A short 3GP clip from a phone is enough for a text with timestamps in 1 step. Send the file to Potok in Telegram and download the transcript. Several small clips are safer sent one by one, since joined pieces make the times harder to trust. Check the last stamp against the clip's length.
Send a file, get the text
Send your voice message, audio or video to @potok_now_bot on Telegram and the text comes back in the chat.
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Up to 2 GB per file · speaker labels and timestamps · six export formats · about 30 languages
Key facts
- RFC 3839 says video/3gpp is valid for all 3GP files.
- 3GPP TS 26.244 defines 3GP as an instance of the ISO base media file format.
- In 3GP the sidx timescale is in ticks per second and matches the track media header timescale.
- Potok accepts .3gp files up to 2 GB and reads them without a conversion step.
About the 3GP format
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Kind | Container for mobile phones (3GPP) |
| File extensions | .3gp |
| What it holds | An instance of the ISO base media file format defined by 3GPP TS 26.244 |
How to get timestamps for 3GP files
- Start with the bot. Go to @potok_now_bot in Telegram, then send your .3gp recording. The limit is 2 GB per file, and the Upload button of the mini app is the way to send a big one.
- Keep the format in mind. In 3GP the sidx timescale is in ticks per second and matches the track media header timescale.
- Turn on time marks. Under the result open the other-format options and enable timestamps; before you quote a mark, jump to that place in the file and listen.
- Get the file ready. A .3gp from an old phone is small and low in quality; check the first minute of the result before you trust it.
What time marks look like
[00:00] Speaker 1: We are halfway up the trail and the view is great.
[00:12] Speaker 1: Careful here, the rocks are wet and slippery.
[00:31] Speaker 1: Let's take a short break and drink some water.
[00:58] Speaker 1: Grandpa remembered the village market where he sold apples as a boy.
Lines written by us to show the layout. They are not output from a real 3GP file.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Labels and times | Speaker labels and timestamps are optional switches |
| Save as | TXT, MD, DOCX and PDF for text; SRT and VTT for subtitles |
| Translation | The text keeps the language of the audio and is not translated |
| Spoken languages | About 30 languages with good published results and a few more with warnings |
| Access | In Telegram, through @potok_now_bot; the bot's mini app takes large files |
What to avoid with 3GP
| Slip | Result | Remedy |
|---|---|---|
| Reading 3GP ticks per second as seconds | Stamps look wrong because ticks are much smaller | Use the minutes and seconds in the transcript |
| Joining several short 3GP clips before sending | You cannot tell which clip a stamp belongs to | Send each 3GP clip separately |
| Re-saving the 3GP from a phone gallery after transcription | The re-save can trim the start and shift stamps | Keep the original 3GP for matching the stamps |
| Sending a 3GP clip recorded while walking quickly | Footsteps drown quiet words and stamps cluster around noise | Record standing still, or review the noisy passages by ear |
Next steps
Terms used here are explained in the glossary. Handy helpers live in tools; apps are on the download page.
Frequently asked questions
Can I send 3GP files straight to Potok?
Yes. .3gp files up to 2 GB go to the bot as they are; there is no conversion step before recognition.
Do the time marks depend on the 3GP format?
The marks point to a place in the recording so you can find it again. Check a few against the sound before you quote them.
Which apps and devices create 3GP files?
Android MediaRecorder offers a THREE_GPP output format (Android MediaRecorder THREE_GPP).
Sources
The dates show when each source was opened. Pages are edited over time; read the original before you rely on a detail.
See the result on your recording
Send your voice message, audio or video to @potok_now_bot on Telegram and the text comes back in the chat.
Open @potok_now_bot in Telegram