fast-transcript ยท diff
git:20260616.7a0602f to git:20260616.2ee1be2
4 added, 4 removed. Audit A to A.
---
name: fast-transcript
description: Use this skill when the user wants to transcribe or inspect audio or video with fast-transcript via `fscript`, including local files and remote URLs such as YouTube links. Prefer the no-diarization workflow (`-D`) for extracting facts, answers, summaries, and notes. Only enable diarization when speaker attribution is part of the task.
---
# fast-transcript
Use the local `fscript` CLI for transcript-first analysis of media.
## Default workflow
1. Confirm the tool is available:
```bash
command -v fscript
fscript --help
```
2. For questions, summaries, note-taking, quote-finding, and general information extraction, call `fscript` directly with no diarization:
```bash
- fscript "<media-or-url>" - --text=plain -D
+ fscript "<media-or-url>" --stdout --text=plain -D
fscript "<media-or-url>" "/tmp/transcript.txt" --text=plain -D
```
- This standard path keeps the transcript focused on content instead of speaker labels.
+ Use `--stdout` when you want printed output and a file path when you want a saved transcript. Keep `-D` because `--text` changes the output format, while `-D` disables the default diarization path.
3. If you need timestamps while still staying in the no-diarization workflow, call `fscript` directly:
```bash
- fscript "<media-or-url>" - --text=timestamps -D
+ fscript "<media-or-url>" --stdout --text=timestamps -D
```
4. Read the transcript, answer the user, and only keep the transcript on disk when it helps with follow-up work.
## When to use diarization
Only opt in to diarization when the task depends on speaker identity, turn-taking, or quotes attributed to different people.
```bash
- fscript "<media-or-url>" - --speakers=timestamps -d
+ fscript "<media-or-url>" --stdout --speakers=timestamps -d
```
Examples:
- Interviews where the user asks who said a quote
- Podcasts with multiple recurring speakers
- Panels or debates where attribution matters
## Defaults
- Prefer `--text=plain -D` for information retrieval.
- Prefer stdout for quick one-off analysis and a file path for longer transcripts you will revisit.
- Prefer `--text=timestamps -D` before trying diarization if the user only needs rough navigation.
- Treat diarization as slower and noisier; do not enable it by default.
## Remote media notes
- `fscript` accepts remote URLs directly, including YouTube links.
- If a remote source is flaky or you expect repeated follow-ups, rerun with `-l` to force a local download before transcription.
## Gotchas
- The `fscript` default behavior enables diarization when available. Override that with `-D` for content-only tasks.
- `--speakers` is useful for attribution, but it adds clutter when the user only wants facts or answers.
- If stdout is too large for the current task, write to a temporary file and search or summarize from there.