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Sync vs. async transcription: which to use and how fast each can go

Blog post from AssemblyAI

Post Details
Company
Date Published
Author
Kelsey Foster
Word Count
1,955
Company Posts That Month
20
Language
English
Hacker News Points
-
Post removed?
No
Summary

The text discusses the differences between synchronous (sync) and asynchronous (async) transcription methods, focusing on their use cases, speed, and cost. Async transcription involves submitting an audio file, which is processed in the background, with the transcript being collected later, making it suitable for lengthy files where depth and thorough speech understanding are needed. In contrast, sync transcription allows an immediate return of a transcript within the same HTTP response for short clips, typically under two minutes, making it ideal for scenarios where speed is critical, such as when a person or agent is waiting for the results. Both methods use the same underlying model, ensuring transcription accuracy remains unchanged, but they differ in their delivery approach. Async is optimized for cost and completeness, while sync prioritizes speed, offering a "faster than real-time" solution for short audio clips.

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