Beginner's Guide to Speech-to-Text: Easily Convert Audio Files to Text

Steven

January 17, 2025

Speech-to-text technology has become an indispensable tool in modern life. Whether it's for meeting notes, study notes, or handling voice messages, this technology significantly enhances efficiency. You simply upload the audio file to quickly obtain clear text content, saving the trouble of manual typing. Especially when translating foreign language videos or generating subtitles, such tools are invaluable. Professional platforms like SubEasy also offer high-precision Cantonese subtitle transcription for Cantonese users, making work and study easier. Additionally, SubEasy can be used as a tool for translating foreign language videos, helping users easily handle various translation needs.

Key Points

  • Speech-to-text technology can effectively enhance work and study efficiency, eliminating the need for manual typing.
  • SubEasy is a tool designed specifically for Cantonese users, offering high-precision transcription and subtitle generation features.
  • Ensure the audio file quality is clear when using speech-to-text tools to improve transcription accuracy.
  • Speech-to-text tools are applicable in various scenarios, including meeting notes, study notes, and video translation.
  • Choosing the right tool depends on your needs, with SubEasy, MyEdit, and Google Docs each offering unique advantages.
  • With simple steps, anyone can easily master speech-to-text technology to enhance work efficiency.

Basic Concepts and Applications of Speech-to-Text

![Basic Concepts and Applications of Speech-to-Text](https://www.subeasy.ai/blog/image/speech-to-text-guide-for-beginners/voice2.webp “Basic Concepts and Applications of Speech-to-Text”)

What is Speech-to-Text?

Speech-to-text is a tool that uses artificial intelligence (AI) and automatic speech recognition (ASR) technology to quickly convert speech into text. You simply upload an audio file, and the system automatically analyzes the speech, generating clear text content. This technology not only saves time but also reduces the tedious process of manual transcription. Compared to traditional manual transcription, speech-to-text tools are more efficient, especially suitable for quickly processing large amounts of audio data.

These tools are widely applicable, playing an important role from meeting notes to video subtitle generation. For example, SubEasy can not only accurately convert Cantonese spoken language into written language but also supports subtitle generation and translation functions, making handling speech content easier.

Daily Applications of Speech-to-Text

Meeting Notes: Quickly Organize Discussion Content

In meetings, you might need to record a large amount of discussion content. Speech-to-text tools can help you quickly organize audio recordings into complete text records. This way, you no longer need to manually transcribe word by word, saving a lot of time. Platforms like SubEasy are particularly suitable for business meeting notes, ensuring content is accurate and well-organized.

Study Notes: Convert Classroom Recordings into Text for Easy Review

Students often need to record classroom content, but handwritten notes may not keep up with the teacher's explanations. Speech-to-text tools can convert classroom recordings into text, helping you easily organize study materials. This way, you can focus on listening to the class content and use the text records for review later, greatly improving learning efficiency.

Voice Messages: Quickly View Voice Content in Noisy Environments

In noisy environments, listening to voice messages can become difficult. Speech-to-text tools can convert voice messages into text, allowing you to quickly view the content. For instance, WhatsApp's recently launched voice message to text feature is one application of this technology. It's very practical for situations where you need to quickly browse messages.

Video Translation: Watch Foreign Movies by Translating Text After Conversion

Speech-to-text tools can also be applied to foreign video translations. You can convert the speech content in the video into text and then translate it for easy viewing. For example, SubEasy supports converting video speech content into text and generating subtitles, making it easy to handle foreign video translation needs. This is a very practical feature for filmmakers or language learners.

Choosing the right speech-to-text tool can significantly improve your work efficiency. Here are some popular tools recommended, each with unique features and applicable scenarios, allowing you to make the best choice based on your needs.

Recommended Popular Speech-to-Text Tools

SubEasy: The Most Cost-effective Tool

SubEasy is a powerful speech-to-text tool that supports transcription and translation in over 100 languages, including various languages and dialects like Cantonese. The platform is specifically designed for Cantonese users, accurately converting Cantonese spoken language into written language standard text. Whether it's for meeting notes, video subtitle processing, or multilingual content creation, SubEasy can easily meet the demands. Additionally, it can output meeting notes or speech content as verbatim transcripts and even has an AI partner feature to summarize audio file content, making content organization and transcription more efficient and convenient. SubEasy also provides subtitle generation and multiple format export options, allowing users to quickly complete text processing and translation work.

MyEdit: Supports Multiple Languages

MyEdit offers fast and efficient speech-to-text services, supporting nine languages, including Chinese, English, and Japanese. Its simple operation is suitable for beginners. You can edit the text file before exporting it, even adding timestamps for easy content organization. This tool is particularly suitable for users who need to handle multilingual audio files.

Google Docs Voice Input: A Handy Tool for Real-time Transcription

If you need to convert speech to text in real-time, Google Docs Voice Input is a good choice. It is directly integrated into Google Docs, with simple operation. Just enable the voice input feature to instantly transcribe speech content into text. This is very practical for situations where you need to quickly record ideas or notes.

Otter.ai: Professional Meeting Note Tool

Otter.ai is a speech-to-text tool designed specifically for meeting notes, supporting team collaboration features. It can automatically generate verbatim transcripts and mark different speakers' content, making it easy to organize meeting notes. This tool is particularly suitable for business teams or users who need to handle multiple meetings.

Tool Comparison Table

To help you better understand the features of these tools, here is a detailed comparison:

Tool Name Supported Languages Free Trial Pricing Model Key Features
SubEasy Over 100 languages Yes Monthly or annual subscription Cantonese spoken to written conversion, subtitle generation, AI partner, verbatim transcript generation, speaker tagging
MyEdit 9 languages Yes Free or paid version Timestamps, content editing
Google Docs Multilingual Yes Free Real-time voice input
Otter.ai Primarily English Yes Monthly or annual subscription Team collaboration, speaker tagging

When choosing a tool, you can decide based on language needs, feature preferences, and budget. If you are a Cantonese user, SubEasy's high precision and multifunctionality will be your best choice. If you need to handle multilingual audio files, MyEdit will be more suitable for you. For real-time recording or team collaboration, Google Docs Voice Input and Otter.ai are ideal choices.

How to Use SubEasy to Convert Audio Files to Text

![How to Use SubEasy to Convert Audio Files to Text](https://www.subeasy.ai/blog/image/speech-to-text-guide-for-beginners/voice2.webp “How to Use SubEasy to Convert Audio Files to Text”)

Preparation Work

Before starting to use SubEasy, you need to complete some simple preparations to ensure the entire process is smooth.

Register and Log in to SubEasy Platform

Register and Log in to SubEasy Platform

First, go to SubEasy's official website and register an account. If you already have an account, just log in. The registration process is very simple, requiring only basic information to complete.

Prepare the Video or Audio File

Prepare the Video or Audio File

Before uploading the audio file, please check if the file format is supported by SubEasy, such as MP4, MP3, or WAV. If your video or audio file exists on platforms like YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, you can use SubEasy's YouTube download tool to download it, also supporting Facebook, TikTok, X, Instagram, and other websites.

Operation Steps

After completing the preparations, you can follow these steps to easily convert audio files to text.

Upload Audio File to SubEasy

Upload Audio File to SubEasy After logging in, enter the platform's operation interface, click the "Upload File" button, and select the audio file you need to transcribe. The upload process is fast and stable, even large files can be easily handled.

Select Language and Transcription Mode (e.g., Cantonese Spoken to Written)

Select Language and Transcription Mode After uploading, select the language type of the audio file, such as Cantonese, and choose the appropriate transcription mode. SubEasy provides Cantonese spoken to written functionality, ensuring the generated text content meets written language standards.

Click Start Transcription, Wait for Completion, and Download Text File

Click Start Transcription After confirming all settings, click the "Start Transcription" button. The system will automatically process your audio file and generate text content. Once completed, you can directly download the text file for further editing or use.

Notes

To ensure the accuracy and quality of the transcription results, the following points need special attention.

Ensure the Audio File Quality is Clear to Improve Accuracy

The quality of the audio file greatly affects the transcription results. When recording, choose a quiet environment and use high-quality recording equipment. The clearer the audio quality, the higher the transcription accuracy.

Check the Transcription Results and Make Necessary Manual Corrections

Although SubEasy's transcription accuracy is very high, a small amount of manual correction may still be needed at times. After downloading the text file, carefully check the content to ensure there are no errors, especially for proper nouns or technical terms.

User Share: A SubEasy user stated: "Creating professional subtitles has never been easier with SubEasy. It saves a lot of time and ensures subtitle content is clear and accurate."

Through the above steps, you can easily complete the speech-to-text operation. SubEasy not only makes the entire process efficient but also provides professional subtitle generation and translation functions to help you meet various speech processing needs.

Advanced Features and FAQs

Advanced Feature Introduction

Video to Text: Directly Extract Speech Content from Videos

Have you ever needed to extract speech content from a video but felt troubled by manual transcription? Now, you can use speech-to-text tools to directly convert the speech content in videos into text. Platforms like SubEasy can quickly process video files, whether for academic lectures or commercial videos, easily generating verbatim transcripts. This feature is particularly suitable for users who need to organize video content, such as filmmakers or educators.

Tip: When uploading videos, ensure the video sound quality is clear, which can greatly improve transcription accuracy.

Automatic Subtitle Generation: Suitable for Video Production or Teaching Purposes

Subtitles are crucial for the viewing experience of videos. SubEasy offers automatic subtitle generation functionality, allowing you to complete subtitle production in a short time. You only need to upload the video, select the language, and the platform will automatically generate accurate subtitle files. This feature is suitable not only for filmmakers but also for teaching purposes, such as adding subtitles to classroom recordings to help students understand the content.

User Share: A filmmaker stated: "With SubEasy's subtitle generation feature, my video production efficiency has tripled!"

FAQ

How Does Speech-to-Text Technology Work?

Speech-to-text technology relies on high-precision transcription technology. These technologies use artificial intelligence (AI) and automatic speech recognition (ASR) systems to quickly convert speech content into text. SubEasy's AI system, in particular, supports Cantonese, accurately converting Cantonese spoken language into written language, allowing you to easily complete the conversion between speech and text.

How to Improve Transcription Accuracy When Using Speech-to-Text Tools?

To improve transcription accuracy, you can take the following simple steps:

  • Ensure a Quiet Recording Environment: Avoid background noise interference.

  • Use High-Quality Recording Equipment: Clear audio quality helps improve accuracy.

  • Speak Clearly: Maintain a moderate speech speed and avoid mumbling.

SubEasy's high-precision speech recognition technology can already handle most speech content, but these small tips can further improve the accuracy of the results.

Does SubEasy Support Multilingual Transcription?

Yes, SubEasy supports multilingual transcription, with Cantonese transcription being its strong point. You can accurately convert Cantonese spoken content into text that meets written language standards. Additionally, SubEasy also supports subtitle generation and translation functions to meet different language processing needs.

What is Special About SubEasy's Subtitle Generation Feature?

SubEasy's subtitle generation feature is highly efficient. You only need to upload a video, and the platform will automatically generate accurate subtitle files. This feature is particularly suitable for filmmakers or educators, allowing quick completion of subtitle production and saving a lot of time.

Tip: After generating subtitles, you can also make manual adjustments to ensure the subtitle content fully meets your needs.

Is Manual Correction of Transcription Results Necessary?

Although SubEasy's transcription accuracy is very high, a small amount of manual correction may still be necessary at times, especially for proper nouns or technical terms. After downloading the text file, carefully check the content to ensure there are no errors.

What is SubEasy's Pricing Model?

SubEasy offers flexible pricing models, including monthly or annual subscriptions. You can choose the plan that best fits your needs. If you frequently need to process speech-to-text, a paid plan will be a more efficient choice.

How to Use SubEasy for Video Translation?

You can convert the speech content in videos into text and then use SubEasy's translation function for processing. This feature is particularly suitable for users who need to translate foreign language videos, whether for academic lectures or commercial videos.

User Share: A filmmaker stated: "With SubEasy, my video translation efficiency has tripled!"

Is SubEasy Suitable for Beginners?

Of course! SubEasy's operation interface is simple and intuitive, allowing even first-time users to quickly get started. You only need to follow the steps to upload audio files or videos, select the language and mode, and you can easily complete transcription or subtitle generation. Try SubEasy now!

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