Provided the file is not copy-protected, yes: you can get a text with timestamps from WMA files. Send it to Potok in Telegram and read the transcript, where each passage begins with minutes and seconds. Open the original beside it and test 2 stamps.
Turn a recording into text
In Telegram, write to @potok_now_bot and add your file. The finished text appears in the conversation when recognition ends.
Write to @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 Lossless creates a bit-for-bit duplicate of the original audio, so the WMA family includes a lossless codec.
- ASF is the container format for Windows Media Audio and Video; the wma extension marks an ASF file with Windows Media Audio content.
- ASF file properties give play duration in 100-nanosecond units.
- Send .wma files up to 2 GB as they are: Potok decodes them without a separate conversion.
About the WMA format
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Kind | Windows Media Audio in an ASF container |
| File extensions | .wma |
| What it holds | An ASF file with Windows Media Audio content; the family includes a lossless codec |
How to get timestamps for WMA files
- Send the WMA file to the bot. In Telegram, open @potok_now_bot and attach the .wma file to the chat. Larger recordings, up to 2 GB, go through the Upload button in the bot's mini app.
- Mind this about the format. ASF file properties give play duration in 100-nanosecond units.
- Switch on timestamps. Open the other-format options under the result, turn on timestamps (speaker labels can be added there too) and check three marks against the sound.
- Get the file ready. Old dictation devices save .wma; send the file as it is, there is no need to convert it first.
What time marks look like
[00:00] Speaker 1: Chapter three begins on a foggy autumn morning.
[00:12] Speaker 1: The old clock tower struck seven as she woke.
[00:31] Speaker 1: Nobody in the village knew what was coming.
[00:58] Speaker 1: The museum guide told us about the painter's early years.
Lines written by us to show the layout. They are not output from a real WMA file.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Speakers | Speaker labels and timestamps are optional switches |
| Size limit | Up to 2 GB |
| Access | The Telegram bot @potok_now_bot, plus its mini app for big uploads |
| Accepted | Voice messages, audio and video |
| Export | TXT, MD, DOCX, PDF, SRT, VTT |
What to avoid with WMA
| Slip | Result | Remedy |
|---|---|---|
| Mixing up ASF time units with seconds | Durations look far too long or too short | Use the minutes and seconds in the transcript |
| Sending a WMA with copy protection | The audio cannot be read, so no stamps are made | Send an unprotected WMA copy |
| Trimming the WMA after getting the transcript | Stamps no longer line up with the shorter recording | Request the transcript from the final WMA |
| Reading minute marks as hours in a long WMA recording | You search for a quote in the wrong part of the file | Check the format of each stamp before jumping to it |
Keep going
The tools section has converters and calculators, the glossary explains the terms, and the download page covers the apps.
Frequently asked questions
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.
Do the time marks depend on the WMA 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 WMA files?
The Windows Media ASF Writer gives audio-only output a .wma extension (DirectShow WM ASF Writer).
Sources
Each source was opened by hand on the date shown. Pages change, so open the source if a detail matters to you.
- Overview of the ASF format, Microsoft Learn · checked
- About the Windows Media codecs, Microsoft Learn · checked
- Media Foundation attributes for ASF header objects, Microsoft Learn · checked
See the result on your recording
Your recording goes to @potok_now_bot as a file or a voice message, and the transcript returns to you in Telegram.
Write to @potok_now_bot in Telegram