Transcribing Scanned Source

What Do I need to know before I start transcribing?

Transcribing from the scanned images is very similar to transcribing from the original film, and there are just a few administrative points that you need to be aware of. If you are new to transcribing you might want to read Information for New Transcribers first. Experienced and new transcribers may like to take advantage of some hints and tips which will enable you to make the most of the scanned images.

Please register with a Scan syndicate before starting to transcribe from the scans.
Only transcribe the pages allocated to you. If you do other pages you are simply duplicating somebody else's effort.
Read and understand the file naming conventions.
Report any pages which are badly or incorrectly scanned to the Syndicate Coordinator without delay. Re-scan requests are managed using a spreadsheet which can be viewed to determine the progress of a request.
Contact your syndicate coordinator if you need any further assistance.

Scans can be downloaded from the following links:

Scans are provided ONLY for transcription purposes. Downloads are monitored, and excessive usage will result in access being withdrawn.

BIRTHS
MARRIAGES
DEATHS

Header Details and File Naming Conventions

Header Details

Enter the part of the directory name immediately following the Month as the Scan/Source reference
The Scan/Source reference will begin with one of;

ACDB-
ANC-
DB-
EW-
Fiche-
JM-
LDS-
LOMEL-
MKL-
NFHC-
OFHS-
ONS-
UKC-
UKD-

Source Files

Files are stored with a name of the format 1837M3-A-C-0134x.gif (1837 Marriages, Quarter 3, Index A-C, Page 134)
Where the index covers the whole quarter, the initial letters from that page will be shown in place of the index range 1866M3-G-0134.tif
Many pages are scanned in two halves, in such cases the upper half is suffixed x and the lower half y. There should always be an overlap between the two halves.
In some cases the page may even be in 3 parts, suffixed x,y and z, or 4 parts, suffixed w,x,y and z
If the film contains two or more images of a page, all are scanned. The additional copies are suffixed -1, -2 etc. If this affects you, then you should download all copies, as one copy may be easier to read than the other on certain entries.
Where the original film is unevenly lit, it may have been scanned twice, using different contrast settings. The additional copies are suffixed -rescan. Once again, you should download all copies.
Note that whilst the page number used by FreeBMD is often the same as the page number used on the original index page, many index pages are not numbered, and in some cases the numbering of the image files may not match the originals. In such cases, your allocations and file naming should match the file name, not the original page name
Files are produced in TIFF GIF and JPEG formats according to the format used by the originator of the scans

Data Files

Transcribers are recommended to use WinBMD.

SpeedBMD version 1.9 or higher is also suitable, but it is limited to an <8 character>.<3 character> filename naming convention since it is a DOS program.

When used in scan mode, SpeedBMD will produce files of the form 66M30134.SCA (1866 Marriages, Quarter 3, Page 134)
In some cases your co-ordinator may advise using a letter in position 5 of the filename.
On the upload page, specify the file name as supplied by SpeedBMD (without the extension) i.e. 66M30134
Specify the "upload" name as the full path of the SpeedBMD file i.e. C:\SPEEDBMD\66M30134.SCA

Hints on getting the best from the scanned images

If you have any more suggestions Email me

Save the files on your local hard disk, and view them in a graphics package, rather than in your browser. This allows you to zoom in on the image, and to adjust it for better visibility.
If you have a high quality laser printer, it can be easier to read from a print of the file.
Using a graphics package to zoom in excessively can make transcribing more difficult. Always try looking at the image at a variety of resolutions.
Some pages benefit from adjusting the brightness and contrast.
Some pages are easier to view as a negative (white on black) image. Some images have been loaded as negatives for this reason.
Some parts of the image may be improved by use of the Sharpen or De-speckle functions.
Pages with very poor contrast are sometimes easier to read if colourized with a dark yellow or dark green tint.
A very easy to use and useful image viewer is available free from any one of these sites. If one is not available or slow to access, the other one should be available.
- http://irfanview.tuwien.ac.at
- http://www.irfanview.com
Because of the speed at which images are scanned, it is possible that a particular image may not have been scanned at the ideal contrast level. If the image is very hard to read, email the Syndicate Coordinator to ask for the page to be re-scanned. Make sure you specify exactly which page requires re-scanning.

Information for New Transcribers (FAQ)

The items listed below are the questions I am most often asked. If you have additional points which you think should be here Email me

Q	A
What software do I need to use the download the scans?	Your ordinary internet browser, and possibly a graphics package capable of reading `GIF`, `JPEG` or `TIFF` files (Microsoft Imager for example). See the Hints and Tips for information about the sort of features your graphics package should have.
How big are the images?	Obviously the images vary in size, but most are about 100-200 kb in size.
What software do I need to transcribe the data?	You don't actually need any special software, you can just key the data into a text editor. We strongly recommend that you download SpeedBMD (by Peter Cox) or WinBMD (by Ian Brooke), which are both free programs to speed up the job. And there is also another free program called BMDVerify (by David Lang) which is useful for checking.
How do I get my first allocation?	When you register with the syndicate, you will be allocated a page to transcribe and upload.
How do I get more allocations?	Your coordinator will tell you how to get more allocations when he sends you your first allocation.
How do I access the scans?	Click on the appropriate alphabetic range in the scan table or follow the instructions given by your co-ordinator.
What about entries that are hard to read?	If you have difficulty in reading some entries, you should read the information about representing uncertain characters on the Beginner's Help page. If you are transcribing from handwritten material, you may also find the page about reading Victorian handwriting useful.
What do I call my file?	See the information above concerning the naming of Data files.
What do I do with my file once I've transcribed it?	Upload it to FreeBMD via the File Management Screen. Help on this process can be found in the Beginner's Help page.

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