One of plain X’s most powerful features is its support for multiple transcription, translation, and voice-over engines. While users can rely on default settings for simplicity, having full control over engine selection ensures optimal results for specific tasks, languages, accents, and content types.
Where and When to Select an Engine #
1. During Upload #
When uploading an item, users can override default engines in the advanced configuration section of the upload dialog:
- If the task involves a single process (e.g., transcribing an audio file), the transcription engine can be selected immediately
- For multi-step tasks (e.g., transcribing, translating and subtitling a video), dependencies must be manually set to choose the correct engines for each step
- Clicking “Setup dependencies” allows users to select the transcription engine first
- Followed by the translation engine (after clicking “Next”)
- Once configured, clicking “Finish” starts the process.
2. When Adding a Task #
plain X allows additional tasks on previously uploaded media.
- If a user needs to add a subtitle in another language or a voice-over, they can click “Add task” on the media card.
- Similar to the upload process, engines can be configured via the advanced settings.
- For multi-step tasks, dependencies must be manually set to adjust additional processes, just like in the upload of a new media item.
3. When Editing a Task #
If an initial task result is unsatisfactory, users can rerun it with a different engine.
- This is useful for improving transcription accuracy before manually reviewing an automatic result.
- The engine can be changed in “Service Settings” (available if the task is not marked as done)
- After selecting a new engine, clicking “Reload Service” will rerun the task.
- If the service is marked as “Done”, first mark it as “In progress” to be able to select the new service
Setting Default Engines #
There are two ways to establish default engine preferences:
4. Personal Defaults #
Users can set personal engine defaults via the “Personal Settings” page
- Defaults can be assigned per task and language by clicking the “Add default” button
- Users can specify a preferred service provider for transcription, translation, or voice-over
- Some engines may support additional settings
- Don’t forget to click the green check mark on the right to save your settings
- If you want to delete a service setting just click the red bin on the right
- The option to apply defaults across all languages is also available
5. Workspace Defaults (Admin-Only) #
For users with administrative permissions, workspace-wide default settings can be configured under “Workspace Settings”
- These settings apply to all users but can be overridden by personal preferences.
- This ensures consistency across an organization while allowing individual customization.
Additional Considerations #
The availability of specific engines depends on multiple factors:
- Supported languages and accents vary by provider.
- Certain features, such as diarization, glossaries, or SSML tags, may be limited to specific engines.
- Subscription tiers or organizational policies may restrict access to particular engines.
By leveraging these configuration options, users can ensure that each task in plain X is performed with the most suitable engine, achieving the best possible results.