Troubleshooting Video Quality and Captions
Overview
This article covers common problems in the Social Cascade Teleprompter app and the Web Teleprompter: app and device issues, audio and video quality, caption spelling and timing, and processing failures. Both use the same caption and processing system.
For sign-in problems, see Logging In with Email and a One-Time Code.
Before You Start
- Update the Teleprompter app to the latest version from the App Store.
- Check that Wi-Fi or cellular data works in other apps.
App and Device Problems
| Issue | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Update Required screen | Your app version is too old | Tap Update Now. If the App Store doesn't open to the app, open the Social Cascade Teleprompter App Store page and tap Update. |
| Camera or microphone doesn't work | Access is turned off | Open your device Settings → Teleprompter and turn on Camera and Microphone. |
| Voice training doesn't hear you | Speech Recognition access is off | In Settings → Teleprompter, turn on Microphone and Speech Recognition. |
| Upload or posting fails | Weak connection, low storage or a server problem | Switch to strong Wi-Fi, free up storage, then close and reopen the app and try again. |
| "Storage Low" alert | Your device is low on space and has takes that weren't uploaded | Post or delete those takes. When free space drops under 500 MB, the app also clears device copies of takes that were already uploaded. |
| Scripts don't load | No connection | Reconnect, then pull down on My Scripts to refresh. |
| App freezes or closes while recording | Low memory or another app is using the camera | Close other camera apps, restart your device, and update iOS. |
| Web: camera not detected | The browser blocked access | Click the camera icon in the address bar, allow access, and reload. Use Chrome, Edge or Firefox. |
| Web: "Web recording requires Pro" | Your team doesn't have web recording | Record on the Teleprompter app, or contact support about your plan. |
Recording Tips for Better Audio
Captions and video quality depend on how clearly your voice comes through.
- Use a microphone if you can. A clip-on mic or wireless earbuds sound much better than the phone's built-in mic. On the Web Teleprompter, use a USB mic or headset and pick it in the microphone menu.
- Record in a quiet room. Turn off fans and music. Soft furnishings such as carpet and curtains cut echo.
- Speak at a steady pace, and pause briefly between sentences.
- Stick to the script. If you stumble, record another take.
Caption Spelling
Captions always show your script's text, not what the speech recognizer heard. Speech is used only to time each word.
- A typo in your captions is a typo in your script. Fix the script and submit the take again. You don't need to record again.
- Names, medical terms and brand names appear exactly as you typed them.
- If an unusual name lands at the wrong moment, the recognizer probably heard it differently. Say it clearly in your next take.
How to Fix a Caption Typo
- On My Scripts, open the script and fix the text. Tap Save.
- Open the take: on Edit Script, tap View Takes.
- Select the take and tap Create Post, then submit it again.
This creates a new post. If the first post was already posted or scheduled, delete or reschedule it in the web app's Calendar.
Caption Timing
| Issue | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Words appear too early or too late | Ad-libbing, skipped or reordered lines, or background noise | Follow the script closely and record in a quiet room. |
| Words you didn't say appear | They're in the script | Their timing is spread evenly between the words around them. To remove them, edit the script and submit again. |
| Captions are missing | Add captions was off | Turn on Add captions on Create Post and submit the take again. |
| Add captions is greyed out | The take has no audio | Record a new take with the microphone on. |
Processing Problems
Processing usually takes 3–6 minutes for videos up to a minute, and up to 10 minutes for longer ones. See Video Processing and Review.
| Issue | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| "Processing failed. Please try again or contact support." | A temporary problem | Tap Retry or Try Again. If it fails twice, record a new take or contact support. |
| "We're unable to process this video at this time. Our team has been notified." | Processing failed after a retry | Our team is already notified. Contact support if you need this video. |
| Still processing after 15 minutes | Long video or busy servers | Tap Refresh. Processing that runs longer than 30 minutes is marked failed, so you can try again. |
| Facebook Reel posted as a regular video | The video is longer than 90 seconds | Facebook Reels can be up to 90 seconds. Longer videos are posted as a regular feed video so they still go out. Keep it to 90 seconds or less for a Reel. |
FAQ
Q: Why don't the captions match exactly what I said?
A: Captions come from your script, so spelling and names are always correct. If you went off-script, the captions still show the script.
Q: Do I need to record again after fixing a typo?
A: No. Correct the script and submit the take again. The latest script text is used each time a video is processed.
Q: Does voice training improve captions?
A: No. Voice training only personalizes drafted scripts.
Q: How do I contact support from the app?
A: Open the ⋮ menu on My Scripts and tap Help & Support, or go to About → Help & Support. You can also email support@socialcascade.co.