By Martel Electronics · November 10, 2026 · Manual transcription and review

Transcription rarely happens at uninterrupted normal speed. You pause to type, slow a dense passage, rewind an unclear word, and jump to a point that needs review. A useful timestamp must still identify the location in the recording, regardless of how much real time those actions take.

Martel captures the player's media position for timestamp commands. It does not estimate video time from how long you have been typing or from the current clock on your computer.

Media time and work time are different

At video position 00:05:30, the elapsed timestamp remains five minutes and thirty seconds into the file. Spending ten minutes paused at that point does not change it. Playing slowly changes how long it takes you to reach the point, not where the point is located.

When a recording-time reference is set, the same principle applies. The entered date/time advances by the media-position difference from the reference. Pauses in your work do not advance the recording clock.

Choose a rewind amount that preserves context

Very short steps can help with a single word, while a longer step may be needed to recover the question behind an answer. Start with a comfortable amount, then adjust it according to the material. Repeatedly replaying too much can be as disruptive as returning too little.

Check the pedal's current assignments before changing them. If a button is assigned to Insert Timestamp, it is no longer the ordinary forward or rewind action for that mapping. Keep an accessible keyboard or on-screen alternative for any playback action you still need.

Slow selectively, then verify normally

Use a slower speed for dense numbers, unfamiliar terminology, or rapid exchanges. Once you have a candidate transcription, replay it at normal speed. This can reveal a word boundary, interruption, or emphasis that was less clear in slowed playback.

Faster playback may suit an initial topic review or a familiar passage, but reduce speed when detail becomes uncertain. The correct pace is the one that supports the review task, not a target rate you must maintain throughout the file.

Capture the moment you intend to mark

If you want a timestamp to identify the start of a sentence, pause or seek to that start before inserting it. Pressing the command after finishing the sentence in your document records the player's position at that later command, not an automatically inferred sentence boundary.

For a broad topic index, a nearby navigation marker may be sufficient. For a disputed word, a short visual event, or a precise quotation, verify the intended point explicitly. State the convention so readers understand the marker's purpose.

Understand intervals after a seek

Automatic interval timestamps follow playback time and do not backfill every skipped boundary when you jump forward. Safe insertion can also defer a marker while you are typing. Check the next inserted value after a major seek rather than assuming all automatic markers have already been written.

During proofreading, avoid accumulating duplicate markers simply because you replay a passage. Review existing text and add new references only where they improve the document.

Run a quick accuracy check

Pause at a known position and insert a timestamp. Change speed, play forward, then rewind and insert another. Confirm that both values match the player's positions. If using recording time, compare a second known clock point as well.

This small check validates the timing basis before a long session. Save the transcript through its word processor and use Martel's remembered position as a playback convenience, keeping the two saved states distinct.