Monday, March 24, 2014

Olympus AS-2400 Transcription Kit.

I've been busy trying out the Olympus AS-2400 Transcription Kit. The kit includes a headset and foot pedal or foot switch and easy to use software. In South Africa it's available through Maynards.

Previously, I've been using Express Scribe without a footpedal, and I was a bit nervous about using the footpedal, since I hadn't previously used one since 1994 where I used one on an analog dictation machine!

However, now I've started, I can't see me ever going back. It makes life so much easier and I believe I've said goodbye to hotkeys forever.

The software is the DSS Player Standard Transcription Module Version 2.0.0.0. Your audio files are easy to import and are stacked up in folders like files in a window, making it easy to see and work with.


 Besides making secure file management easier than ever before, it offers multiple file transfer options to suit individual requirements. Full Citrix and Terminal Service support is provided and it is compatible with POP3, SMTP, and extended MAPI email environments. Moreover, SSL support for email/ftp is also included.

Features of the transcription kit include: 

- RS-31 - 4 button USB footswitch (3 + 1) for hands free operation
- Under chin ear phone E-62 ODMS - Olympus Dictation Management System CD (R6)
- Transcription module to organize and playback dictations
- Manages DSSPro, DSS, WAV, WMA, and MP3 audio files
- File and document management


The audio controls are great too and offer a lot of versatility. I love that the slow down / speed up function controls the speed of the audio but it doesn't distort the voice. The voice distortion that some other software packages give is irritating and sometimes renders the audio inaudible. 


This is a great solution for secretaries and transcriptionists particularly since it is completely compatible with recordings produced by the Olympus digital recording equipment such as the DS-7000 pictured below.  (which I recommend all my clients to purchase) 


I decided to give this a try out on one of the most difficult audios I've had this year. It was the perfect transcription to try it out on. It was a South African government recording done around a table in a government office somewhere in the Free State. The council was NOT using an Olympus recorder, and I had background noise, indistinct names, a very long recording - the works. The software is not a miracle worker and it couldn't clean up all the noise, but it helped significantly and I got better results than I have with other similar programmes. The software offers an option to increase volume in one headphone over the other, and this was useful to increase the volume of distant speakers. 



Another awesome feature is the inline bar which you can choose, which floats on the top of your screen as you transcribe. This saves clicking in between the larger interface and the document you're working on. 

There are a ton of fantastic features with this software which will mean you won't want to look back. Check it out for yourself at Maynards.

Please share this post on your Facebook and Twitter and follow me @TypewriteSA. 

15 comments:

Medical Transcriptions said...

Good post you got here. I appreciate the time involved in coming up such informative post. I will be coming back for more. Thanks!

Jason P. said...

I've never heard of this Olympus gadget but it seems really cool! Thanks for this really cool informative post! Who knew! :D

BeautyDrugs said...

It seems interesting product. Earlier I have never heard about this. You have posted a very informative posts. Thanks for sharing with us.

Suzanne said...

Hmm this is an interesting little machine! I have never given much thought to using a transcription device, but I appreciate the attention to detail and time you have invested in learning how to use this. Seems like it was a worthwhile investment!

Unknown said...

I appreciate the work you had done.good post cool

Unknown said...

I appreciate the work you had done.good post cool

Unknown said...

Thank you for the very detailed review of the Olympus Transition Kit. I would imagine the technology has vastly improved now from when you started transcribing and using equipment back in the days!

Franc said...

These does make transcribing documents faster and easier due to its features.

Shiny Bliss Ortilano said...

these are good investments. it makes life so much easier

Lavanya said...

Never heard of this...looks really interesting

Anonymous said...

Nice information about transcription this gadgets seems to be really worth it.

Yan said...

interesting product, thanks for the detailed review!

Unknown said...

I'm not exactly sure what the gadget does, but it looked like an interesting product.

Eliz Frank said...

I'll keep this in mid for the future. I had a transcriber once but it worked poorly and I had to toss it.

iScribed said...

Nice, the transcription kit looks like a heavy-duty piece of equipment (and I mean that in the best way possible!). I hadn't seen that particular machine before, but I can recommend the dictation machine/recorder from Olympus. Great build quality. I assume the AS-2400 is of the same level of quality. Thank you for the review, will be emailing this to some of the transcribers I know who have been asking for transcription equipment recommendations.