Hiring a Third-Party Captioning Service

Benefits

• The most convenient option to create caption files.
• Requires minimal time to complete.
• Provides peace of mind that your caption files are accurate.
• Requires no additional software.

Limitations

• Cost: $1.99 to $2.59 per minute of captioned video.

Summary

CaptionSync, by Automatic Sync Technologies, is a recommended vendor that you can use to purchase caption files for $2.59/min, or $3.15/min 2-day rushed. For more on this option, see Step 1 below.

Rev.com is another recommended vendor, with a rate of $1.99/min. Rev captioning service currently supports English and Spanish. While you can work with them directly it might be even easier to put your files on Mediaspace.msu.edu, then use the Order MediaSpace Captions form where you check a box next to the title of the video(s) you want captioned, fill out the account info for payment, and submit the form to have Rev create the captions and post them directly to your MediaSpace file. Caution: if you ordered free Machine Captions within Mediaspace you should delete them and their transcript first.

If you receive a request for captioning, you can request captions through our Captioning Request Form. Note: You will need to provide details about your project including an account number to submit your request for captioning. We use 3PlayMedia for these requests, with rates starting at $2.50 per minute.

While the university does not have a specific contract with a captioning company, your department can pay with your Purchasing Card or through EBS system.

These companies are pay-per-use services. There is no special software to buy or install. Users choose the services they need (transcripts, captioning, or both) and are billed on a monthly basis. A department, or individual, may pre-purchase hours of service at a discounted rate if they need a large number of transcripts or caption serviced.

See the MSU Web Accessibility website site for other captioning information.

Follow the steps below to hire CaptionSync to create a caption file for your video content.

Step 1: Create an account on CaptionSync

You must create a CaptionSync account to begin the process.

1. Go to http://www.automaticsync.com/captionsync/
2. Select the Get Started button
3. Select the Account Setup button
4. Fill out all required information
5. Select Apply for Account at the bottom of the screen

Step 2: Submit a video for captioning

Once you have created an account, you will be taken to the New Captioning Submission page.

1. In the Description field, name your submission accordingly, for this is how you will track the submission through the entire process.
2. In the Transcription field, unless you have your own transcript in a TXT file, select the "I need this program transcribed as part of the transcription and captioning bundle" radio button.
3. Upload your file in the Media File field.
4. Select Start Upload.
5. After upload is complete, you can track your submission process by selecting "Status of Existing Submissions" in the left-side navigation.
6. Typically your captions will be ready in 24-72 hours, and you will receive a notification to the email that is associated with your CaptionSync account. When the captions have been completed, select the AST ID number that has been assigned.
7. In the "Returned Files" field, select the .SRT file to download the caption file. You will need this in the next step.
8. In the "Text Transcription Completed" field, select the .txt file to download the transcript.

With any service, there can be a degree of error. If you are unsatisfied with your transcription or caption results, you can email x@captionsync.ne to have the error corrected, or if you would like a refund, contact accounting@automaticsync.com to apply for a refund. Information on returns can be found in CaptionSync’s Return Policy provided in the Help section next to Logout.

Step 3: Upload your caption file to Kaltura MediaSpace

Once you have an .srt file, you will need to upload it to Kaltura MediaSpace to sync the caption file with your video content. Visit Uploading your caption file to Kaltura MediaSpace for directions on syncing your .srt file to your video file in Kaltura MediaSpace.