Dicta-Notes

Getting Started with Dicta-Notes

Find detailed guides and answers to common questions about using Dicta-Notes for AI-powered meeting transcription, speaker identification, and document analysis. Live recording can optionally sync short audio segments to your account while you are online for crash recovery—see the Recording guide and Privacy Policy for details, and use the Transcribe page to recover an interrupted backup when offered.

Universal Transcription Platform - Choose Your Engine

Dicta-Notes offers three powerful transcription engines for different meeting needs. Choose the best option for your situation.

🚀 What Dicta-Notes Does

Dicta-Notes is an advanced universal transcription platform that works natively in 130+ languages. It uses three powerful AI engines working together to give you the best transcription experience!

🟢 Browser Speech

Real-time UX feedback as you speak

🟣 Google Gemini 2.5

Powerful AI transcription engine

🔵 Google Translate

Translation between 130+ languages

📱 What You Need

  • Any computer, tablet, or phone with internet
  • A microphone (every device has one built-in)
  • Web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)
  • That's it! No special software to install

🚀 Step 1: Access the Platform

  1. Open your web browser
  2. Go to: dicta-notes.com
  3. Log in with your account (ask your administrator if you don't have one)
  4. Click "Transcribe" in the top navigation

🎯 Step 2: Start Recording

The system has four key components working together:

🟢 Engine 1: Browser Speech (UX Feedback)

What it does: Shows real-time text as you speak

  • Instant visual feedback during recording
  • Client-side speech recognition
  • Display only - helps you see the meeting is being captured
  • No internet delay, responds immediately

Note: This is for UX only - not the final transcript

🟠 Recording System (Audio Capture)

What it does: Records the actual audio for processing

  • Captures entire meeting audio in high quality
  • Saves raw audio to secure cloud storage
  • Creates session document with meeting metadata
  • Ready for AI transcription when you need it

Setup: Runs automatically in the background

🟣 Engine 2: Google Gemini 2.5 (AI Transcription)

What it does: Creates professional transcription when you need it

  • Powerful AI transcription with speaker identification
  • Works in 130+ languages natively
  • Process saved audio whenever you're ready
  • High-quality, production-ready transcripts

Use: Click "Process" on any saved session to transcribe

Models: Most saved-session transcription runs on Gemini 2.5 Flash for speed and quality; Gemini 2.5 Pro is used in some backend flows.

🔵 Engine 3: Google Translate (Translation)

What it does: Translates transcripts between languages

  • Gold standard for text translation
  • 130+ languages supported
  • Translate transcripts for international teams
  • Real-time translation available

Note: Only needed if converting between languages - Gemini transcribes natively

📝 Step 3: Start Your Meeting

  1. Choose your transcription engine (see Step 2 above)
  2. Click the corresponding "Start" button
  3. Grant microphone permissions when prompted
  4. Begin your meeting and speak normally
  5. Watch words appear in real-time on your screen
  6. The AI automatically identifies different speakers

🌍 Step 4: Language Support

Native Language Transcription

Dicta-Notes transcribes natively in 130+ languages - no translation needed! Just speak in your language and get accurate transcription.

Optional Translation Features

For multilingual teams, use the translation toggle to convert transcriptions between languages in real-time.

Example: Spanish meeting → transcribed in Spanish → optionally translated to English for non-Spanish speakers

✅ Step 5: Save and Share

  1. When your meeting ends, click "Stop Recording"
  2. Click "Save Session" to preserve your transcription
  3. Enter a descriptive name (e.g., "Q1 Planning Meeting - Jan 2025")
  4. Choose export format: PDF, Word, Text, or Markdown
  5. Share with participants or archive for future reference

🔗 Enterprise Features Available

  • Company Workspaces - Team collaboration
  • On-Demand Transcription - Process recordings when ready
  • Advanced Security - Firebase enterprise auth
  • PWA Installation - Works like native app
  • Document Analysis - Upload/capture document images for AI analysis
  • Speaker Management - 10+ speaker identification
  • Audio Playback - Waveform visualization
  • Cross-Platform - Desktop, mobile, tablet

💡 Pro Tips for Best Results

  • Speak clearly - Normal pace, clear pronunciation
  • Minimize overlapping - Let speakers finish before others start
  • Good audio setup - Close to microphone, quiet environment
  • Test first - Try a quick test recording before important meetings
  • Save recordings - Process with Google Gemini 2.5 when ready
  • Use System Audio for screen-shared presentations
  • Use Microphone for in-person meetings
  • Install PWA for better performance

📱 Mobile Recording Tips

On phones and tablets, the operating system pauses audio capture when you switch to another app. For an uninterrupted recording, keep Dicta-Notes open and in the foreground for the full duration of your meeting.

✅ Best practice on mobile

  • Dedicate your phone to the recording — don't use it for anything else during the meeting
  • Disable screen auto-lock or keep the screen on
  • Turn on Do Not Disturb to avoid notification interruptions
  • Install the app from Safari (iPhone) or Chrome (Android) for the best experience

💻 On desktop you can multitask freely

  • Switch tabs, look things up, or write notes — recording continues uninterrupted
  • Chrome, Edge, and Firefox all keep the recording running in the background
  • Use a laptop or desktop for meetings where you'll need your device for other tasks

Note: If you do switch apps on Android, the app will show you exactly how long it was in the background so you know what may have been missed.

⚠️ Troubleshooting

Browser Speech (UX) Issues:

  • Refresh page if words stop appearing
  • Check browser microphone permissions
  • Switch to Chrome/Edge for best compatibility
  • Remember: This is just visual feedback, your audio is still being recorded

Recording Issues:

  • Check microphone/system audio permissions
  • Ensure stable internet connection for saving
  • Verify sufficient storage space in your account

Transcription Processing Issues:

  • Wait for Google Gemini 2.5 processing to complete
  • Check session detail page for progress
  • Large audio files may take a few minutes to process

❔ Remember

This is a professional enterprise platform! Three powerful AI engines work together: Browser Speech for instant UX feedback, Google Gemini 2.5 for professional transcription, and Google Translate for international collaboration.

Universal language support: Google Gemini 2.5 transcribes natively in 130+ languages - you only need Google Translate if you want to convert transcripts between different languages for team collaboration.

Need help? Use the floating support chat in the bottom-right corner, or ask your team administrator for guidance on using the recording and transcription features.