media-transcript-search

Retrieve and search YouTube transcripts with keyword filtering and export.

Updated Feb 4, 2026

Search Tags:#automation #search #transcripts #YouTube #export #video-analysis #transcript-api

Ready to run

npx skills add https://github.com/joshuaroll/research-skills --skill media-transcript-search

💬 Prompt for ChatGPT / Claude Chat▼

Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: media-transcript-search
Source: https://github.com/joshuaroll/research-skills/tree/main/skills/media-transcript-search
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/joshuaroll/research-skills --skill media-transcript-search

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill requires youtube-transcript-api, requests.

What problem does it solve?

This Skill turns lengthy multimedia content into searchable text, enabling rapid analysis of speeches, lectures, and media clips without watching every minute.

Core Features & Use Cases

Get Transcript: Download transcripts for a YouTube video or Playlist.
Keyword Search: Find timestamps where specific words or phrases appear.
Metadata & Export: Retrieve the video title for context and export transcripts in json, txt, or srt formats.

Quick Start

Use the get_transcript.py script to fetch transcripts for a YouTube video or playlist.

Example:

python3 get_transcript.py VIDEO_ID --search "term" --format json
python3 get_transcript.py PLAYLIST_ID --playlist --search "term" --format srt

Frequently Asked Questions about media-transcript-search

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema

How do I search a YouTube transcript for specific words?▼

You can retrieve a YouTube transcript and run a keyword search using a Python script with the youtube-transcript-api. This filters the text to surface exact timestamps where specific words or phrases appear.

Can I download all transcripts from a YouTube playlist at once?▼

Yes, you can download transcripts from a YouTube playlist by running the get_transcript.py script with the playlist ID and the --playlist flag. This automates retrieval for all videos in the playlist.

What formats can I export YouTube video transcripts to?▼

You can export YouTube video transcripts to JSON, TXT, or SRT formats. This allows you to save the searchable text and timestamps for downstream analysis in various applications.

Do I need Python to fetch and search YouTube transcripts?▼

Yes, you need Python to run the retrieval and search scripts. The process requires installing external libraries such as youtube-transcript-api and requests to fetch transcript data and handle lightweight video title retrieval.

What is the best way to find specific moments in lengthy video lectures?▼

The best way to find specific moments in lengthy video lectures is to convert the multimedia content into searchable text. By automating transcript retrieval and running keyword searches, you can rapidly locate relevant timestamps without watching the entire video.

Does the YouTube transcript retrieval process handle videos without subtitles?▼

The retrieval process includes graceful error handling for missing transcripts or unavailable subtitles. If a video lacks transcript data, the script manages the error smoothly without interrupting the batch processing of a playlist.