Mostly yes: SRT and VTT subtitles from WMA files work for ordinary recordings, though copy-protected ones may not be readable. Send a regular WMA to Potok in Telegram and download 2 subtitle files. Hidden commands inside the file will not supply captions, so check the wording in the SRT yourself.
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.
Open @potok_now_bot in Telegram
Export to TXT, MD, DOCX, PDF, SRT and VTT · files up to 2 GB · about 30 languages · speakers and timestamps on request
Key facts
- Windows Media Audio 9 offers CD quality at data rates from 64 to 192 kbps.
- Windows Media Audio 9 Lossless creates a bit-for-bit duplicate of the original audio, so the WMA family includes a lossless codec.
- An ASF file can contain text streams and script commands (text streams and script commands), though a plain .wma rarely has them.
- Send .wma files up to 2 GB as they are: Potok decodes them without a separate conversion.
What a WMA file is
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Kind | Windows Media Audio in an ASF container |
| Media types | - |
| What it holds | An ASF file with Windows Media Audio content; the family includes a lossless codec |
How to make subtitles from WMA files
- Open the bot and send the file. Open @potok_now_bot in Telegram and send the .wma file. Files up to 2 GB are accepted; for a long recording use the Upload button of the bot's mini app.
- One property of the format matters. An ASF file can contain text streams and script commands (text streams and script commands), though a plain .wma rarely has them.
- Export SRT or VTT. Choose SRT or VTT among the export buttons and load the file next to the video in your editor or player; check the first and the last caption against the sound.
- A useful detail. Windows Media Audio 9 Lossless creates a bit-for-bit duplicate of the original audio, so the WMA family includes a lossless codec.
What the subtitle file looks like
[00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:03,400] Caption 1: City council approved the new bike lane plan.
[00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:06,100] Caption 2: Work begins next month along the river road.
[00:00:06,300 --> 00:00:09,000] Caption 3: Residents can share comments at the public hearing.
[00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:11,800] Caption 4: Let's split the grocery list into fruit, vegetables and cleaning supplies.
Captions written by us to show the layout. They are not output from a real WMA file.
| Topic | Answer |
|---|---|
| Where to use it | The Telegram bot @potok_now_bot, plus its mini app for big uploads |
| Summary | The result message has a summary button for a digest of the text |
| Translation | No translation: the text stays in the language of the recording |
| Dictation | A separate Potok desktop app lets you dictate text into any program; it recognises Russian speech |
| Labels and times | Speaker labels and timestamps are optional switches |
Where WMA files go wrong
| Mistake | What happens | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Assuming a WMA file has script commands for captions | Plain WMA rarely has them, so players show no text | Use the separate SRT or VTT file |
| Sending a copy-protected WMA file | The bot cannot read the audio and returns an error | Send an unprotected copy of the WMA recording |
| Editing the SRT in a word processor and saving as .docx | Players cannot read the subtitle file any more | Edit the SRT in a plain text editor |
| Sending a WMA of an interview with two guests talking together | Overlapping words merge into confusing caption lines | Ask guests to take turns, or review overlapping parts manually |
Where to look next
Terms used here are explained in the glossary. Handy helpers live in tools; apps are on the download page.
Questions and answers
Can I send WMA files straight to Potok?
Yes. .wma files up to 2 GB go to the bot as they are; there is no conversion step before recognition.
What is the difference between SRT and VTT?
SRT is a plain list of numbered captions with start and end times. VTT starts with a WEBVTT header and is the format web video players read.
Which apps and devices create WMA files?
The Windows Media ASF Writer gives audio-only output a .wma extension (DirectShow WM ASF Writer).
Sources
The dates show when each source was opened. Pages are edited over time; read the original before you rely on a detail.
- Overview of the ASF format, Microsoft Learn · checked
- About the Windows Media codecs, Microsoft Learn · checked
Check it on a file of your own
Open @potok_now_bot in Telegram, attach the recording and wait: the transcript arrives as a message in the same chat.
Open @potok_now_bot in Telegram