As always the answer is yes and no. There are some minor points to consider depending on which transcription kits you plan to use with your Olympus DS-7000 if you don’t have the latest Olympus transcription kit the AS-7000.

Using the Olympus DS-7000 with Olympus AS-5000 DSS Player Pro R5 Transcription Module

The AS-5000 transcription kit running DSS Player Pro R5 is fully compatible with all the audio files that the DS-7000 and DS-3500 produce, which are .ds2 (DSS Pro) by default, .dss (DSS) and .wma except if you encrypt your .ds2 audio files with 256bit encryption. The AS-5000 kit is unable to decrypt 256bit and can only decrypt 128bit encrypted .ds2 audio files.

If you currently do not encrypt your audio files then the DS-7000 will be fully compatible with the AS-5000 transcription kit. If you do encrypt, your options are to simply encrypt in 128bit mode or purchase the upgrade to the AS-5000 DSS Player Pro R5 software using the AS-7004 which will convert your DSS Player Pro R5 transcription module to ODMS (Olympus Dictation Management System) R6 Transcription module. The AS-7004 upgrade is AU$59 incl. GST in Australia, you will require one per install.

Using the Olympus DS-7000 with Olympus AS-4000 DSS Player Pro R4 Transcription Module

Using the Olympus DS-7000 or DS-3500 with the much older AS-4000 digital transcription kit running DSS Player Pro R4 software you will have very similar issues to those who purchased the Olympus DS-5000 digital dictaphones over the last couple of years. The AS-4000 kit is unable to play back .ds2 (DSS Pro) audio files so with the DS-7000/DS-3500 like the DS-5000/DS-3400 you will need to set your digital dictaphone to either run in classic mode (which sets the dictaphone to record by default in .dss instead of .ds2) or convert your audio from .ds2 to .dss prior to sending to your typist using your ODMS R6 dictation module software supplied with the DS-7000 and DS-3500.

Just announced this week by Olympus is a slight change to how Multi User Licences (MUL) for latest version of the dictation module and transcription module software is handled on a Windows server Workgroup environment. This has changed since the DSS Player Pro R5 release where the licence admin software was included for free on every dictation module CD.

With ODMS (Olympus Dictation Management System) R6 the licence admin software has been removed and bundled into a separate software package called the Olympus AS-56 which retails for $399 incl. GST in Australia and will be available mid June 2012. Olympus state that the new software for multi licence control is much easier to use than the last version and can handle both R5 and R6 MULs.

Need an Olympus Multi User Licence for your company? In Australia contact us and we can help you with this, outside of Australia contact your nearest Olympus Pro reseller.

Olympus have released an update to their DSS Player software for Mac to version 7.3.0 – don’t get too excited, it is mainly just a compatibility update. Included in this update are:

• DSS Pro files that were encrypted in High Encryption mode (using 256-bit encryption keys) can now be decrypted and played back. (They cannot be encrypted.)
• Downloading and playback of WAV files is supported. Index marks and comments can now be acquired and edited.
• MP3 index marks are supported. MP3 index marks can now be acquired and edited.
• The new foot switch RS-31 and also DR-1200/2100/2200/2300 are supported.

With this version your Mac will now be fully compatible with the new(ish) DirectRec II hand held USB microphones which were released early last year, I know a few people have been hanging on this. The Olympus DirectRec II are USB connected microphones (DR-2100,DR-2200,DR-2300) that allow dictation directly to your Mac.

Also included in this update is compatibility with the very latest range of professional digital dictaphones released just a couple of weeks ago in Australia along with the new Olympus RS-31 four pedal USB foot control. The RS-31 is most commonly used with the Olympus transcription module but can also be used with the Olympus DS-7000 via the dock for hands free digital dictation, quite often commonly used in the medical sector.

Click here to download Mac DSS Player update to v7.3.0 or from the Olympus Australia website

That is it, our stock of the DS-5000 has gone and a quick phone call to Olympus in Sydney confirmed that they too have none left, the Olympus DS-5000 is now officially discontinued in Australia.

So what are we to make of its replacement the new Olympus DS-7000. Well to be honest a close look at the specs doesn’t show anything too hugely different. This is a good thing, anyone who deals with professionals who dictate will know that big change is not always welcome – experienced dictators don’t have time to learn new devices and those already used to the older Olympus digital dictaphones (DS-5000/DS-4000) will feel right at home with the DS-7000. For those new to digital dictation, people moving from the analog micro and mini cassettes should also feel comfortable moving to the new generation of Olympus professional digital dictaaphones, especially the DS-7000 thanks to that slide switch control.

The stand outs for me with the Olympus DS-7000 are:

• New larger colour screen
• New rechargeable battery that charges quicker and lasts longer than the DS-5000 battery
• Improved microphone
• Better integration with Dragon NaturallySpeaking for Windows directly via the ODMS (Olympus Dictation Management System)
• Improved Dragon accuracy score assigned by Nuance themselves – scoring five our of six Dragons

Full details of the complete comparison between the Olympus DS-5000 vs DS-7000 can be found by clicking here. This shows the changes between the two models.

In a first of its kind Olympus Imaging in Australia held a product launch at swanky Woolwich eatery Deckhouse today in Sydney. Spoiled only by the torrential rain, with the Sydney Harbour Bridge seen in the murky distance stood several Olympus branded pedestals covered in magician black velvet hiding what was about to be announced.

Olympus Audio Pro dealers from around the country had gathered to listen to Olympus Imaging Managing Director Marc Radatt present his spiel starting with the history of Olympus, building thru to the imaging range and culminating with the announcement we audio people had gathered for … the new Olympus DS-7000 digital dictaphone.

In fact it wasn’t just about the new DS-7000 there was a slew of new digital goodies on offer which single handedly wiped out the current DS-5000/DS-3400/DS-2400 recorders, all now replaced by the DS-7000/DS-3500/DS-2500 models. So what new features will we see in this new Pro dictation range:

• Large 2″ colour screen (similar the LS series screens)
• 256-bit real-time .DS2 (DSS Pro) audio encryption
• New Li-Ion battery giving up-to 21 hours of recording
• Two SD card slots (1x microSD and 1x SD) in the DS-7000 plus in-built memory
• Uncompressed PCM .WAV recording in the DS-3500 for meeting/conference/music recording
• Capsuled 10mm mic specifically design with voice recognition in mind

Not content with revamping the Pro dictaphones a new Pro transcription kit was also birthed, the AS-7000 which replaces the AS-5000 and comes with a new four pedal USB transcription foot control (RS-31) and new under-the-chin stethoscope style transcription headset (E62). I like that, it’s kind of retro and will likely be embraced by most transcription typists, especially those that find over-the-head headsets mess with their hair.

Wait there is more … new Olympus Dictation and Transcription module software taking the release from R5 to R6 and given a new name. Gone is DSS Player Pro and in its place comes ODMS or Olympus Dictation Management System which is not just a user interface revamp but promises a more improved interface and interaction with Dragon NaturallySpeaking Premium/Professional/Legal versions most notably real-time transcription and background transcription using Dragon. Sorry Mac fans still no link to Dragon Dictate for Mac for transcription of recorded voice files, Nuance dragging their feet here a little.

The DS-7000 and DS-3500  are available from today in Australia, the DS-2500 will make its debut down under mid-May 2012. Amazingly the RRP of these new recorders have dropped significantly and are lower than the previous Pro range – kudos to Olympus for this, continuing to innovate while driving pricing down. RRP’s in Australia are:

• Olympus DS-7000 RRP $699 incl. GST ($150 cheaper than the DS-5000 it replaces)
• Olympus DS-3500 RRP $549 incl. GST ($150 cheaper than the DS-3400 it replaces)
• Olympus DS-2500 RRP $379 incl. GST ($110 cheaper then the DS-2400 it replaces)

Some light reading for you to download (all in .PDF format):

• New Olympus DS Series Pro Digital Dication/Transcription Brochure
• Olympus DS-7000/DS-3500 Australia Press Release (17th April 2012)
• Olympus DS-2500 Australia Press Release (17th April 2012)

Olympus WS Series Digital Voice Recorders

• WS-650S replaced by the new Olympus WS-811
• WS-750M replaced by the new Olympus WS-812
• WS-760M replaced by the new Olympus WS-813

Memory sizes remain the same across the range with 2Gb, 4Gb and 8Gb respectively. All new WS series voice recorders now sport a microSD card slot for expanded memory, handy to store other documents, photos, videos or music on your recorder alongside your recorded meetings and interviews. As is usual with a revamp the WS series shells also get a make over with a new modern look while retaining the small compact size traditional in the WS series. New key features added to the range are some new recording innovations like voice changer, voice playback and voice balancer discussed in this earlier blog post. As usual with the Olympus range both Mac and Windows are fully supported with plug-and-play – no software required to access and play your audio on any computer.

Click here for a previous blog post giving an overview of the features of each new WS series voice recorder.

Olympus VN Series Budget Digital Voice Recorders

• VN-8500PC replaced by the new VN-711PC
• VN-8600PC replaced by the new VN-712PC

Both new VN series voice recorders come with 2Gb of in built memory, the VN-712PC also has a microSD card slot for additional memory expansion. Just like the WS series they can be USB connected to any Windows PC or Mac without the need for software to access and playback your recordings.

All recorders should be fully available mid to end April 2012. RRP in Australia is set as:

• Olympus WS-811 – $139 incl. GST
• Olympus WS-812 – $169 incl. GST
• Olympus WS-813 – $199 incl. GST
• Olympus VN-711PC – $79 incl. GST
• Olympus VN-712PC – $99 incl. GST

Is there a trial version of the Olympus DSS Player R5 Dictation Module and Transcription Module software? YES THERE IS !! …. read on

Olympus DSS Player Pro r5 software comes in two forms, the dictation module and the transcription module. The Dictation Module software comes as part of the package when you buy the Olympus Professional dictaphones (DS-5000 and DS-3400). The transcription module accompanies the AS-5000 professional transcription kit.

Why download and install the DSS Player Pro R5 trial version?

• Maybe you have just upgraded to a new PC and can’t find your original licence key. With the trial you get 60 days to find it or purchase a replacement licence – no lost productivity.
• Thinking about converting from analogue tapes to digital dictation and transcription? Have a look at the software and test it out on your computer and office setup prior to buying your digital dictaphones or transcription kits.
• Desperately need to convert Olympus .ds2 audio files for playback in older Olympus R4 transcription modules or Express Scribe, dictation module will convert from DSS Pro .ds2 to .mp3 .wma .wav or .dss

Dictation Module (Olympus model number AS-5001)

This software is used by the person who dictates using either the Olympus DS-5000 or DS-3400 digital dictaphones. It is fully featured software and assists the person dictating by automatically downloading audio from their digital dictaphone to their PC. Not only that the software can automatically send your dictation audio files to your typist via either email, FTP or by dropping the files onto a shared network drive or third party file sharing software like Dropbox. Audio files can also be edited by the user prior to sending for transcription.

The Olympus DSS Player Dictation Module software is also very popular with transcription services as it will easily convert .ds2 audio files to .dss or .wma for load into older Olympus transcription kits or free transcription software like Express Scribe from NCH Software.

Transcription Module (Olympus model number AS-5002)

This software when used with a headset and USB transcription foot control (known as the Olympus RS-28) is used by professional transcription typists to start/stop/play/rewind audio as they type into their favourite word processing software.

Software Licence

Both the dictation and transcription module software are licenced meaning they require a purchased software licence key to function. If you would like to try either the dictation or transcription module in your business before you purchase a valid licence key then a free 60 day trial is available. Simply download the software and follow the special trial install instructions and you can see just how powerful the Olympus DSS Player Pro software is. If you would like a copy of the software please email me directly sales@dicate.com.au and we can give you a copy of the DSS Player Pro R5 software (or grab it from the link below) and the instructions to install the 60 day trial version. If after 60 days you decide you would like the software you can purchase it from us at Dictate Australia and we can simply email you your valid licence key.

Download The Latest Version Of DSS Player Pro R5

Want to get a head start and download DSS Player Pro R5 now? Click this link dictat.es/dss-player to download the latest version to your PC (225Mb). Unzip the contents and then be ready to follow the instructions we will email to you to install either the dictation module, transcription module or both in trial mode.

Please note the trial version of DSS Player Pro R5 is only available for Windows standalone installs and is not available for Workgroup, Citrix or Mac users. Software licences are available for purchase outside of Australia from us.

This post is only applicable in Australia. Here is a freebie from Olympus, take it while you can as these things are rare. From 1st march 2012 until 31st May 2012 if you buy an Olympus DS-5000/AS-5000 bundle then you are eligible for a free gift. The bundle is available from us for $999 incl. GST delivered.

Why bundle? Well many people looking to upgrade from analogue tape to digital will generally purchase both a transcription kit and a voice recorder in one go. If you have been thinking of moving to digital dictation now would be a great time especially as you can pick up a free digital camera or free WS series voice recorder as a part of your bundle.

This is the first promo of its kind from Olympus Australia where redemption is via the official Olympus Australia website. In the past Olympus have posted out cameras to its Pro resellers as a give away, this is a smart move again from Olympus as it starts to centralise its legitimate Pro customers in the Olympus Australia system. By legitimate I mean customers who have purchased only from official Australian Pro voice resellers and not the grey market responsible for cheap overseas imports and refurbished dictaphones with no warranty in Australia.

Which one shall I  choose, the camera or the WS series recorder? Of course you should choose the WS series recorder … but I would say that, i’m a digital voice person rather than a photographer. However, the WS series is an excellent little recorder to have handy in your office for recording team meetings etc.

To redeem your free gift you will need a receipt number from your Pro reseller and supply all your details. The small print says that delivery of your gift can take upto 6 weeks so be prepared for a wait. We have already started to email our customers from the last couple of weeks who purchased an Olympus DS-5000 AS-5000 bundle as the promotion although announced yesterday (26th march 2012) is retrospective to the 1st march 2012.

This offer is only available from official Olympus Australia Pro resellers – click here for the Olympus DS Series Special Offer terms and conditions.

Transcription like most things these days has gone digital. Gone are the days of loading and listening to poor quality analogue tapes now we just load and listen to crystal clear digital audio which arrives via email, on a shared network drive or downloaded from a cloud. Regardless of whether you are an experienced micro cassette transcriptionist or someone who is new to transcription the equipment you will need is the same. Transcribing voice to text for digitally recorded audio letters, notes, interviews, focus groups, meetings etc is a highly skilled job, below are the key tools you will need to make this task easier:

1. Computer

Obvious, yes but needs to be pointed out. This can be either an Intel Mac or a Windows PC (running anything from Windows XP up to Windows 7 32-bit and 64-bit). The software available to make transcription easier is commonly available for both Windows and Mac users.

2. Software

This is the key component of transcription typing. The software is responsible for audio playback and audio control from within your preferred word processing or text document software. This means that you never need to leave the window you are typing in to stop/start/rewind the audio – the software handles this for you which saves a huge amount of time as those of you who have tried to transcribe using Windows Media Player or QuickTime will know.

3. USB Foot Pedal or Foot Control

If you have come from a transcription typing background, i.e. you have used a foot pedal before then you will need a USB foot pedal to go with your software, experience has shown us that once a foot pedal user always a foot pedal user. For those of you who are new to transcription you have the option of using a foot control or alternatively using keys on the keyboard to control the audio playback. The pedal or the keys are used to stop/start/rewind while listing to and typing the audio.

Software Options

There are a number of software options around for transcribing audio, we will look at two of the most popular – Express Scribe from NCH Software and DSS Player Transcription Kits from Olympus. The transcription software is key for transcribing digital audio files, it replaces the old tape playing transcriber units of days of old.

Express Scribe from NCH Software – $free or AU$35/US$35/GBP23 approx.

Express Scribe has been around for a very long time and is hugely popular with the micro (WAHM – work at home Mum) and VA (Virtual Assistant) style businesses due to both its cost and functionality. Until late 2011 Express Scribe had been free and could play just about any audio format you could throw at it. This recently changed and NCH now offer a free edition and a Pro (paid) edition of Express Scribe. The Pro edition can play a huge range of audio file formats including the very common .ds2 (DSS Pro) audio files now created on the Professional range of Olympus and Philips digital dictaphones. The free edition is restricted to open audio formats like .MP3 and .WMA (Windows Media Audio). Earlier blog post explains the difference between free and Pro version.

Both Windows and Mac compatible Express Scribe can run on either platform. The software can be downloaded and up and running in minutes and is very easy to use and set-up. I recommend you start with the free version first, install it and have a play to see how it works. Scribe comes pre loaded with a sample audio file containing a welcome message – this is perfect for practice in using the software and transcribing from it. Obviously as a download they haven’t yet perfected squeezing a USB foot pedal down the phone line so to start with use the Hot-Keys to define the how you would prefer to stop/start/rewind your audio.

My tip: use three of the F keys towards the middle of your keyboard and clearly label them with STOP/PLAY/REWIND – you will very quickly get used to which key does what. Should you require a USB foot pedal then I highly recommend you buy one via the NCH website. Pricing is in US$ but they do ship to Australia and other countries outside of the US.

You will also need to find yourself some good headphones to wear as you listen to the audio. I recommend you buy USB headphones and not the headphones that connect via your sound card. Make sure they are comfortable as you will be wearing them a lot.

Olympus Transcription Kit – AS-2400 or AS-5000

These are the Pro kits from Olympus and are typically used by serious transcription typists either running their own transcription service or used by customers who use the Olympus range of recorders in their office. Deciding on which kit is the one for you is fairly easy:

Windows users: AS-5000 will work with all Olympus voice recorders, current and past models including the latest Pro range Olympus DS-2400/DS-3400/DS-5000. Choose AS-2400 if you have any Olympus recorders other than the current Pro range.

Mac users: If you are going to transcribe on a Mac only choose the AS-2400 kit, the software for Mac is exactly the same in the AS-2400 and AS-5000 kits so save yourself some money and only buy the AS-2400.

The cost of these kits when compared to Express Scribe is quite high but remember the kits contain the latest transcription software from Olympus, a transcription headset and a USB foot control (known as an RS-28). The Olympus AS-2400 transcription kit costs approx. AU$349/US$349/GBP234.00 and the AS-5000 kit is approx. AU$449/US$449/GBP300.00 – expensive yes but you do get what you pay for. Including support from your Olympus reseller and from Olympus themselves.

What about Dragon? Dragon is the speech engine that drives the best voice recognition software for Mac and Windows from Nuance. Dragon is excellent at converting voice to text but it only works with one single, trained voice. Being able to use software to accurately convert speech to text for multiple speakers is still a long way off. Transcription is here to stay for a few years yet. See previous blog post – Can Dragon Be Used To Transcribe Interviews and Meetings

<– What is that ugly thing pictured to the left? That is an Olympus Pearlcorder micro cassette transcriber, we have one in our office as a reminder of how our sister company The Transcription People started. If you have a Pearlcorder transcriber that needs replacing you will need to look at going digital. If you are in Australia gives us a call to discuss your options on 1300 787 092 or email me at dave@dictate.com.au

Another example of digital voice being put to a great use is at a website I recently stumbled upon called LibriVox.org – I was on the hunt for audio books for my children when Google pointed me to this resource. Simple concept, they tend to be the best ones, which is take public domain books and have volunteers from around the world record themselves reading them. In turn producing a huge catalog of free audiobooks for the world to enjoy. This is a fantastic initiative, not just because my children get to listen to some classics but for the great many people who for some reason or another can’t or don’t want to read.

LibriVox was started back in 2005 by a man called Hugh McGuire and since then has amassed a few select sidekicks to help with web design, audio book cataloging and the day to day running of LibriVox. Add to that the legion of  volunteers worldwide the LibriVox catalog has grown and grown very fast.

Obviously being digitally recorded readings of books this caught my eye. Most volunteers it seems use Audacity, the very popular open source and free digital audio editing and recording software which runs on all common platforms (Mac, Windows and Linux). Some are also using digital voice recorders for their recordings so I thought I would weigh in with my comments on the best recorders to use should you want to make a contribution and volunteer as a reader for LibriVox. All the details on becoming a volunteer for LibriVox can be found on their extensive FAQ page. You don’t have to read a whole book either, LibriVox have a torrent style approach to recordings asking people to record chapters rather then whole books. Although if you are keen you can record a whole book if you wish.

So you want to record for LibriVox and you quite like the idea of using a digital voice recorder to do it. Benefits are that you can dictate from anywhere so you do not have to sit in front of your computer (visualises a reader in a hammock) so you can be more relaxed and in your favourite reading position.

You do not need a super expensive recorder either, one of the low end digital notetakers would be ideal and I would also recommend grabbing a noise cancelling microphone to concentrate the audio on your voice and not any background noise. The VN series recorders from Olympus are ideal (VN-8600PC or the new VN-711PC for example) as these are very cheap but produce excellent audio quality especially for one person speaking. Make sure you grab a VN series recorder whose model number ends in PC which means they can be connected to a computer (Mac or Windows) to transfer across your recorded audio files, early models without the PC in the model number can not and are useless for this kind of exercise.

Add to these cheap high quality voice recorders a noise cancelling microphone like the Olympus ME-15 or Olympus ME-52W microphones and you are good to go. Both microphones come with an extension cable and tie-pin clip so they can be clipped to your shirt, ideal for when you sit back and just speak your book aloud, all up quite a cheap bundle.

Just a tip. With the note taker style recorders like the VN series mentioned while you are talking if you need to take a break, sneeze or have a coughing fit then you can simply pause the recording. With this style of voice recorder you can not stop/start recording then rewind hear what you last said and then continue recording. These types of voice recorders are called digital dictaphones and they emulate old style tape recorders and they are very expensive. If you find that you are unable to read without making mistakes then you can also use Audacity after you have recorded to edit out the mistakes.

Has that inspired you to give back and become a volunteer for LibriVox?

VN Series recorders are available in Australia from us, Dictate Australia and can also be found at Officeworks. For readers outside of Australia check your local large electrical retailer or Amazon.com

You can follow LibriVox.org on Twitter @librivox

Slowly but surely the Mac version of DSS Player is coming up to speed against its more mature Windows counterpart – called DSS Player v7 Plus on Mac and DSS Player Pro v5 Dictation Module on Windows. However the Mac DSS software is still lacking a couple of keys features that Windows users enjoy, one key feature is auto email of dictation audio files. Most Mac users will simply puff out their chests as they huff that they are quite capable of sending an email without software doing it for them, still it is a handy feature, especially if you have multiple audio files, and a feature that people often ask about and look for.

I was prompted to write this blog post as a couple of hits recently had people looking at how you actually send an audio file from DSS Player v7 Plus, this is when I noticed that it is not entirely obvious in the software – there is no email button or file option. In true Mac fashion emailing a file or files is intuitive – you simply drag and drop from DSS Player Pro into your mail client or into your browser if you use Gmail via the web interface, that’s it. If you are one of those people who like to select the file from disk the quickest way to locate your dictation file and folder is to double tap (or right click if you have set this) on the audio file name in the right window pain in DSS Player Plus, select Property then expand out the File Path to open a Finder window showing your file location. All of these are covered below in detail:

Email Your Olympus Dictation Using Mac Mail

Start by composing your new email in Mac Mail then simply select one or more files from the DSS Player dictation window and drag the file(s) to the content area of your new mail message. The audio files will be copied straight in ready for your to send. Selecting multiple files can be done by holding down the Apple key ⌘ key as you click.

Email Olympus Dictation Using Gmail

If you use Gmail or Google Mail for Business then audio can be dragged into the message composition area of a new email. Again just like above single or multiple files can be selected.

Locating Your Olympus Dictation On Your Mac Hard Disk

If you prefer to find the location of your audio files on your Mac hard disk then this can be done by selecting an individual audio file (highlight it) then right-click or two finger tap to bring up the file properties. The full path of the audio file will be shown in the properties windows. To open a Finder window just click on the box with three dots, see below:

There are a couple of things to consider when you email your digital dictation files. First security, not all email clients encrypt attachments which means your audio could travel across the internet from server to server until it reaches its destination, the recipient(s). This means your audio could be sniffed meaning it could be access as it travels the web, unencrypted could then be listened to. This is unlikely but possible however if you audio is highly confidential consider encrypting the audio and/or your complete email message. Second, attachment file sizes. The maximum file size allowed per an email is usually defined by your ISP (Internet Service Provider) and for bigger companies with their own mail servers by internal policy. On average the maximum email attachment file size is anything between 5Mb to 10Mb. As .dss and .ds2 audio files are designed to be highly compressed it is unlikely that you will hit any restrictions however if your typist has not kept up with technology and is unable to play .ds2 audio files then files converted to .AIFF tend to be a lot larger in file size.

With all the hoo-haa surrounding the Julia Gillard vs Kevin Rudd showdown in Parliament recently I have found myself glued to the TV and twitterstream (in particular the fantastic work by @latikambourke) for news and updates on the goings on in Canberra. One thing I find myself doing when a press conference is on or a politician is hijacked as they leave Canberra Airport is watching the press pack thrust various microphones and digital voice recorders in the face of said pollies.

So what are the types of digital voice recorders that journalists use to capture that all important soundbite for later reference, broadcast or replay on Soundcloud? Digital notetakers are the norm for this kind of scenario, they are small, power up instantly but more importantly can capture the crisp clear bleatings of our elected representatives [earlier blog post - what is the difference between a digital notetaker and digital dictaphone].

These types of digital voice recorders are not expensive (between $100-$200 AUD) and are designed for just this type of media melee, generally running off one single AAA battery and Mac and Windows compatible with no need for software they are the perfect choice. Often I notice the budget VN series recorders from Olympus but more often that not the journos who know what they are doing grab themselves a WS series digital voice recorder.

Some of the key features of the WS series recorder are the record quality settings (high bitrate MP3 ranging from 198kbps to 256kbps) or even high quality, uncompressed PCM .WAV files although .MP3 files are preferred as they tend to be smaller in file size making them quicker and easier to move around the Internet. Some recorders also sport a zoom mic, handy for the less physical journo unable to fight their way to the front of the press pack. The zoom mic acts like a laser pointer, without the small red dot appearing on the targets chest, to narrow the field of audio pickup and to concentrate on the speakers voice alone.

When you combine one of these small high quality digital voice recorders with the Olympus TP-7 (telephone pickup) microphone you also have the ability to record phone conversations from anywhere – your office, out in the field, from home etc. as the TP-7 can be used with any telephone and plugs straight into the mic jack on the voice recorder – link to earlier post re: Olympus mics – look for the TP-7, sample recording included in the post.

So next time you see journalists jostling for position to record the speaker at a press gathering you will have a better idea of what it is they are probing with.

I don’t know much about nursing or the health system, I am rarely at my doctors and the closest I come to anything medical is on a Saturday night when Greys Anatomy is on the TV. Recently though I was briefly exposed to Palliative care and the remarkable people who work in this area of nursing as a very close relative passed away from cancer. Palliative care is given to terminally ill patients to help relieve and prevent their suffering in their last days or weeks. Not a subject most like to discuss but all of us are affected at some point in time.

One of the many services provided by Eastern Palliative Care is called a client biography. This service allows the patient to tell their life story in their own words all of which are recorded on a digital voice recorder. A trained volunteer biographer records the interviews which is later transcribed and given to the family of the patient. The patient often gets great satisfaction from talking about their life, their adventures, maybe some family secrets and often tributes to relatives and friends.

For me and my family we did not have enough time to record our close relative’s thoughts and stories as they passed away too quickly, we did have a voice recorder on hand however we never got the chance to use it. Recording a voice we could have treasured for years to come.

We help to support Eastern Palliative care with free recording and transcription advice as well as at cost Olympus digital voice recorders. Great work Eastern and others like you.

The voice recorders we have suggested and have provided to Eastern Palliative are the Olympus WS series digital voice recorders. We have already shipped some WS-750M recorders and hope to supply some of the newer WS-812 recorders when they are released in Australia March/April 2012.

In my last blog post I talked about some new innovative technology that Olympus have built into to their new range of WS series digital voice recorders which was announced in early January 2012 and on display on the Olympus stand at CES 2012 in San Francisco.

In this post we will look a little closer at the new three digital voice recorders (WS-811, WS-812 and WS-813), see how they are different from the models they will replace (WS-650S/WS-750M/WS-760M) and speculate on when we might see these in Australia. Gone finally is the trailing letter on the model of the recorders that we have seen for so many years where S used to denote Stereo and M was for music, now simply the series, WS, and the model number.

New Olympus WS Series Digital Voice Recorders

• Olympus WS-811 – 2Gb
• Olympus WS-812 – 4Gb
• Olympus WS-813 - 8Gb

New Look

As is usual with a product range revamp we tend to see the same things improve. Firstly we have a new more modern look, the rounded edges, new look grills over the improved microphones. Olympus have done some work with the mics and are high sensitivity low noise, directional mics with a  high signal-to-noise ratio which ensures clear crisp and pure recording. We also see enlarged stop and record buttons for ease of use, not much of a big deal you may think but these recorders are really quite small so anything that helps locate the buttons you need quickly adds to the use experience.

PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) – Uncompressed WAV

Surprisingly we still don’t see PCM recording across the entire WS range, with only the WS-812 and WS-813 affording that luxury which for those of you not aware PCM recordings are equal to CD quality recordings (using the 44.1k/16bit PCM mode to uncompressed WAV). Don’t be swayed, the high quality MP3 and WMA recording modes on all three are still stunningly clear and you would need the hearing of a bat to tell the difference.

MicroSD Slot

Nice to see a microSD slot on each recorder allowing the already large in-built memory to be expanded. Remember these little devices also double as portable storage so not only can you record and keep your audio on them but any digital file – much like a memory stick.

Plug And Play – No Software Required – Mac Compatible

This is nothing new, for a fair few years now Olympus have been Mac compatible and for ease of use you require no software to access the audio, or any other files, you store on your WS series recorder. Simply walk up to any computer, Mac or PC, USB connect and the stored data is available. The USB connector is built into the recorder and slides out from the bottom when needed from just below the speaker grill. All three recorders can also double as an MP3 music player, pop in the supplied earbuds or your own headphones and listen to your music.

Only On The WS-812 and WS-813 …

The WS-811 has been by-passed with some features that will be key to a few like manual recording levels, all three recorders also have auto record levels. Voice playback feature which skips the silent parts of your recording during playback and only plays the recorded voices. Voice balancer technology boosts quieter voices and reduces loud voices to attempt a level range of spoken audio volume. A calendar search function has also been introduced to help you find audio on the a little easier (if you know the date they were recorded). Files can be moved between folders on the device.

When Will They Be Available In Australia?

Yes we are keen to get ahold of these little beauties too, I for one am looking forward to playing with the new voice playback and voice balancer features and putting them through some tests ready for a review. The rumour on the street is that the new WS series recorders will be available in Australia towards the end of March. No confirmation on price in AU (prices in Europe have been published) but I would expect them to come in around the same price as the current WS series range if not a little cheaper, just to put a bit more pressure on the competition.

January is not only the time of year where you and I make resolutions doomed to fail in the first week but more importantly the time of the year where the worlds gadget companies and technology press converge at CES to show the world their latest and greatest for the future and the upcoming year. Olympus is just another name in the crowd at CES showcasing new digital voice recorders and some interesting additions to the feature set of a digital voice recorder.

Voice Changer

I know what you are thinking, this is a fun feature that can change your voice to that of a Dalek, chipmunk or perhaps how you sound after sucking helium. Unfortunatly Olympus are far too serious a company for that feature, it is more focussed around the ability to change the pitch of a recorded voice during playback on the digital voice recorder. Tweaking the pitch of a voice can help make it clearer to hear and therefore understand.

Voice Playback

This is great little feature, on playback of your recorded audio only the voice segments are played back. Silences between conversations are skipped helping you concentrate on what was said rather than awkard or long pauses between the conversation. This will vastly speed up recapping your audio and will be especially noticeable on longer recordings of interviews, meetings or your personal digital audio notes or ramblings.

Voice Balancer

Something that has plagued transcriptionists for years is now about to get much much better. With voice balancer louder recorded voices are toned down whereas as quieter voices are toned up, hence balancing the voices to a more manageable and consistent audio level.

All of the above features were announced by Olympus in a press release at the beginning of January 2012 and will be found in two (WS-812 and WS-813, not WS-811) of the three new WS series recorders released in the US and show cased at CES 2012. More on the new WS series in a separate blog coming soon.

Olympus voice are an innovative bunch, they don’t tend to sit on their hands doing not a lot, they keep refining and evolving their range of digital voice recorders. It is not uncommon to see digital voice recorder models come and go in the space of a single year. As such we often find customers coming back after years of use to replace their digital note taker or dictaphone only to find that their old model voice recorder has been replaced by a newer model.

In an attempt to make finding the current equivalent voice recorder to replace your old trusty Olympus digital voice recorder a little easier I have compiled a list of old models and their latest equivalents. This list covers PCM music recorders, interview/meeting/focus group recorders, budget recorders, the Pro range of digital dictaphones and finally Olympus digital transcription kits.

Olympus WS Series Digital Note Takers

The latest range of WS Series digital voice recorders from Olympus are:

• Olympus WS-811 – 2Gb – WMA, MP3 recording
• Olympus WS-812 – 4Gb – PCM WAV, WMA, MP3 recording
• Olympus WS-813 – 8Gb – PCM WAV, WMA, MP3 recording

These three replace the following list of WS series recorders:

• Olympus WS-100
• Olympus WS-110S
• Olympus WS-200S
• Olympus WS-210S
• Olympus WS-300M
• Olympus WS-310M
• Olympus WS-311M
• Olympus WS-320M
• Olympus WS-321M
• Olympus WS-331M
• Olympus WS-450S
• Olympus WS-550M
• Olympus WS-560M
• Olympus WS-650S
• Olympus WS-750M
• Olympus WS-760M

Olympus VN Series Basic Digital Notetakers

• Olympus VN-2100PC discontinued, equivalent Olympus VN-8500PC or VN-8600PC
• Olympus VN-3100PC discontinued, equivalent Olympus VN-8500PC or VN-8600PC
• Olympus VN-3500PC discontinued, equivalent Olympus VN-8500PC or VN-8600PC
• Olympus VN-5500PC discontinued, equivalent Olympus VN-8500PC or VN-8600PC
• Olympus VN-6800PC discontinued, equivalent Olympus VN-8500PC or VN-8600PC
• Olympus VN-8500PC discontinued, equivalent Olympus VN-711PC
• Olympus VN-8600PC discontinued, equivalent Olympus VN-712PC

Olympus DP Series Basic Digital Notetaker

• Olympus DP-20 discontinued, equivalent Olympus DP-211

Olympus DM Series Digital Meeting Recorders

• Olympus DM-450 discontinued, equivalent Olympus DM-3
• Olympus DM-550 discontinued, equivalent Olympus DM-5

Olympus DS Series Digital Meeting Recorders

• Olympus DS-30 discontinued, equivalent Olympus DM-3
• Olympus DS-40 discontinued, equivalent Olympus DM-3
• Olympus DS-50 discontinued, equivalent Olympus DM-3
• Olympus DS-55 discontinued, equivalent Olympus DM-3
• Olympus DS-65 discontinued, equivalent Olympus DM-3

Olympus DS Series Digital Dictaphones

• Olympus DS-2200 discontinued, equivalent Olympus DS-2500
• Olympus DS-2300 discontinued, equivalent Olympus DS-2500
• Olympus DS-3300 discontinued, equivalent Olympus DS-3500
• Olympus DS-4000 discontinued, equivalent Olympus DS-7000
• Olympus DS-2400 discontinued, equivalent Olympus DS-2500
• Olympus DS-3400 discontinued, equivalent Olympus DS-3500
• Olympus DS-5000 & DS-5000iD discontinued, equivalent Olympus DS-7000

Olympus LS Series Digital PCM Music Recorders

• Olympus LS-10 discontinued, equivalent Olympus LS-3
• Olympus LS-11 discontinued, equivalent Olympus LS-3

Olympus Digital Transcription Kits

• Olympus AS-2300 discontinued, equivalent AS-2400
• Olympus AS-4000 discontinued, equivalent AS-7000
• Olympus AS-5000 discontinued, equivalent AS-7000

If your older model Olympus digital voice recorder is not on the list please leave a comment with the model number and I will add it.

The official change from firmware version 1.20 to 1.30 details:

• Start DAISY file playback from previously stopped position. (DM-5 only)
• Improved DAISY bookmark function: The bookmark is at the exact position where it is set by the user. (DM-5 only)

For details on how to update the firmware on your DM-3/DM-5 please refer to our earlier blog post:

Mac & Windows – Olympus DM-3 / DM-5 Firmware Update – How To

A couple of customers recently have had some minor issues using their Olympus DS-5000/DS-5000iD/DS-3400 digital dictaphone on their Mac running Lion (OS X 10.7). The problem experienced was that the device was not automatically recognised by the software when the digital voice recorder was docked or the USB cable attached.

The problem seemed to stem from release 7.2.6 of the Olympus DSS Player Plus software which was built and shipped pre the Lion release. Olympus have now released a patch to version 7.2.8 which makes DSS Player Pro for Mac now fully Lion compatible.

The patch can be downloaded from Olympus directly – click here to download the latest Olympus Voice software updates and patches

No, is the short answer. Voice or speech recognition software will only successfully work with one spoken voice and that spoken voice, for best results, needs to have trained the software to understand their voice and style of speaking known as creating a voice profile. Most people who use voice recognition software typically pop on a headset and mic and chat away to their Windows PC or Mac and watch as their voice is magically (or using the Dragon voice recognition engine if you don’t believe in magic) converted to text.

Voice recognition is currently going through a spike in popularity, especially since the release of the iPhone 4S running iOS5 with Siri, which has raised awareness of just how good voice recognition technology has evolved over the last couple of years, Nuance being the company leading the way in this technology on Mac, Windows and now inside iOS5 working closely with Apple.

Because of this everyone now has an iPhone which is capable of recording audio and most who need to capture important meetings or interviews also have a high quality digital voice recorder. Dragon NaturallySpeaking Premium and Professional edition on Windows and MacSpeech Scribe on the Mac can take recorded audio and transcribe it, that is only for that single trained person who is speaking. So it is understandable that the leap is often made that if it can transcribe one voice it can transcribe many, not so. The technology is not there yet and in my opinion won’t be for quite some time.

Nuance on their website cleverly have a couple of pages dedicated to Transcribing Interviews or Transcribing Lectures using a technique called voice writing or parroting. The idea is simple, you record your interview, meeting, lecture or whatever it is that has multiple voices or a single voice that you can not get trained in Dragon (possibly the voice of someone making a speech or presenting at a conference). Then when you are sitting in front of your Windows PC or Mac (in this case running Dragon Dictate, not MacSpeech Scribe) you listen to your recorded audio and you speak what you hear. Therefore it is your trained voice that Dragon hears as you are repeatings other peoples words from your recording. Sounds simple doesn’t it – it isn’t, I have tried it a few times and have become extremely frustrated. You may find that the voice you are listening to is too fast for you to remember and repeat back which means you are constantly stopping and rewinding the audio, which on an iPhone app or basic digital voice recorder is not always that easy. You will likely often have to stop the audio to correct mistakes made by Dragon, maybe when unfamiliar names or terms are used which have not been trained into your user profile. It will work but it does take a lot of concentration and a large amount of practice, you can give it a try just search YouTube for a boardroom meeting and see if you can repeat what you hear while wearing a headset and mic.

So what are your practical options for transcribing audio or video of meetings and interviews or in fact any audio that you need turned from voice to text?

Option 1 – Type The Audio Yourself

You could transcribe the audio yourself using some specialised transcription software to help you, transcription is the process of typing what you hear. When I say help it won’t actually do the work of typing it for you but it will assist greatly with the audio playback. For example if you are a slow typist you could slow the speed of audio playback down to match your typing speed or conversly also speed up the audio if your fingers are a blur when you type. Using transcription software you can also easily rewind the audio, again set up to match your typing ability so you could either rewind back half a second or if you are a poor typist like me rewind the audio back up to 5 seconds. The biggest benefit of using transcription software is that audio can be controlled from inside the word processor that you are typing in. By that I mean using a USB connected foot pedal or pre-defined keys on your keyboard you can stop/play/rewind the audio without leaving the document that you are typing. This is a huge time saver, often people try to transcribe using Windows Media Player or Quicktime for their audio playback and they have to constantly switch between they document to the audio player to stop/rewind/play and then back to the document which adds a considerable amount of time to the whole transcribing process.

Pros Of Doing It Yourself

• Cost, from the point of view that you are not paying someone else to do the work.
• Cost, from the point of view that transcription software is free or relatively cheap depending on what you buy.

Cons Of Doing It Yourself

• It is hard work and not as easy as it sounds.
• Transcription typing does take a long time even if you are experienced.

Just as an indication of how long transcription takes, a good quality one hour audio file of an interview between two people would take an experienced transcription typist around 2-3 hours to transcribe. If you are not experienced expect that to rise to 4-5 hours and without the help of transcription software even longer.

Transcription Software

• Express Scribe from NCH Software – $FREE
• Express Scribe Pro from NCH Software – approx. AU$40 – Click Here To Buy Express Scribe PRO – Plays .dss .ds2 .dct .dvf .avi .mov .wmv audio and video files.
• Olympus AS-2400 Digital Transcription Kit – Includes software, headset and USB foot pedal – RRP AU$425 but usually it sells online for less. Windows & Mac compatible.

Option 2 – Outsource To A Professional Transcription Service

If you need your audio transcribed quickly and accurately then this option is for you. Just Google transcription service and see how many businesses are listed both organically and in the paid Google ads. Transcription has become a boom business over the last few years and that makes total sense. With the availability and high quality of digital voice recorders and iPhone apps just about everyone is recording their meetings, interviews, podcasts, vodcasts, focus groups, lectures, letters, assessments the list goes on. It is great to have a record of your meeting and the like stored digitally which can be easily shared within your business on your intranet or with the world on the internet but more often than not a written transcript is also required for offline reading, compliance or for public record. There are all kinds of reasons audio and video is transcribed into text these days.

This is where a professional transcription service can come in to help you. Simply send them your digital audio or video via the internet and they can set to work using their team of experienced transcription typists to convert your voice to text. Here is a security tip, always make sure that the transcription service you use has their own secure file server and that the data you send them is encrypted either using FTPS (not FTP) or HTTPS (not HTTP) – this is important for two reasons. 1. your audio/video is encrypted as it travels across the internet from you to their servers. 2. by ensuring they run their own secure server they will have full control and access over what happens on that server. Many transcription services use third party providers like SendThisFile.com and they nor you have any control over your data on that third parties servers. Ask any transcription service that you approach about their security and file transfer mechanisms. Many still use FTP and not FTPS, transferring files across FTP alone does not encrypt the file contents, be it audio, video or worse still your transcribed documents.

Any good professional transcription service will turn your audio around quickly and the final transcript will very accurate. Typically there are two phases to the transcription process; phase 1 is the transcription typist who listens and types your audio/video to text. Phase 2 is a quality assurance phase, a proofreader will listen to your audio and proof against what has been transcribed. This double verifies the typists work and the document can be formatted to your specific requirements. Obviously we recommend The Transcription People, not just because this is our sister company but because they are leaders in the transcription industry in Australia who service clients not only from Australia but also the US and Europe

As audio and video for transcription is mainly digital you can utilise the services of a transcription company anywhere in the world, you may want to do this for cost benefit reasons but more often than not to take advantage of time zones. Many UK and US businesses will use the services of Australian based transcription companies for just this reason as Australia tends to work their business day as Europe and the US sleep.

Pros

• Speed, this is a transcription services core business. Reputable companies will turn around audio and video very quickly.
• Accuracy, again as a core business this is how transcription services are rated from a customers point of view. A good transcription firm will always produce high quality accurate transcriptions because of the two phase approach.
• Ability to adapt, regardless of how much audio or video you send you should always expect the same fast, accurate turn around of transcripts.
• You don’t have to do it so you can focus your time on more productive work.

Cons

• Cost is the only con, you are paying for a service so compared to you doing it yourself there will be a cost involved. Obviously the larger more reputable transcription companies will have different rates from the work from home type of micro transcription service.

So there you have it ! Reasons why Dragon NaturallySpeaking for Windows or MacSpeech Scribe for Apple Mac are not good for transcribing meetings or interviews and the options you have open to you to convert recorded audio or video into text.

We are just talking about Pro Olympus digital dictation products here, these are the DS series digital dictation recorders (DS-5000/DS-3400/DS-2400) and their corresponding Olympus transcription kits (AS-5000/AS-2400). The Pro recorders can only be sold by selected Olympus Imaging resellers in Australia. These Pro resellers should be displaying the Olympus Pro Dictation logo (eyes left) to let you know they are authorised resellers, but being the internet those logos can easily be copied (more on copying images later in this post, you will want to read on, it’s a great story).

The Olympus Voice Pro Dictation resellers are not randomly picked, we all have to meet strict criteria to become a Pro reseller. We have all been involved with Olympus for a number of years and we all have been through training with Olympus. Not only that, we all have our own dedicated Olympus rep who we can and do call on regularly. They are there to help us and you with any questions, advice, news, special pricing on large or special orders and with any warranty claims. Olympus Voice are part of Olympus Imaging and have a dedicated voice team out of their office in Ryde, Sydney.

So lets talk about pricing. As Pro resellers we only buy from Olympus Imaging Australia who set the RRP (recommended retail price) of the Pro series recorders and the price at which we buy them from Olympus. It is then upto the reseller to determine the price at which they want to sell which is obviously somewhere in between. This is why you will see pricing from the Pro resellers all around a similar  price point. To make it easier for you I have listed the official Olympus Voice Pro Resellers in Australia at the bottom of this post.

When you see an Olympus DS-5000 top of the range digital dictaphone selling on some Australian websites for $100+ less than most other reseller sites you may be thinking wow what a bargain but those of you who are online savvy will also be thinking why? Well if the company is not a Pro reseller then they will not be buying their recorders from Australia, only Olympus Imaging have the rights to sell them in Australia. So they will be imported, usually from the US where the strong Australian dollar makes US purchases more attractive. Being overseas models they will not be covered by the Australian warranty, so any issues you may have with your recorder can not go back to Olympus in Australia. This is where many issues can arise, a recorder with no warranty will be expensive for the person selling to replace and you may not get the service or replacement you expect.

One none Pro reseller here in Australia was bought to my attention recently, they were selling the DS-5000 very cheaply which rang some alarm bells. A close look showed that they had copied word for word my description of various Pro range recorders. Not only that but they had thought it appropriate to also use my images on their website. Sure, copying of images happens all the time on the internet, just because I created the image doesn’t mean I have exclusive rights to it when it is public on the internet. But in this case, as they had copied my website code, they were pulling the images from my own server – that is really taking liberties. So, a quick tweek to the image and that website is now proudly displaying my phone number on their website

We all like a bargain but when you are spending big on state of the art digital dictation solutions I personally think it is worth spending that little bit extra to get in country support from the company who actually makes the products and their nominated Pro dealers. Get to know your Olympus Pro reseller, we all have our own niches and specialities – Dictate Australia are well known for knowing Mac as well as Windows; we provide digital dictation and voice recorders, transcription solutions and voice recognition for both platforms. We have customers all over the country and can support any installation remotely but more importantly we are always at the end of the phone for a chat and for advice.

As of October 2011 there are 32 Pro resellers in Australia of which of course we, Dictate Australia, are one of them. The list of Pro resellers rarely changes but if you are not sure please call Olympus on 1300 659 678 and confirm. The Pro resellers are currently:

• Dictate Australia Pty Ltd
• Stuart & Dunn Office Choice
• Lanier Voice
• Pc Dictation
• Dictation World
• Business Machinery Rentals
• Abc Dictation / J.d.wilmot
• Prime Office National
• Global Transcription Services
• Sharp  Electronics
• Voice Recognition
• Biztech
• Voice X Communications
• Raltone International
• Lanier Voice
• Diversified Dictation Syst.
• Dictation Solutions
• Nts Transcriptions
• Biztech It
• Norac
• Lanier Voice
• Dictating City Centre
• Business Machinery Rentals
• Pdt Digital
• Ds Office
• Copia Business Machines
• Dictafix
• Talk Solutions
• Contact Office Technology
• Abacus
• Phil Hughes Office Solutions
• Bistec

### UPDATE - Feb 2012 ###

### Olympus Australia now keep an up-to-date list of Pro Audio resellers on their website. Here

### is the link: http://www.olympus.com.au/Navigation/Contact/Pro-Audio-Dealers.aspx