The Start-Stop® DTS Conference Recording and Transcription System

Utilized in Conference Rooms and Legislative Bodies World Wide.

Hong Kong Legislative Council Complex

HTH Engineering's years of expertise was brought to bear upon the challenge of linking 8 conference rooms to allow for simultaneous recording. The speeches giving by dignitaries and politicians are then sent to 80 transcriptionists who are able to turn around and create transcripts so efficiently that they are practically ready by the time the speaker steps off the podium.

Click on these photos to see the system in action:

 

Start-Stop® DTS Conference Recording and Transcription System Features

Recording Features

• Supports overlap recording.
• Able to add note on the audio file.
• Send audio file to Transcribers with minimum delay.
• Hear different speakers speaking at the same time clearly.
• Audio file format – Industry Standard Wav/mp3.
• Running simultaneously. (Having different meetings in many rooms at the same time.)

Technical Functions

• Standalone networked DTS server-client environment. Data are always stored on the server.
• Data Security and Integrity on Server Storage and Transcribers’ PC within the DTS network.
• Secure privilege log-on (e.g. Active Directory Authentication, Local Database Authentication).
• Automate Backup Database.
• Maintenance service.
• No Concurrent User limitation.

Transcription Features

• Simple and user friendly application interface.
• Multi-language supported user interface (e.g. Spanish, English).
• User account management.

Transcription Features Continued

• Supervisor can assign transcription tasks.
• Task notification.
• Supervisor is allowed to perform virtual segmentation of audio files.
• Virtual segmented audio file should contain buffer of previous audio track.
• Use foot pedal.
• Able to play backward or forward just 1 second.
• Able to control speed. (faster or slower)
• Able to perform rewind and fast forward with user defined speed.
• Able to hear acoustic feedback.
• Mark index on audio files.
• Compatible with Microsoft Word 2003/2007.
• No need to switch active windows between audio player software and word editing software.
• Share Word document with other Transcribers.
• Automate report generation.
• Edit and export template report.
• Associate Word document and audio file.
• View Working Performance Statistic.
• Perform all the above requirements with Video file content such as wmv.

Representative/Speakers Names can be easily added on the fly as they Speak during the meeting, from a stored list.

Remarks, Comments and Notations can be added in real time during the meeting that are later visible to the transcriptionists and supervisors.

Recordings are automatically split into manageable segments on the fly, with adjustable overlap.

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Multiple transcriptionists can generate an output document in near-real time (e.g. a complete transcript of the meeting can be made available only 10 minutes after the meeting ends).

Automatic Compression to MP3 and Background Move Operation

• Independent Module Provides Robust operation over LAN networks

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Efficiently manage Speaker Schedules:

Pre-Populate Speaker List with Parliament Representatives/Congressmen

Select and Store Multiple Meeting Types.

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From the Supervisors Console one can accomplish an number of tasks like:

• Review and Assign Jobs to Transcriptionists.
• Complete Real-Time Status, Management, and Reporting of Results.
• Bookmark areas of interest for Transcription.
• Sensitive or Closed Meetings can be handled and processed separately.
• Jobs can be reviewed, split, assigned and tagged for a given transcriptionist

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The Transcriptionist's Program Interface allows she or he to accomplish any task required like:

• Receiving and viewing Jobs Assigned for them.
• Constant-Pitch Speed Control and Step Amount.
• Automatic Document Start, Pending/Finished Status

Clicking on Job brings up Transcription Tool-bar that floats over an open word processor program window.

• Transcribe under foot pedal control while typing into MS Word.
• Play/Pause, Rewind, Fast Forward, Auto-Backspace.
• Instant Positioning, Bookmarking.

Legacy Conversion of Meeting Tapes
50 years/14,000 hours

Automatic Recording Segmentation/Auto-Stop

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• Custom Start-Stop Program will automatically create MP3s (stopping when silence is detected.)
• Start-Stop DTS Continuous Recording System can perform Post segmentation for easy transcription if desired.

The System automatically identifies the start and end points of each conversation. It then marks them with Blue triangles to signify “start of conversation” and Red triangles to identify "end of conversation". The Transcriptionist can click on any triangle to instantly position the recording playback to that spot. A zoom-able graphic also allows visual confirmation of the conversation segments.