TRANSCRIPTION FAIL: Speechpad vs. Dragon vs. Google Voice

I finally got around to trying the Speechpad transcription service for a video for which I wanted to upload the transcript for search optimization purposes. Speechpad charges only $2.00 a minute, so if it worked, it would be a low-cost, low-labor way to additionally optimize YouTube videos.

Besides, Speechpad went to great lengths to assuage my skepticism on their About Us page:

Speechpad provides state-of-the-art text transcription services. Our unique combination of human and machine-based technologies allows us to deliver the perfect solution to meet your needs. Our system supports audio inputs from a variety of sources to fit your existing workflow. We provide the highest degree of flexibility for audio turnaround time, accuracy requirements, and transcription delivery mechanisms.

Speechpad serves a number of industries, providing solutions for business voice, financial services, and insurance customers, among others.

Did you notice that? Speechpad uses a combination of human and machine-based technologies. If humans are involved, it can’t be that bad, right?

Wrong. After uploading the three-minute video below, I submitted it to be transcribed at 11 AM and received the completed transcript at 12:28 PM the same day for a fee of $7.00. Pre-tty damn impressive, right?

Wrong. Here’s the video…followed by the transcript for which they charged me seven bucks:

Here’s the transcript. I just copied and pasted what Speeechpad delivered to me:

group on this was the best way to save some money to be out of these days more more of a start clicking coupons on the website of dvd else but how good are those deals and where can you turn if you want to get rid of that one tonight that c-17 favorite shows us how to find all that started in one place and how to resell the ones that you know honor what When held a radio logs onto her computer at least three coupon deals are waiting for her It’s close to have offered To subscribes to group on leading social in prague kat the real deal of the day websites that are popping up all over the wet leaving have won it wcco.com but group on this the biggest and the generic term most people seem to use my hair salon had a group of one-time obviously i’m going to buy that and use it to my vantage has to make seized dot ten to fifteen of these deals and one more memorable than the others that she kind of local court together to five years reveals almost two-thirds of the adventure itself out that way how funny it was still at pretty big purchased with that the coupon but that it was almost fifty percent off the plane if you want to take the plung here’s what you need to know most of the discounts are around have they’re sold for a short period of time to a large group of people and there may be someone takes it most important expire on the same day for all of the buyers now that i’ve bought some menus some unhappiness on my have figured out what not buy jennifer westphal knows her way around these components cooking classes and kids photography to talk about a dozen gotten deals that will change isn’t movie rental at signed a great restaurants dealt with fine print in beating deadlines and she was born to only by what she knows she’ll use wasn’t on efforts will expire that bad the wedding kirk and john marriage and that but see conscious now perfectly and that’s why new kind of state popped up cook recruit is a place to resell there coupons before they expire or buy from those people for even better those people for even better deal just by virtue of any internet infrastructure in place it’s not surprising that that would occur it’s relatively easy to throw up a site that you can you know gather community around and and do those types of transactions david erickson studies internet strategies and creates them he says the coupon pre started in 2004 and took off in 2009 economy turned down in the future he expects more personalized ers to better fit each customers needs has a question when the economy improves and people have more money is spent weather they will have trained by these daily deals to expect deals even after merchants are really ready to give them anymore lenses says there are two sides that try to collect although a daily deals and one place they are slickdeals.net and yet that .com can find this life and all the other one seven mentioned that that wcco.com/links

I guess what they meant by “human and machine-based technologies” was technology-transcriptions unseen by human eyes.

I know. I know. It’s only seven dollars. But I could’ve got that transcript for free from other services. So, by way of comparison, here is the same video transcribed by my Dragon Dictation app and by Google Voice.

Dragon Dictation Transcript

Coupons was the best way to save some money Gabonese Davmore Morven Park clicking Hubei that website for daily deal but how good Idledale and work eternity wondering about 19 Devizis of Manecita shows is how to find Alllis Vargos in one place Averliso the one thing you know Warwell radio Monsonde her computer MP3 coupon deals are waiting for her and his father ha ha that was Steven she subscribes to Groupon LivingSocial in Claup can’t believe Gielgud did websites that are popping up all over the wet even have wanted WCCO.com Ruban is the biggest in the generic term people seem to you hair salon onetime I didn’t buy that and give my bank account estimate she’s not into 15 of the deal and one more memorable than the other

Google Voice Transcript

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