R2 Mechanics is the first fully offline, long‑form archival transcription platform purpose‑built for archives, research institutions, and cultural memory projects. It unites large‑scale processing, structured outputs, and air‑gapped security in a single, seamless workflow.
Designed to meet the highest standards of data integrity and accessibility, R2 Mechanics goes beyond transcription – delivering a production‑grade archival solution that combines limitless long‑form processing, navigable structured delivery, and true air‑gap compatibility in one integrated platform.
Fully local, archival‑grade processing with uncompromising data protection.
Chapter‑based HTML with clickable timestamps and speaker attribution.
LLM‑generated observations for in‑depth analysis and research enrichment.
Providers like Simon Says On‑Premise, Speechmatics Enterprise, and Amberscript Enterprise offer on‑premise or hybrid transcription solutions. Yet none deliver the fully air‑gapped, archival‑grade workflows required by cultural institutions and research archives.
R2 Mechanics provides a completely offline, long‑form archival transcription platform, combining structured HTML outputs — chapters, timestamps, and speaker labelling — with uncompromising security for truly audit‑ready archival use.
| Feature / Provider | R2 Mechanics | Simon Says On‑Premise | Speechmatics Enterprise | Amberscript Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fully offline (air‑gap capable) | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes (media production focus) | ✔ On‑Prem available, container setup required | 🔶 Hybrid On‑Premise — full air‑gap support unclear |
| No telemetry or external API calls | ✔ Guaranteed fully local | ✔ Offline transcription; license activation may require network | 🔶 Possible external traffic for license/API | 🔶 Likely external license or update checks |
| Structured HTML Transcripts (chapters, timestamps, speakers) |
✔ Yes (archival‑grade HTML) | ✖ Focus on subtitles/captions | ✖ No native archival HTML structure | ✖ Exports as text/subtitle — no navigable HTML |
| Target audience: archives & institutions | ✔ Archives, museums, research | ✖ Film/media producers | ✖ Enterprise API users | ✖ Media & business clients |
| Customizable, GPU‑accelerated deployment | ✔ Modular, high‑performance | ✖ Fixed binary app | ✔ API‑based, flexible but not turnkey archival | ✖ Standard enterprise SaaS approach |
We offer personal communication and project management in German (DE), English (EN), French (FR), and Polish (PL).
We specialize in demanding oral history interviews, hearings, and multi-speaker recordings, ensuring accurate, auditable, and privacy-compliant results.
*Disclaimer: This comparison is based on publicly available product documentation and information from the respective providers (Simon Says, Speechmatics, Amberscript). All details are correct to the best of our knowledge as of July 2025. Product features and availability may change over time; for up‑to‑date specifications, please refer to the providers directly.
How Modern Transcription Technologies Make Cultural Heritage Accessible