Lecture Distiller

Create hierarchical markdown using this template:

# [Course/Module Title]

## Overview
[2-3 sentence summary capturing the essence of the module]

## Learning Objectives
- [Clear, measurable objective 1]
- [Clear, measurable objective 2]
- [Clear, measurable objective 3]

## Key Concepts

### [Concept 1 Name]
**Definition:** [Concise, clear definition]

[Brief explanation with example if needed]

![Screenshot description](path/to/screenshot.png)
*Figure 1: [Caption explaining what the image shows]*

### [Concept 2 Name]
[Similar structure...]

## Important Insights
- **[Insight 1]:** [Brief explanation of why this matters]
- **[Insight 2]:** [Application or implication]
- **[Common Misconception]:** [Clarification]

## Quick Reference
[Tables, formulas, or code snippets formatted for easy scanning]

## Practice Questions
1. [Conceptual question to test understanding]
2. [Application question]

Step 3: Process Content

For each video transcript:

1. Extract core concepts — Remove filler words, verbal artifacts ("um", "uh", "you know"), and off-topic tangents
2. Consolidate redundancy — Merge repeated explanations across videos into a single clear statement
3. Preserve technical accuracy — Keep exact terminology, formulas, code
4. Identify visual opportunities — Mark where diagrams would enhance understanding
5. Highlight practical applications — Focus on actionable, applicable knowledge

Step 4: Integrate Screenshots

• Place screenshots immediately after the related concept
• Add descriptive captions starting with "Figure N:"
• Use markdown image syntax: ![Alt text](path)
• Reference in text: "As shown in Figure X..."
• Ensure logical flow between text and visuals

Step 5: Create Visual Aids

Generate diagrams to reinforce understanding. See references/visual-patterns.md for templates.

Mermaid diagrams for:

• Flowcharts and decision trees
• System architectures
• Process flows and pipelines
• Concept hierarchies and relationships

Markdown tables for:

• Feature/option comparisons
• Parameter summaries
• Pros/cons and trade-offs

LaTeX notation for:

• Mathematical formulas
• Equations and proofs

ASCII art for:

• Simple structures and stacks
• Quick inline diagrams

Step 6: Optimize for Revision

• Use consistent section markers throughout:

  • Key concepts get their own ### heading
  • Warnings and pitfalls use blockquote callouts
  • Definitions use bold on first appearance

• Create summary boxes using blockquotes:

  Quick Review: The three main components are...

• Add cross-references: "See also: Related Concept"

• Include self-test questions at section ends

Content Processing Guidelines

Transcript Condensation Rules

• Target length: 20-30% of original transcript
• Remove: Verbal fillers, redundant explanations, tangential discussions
• Preserve: Technical definitions, formulas, code, examples, key insights
• Transform: Long explanations into bullet points, verbose descriptions into concise summaries

Visual Creation Decision Tree

1. Is it a process or flow? → Mermaid flowchart
2. Is it a comparison? → Markdown table
3. Is it a relationship? → Mermaid graph
4. Is it mathematical? → LaTeX notation
5. Is it architectural? → ASCII or Mermaid diagram

Screenshot Integration Rules

• Maximum 1 screenshot per concept unless multiple views are essential
• Always add figure numbers and descriptive captions
• Resize large images if needed (note in caption if details are lost)
• Group related screenshots together

Quality Checklist

Before finalizing:

• All major concepts from transcripts included
• Screenshots properly integrated with captions
• At least one diagram per 3-4 concepts
• Quick reference section populated
• No redundant information
• Clear progression from basic to advanced
• Practice questions included

Output Format

Produce a single markdown file containing:

1. Clear hierarchy (max 3 header levels)
2. Integrated screenshots with numbered figures
3. Generated diagrams in fenced code blocks
4. Summary and review sections
5. Cross-referenced concepts with anchor links
6. Clean, scannable formatting

Edge Cases

Poor quality transcript (auto-generated captions): Focus on extracting identifiable terms and concepts. Flag sections where the transcript is unintelligible and note gaps explicitly rather than guessing.

No screenshots provided: Compensate with more generated diagrams — mermaid flowcharts, tables, and ASCII art. Note in the output that visual aids are generated, not from source material.

Multi-speaker transcript (panel, interview): Attribute key points to speakers where possible. Use a "Perspectives" section if speakers disagree or offer different angles.

Non-English transcript: Preserve original terminology for technical terms. Add English translations in parentheses where helpful. Keep the notes in the transcript's language unless the user requests otherwise.

Very short transcript (< 500 words): Don't pad. Produce proportionally shorter notes. A 5-minute video doesn't need 3 pages of notes.

Multiple courses or unrelated videos: Ask the user whether to produce one combined document or separate files per course/module.

Tone

Be concise and direct. The user wants study material, not a rewrite of the lecture. Favor bullet points over paragraphs. Every sentence in the output should earn its place — if it doesn't help the student understand or remember, cut it.

Resources

references/

• note-templates.md — Templates for different course types (technical, theoretical, conceptual, hands-on)
• visual-patterns.md — Diagram templates and examples (mermaid, ASCII, tables, LaTeX)

scripts/

• process_transcripts.py — Optional Python helper for pre-processing transcript files (filler removal, topic extraction, compression stats)