MacSpeech Scribe – How To Convert Audio To AIFF Using Olympus DSS Player Version 7 Plus For MacSpeech Scribe

MacSpeech Scribe just released by MacSpeech lets Mac users record their voice to a digital voice recorder and then have MacSpeech Scribe transcribe it for them. The only certified digital recording devices for MacSpeech Scribe are the iPhone, iPod Touch (2G+ plus a mic) and some of the Olympus digital voice recorders. Two of the … read more

Options For Playing Olympus .ds2 (DSS Pro) Audio Files If You Use Express Scribe Or Older Olympus Transcription Kits

How to play or convert Olympus .ds2 audio files to .dss


Download sample .dss and .ds2 audio files at the end of this blog post …

This is a hot topic in the transcription world. The DSS Pro (.ds2) audio format now in use by default on all the Olympus, Philips and Grundig digital dictaphones. It is a hot topic for a couple of reasons, often a transcriber can not play the new .ds2 audio files because:

  1. Transcriptionist has an older Olympus transcription kit (AS-2300 or AS-4000) with a RS-26 pedal
  2. Transcriptionist uses Express Scribe software free or paid version

There are a couple of ways to get around this (unless you just buy the right and latest software for transcription) and the options depend on what you have already and what operating system you use. I will try to cover all possible solutions, if I miss one please let me know and I will update this post. What I will say right from the outset is that these solutions are work arounds for typists who choose not to stay up-to-date with the latest software. By purchasing an Olympus AS-5000 transcription kit (or just the DSS Player Pro transcription module software AS-5002 if you already own an RS-28 Olympus foot pedal) all these issues will go away. The latest DSS Player Pro transcription module is fully compatible with the DSS Pro (.ds2) audio files.

So let me try and cover all options for those who do not have the latest DSS Player Pro transcription module.

read moreOptions For Playing Olympus .ds2 (DSS Pro) Audio Files If You Use Express Scribe Or Older Olympus Transcription Kits

Rejig In The Olympus Voice Range & Pricing

Traditionally June has been the month for Olympus (and others) to launch their price list ready for the start of the next financial year. As we had already seen some price changes from Olympus Voice in February nothing much was expected in the annual June pricing updates and sure enough thats what has happened, not alot. Of note though are the following changes/additions annouced:

  • Olympus DS-40 price reduced to RRP $595 incl. GST
  • New model Olympus DS-55 priced at RRP $695 incl. GST
  • Olympus DS-2300 price reduced to RRP $695 incl. GST
  • New model Olympus DS-3400 priced at $795 incl. GST
  • New accessory, RS30W remote for LS-10 recorders at RRP $195 incl. GST

So we see price cuts on the DS-40 (down to the old Olympus DS-30 price) and also a cut for the DS-2300. These models are facing their last few weeks/months of life before being discontinued in favour of the new models already here.

read moreRejig In The Olympus Voice Range & Pricing

Welcome to Australia – New Olympus DS-3400 Digital Dictaphone

News filtered through this week that on a flight from Japan a load of new Olympus digital voice recorders has arrived at the Melbourne headquarters for Olympus Voice, the Olympus DS-3400. This makes the past few weeks busy ones for the Olympus folks as they also took delivery of the DS-50 replacement the DS-65 (see this post).

 

New Olympus DS-3400 Digital Dictaphone
New Olympus DS-3400 Digital Dictaphone

 

read moreWelcome to Australia – New Olympus DS-3400 Digital Dictaphone

Where Did That Come From – Olympus DS-3400

On a quiet Tuesday evening, nothing much to do, thought I would do some surfing on the web. Called into one of the most static sites you will find, the Olympus Voice Australia website. Clicked on the what’s new link and boom – DS-3400 Coming Soon ! Why was I surprised by this? Well, apart … read more