One of the most useful software tools available to litigators today is the synchronized video transcript. With the appropriate software, synchronizing maximizes the full potential of your deposition videos. Click on a line in the transcript to play back the corresponding video, or highlight a section to create a clip for playback in court. You can create multi-segment video clips in advance, and it's easy to create new clips on the spot at hearings or in trial, or even depositions for that matter. You gain complete access to all of your video whenever you need it most.

This is a very powerful tool for use in discovery, and in court is a very effective way to impeach dubious witnesses. Juries understand testimony better and retain it longer when it is presented on video along with the synchronized transcript. Trial presentation software such as TrialDirector™ also has a suite of other tools for linking documents to the transcript, making annotations, making clean trial presentations and handling other important case-management tasks.

If you don't have trial presentation software, you can order your synchronized video in DepoView format.

Technical Details

Here are some explanations of the processes involved in a synchronized deposition video:

All video synchronizing software requires an ASCII version of your transcript and an MPEG-1 (digital) version of the video. Transcript ASCIIs are available from your Certified Shorthand Reporter.

Digitizing (or encoding ) is the process of converting a videotape to a digital format. Synchronizing requires the video be converted to a standard MPEG-1 digital file. These files are delivered on a disc and can be stored on your hard drive.

We can deliver your deposition MPEG-1s on a DVD-ROM or a CD-ROM. Please see our list of video formats for more information on your ordering options.

Synchronizing is the process that creates the link between the ASCII transcript and the MPEG-1 digital video.

Synch File : When you order synchronizing, you will receive a Synch File with your video. This file contains the synchronized transcript and the information needed by the software. This file is a database file, and is formatted for a specific program application, such as TrialDirector™, Sanction™ or LiveNote™.

 
    Glossary of Video Formats