Auto-sync timecode, framerate, and resolution

There’s no point having transcripts if the timecode does not align to the actual audio or video file. This is especially true for teams in media and production.

Simon Says' transcripts support synced timecode to frame-level accuracy.

On import, Simon Says reads start timecode and framerate, such as that in H264 MOV files. If your files are too large, create proxies by transcoding the source files to H264 MOV and preserve the timecode track and framerate.

(Here's the suggested settings for exporting proxies from your video editing software.)

Then import the MOV proxies to Simon Says and the timecode / framerate info will be carry through to the export!

If you need to, you can also manually set timecode and framerate in Simon Says by clicking the clock icon on the toolbar.
(See the bottom of this article on why and how to set resolution.)

More details:

Sync timecode: easily set the start timecode and fps in Simon Says.

What is timecode?

Timecode is a reference system for frames in a video and allows you to find exact points, quickly and easily. It allows programs, editors, and teams to all communicate clearly.

The start of file’s timecode often begins where the last recording ended. It is rarely ever 00:00:00:00 (HH:MM:SS:FF).

Synchronized timecode is pivotal in professional video.

For transcripts to align, you need to know two aspects: the start timecode and the framerate. Here’s how to set this in Simon Says:

Set timecode in Simon Says

Option 1: We can do this auto-magically

For some file formats and codecs such as H264 MOV, we automatically read the timecode track in the file when you upload it and this is part of why we recommend uploading your original files. We then set the start timecode and frame rate of the transcript to match. If we were able to read the timecode track, you will see the info inputted in the timecode modal. (The timecode modal can be found by clicking the clock icon on the transcript screen.)

Option 2: You can set it yourself.

If your file doesn’t have a readable timecode track, it is easy to set the info yourself:

a. click the clock icon on the transcript screen.

Click the click icon to show the timecode/frame rate modal.

b. enter the frame rate and the start timecode.

Tinmecode modal: enter the frame rate and the start timecode.

That’s all! You will see the timecode of the rows adjust to match the new timecode.

Once you set the start timecode, you will see the time of all the rows adjust. Note: the first row starts when audio is first heard. If the audio starts 15 seconds into a file, the time of the first row will be 15 seconds after the start timecode.

And when you export the transcript, such as to your editing program or Microsoft Word, the document will have the correct timecode and frame rate.

Microsoft Word document example showing the correct timecode and frame rate.

Resolution

In the same modal, you can set resolution. Simon Says typically preserves resolution on ingest. If you need to adjust it such that you imported a proxy that is lower resolution than the original video, you can edit it here.

Setting resolution may only be needed if you to export XML for Adobe Premiere Pro or FCPX via the website and you get an error when importing XML into those programs.

Related Help Articles:

Are there file size or length limits when uploading to the website?
How to Translate Your Project
Exporting video proxies from your NLE to preserve timecode/framerate through to transcript export
How to receive video proxies on Simon Says website from the Mac app
How-to: getting started with the FCP X Extension (video)
Simon Says Walk-Through (video)
Steps to install/uninstall our FCP X Extension / MacOS app
Which formats/codecs do you support?

‍