What are the key new features in DOTE v2.0?

We have been working on a massive update to DOTE for over a year. Now it has been released, here are some of the key features you can enjoy.

Watch the introduction video to what's new on YouTube.

Revamped user interface

There are many changes to the user interface💻 that make it more flexible and tailorable to your needs. Tools in panels can be placed anywhere or stacked in Tabs. Layouts can be saved by the user and restored in another session. The information level of the user interface can be adjusted quickly. We even have a ZEN 🧘🏽 mode to quieten the experience of DOTE.

Updated Project Manager

The Project Manager📂 is now easier to use with more information about your Projects and Transcripts on your file system.

Project & Transcript Information

A completely new feature is a handy condensed list of nifty informationℹ️ about your Projects and Transcripts and their meta-data within DOTE.

Merge two or more Transcripts

A completely new feature to make it easier to merge together Transcripts when the labour of transcribing is divided up amongst multiple transcribers, who can work independently on different sections of the Project.

Integrated Import and Export step-by-step guides

We have integrated all the different import and export possibilities into one step-by-step guide called Import and Export. No more trying out different menu items without support for how to actually export or import.

More flexible Timelines

The Timeline📈 has been revamped to merge the Sync-Code and Visual-Cue representations into one Timeline. Moreover, multiple Timelines can be opened to track Sync-Codes and/or Visual-Cues, as well as each Timeline/Waveform can be viewed at different scales or with different media source waveforms simultaneously.

Two types of Sync-Codes

There are now two types of Sync-Codes🕛. The original punctual Sync-Code still ties a line of the Transcript to a single timecode on the Timeline. The new ranged Sync-Code ties a line of the transcript to a duration on the Timeline, ie. with an onset and offset. The difference is indicated visually on the Timeline.

User-friendly Video-Cue editing

The creation and editing of Video-Cues🎬 should be easier now. Users can change the view of a Cue directly in a Media Player Panel. Also, the duration of a transition can be user-specified. And a Cue with a duration is indicated visually on the Timeline.

Subtitles in Media Player panels

A new killer function is the embedding of subtitles➖ in a Media Player panel while the video is playing. All one needs to do is Export the transcript to a subtitle file and load up that file. There are lots of variables to play with to find the best presentation for your needs. Not only that, one can load up different subtitles in different Media Player panels, which all play simultaneously, eg. English translation in one, the native language in another.

Automatic installation of external tools

In v1.0, one had to manually install Git and FFmpeg. No more! FFmpeg is installed automatically. Git is built in to v2.0, so Checkpoints and Autobackups work out-of-the-box.

More extensive reporting of errors to developers

Now DOTE can automatically report any errors⚠️ it detects, or the user can easily report errors themselves from within DOTE, and decide the type of information that is reported. eg. log files, anonymised transcript meta-data, etc.

Updated Lego Demo Project for v2.0

The Lego Demo Project has been reconstructed to show off the features of v2.0.

Many bug fixes

There are too many bug fixes to list here. See the Release Notes.

Completely revised help guide pages

The help guide pages have all been completely revised to bring them up-to-date with v2.0. We are working on redoing all the relevant video tutorials on YouTube as well.