Transcribe Video

Step 1: Identify the video file

Step 2: Check for embedded subtitles

ffprobe -v quiet -select_streams s -show_entries stream=index,codec_name:stream_tags=language,title -of json "<video_path>"

• If subtitle streams exist → go to Step 3a (extract embedded subtitles)
• If no subtitle streams → go to Step 3b (API transcription)

Step 3a: Extract embedded subtitles

# Extract as SRT (stream index 0 for first subtitle track; adjust if needed)
ffmpeg -i "<video_path>" -map 0:s:0 -c:s srt "<output_path>.srt" -y

• Remove sequence numbers
• Remove timestamp lines (lines matching

  \d{2}:\d{2}:\d{2}

  )
• Remove HTML-like tags (

  <i>

  ,

  </i>

  , etc.)
• Join remaining non-empty lines

<video_name>.txt

Step 3b: API-based transcription

~/.transcribe_video.env

Prerequisites check

1. Verify the env file exists:
   bash

   test -f ~/.transcribe_video.env && echo "OK" || echo "MISSING"

2. If MISSING, tell the user to create

   ~/.transcribe_video.env

   with:

   OPENAI_API_KEY=your-key-here
   # Optional Base URL:
   # OPENAI_API_BASE=https://<base-url>/v1/
   # Optional Model Name:
   # TRANSCRIBE_MODEL=gpt-4o-transcribe

   Wait for the user to confirm before proceeding.
3. Verify dependencies:
   bash

   python3 -c "from openai import OpenAI; from dotenv import load_dotenv; print('OK')" 2>&1

   If missing:

   pip install openai python-dotenv

Run transcription

python3 <skill_directory>/scripts/transcribe.py "<video_path>"

<video_name>.txt

Step 4: Report results

• Where the transcript file was saved
• How many lines / approximate word count
• Whether it came from embedded subtitles or API transcription
• Display the first few lines as a preview