MKV to text
MKV is a Matroska video, and the picker of this site takes video files: the sound is written down, the picture is ignored, every line carries its start and end time. One file is up to 64 MB and 120 minutes, the free plan is $0 with 3 files a day, Pro is $10 a month paid yearly.
Where MKV stands, exactly
The upload field of the site carries two filters at once: the ten containers it names by extension — mp3, wav, m4a, mp4, webm, ogg, flac, aac, wma and mov — and the generic types audio/* and video/*, which cover everything the system reports as sound or as a video. Matroska is a video container, so an .mkv file lands in the second group: the picker shows it as a video, and the server labels it video/x-matroska when it sends the file on.
| Container | Named in the accept list | How the picker shows it |
|---|---|---|
| mp3, wav, m4a, flac, aac, wma, ogg | yes, by extension | as an audio file |
| mp4, webm, mov | yes, by extension | as a video file |
| mkv and other video containers | no — it is not one of the ten named extensions | as a video file, through the video/* filter, when the system reports the file as video |
What the transcript of a Matroska file looks like
Exactly like the transcript of any other file: the text, the segments with the second each line starts and ends, and the speaker labels when you ask for them. The container is a wrapper around the sound, and the sound is all the service reads.
| The number | The value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Size of one file | 64 MB | transcrib.si/pricing.html, checked |
| Length of one file on Pro and Team | 120 minutes | transcrib.si/pricing.html, checked |
| Length of one file on the free plan | 30 minutes | transcrib.si/pricing.html, checked |
| Files a day on the free plan | 3 | transcrib.si/pricing.html, checked |
| Free plan price | $0 | transcrib.si/pricing.html, checked |
| Pro price | $10 a month paid yearly ($120 a year), or $20 a month paid monthly | transcrib.si/pricing.html, checked |
| Audio a month on Pro | 1,500 minutes of fair use | transcrib.si/pricing.html, checked |
| Languages | Russian and English | transcrib.si/transcribe-russian-audio-to-text.html, checked |
Speakers in a filmed conversation
Most Matroska files are recordings of people: a call, an interview, a lecture. The speaker labels put the voices apart — switch on “Split by speaker” and every line is marked. Seven services are compared on the speaker labels page, and the meeting guide describes the rest of the workflow.
Where the file is read
Sound in Russian is processed on our own transcription infrastructure, outside the United States. A file that is entirely in English can be passed to a third-party cloud speech provider in the United States when that fallback is enabled on the server. The audio is used to produce the transcript and to run the service; it is never sold and never used to train models for other customers. Deleting the transcript removes the file with it, and the file leaves the live system immediately and the encrypted backups within 30 days. The privacy policy and the security page have the details.
Video files are heavy
The picture is what makes a video file big, and 64 MB is the limit. For anything longer than a short clip, the practical move is to take the sound out of the video first: the guide to long recordings covers splitting a file, and the general guide covers the rest of the pipeline.
The named containers
If you would rather not rely on the operating system, take one of the ten: mp3, wav, m4a, mp4, webm, ogg, flac, aac, wma or mov. Every one of them is named in the accept list of the upload field, so the picker always shows it.
Put a file on the page and read the first lines.
The widget below is the same one as on the home page: file → transcript with timecodes and speakers → export. The transcript is saved to your account.
Drop an audio or video file
or — mp3, wav, m4a, mp4, up to 64 MB and two hours
Transcription runs under your account: sign in or create a free account.
No account yet? The free plan needs no card. Create a free account or sign in.
Questions this page answers.
Is MKV accepted even though it is not in the list of ten?
Yes, as a video file: the upload field takes any file the system reports as audio or video, and the server labels an .mkv upload as video/x-matroska. If your picker hides it, rename a copy to .mp4.
What happens to the picture in a Matroska file?
Nothing is described and nothing is kept about it. The service transcribes the sound, and the transcript contains the words with their timecodes.
How long can the recording be?
Up to 120 minutes and 64 MB per file on Pro and Team, and up to 30 minutes on the free plan, which accepts 3 files a day.
Can the voices be separated?
Yes, on every plan. Switch on “Split by speaker” and each line is marked with the voice it belongs to.
Which languages are recognized in a Matroska file?
Russian and English, with automatic detection if you do not set the language yourself. Other languages come back empty or nearly so.
Related pages.
The video container that is named in the list.
The sound without the picture.
The same three steps for a recording online.
What to do with a video over the limit.
A meeting assistant against a file service.
Plans and limits.
Mark Burmistrov, Founder.
Every number on this page comes from the service contract, the pricing page or our own measurements. The author of the page and the publisher of the site are the same person. Questions and corrections: support@transcrib.si.