AVI to Text
Export an AVI camcorder clip or capture as MP4 with its speech track first. Use Speechyou to turn the converted video into editable text.
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Convert to MP4 before uploading
Open the AVI in an editor that can play the original picture and sound. Export an MP4 with H.264 video and AAC audio. Compare speech at the beginning and end of the two files, then upload the MP4 in Speechyou.
How to convert a file in VLCExcerpt from a converted AVI tape capture
Download exampleInterviewer: Are we on the first tape or the second? Operator: This is tape two. The walk through the yard is at the end of tape one. Interviewer: I’ll record that in the log before the next question.
How it works
Convert, then upload
Convert the original to MP4. Then open Speechyou Notes, select Upload, and choose Upload & transcribe.
Review the transcript
Open the finished note and check the text against the recording. Use Edit transcript to correct names, terminology, or misheard words.
Export Text (.txt)
Open Export in the transcript and choose the file type. Save the file or share it with your team.
Transcription guide
Find an editor that can read the capture’s audio
AVI can contain different video and audio codecs. If your usual player shows the picture without sound, try the capture software that created the original or check for a separate audio file. Export only after you can hear the interview or narration you want in the transcript.
Check timing on a long camcorder capture
Play the exported MP4 near the end as well as the beginning. A transfer from tape or an older screen recorder may drift over a long session. If you plan to use transcript times to find editing points, resolve any drift in the editor first and transcribe the corrected version.
Keep track of tapes and capture dates
Give each transcript the identifier of the original tape, date, or clip. Review voices that are distant from the camera, where handling noise can obscure words. Export TXT for search or PDF with section timestamps for an archive reading copy.
Tell a fixed offset from audio that drifts over time
Choose a visible cue with a clear sound near the start and another near the end of the capture. If the audio lags by about the same amount at both points, shift the track by that offset in your editor. If it slips further behind over time, compare the capture against the original tape or ask the editor to correct the drift before exporting. An audio-only WAV can still produce useful reading text when sync is unimportant. Use the corrected MP4 for captions or any transcript times that point people to the picture.
Prepare an AVI capture
- Use the original capture project if the AVI shows a picture without sound.
- Play the beginning and end of a long tape transfer to catch sync drift.
- Export MP4 with the corrected dialogue track, or PCM WAV for an audio-only transcript.
- Record the source tape or reel number in the exported file and note title.
Frequently asked questions
Can I upload an AVI file as it is?
Export the AVI as MP4 with audio and upload that copy in Speechyou. Keep the original AVI for future editing or restoration.
Does it matter which AVI codec the file uses?
Your converter needs to read the actual audio and video codecs in the file. If one editor cannot open it, use the original capture software or another editor that can play it with sound.
Can I save just the audio for transcription?
Yes. If you only need the words, you can export PCM WAV and upload that audio file. Keep the original start point if timestamps need to match the video.