transcription software

[KaraokeC]

i've often wondered, while slogging through 20-minute feature interviews on the keyboard, if there exists software that takes audio clips and transcribes them into text. I know some writers, especially the older ones, do all their interviews in free hand, but i get the best quotes when i'm taping something and typing it up later - I focus my attention on the interview far better. for that reason, having transcription software would make my job a great deal easier and increase efficiency. I'm not too lazy to transcribe; just too lazy to do it if I don't have to.
Does anyone know of anything like this? My dad has software that can take dictation, but it does it from a microphone he speaks directly into, rather than from a prerecorded clip. Also, that particular software adjusts to his speech over time to increase accuracy, whereas I would need something that can pick up various interviewees' speech.
Input would be appreciated, even if it's just to say i'm S.O.L.

 

[sportshack06]

You're SOL

 

[KaraokeC]

i figured as much. back to the headphones...

 

[Billy Monday]

You're asking for trouble. The first time a computer transcriber mixes up a word or number (which it will), it's on you. You'll feel safer by doing it yourself.

 

[KaraokeC]

i thought of that. you'd absolutely want to listen along and check the thing for accuracy. still faster, i think.

 

[Ace]

Doughnut listen two th&m. Prescription softwear workz gr8t.

I yam oozing it now. It's flowless.

By sum 2day!

 

[hankschu]

I always like listening to the interview all over again, when I can focus solely on what the source is saying without my brain worrying about the next question. Even with two-hour feature interviews, which I have done, I would not use transcription software.

 

[KaraokeC]

i do that every time, as well. it would still take me much less time to listen along and correct it than to type it out myself. and maybe it'd save me from carpal tunnel down the road. if someone developed this, i would try it out. in a heartbeat.

 

[CRM]

I've often wondered about this too because transcribing isn't a lot of fun on longer interviews. I've used "You talk, it types" in the past, and often think I should use it more often, but I also think it's slower even it makes things easier on the fingers.

 

[Flip Wilson]

I was just wondering about the same kind of software. I'm in the middle of transcribing a 90-minute interview I did for a 7,000-word magazine feature I'm writing. Transcribing is a timekiller.

 

[jgmacg]

You can teach certain "you talk, it types" softwares to recognize your voice. Trouble is, you can't necessarily teach it to recognize the voice of the people you've interviewed.

 

[KaraokeC]

so i guess you could sit there and listen to your interview and repeat the quotes into the software...which would take almost as much time as transcribing (while saving your finger joints some exercise) and make your newsroom coworkers hate you. damn...so close.
seriously, someone should invent this software. i promise to write a feature on their nephew's soccer team in return.

 

[jfs1000]

Sit down and do the transciption. You get a much better feel of the subject matter and interview.

It's like interviewing the guy again. When I am listening to the interview again, it helps move the story along. You lose that with voice transcription.

 

[Joe Williams]

With the newsroom cutbacks, we don't have enough slaves around anymore to flip our recorders to for transcription duty. Could take one of those guys to lunch after every 20 hours or so of transcribing.