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File Size and Duration Limits

Updated

This article explains the maximum file sizes and durations supported for transcription, captioning, alignment, ASR, and audio description. It also outlines how these limits may affect turnaround time and delivery.

 

Recommended File Size

  • For best results, keep each file under 250 MB.

  • Files up to 2 GB are supported, but larger files may fail to upload or process.

  • Audio files should retain good quality. Over-compressed audio may trigger an audio difficulty surcharge.

 

Factors That May Impact the Delivery Times

  • If files exceed the recommended duration limits, we will still attempt to meet your deadline, but delivery cannot be guaranteed. See below for the cumulative duration limits for files for a specific turnaround service levels and for individual file duration limits.

  • Certain features, like vertical caption placement, especially manual caption placement, may also extend turnaround times, particularly for rush orders.

 

Transcription & Captioning Duration Limits

Turnaround Level Daily Upload Limit Max Duration Per File
Extended (10 business days) 50 hours 6 hours
Standard (4 business days) 40 hours 4 hours
Expedited (2 business days) 40 hours 2 hours
Rush (1 business day) 20 hours 2 hours
Same Day (8 business hours) 10 hours 20 minutes
2-Hour Turnaround 4 hours 10 mins

See more information on Turnaround Service Levels.

 

ASR and Alignment Duration Limits

  • The cumulative duration of all files submitted for ASR or Alignment is 40 hours per day.
  • Individual files for ASR and Alignment cannot exceed 10 hours.

 

Audio Description (AD) Duration Limits

Reminder: Audio description turnaround time is in addition to the transcription turnaround time.

 

Turnaround Level Daily Upload Limit Max Duration Per File
Standard (5 business days) 4 hours 2 hours
Expedited (2 business days) 2 hours 30 minutes
Rush (1 business day) 30 minutes 5 minutes

 

 

Note: If daily uploads exceed the limit, deadlines may be extended by one business day for each additional block of limit-hours.


Example: Uploading 133 hours of content on the Standard level would require multiple business days to complete -- 40 hours will be due in 4 business days, 40 hours will be due in 5 business days, 40 hours will be due in 6 business days, and the remaining 13 hours will be due in 7 business days from time of upload.

Example: A file with Standard transcription (4 business days) plus Standard audio description adds 5 more business days, for a total of 9 business days.

 

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