Captioning Service

How to Create Captioned Videos

Frequently Asked Questions

Please review the following FAQs regarding the Stanford Captioning System. If you have additional questions, please feel free to contact us.

Who can use the Stanford Captioning Service?
Currently the service is reserved for content creators affiliated with Stanford University due to accounting restrictions. Outside content creators interested in this service should contact us at captioning@stanford.edu.
What is the cost to using the captioning system?
There is no cost to use the system for time-stamping purposes. There is a cost if you need a transcript as the creation of the transcript is outsourced to one of the transcription companies identified in the system. The transcription company will bill you directly for the cost of creating a transcript. However, if you already have a transcript then you can upload that into the system and create captioned files at no cost.
I have a problem with the text transcript - it's not the same information as the media file I uploaded.
Check to ensure that the media file you uploaded is the correct file. If the text transcript is still incorrect, please contact the transcription company directly and they should be able to provide you with a corrected version of the transcript. This new transcript can be reloaded into the captioning system to create a new captioned files.
I already have a transcript. Do I have to pay to get a new transcript created?
If you already have a transcript, choose the "I already have a transcript..." hyperlink on the Video Upload page. This page will allow you to upload your media file and your transcript and begin the time-stamping process. There is no cost for the this process.
I created an account, but now want to change my e-mail address and password. How do I do this?
Log into the captioning system with your current User Name and password information. Choose the User Account button at the top of the page. This will allow you to change your e-mail address or reset your password. You may also select which e-mail notifications you wish to receive when the system has converted and time-stamped your presentation.
I forgot my password - now what do I do?
If you forget your password, choose the "I forgot my password" hyperlink from the login page. Enter your User Name and answer the security question you established when you registered for an account. Your new password will be sent to you.
I want to create my own transcript, what file format should I use?
If you decide to create your own transcript, you will need to save the file as plain text (.txt) with ASCII encoding (UTF-8 is also acceptable). Here are some general suggestions to follow if you are creating your own transcript:
  • Do not include any blank lines.
  • Use only plain text formatting (e.g., no italics or bold formatting).
  • Each sentence should be on its own line.
  • Include a carriage return at the end of each sentence.
  • For music or musical instruments, it will not be possible to use the musical note icon. Please use [music] or [singing] as appropriate. If the name of the song or lyrics are provided, include that information.
  • If there are multiple speakers, indicate the speaker change with the same information the viewer has or use right arrows (">>" or ">>>") to indicate which individual is speaking.
  • Sound effects (e.g., applause, laughter, etc.) should be included on the same line as a sentence where it is most appropriate. Example: 
    [applause] Thank you for the introduction this afternoon.
Under the HTML Code for Embedding section, I copied and pasted the Web Page Code into my Web page but nothing is showing on my site. What is going on?
In order for the Web Page Code to be functional, you will need to ensure that you have all the proper files on your webserver. Make sure that you have the following files in the same folder of your Web page (i.e., directory) on your webserver:
  • player.swf
  • swfobject.js
  • media.flv
  • captions.dfxp.xml
  • Your Web page
If you are missing any of these files or they are not located in the same folder, then you will not be able to view your presentation.
I have a video that was recorded in High Definition and is larger than 1GB. How do I use this system if I cannot upload my video?
For video developers who may be recording in High Definition, or for others who have a very long video that is greater than the 1GB file upload limit, it is recommended to extract the audio information from the presentation as MP3 and upload the MP3 file into the captioning system. This will allow the transcription companies to create a text transcript based on the audio content. Once the time-stamping has been completed, you can download the appropriate caption file from the captioning system and add this to your presentation.
My video is scaled differently than the output format of the captioning system. Do I have to use the video files that your system creates in order to use captioning?
You do not have to use the video files that our system is creating. These files are being created as part of the conversion process in order to simplify the encoding and captioning process for those unfamiliar with delivering Web-based media. As the caption files and media files may be downloaded separately, you can utilize any of the files you wish per your needs.
I want to use the Web Page Code to embed my presentation on my Website, but I also want visitors to be able to view the presentation on their mobile device (e.g., iPhone, etc.). How do I do this?
First, copy and paste the Web Page Code content to the Web page you are creating and upload the necessary files to your Webserver (i.e., player.swf, swfobject.js, media.flv, and captions.dfxp.xml). Second, upload the file media.mp4 to your Webserver and create a hyperlink called "iPhone version" on your Web page. Link the media.mp4 file to the hyperlink on your Web page. Your visitors will be able to view the presentation in their Web-browser or they can click on the "iPhone-compatible video" hyperlink to view the presentation on their iPhone/iPod Touch.
Does the captioning system accept multiple file uploads?
The captioning system currently accepts one media file upload at a time (or a media file and the text transcript). We do not currently support multiple file uploads at this time.
I canceled my file upload while it was still in progress - will I still get charged by the transcription company?
No, you will not be charged by the transcription company. The system does not register a "job" or outsource the media file for transcription purposes until the entire file has been uploaded. If you cancel your upload, then no job is created and nothing has been sent to the transcription company.
I am unable to upload any media files and keep receiving a weird error message. What should I do?
If you receive error messages when attempting to upload your media files, please wait a few moments and try again. If you continue to have difficulty, please contact us via email at: captioning@stanford.edu