New Olympus DS-5000 DS2 Audio Format Not Express Scribe Compatible

The Olympus DS-4000 replacement, the DS-5000 and DS-5000iD record in a newer format of the DSS (Digital Speech Standard) audio format known as .DS2 or DSS Pro. Initial testing with the popular Express Scribe transcription software used by many transcription businesses including our own, The Transcription People shows that the new .DS2 format is not compatible with Scribe, this we believe is due to tighter licencing controls of the DSS audio standard.

There is the option on the DS-5000 and DS-5000iD to record in "Classic DSS" however selecting this reduces not only the audio quality of the recording, QP record mode can not be selected only SP, but also limits some of the additional functionality of the unit. Verbal comments can not be recorded and index marks are limited to 16 for each file.

As soon as we receive our test unit we will test if "Classic DSS" will produce the older style .DSS files which can be loaded into Express Scribe.

Olympus DS-5000iD Pricing Confirmed For Australia

Official pricing for all the new 5000 range has now been distributed by Olympus Australia. The RRP prices are as follows:

DS-5000 - $895.00 incl. GST

DS-5000iD - $975.00 incl. GST

AS-5000 - $450 incl. GST

Available only from official Olympus Australia Professional resellers.

Finally - DS-5000 & AS-5000 Pricing Announced In Australia

The much anticipated replacement for the Olympus DS-4000 digital dictation kit and the Olympus AS-4000 transcription kit, the DS-5000 and AS-5000 were officially released in Australia today, 1st September 2008.

Today we finally received the pricing for these new models, they have come in at the same price as the DS-4000 / AS-4000. A smart move from Olympus, not only are these much more advanced recorders and transcription kits but they have been held at this price for some years now. Olympus could have easily released them for a marked up price but by doing this they will continue to keep a dominant grip on the digital voice recorder market here in Australia.

Surprisingly though, the DS-5000iD, the DS-5000 with the finger print reader for added security, we still do not have the official RRP for. As soon as we get it it will be posted on our website.

R.I.P. DS-4000, a legend of a digital dictatphone

Dragon NaturallySpeaking Version 10 Announced

Nuance, the owners of Dragon NaturallySpeaking, the leading voice recognition software for the Windows platform have just announced the next major release for Dragon NaturallySpeaking.

Jumping from release 9 (or 9.5 if you are running Naturally Speaking on Vista) to version 10 the new Dragon boasts some improved speed and functionality.Version 10 is faster and 20% more accurate than version 9. In my experience the last version was really accurate so I am surprised that they could improve on this. The speed improvement will be noticeable as you dictate, the lag experienced as the software works out what you were saying is significantly decreased.

There are a fresh set of icons for the Dragon Bar.

Quick Voice Formatting is new, which makes it easier to format, delete, and copy words and passages with a single command.

The tutorials have been revamped and improved.

Nuance have recognised that alot of us use Firefox as our preferred browser and have built in support for Firefox with voice commands.

The focus in this release is more control over your computer using voice rather than just using Dragon as a dictation tool. Improved control over programs, hyperlinks and mouse control are included in the new version.

We hope to have a copy in the office in the next few days. As soon as it is in I will create some videos to demo the new look and feel.

For more information jump over to the Nuance US website.

Dragon NaturallySpeaking Standard & Preferred version available now to buy from Dictate Australia - www.dictate.com.au

DS-5000 & AS-5000 Set To Launch August 2008 In Australia

We reported back in March that the sunset for the amazing DS-4000 digital dictaphone and the AS-4000 digital transcription kit was fast approaching.




The next generation of top of the line digital dictaphones from Olympus will soon make their debut in Australia. The DS-5000 and DS-5000iD professional digital dictaphones along with their very own transcription kit the AS-5000 look to be coming the middle of August.

As reported in the Olympus press release the DS-5000 will replace the DS-4000 and the AS-5000 will replace the AS-4000. Interestingly the DS-5000 will not be compatible with the older AS-4000 transcription kits, users looking to move to the DS-5000 will need to replace all their kit.

Which Digital Voice Recorder Is Right For Me?

Buying a digital voice recorder can be a little perplexing. The range of models, features and price varies and requires quite a bit of Googling to work out which model does what.

We try to take some of the pain away by having a "compare" box on the left side of the website to give you as much detail as possible about all the recorders. Here are the links:

Compare Olympus VN2100-PC & VN3100-PC - Basic Notetakers
Compare Olympus WS Series Digital Recorders
Compare Olympus DS Series Advanced and Pro Digital Voice Recorders

We can also help you narrow down the right model for your needs. Just give us a call, send us an email or grab us via the live chat on our website. If you are shy and don't like the idea of talking to someone who is excited about digital voice recorders (er .. thats me) then here is a simple guide for you.

• I want to record single speaker (i.e. only me talking) recording notes and letters.
• I want to record one on one interviews that will always be carried out in a quiet office across a desk.
• I do not need the ability to rewind audio, hear what I just said and then tag audio on the end, much like the old style analogue dictaphones. I am happy just hitting record to start and stop to end the recording.
• I use a Mac. I use Windows XP. I use Windows Vista.

The best recorder for you would be the Olympus WS-110.

• I want to record single speaker (i.e. only me talking) recording notes and letters.
• I will be recording interviews with two or three people in my office and in quiet environments.
• I do not need the ability to rewind audio, hear what I just said and then tag audio on the end, much like the old style analogue dictaphones. I am happy just hitting record to start and stop to end the recording.
• I use a Mac. I use Windows XP. I use Windows Vista.

The best recorder for you would be the Olympus WS-210S.

• I want to record single speaker (i.e. only me talking) recording notes and letters.
• I will be recording interviews and meetings with a few people both in my office and over lunch or in a cafe with background noise.
• I am a reporter and need to grab sound bites while out and about.
• I am a student and want to record lectures I attend.
• I am going to a conference and want to record the audio at a conference.
• I want the ability to record directly to my computer hard drive bypassing the inbuilt memory.
• I do not need the ability to rewind audio, hear what I just said and then tag audio on the end, much like the old style analogue dictaphones. I am happy just hitting record to start and stop to end the recording.
• I use a Mac. I use Windows XP. I use Windows Vista.

The best recorders for you would be the WS-311M, WS-321M or WS-331M.

• I want to record single speaker (i.e. only me talking) recording notes and letters.
• I will be recording large board meetings or focus groups.
• I don't want to worry about batteries and want the ability to plug my recorder into mains power.
• I want the ability to record directly to my computer hard drive bypassing the inbuilt memory.
• I do not need the ability to rewind audio, hear what I just said and then tag audio on the end, much like the old style analogue dictaphones. I am happy just hitting record to start and stop to end the recording.
• I use Windows XP. I use Windows Vista.  *I use a Mac.

The best recorders for you would be the DS-30, DS-40 or DS-50.

* The DS-30 / DS-40 / DS-50 can be used with a Mac, the software provided with the recorders can not. 

Click Here for a YouTube video explaining.

• I am a professional, I need a digital dictaphone to record notes and letters.
• I need to be able to rewind what I have just said and add audio on the end.
• I will be mainly just recording single speaker audio and the occasional small meeting.
• I want to be able to power my recorder by battery or mains power.
• I want to put my recorder in its dock and have it automatically recharge itself and send the audio to my typist or online transcription business.
• I use a Mac. I use Windows XP. I use Windows Vista.
  

The best recorders for you would be the DS-2300, DS-3300 or DS-4000.

*As of 1st September 2008 the DS-4000 has been discontinued and replaced by the new DS-5000 and DS-5000iD model.

However, please call to discuss your exact requirements as each models has different levels of functionality.

That is just a very rough guide. It is always best to call or live chat us on our website to discuss your exact needs.

Olympus LS-10 In Australia - They Came & Went

Well they finally arrived. The Olympus LS-10 made its debut in Australia last week and we got our grubby hands on two of them on Wednesday 4th June. Unfortunately for us as soon as they came in they went straight out to a couple of very keen customers. Because of this we were unable to pop the box and have a play.



We will be sure to put one aside in our next batch to test and review. Next release of LS-10's in Australia is expected mid-July and then with a ramp up of supply soon after that.