also automatically entered at the end of the paragraph.

When uploading a file to f4x, you must specify which language is to be recognized in this recording. If the language changes in a recording, e.g. constantly from German to English and back to German, f4x cannot convert this correctly and will only recognize the language you have preselected and potentially leave other parts blank or insert inappropriate content.

The agreement in accordance with Section 203 of the German Criminal Code (StGB) is aimed exclusively at persons who are subject to legally regulated professional secrecy and if the data was also obtained within the scope of this legally protected activity. (professions in pastoral care, medicine, law, etc.) or to persons who process data in accordance with Section 2 No. 1 GeschGehG (business secrets). We do not guarantee any additional level of protection in the NDA; it merely serves as formal documentation for the relevant professions that this paragraph has also been contractually taken into account.

If you clearly belong to one of the groups of persons and are subject to professional secrecy in accordance with § 203 StGB or process data in accordance with § 2 No. 1 GeschGehG, we will be happy to draw up a corresponding agreement. Please get in touch with us. If this is not the case, our data protection officer believes that a corresponding agreement is critical in terms of data protection law, as we are then jointly referring to legal bases that may not apply.

As long as it is research activity, this is explicitly NOT covered by §203 StGB. As a researcher, you are not in an advocacy or similar relationship with the interviewees. relationship. This is also ethically desirable, as the interviewees are hopefully not dependent on you for health, legal or religious reasons. This is not to deny that this data is not worth protecting. On the contrary! Of course, we treat ALL (!) data with absolute confidentiality regardless of this.

If you look through our DPA, you will see that we provide detailed information and assurances on all points required by the GDPR, both at an organizational and technical level. For example, we ALWAYS refrain from using the data for our own purposes. If you have not yet completed the ADV, you can view the text of the contract here: https://www.audiotranskription.de/avv/