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Digg it UP - Digital File Types for Audio Transcription
Brands evoke responses. Talk to anyone who loves their Starbucks coffee, or hates their car; loves their Apple iPod, or hates their internet provider. When you think of your favorite or least favorite brands, certain feelings and attributes come to mind. These represent the brand. The same is true for people.When you hear the name Joe, you have an impression of the Joe-brand, good or not so good. When Erin is assigned to your team, you may figuratively breathe a sigh of relief or roll your eyes. It's the Erin-brand that evokes your response. What about your name? What reaction does it elicit from your boss, coworkers or clients?We expect brands to demonstrate their attributes, or brand promise, not once or twice, but every time we encounter them. Inconsistencies in performance can damage our brand relationships and cause us to select other brands. With people-brands, it means we promote, fire, assign projects and compensate based on that brand performance.Of course, we may forgive an occasional slip, seeing it as an atypical hiccup from a brand we otherwise love. For me that happened with Disney. I'm a Disney fan, traveling to Walt Disney World onc
Attributes are often shown as Hz. 8,000kHz mono is suitable for dictation and the range goes up to 44,100kHz stereo, which is the top quality, used for music CDs.
Examples of different file formats and some details about their use in transcription follow:
WAVeform Audio (.wav)
WAVeform Audio (.wav) is a common file format and was one of the first audio file types developed for use with the PC. It is lossless, but generally very large. This means that you will probably need to send the files on a CD, rather then emailing them, although some transcriptionists, including myself, on my site www.penguin-tr
Your network is growing. You know lots of different business people and you are getting to know what they can deliver. And, of course, they are getting to know you and what you offer.But does everyone know EVERYTHING about you? And do you know ALL there is to know about your contacts?You need to know all this if you are going to seize every opportunity to build even stronger business relationships…Create Your Referral MatrixThe simplest way to keep an eye on what is developing is to create a Referral Matrix. The concept is very simple. The Referral Matrix gives you an 'At-a-Glance' picture of your business relationships progress.You'll do this for your own contacts and services/products and another for your contacts products.Let's start with your services and products.1) Take a piece of paper.2) Draw a grid shape. You need enough columns going across to list all your products and services in the top row; show one in each.3) In the first column of the rows going down list your contacts.4) Choose 3 different, strong, colors. One represents 'Told'
If you do not know what file types you are working with, you can tell by looking at the file extension. This is the set of three letters that follow the dot, as in, for example, 'interview.wav'
The different file types all have advantages and disadvantages for transcription services, the most obvious of which is a trade-off between quality and file size. Sound files can be very, very large if they are not compressed, but compression is 'lossy'; in other words a complete or 'lossless' audio file has been taken and compressed, which removes data that is considered redundant, resulting in reduced audio quality, which can cause problems for the transcriber.
It may initially seem obvious that you and your transcriptionist want the best quality but in fact, many lossy formats have a negligible quality loss but are much smaller files. If you are planning to email files for transcription to your transcriptionist, the advantage of a 2MB file, as opposed to one 40MB in size, should be obvious! No sound file of any length is small, but at least it is possible to email a 2MB file for transcription. Most service providers will not allow a 50MB file through, and even if they did it could take hours to download, blocking both your email and your transcriptionist's. More and more transcriptionists are using a system which bypasses email; you can either upload files directly to their website or send your files using a simple file transfer programme. However, even these options have limits to the file sizes as a rule.
It also worth noting that depending on the playback software being used for transcription, your transcriptionist may only be able to play back certain file types. Some cover practically all digital file types while others are more limited, so it is worth checking first.
The 'right' file type and attributes for you and your transcriptionist will also depend on what the purpose of your recording is. If it is a dictation, a lower sound quality will still provide a clear enough recording for a digital transcription.
If you are recording a focus group, for example, where several people are seated at different distances from the recorder and speaking at different levels and pitches, you will probably need a higher sound quality to accommodate this.
Your recording equipment may allow you to set different attributes for the same file type. This can make an enormous difference to the sound quality and size of the file, and consequently the transcription quality. In some cases, for example dictation (one person speaking into machine, in a quiet environment) you can probably afford to loose sound quality and the recording will still be clear for transcription. In other cases (focus groups, noisy environments) you may find you need to choose a slightly larger file size in order to maintain decent sound quality.
Attributes are often shown as Hz. 8,000kHz mono is suitable for dictation and the range goes up to 44,100kHz stereo, which is the top quality, used for music CDs.
Examples of different file formats and some details about their use in transcription follow:
WAVeform Audio (.wav)
WAVeform Audio (.wav) is a common file format and was one of the first audio file types developed for use with the PC. It is lossless, but generally very large. This means that you will probably need to send the files on a CD, rather then emailing them, although some transcriptionists, including myself, on my site www.penguin-tra
Most business owners strive to increase profit, while decreasing cost. If they don’t do these two things, they probably won’t be in business very long.But, there’s a third component to making your business successful. That component is: efficiency.If your business isn’t efficient, then eventually your profits will decrease, your expenses will increase, and your business will fail.When it comes to the janitorial expense, most business owners simply go with the lowest bidder, thinking that they’re keeping their cost low. However, ask yourself a question: how does the lowest bidder do it? How can they do what other companies do, while being 25-50% cheaper.I know, and soon you will too. Consider the following:1. The lowest bidder never intends to clean your facility at the level s/he tells you they’ll clean. In other words, they plan to “over-promise” and “under-perform”.2. The lowest bidder may be planning to do a great job for the first couple of weeks or a month, and then come to you and ask for more money. After all, if you want the excellent quality and dependability to continue, you should be willing to pay more for it
It may initially seem obvious that you and your transcriptionist want the best quality but in fact, many lossy formats have a negligible quality loss but are much smaller files. If you are planning to email files for transcription to your transcriptionist, the advantage of a 2MB file, as opposed to one 40MB in size, should be obvious! No sound file of any length is small, but at least it is possible to email a 2MB file for transcription. Most service providers will not allow a 50MB file through, and even if they did it could take hours to download, blocking both your email and your transcriptionist's. More and more transcriptionists are using a system which bypasses email; you can either upload files directly to their website or send your files using a simple file transfer programme. However, even these options have limits to the file sizes as a rule.
It also worth noting that depending on the playback software being used for transcription, your transcriptionist may only be able to play back certain file types. Some cover practically all digital file types while others are more limited, so it is worth checking first.
The 'right' file type and attributes for you and your transcriptionist will also depend on what the purpose of your recording is. If it is a dictation, a lower sound quality will still provide a clear enough recording for a digital transcription.
If you are recording a focus group, for example, where several people are seated at different distances from the recorder and speaking at different levels and pitches, you will probably need a higher sound quality to accommodate this.
Your recording equipment may allow you to set different attributes for the same file type. This can make an enormous difference to the sound quality and size of the file, and consequently the transcription quality. In some cases, for example dictation (one person speaking into machine, in a quiet environment) you can probably afford to loose sound quality and the recording will still be clear for transcription. In other cases (focus groups, noisy environments) you may find you need to choose a slightly larger file size in order to maintain decent sound quality.
Attributes are often shown as Hz. 8,000kHz mono is suitable for dictation and the range goes up to 44,100kHz stereo, which is the top quality, used for music CDs.
Examples of different file formats and some details about their use in transcription follow:
WAVeform Audio (.wav)
WAVeform Audio (.wav) is a common file format and was one of the first audio file types developed for use with the PC. It is lossless, but generally very large. This means that you will probably need to send the files on a CD, rather then emailing them, although some transcriptionists, including myself, on my site www.penguin-tr
Payday loans are short-term loans that are quite easy to get as long as you can show the lender your pay stub and issue a postdated check, usually dated a month after the date the loan is released. A credit check is not even required in order to get approval.Payday loans are attractive emergency solutions for a temporary cash crunch, but they can be risky especially to inexperienced borrowers or those with little control over their cash flow. Fees that may seem low and affordable can swell into a big amount in a matter of months. Some loans have an APR that can go from 300% to as high as 600%!Payday loans aren’t totally bad, but they can easily get out of control. On hone hand they do provide a temporary solution, but on the other hand there are high risks involved and at times, the risks can outweigh the benefits.Here are seven tips about why you should think twice about getting a payday loan:1. What the borrower receives is actually lower than the amount that’s written on his check. The lender will deduct a finance charge from the loan amount as his profit, usually $15 to $50 per $100 during the agreed-upon loan term. Sometimes the
It also worth noting that depending on the playback software being used for transcription, your transcriptionist may only be able to play back certain file types. Some cover practically all digital file types while others are more limited, so it is worth checking first.
The 'right' file type and attributes for you and your transcriptionist will also depend on what the purpose of your recording is. If it is a dictation, a lower sound quality will still provide a clear enough recording for a digital transcription.
If you are recording a focus group, for example, where several people are seated at different distances from the recorder and speaking at different levels and pitches, you will probably need a higher sound quality to accommodate this.
Your recording equipment may allow you to set different attributes for the same file type. This can make an enormous difference to the sound quality and size of the file, and consequently the transcription quality. In some cases, for example dictation (one person speaking into machine, in a quiet environment) you can probably afford to loose sound quality and the recording will still be clear for transcription. In other cases (focus groups, noisy environments) you may find you need to choose a slightly larger file size in order to maintain decent sound quality.
Attributes are often shown as Hz. 8,000kHz mono is suitable for dictation and the range goes up to 44,100kHz stereo, which is the top quality, used for music CDs.
Examples of different file formats and some details about their use in transcription follow:
WAVeform Audio (.wav)
WAVeform Audio (.wav) is a common file format and was one of the first audio file types developed for use with the PC. It is lossless, but generally very large. This means that you will probably need to send the files on a CD, rather then emailing them, although some transcriptionists, including myself, on my site www.penguin-tr
Question: How do you choose an affiliate program to promote? There are so many out there. Which ones are good?Dear New Affiliate,There are several ways to determine whether an affiliate program is worthy. Oftentimes it looks like the Affiliate Manager has all the power, but this is a partnership. There really are thousands of programs available. Don’t sign up and promote just any of them. If you aren’t completely thrilled about the program, look 5 more minutes and you’ll find something better.Here are some questions to ask yourself whenever you find an affiliate program you’re interested in.Are the products something you believe in?The products better be good. If you’re not 100% sold on the products to the point that you’d tell your best friend to buy them – then you’ve got no business signing up for that affiliate program. Keep looking for something better.Is their website professional?Your reputation is on the line every time you promote a product or service. If you’re sending your traffic to a website that is on free hosting or just looks unprofessional, then you’re going to lose the confidence of your subscribers. No
If you are recording a focus group, for example, where several people are seated at different distances from the recorder and speaking at different levels and pitches, you will probably need a higher sound quality to accommodate this.
Your recording equipment may allow you to set different attributes for the same file type. This can make an enormous difference to the sound quality and size of the file, and consequently the transcription quality. In some cases, for example dictation (one person speaking into machine, in a quiet environment) you can probably afford to loose sound quality and the recording will still be clear for transcription. In other cases (focus groups, noisy environments) you may find you need to choose a slightly larger file size in order to maintain decent sound quality.
Attributes are often shown as Hz. 8,000kHz mono is suitable for dictation and the range goes up to 44,100kHz stereo, which is the top quality, used for music CDs.
Examples of different file formats and some details about their use in transcription follow:
WAVeform Audio (.wav)
WAVeform Audio (.wav) is a common file format and was one of the first audio file types developed for use with the PC. It is lossless, but generally very large. This means that you will probably need to send the files on a CD, rather then emailing them, although some transcriptionists, including myself, on my site www.penguin-tr
In its annual report on the biggest billionaires of our time, the authoritative Forbes magazine once again named Bill Gates as the richest man in the world with a net worth of $50 billion. This is the twelfth straight year that Gates has been accorded this honor. It may be true that Gates is less active in Microsoft these days, but the founding father of this mammoth corporation is still very much the king of the hill as far as material wealth is concerned. He is still the favorite role model of those who aspire for billion-dollar wealth.Forbes reports that, these days, becoming a billionaire is not as hard as it used to be. The publication said there are now a record 793 billionaires in the world, with an average net worth of $3.3 billion, compared to only 691 billionaires in 2005. If you pool all their resources together, these 793 billionaire men and women will have a net worth of $2.6 trillion.Contrast this figure to Forbes’ report from just three years ago that identified only 476 around the world. Comparing figures reveals that the number of billionaires worldwide has almost doubled over the past three years. And to think that just 20 years ago when
Attributes are often shown as Hz. 8,000kHz mono is suitable for dictation and the range goes up to 44,100kHz stereo, which is the top quality, used for music CDs.
Examples of different file formats and some details about their use in transcription follow:
WAVeform Audio (.wav)
WAVeform Audio (.wav) is a common file format and was one of the first audio file types developed for use with the PC. It is lossless, but generally very large. This means that you will probably need to send the files on a CD, rather then emailing them, although some transcriptionists, including myself, on my site www.penguin-transcription.co.uk, have a system whereby you can send large files via the internet without using email. You certainly need a broadband connection, or similar, to utilise these effectively though. Warning! Not all wav files are the same! Although they all end .wav, depending on the recorder, you and your transcriber may need a special 'codec' to play it back. An example is Sanyo; a popular and moderately priced recording system but one that records specifically Sanyo wav files. You should check that your transcriptionist has the ability to transcribe Sanyo wavs. If not, Sanyo may oblige by sending out the relevant codec on CD, if you ask them nicely!
The following types are all lossy, but generally the sound quality change is negligible and you will save significant time and money with reduced transfer times. This is not an exhaustive list of all audio file types; there are a huge number. It aims to cover most of the types recorded by available transcription software.
MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 (.mp3)
This is a compressed WAV file often used in music. Many digital dictation recorders will also record mp3 or allow you to record WAV and then compress to mp3 to send on for transcription. The compressed files will be around a twelfth the size of WAV files.
Windows Media Audio (.wma)
Windows Media Audio (.wma) was developed for Windows Media Player which is bundled with all Windows-based PCs these days. It is even more compressed than an MP3, to about one thirty-sixth the size of a .wav, but apparently retaining the original sound quality. I have to say that in my experience of transcribing I am not sure whether this has always been the case.
Digital Speech Standard (.dss)
In my experience, most playback software used for transcription will play .dss files. If not, there is a free download available on the Olympus site. I believe .dss was developed by Olympus and almost all, but not all, Olympus recorders will record .dss files. Lanier and Grundig recorders also generally use .dss. The file size is reduced by twelve to twenty times, as compared to a WAV file, and is ideal for transcription as it is small and easy to email.
DVF
This is Sony’s answer to the .dss file. It is a very highly compressed file, but fine for voice, and its small size makes it very easy to send by email.
Encrypted dictation (.dct)
Often used for medical transcription, which requires very high confidentiality, these recordings are encrypted at the recording end and need to be decrypted on receipt by the transcriber. A wide variety of playback software will deal with these files.
TrueSpeech from DSP Group
TrueSpeech, from the DSP group, was designed for personal computers and personal communications devices. It has very high compression ratios ranging from 15:1 to 27:1. If you are able to record this format it is probably best restricted to use with dictation or one-to-one interview in a quiet environment. It is probably too lossy for focus groups etc.
There are a whole host of other file types available so don't worry if the type that your machine produces is not listed above. Contact your VA and s/he will pro
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