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AUDIO HOURS

Posted By: MedT on 2006-02-25
In Reply to:

Can anyone give me any idea what to charge for an audio hour of transcription and how much time this equals out to? I was offered a freelance job of 30 hours of audio hours for TAT of 2 days and have never done this before.  It is television production work. Thanks for any help!!!!


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There is no way to do 30 audio hours

I can usually transcribe 1 hour of dictation, my easy stuff, in 1-1/2 to 2 hours.  Even if you have really easy stuff to do, on the low end it would probably take at least 60 hours to transcribe, and mayve 90!  Geez..even if you could transcribe it in real time...taking only 30 hours to transcribe those 30 hours, you'd be putting in 2 15 hour days to do it.  Realistically, for 30 hours of dictation you would 60-90 hours of work.


audio
I just left them for the second and final time due to extremely bad audio files.  I was assured this second go-round that the problem had been corrected but was not.  I spent the biggest part of the first week - lasted about 3 days - trying to hear dictators, mainly ESL.  The people I dealt with were terrific; benefits are some of the best; audio extremely poor.  I figured no money could be made under those circumstances.
How's the audio quality with TT? nm
x
Patti - about audio
Thanks for your input. I haven't taken the job yet, as I wanted to get some advice from others. Of course, the sample test he had me take was extremely clear! The calm before the storm! He said he would pay me $50 per audio hour. I'm thinking, if it takes me over 2 hours to do an audio hour, it probably isn't worth it. Maybe I'll just have to try it first and tell him up front what my plan is. Do you think $50 sounds fair?
Everything audio I was sent was horrible..
xx
Really bad audio and account--sm
Was a verbatim account and really bad dictators, lots of heavy ESL. So, yes.  Very hard to make good line counts under those working conditions.
medgarde audio
I was wondering if anyone else has ever applied to medgarde and had trouble playing the sound files?! I have been trying to get it to play for a day, and I updated the media player... I'm just curious if anyone else had this problem and what they did to fix it.
the audio is horrible on the new system....
I had my husband listen to a little bit of one of the doctors and even he said it sounded like mush. I bought an expensive pair of noise cancelling headphones and it is still terrible. I can handle the software, but the audio is another thing. I am ready to resign. Grrrrr.
I have had zero problems with ESL/audio quality/whatever. TT is the best so far for me.
nm 
Getting paid by audio hour
I have not gotten paid by audio hour before and just wondered if anyone has an idea what good pay per audio hour is? It's straight typing for seminars/speakers. Any opinions would be greatly appreciated!
Good luck with audio
I have done seminars/speakers, etc and never again unless I listen to the tapes or whatever first.   It all depends on where they put the microphone and their euipment. I got stuck doing a seminar and found out it was all about building a chip in a computer and had all orientals at the seminar  - worse nightmare that there was.  You would have to see how many lines you would get in an hour worth of the audio to figure out a fair price -- not in an hour of typing for you but the audio and the difficulty.   I had 10 tapes from a 2  day seminar  -- 60 minute tapes not all were filled on each side and their bill was well over 1200.  Had another on the use of animal with sexually abused children for therapy, 8 to 10 hours of audio and that one was also over $1000.  But I charged by line.  It took about 4 hours to do each hour of audio when it was good recordings and up to 5 to 6 when poor.  We did average about $25 per hour when typing but adding in the QA and listening again to make sure we did not miss anything brought it down to under $20.  So then it would be a charge of about $80 per audio hour -- rough estimate.  Again too many variables and I would not charge or be paid that way. 
Posts here say you need about $2 per audio minute to
p
You'd do better to bill by the audio minute; I'd bill $0.75 per minute of audio.
x
I agree on the audio. Not sure what causes their problems with this. nm
:
DocQ audio from keyboard
CTRL + SPACEBAR to toggle on and off for play, CTRL + comma and CTRL + period for rewind and fast forward. Once you've tried it for a half a shift, you'll never want to see your footpedal again!
Unless your audio can speed up more than mine
I would say the person (people) telling you 3x as much as straight are just outright lying. I think I mentioned my speed, high also but never have tripled on VR and I keep my audio at full speed, cannot do more than the audio allows. I am very satisfied in the long run with Escription. I had so many straight reports yesterday, usually do the op notes but mostly discharge summaries on the weekends sometimes and so many ESLs, I could have pulled my hair out. What is strange, sometimes a particular dictator on VR and sometimes not? Don’t get that but wish all were. Good luck!
A wav pedal for the audio transcription part....(sm)

I honestly don't know if you NEED one or not...there may have been manual 'play/pause' buttons you could click on with a mouse, but I cannot remember for sure, so don't quote me on that.  Reference books are definitely handy...I had to break open my AAMT rule book for a couple of things I wasn't 100% sure on, and even had to pull out my old dusty Dorland's that I've been using as a foot rest for some obsure thing I couldn't get a definitive answer off the 'net from. 


Like I said, I enjoyed taking the test because I've honestly never tested before.   I've only been doing transcription for 5 years now, and it was always with the same company, and still have oodles to learn.  The part I enjoyed most though was the actual sample transcriptions.  Fun to hear other voices and accents and type up material I never got exposed to before.


Just give it a shot!  After you finish a 'block' of testing, it asks you if you want to stop and come back to it later or keep going.  When you first sign up for the testing, it assigns you a log-in and password, solely for that purpose that if you need to take a break or plain ol' stop, you have that option. 


I shoulda asked the interviewer how I did.  No part of the test said anything like, 'Sorry, but you stink and you can go away now.'  I guess if you pass one part it feels you are good to go onto the next?  No idea honestly. 


Go on...just do it. 


The two ladies that I talked to, both before and after testing, were very nice and I'm sure it's a great company.  I just knew where I really wanted to be is all. 



I work for the DSG-2 side. One account has some bad audio sm
some of the time-not all.  Otherwise I am happy where I am.  I cannot speak for the other side which has different accounts. 
Sick and tired of poor audio quality (sm)

that seems to get worse and worse as the days go by?  Remember when we were told that switching from tapes to digital would make all the difference in the world with regard to clarity and our production?   Remember when we were paid more and had plenty of work?  Remember when there was no working on Sundays or holidays? 


Why is EVERYTHING MT going to the dumpster?


Why do these MTSOs accept reports dictated on cell phones?  Can't they write in their contracts that cell phone dictation is not clear and it can also be intercepted by others and therefore unacceptable?  Why don't the QA personnel who read our flagged comments about awful audio pass this information on to the client so that it can be fixed?  It's getting worse and worse.


Back in the days when I had my own accounts, one of my dictators asked me to please tell him as soon as his equipment malfunctioned (in those days, it was batteries running low or a tape that needed to be tossed and replaced).  He said there was no need for the MT to suffer with poor audio reports when there is a simple fix.  So, what's the difference here when the idiots dictate on cell phones?  Or there is a hospital phone with a short in it?  Why can't these things be fixed?   


My plea:  If you are a QA person or MTSO getting repeated complaints about specific dictators' dictations being garbled or unclear, won't you please notify, and keep notifying the client until they are brought up to par.  How about sticking up for the MTs for a change rather than protecting the client all the time!?  In the end you are protecting everyone, including the poor patients whose reports are being dictated and transcribed. 


I'm tired of MTs taking all the blame for this industry's downfall.  If MTSOs and clients demand 2-hour turn-around time, how about improving the technology to make your unending demands more attainable?  It's 2006.  There is no excuse for the garbage I have to listen to day after day.  No excuse at all. 


 


Wasn't just fast, the audio quality (re-recording)
2
DocQ, hmmm, how to play audio from keyboard??
Can you share.  Didn't know, worked on platform twice and nobody ever said this.???  Can you share?
Sorry, I work 15 hours a day 5 days a week and 5 hours the other 2, when I come here I dont proof.
nm
Why would they give you a choice of 16 or 24 hours. Usually part time is anything under 37 hours.

That is extremely odd. Well they must have something up their sleeves. Well I will be working elsewhere part time as well as with MQ as I have no intention of sitting 40 hours with no work from Amherst and be expected to have 150 lph with no work. What is all this window of work time they said they would be giving everyone. I figured all along they would do away with SE. I have already been looking around and ordered a new computer  to send theirs back.


 


Any companies that allow line count rather than hours or less than 20 hours per week? (sm)

Wouldn't mind having something extra especially with Christmas and general winter expenses coming up but working a FT job and really don't want to do another 20 hours on top of that. 


 


the day has 24 hours, I work only 6-8 hours, so, lots of time to post...nm
nm
Must we choose either 8, 16 or 24 hours. Why would they want someone only working 8 hours a week.
That is less than SE are required now.
MDI-FL. Approximately 7 hours a month x12 months =84 hours
And your PTO acrues from day 1. You are just unable to utilize it until after 90 days. They have excellent benefits.
You can have insurance at 30 hours with Encompass, 32 hours with eTransPlus. nm

10-15 an hour for 8 hours is better than nothing for 8 hours when there is no work.
x
You do not get PTO for 16 hours a week. 24 hours or more for the PTO. nm
:
That's exactly what I was going to say. Yes, I work at least 12 hours a day, sometimes 15 hours
to get all of my line count in because I have so many interruptions in my day.  There is no way I would tell my company this nor expect them to pay me OT that they never asked you to do. Unless, I was called by my supervisor and asked to work extra for OT, I would never just take it upon myself to work and expect to be paid.  If you were not authorized to work OT, then your not getting paid. Point blank. I do not work at TT, but I have worked at enough jobs, at home as an MT and otherwise outside of home, that all have the same policy, your paid OT when your asked to work it. It's it is just a case of not being able to get your required line count in 8 hours, then maybe your in the wrong profession or possibly just the wrong company/account for you. This just seems bizarre to me. Just tell yourself, your not getting paid for OT because they aren't approving it so don't work it. Again, if you were asked to work OT, told it would be OT, and then they ask you not to record it, I'd pitch a fit, but from what I see, you've done this on your own.
? 13.33 for 3 hours ($4.44 hours) am I doing it right. Geez!!!!!i
.
Why would anyone work 8 hours a week. The poster above said 16 or 24 hours a week.
:
40 hours
Well, I was told that since I am a new grad that I would need to work a 40-hour schedule so I can get "up to speed." They are flexible with the schedule, but I do have to let them know ahead of time when I will be working and stick to it.
hours
That's not what I was told. I even have to let them know at least 24 hours in advance if I change my hours for the day. BTW, I am a newbie. Since I am on 100% QA, this may be part of the reason.
She said IC must be 20 hours

I was saying that I hope not for IC to maintain 20 hours. I was told 4,000 lines. I was also told there currently is no part time so if you have a 20 hour part time position, which office?


 


I do realize that this is going to change with the new package as far as adding a part time position. However I was told last winter that there was only full time = 40 hours or SE/IC = 4,000 lines per pay period.


hours
I don't see ANY mention of those types of hours. I received a "Plan Form" which has a chart with 24 hours and 7 days in it. You mark which hours you will work. You don't even have to do consecutive hours.

My information states that full time with benefits is 39 hours per 7 days requiring production of 150 lines per hour.

Full time with limited benefits is 39 hours per 7 days, averaging 100 lines per hour.

Part time is minimum of 8 hours, but less than 39 per 7 days, requiring a minimum of 100 lines per hour.

This affords the Transcriptionist much more flexibility than the current methods.
hours
I've gone over my information several times and see nothing about 8, 16, 24, etc.

I see a grid that says and I quote: "Please place an "X" in the appropriate boxes to indicate your preferred schedule including your daliy and weekly total hours in the chart below." There is then a grid with 24 hours, 7 days.

I'm going to keep looking for the 8, 16, 24 -- perhaps its in the employee handbook which, interestingly, is from 2003 so I'm not sure it reflects these changes. That's curious.
48 HOURS??

FIRST POST, 10-11


LAST POST, 10-12


ISN'T THAT 24 HOURS TOPS?


getting in 8 hours

I have worked for Webmedx for a couple years now and can so totally relate to what you're saying.  It is very hard to get in a full 8 hours.  What I do is spread out my work week over 6 days and work a little less each day, but it still seems like I'm always struggling to get in the full amount of hours. 


My line count has varied quite a bit but now that I'm FINALLY working mostly on just one account I can get   close to 250 if I really focus.  It is really a balance that you have to figure out what's going to be best for you as far as clocking out or not.  If you really want a kick-butt line count you probably will have to clock out for every little thing.  If you want your line count to be average or slightly better than average, after a while you'll be able to take a few breaks without clocking out. 


When I do that my line count goes down to more like 180 as opposed to 200+. 


IC hours
I am looking for a full-time IC that can have work assigned in a.m. and returned 24 hours later. Work day or night as long as completed work is to me at 24-hour deadline.
3.385 hours per pay
I keep track of it myself.
10 hours
I agree.  I swear sometimes I feel like I am typing my fingers to the bone and one night I tested it.  It took me 10-1/2 hours to get 1000 lines. 
What hours are you looking for?

re hours
you make a line committment ahead of time, so say you could make your committment in 6 hr instead of 8, you're still good. But i couldn't say if they have a minimum committment...
PT hours
Does anyone know the minimum hours required to be a part-time employee with Transcend?  Thanks.
They do have less hours, but it is
considered flex-part time and if you work less than 24 hours you have to have a schedule that is agreeable to you and your supervisor, and some are requesting Thur, Fri and Sat only. Also no benefits go with this.
how many hours
do you have to work to get that 16K. I have always done 20K in 6-7 hour workdays. Did not even come close working for TT. That I-Chart program they use is ripping off MTs. I have been doing this long enough to know exacty what I make per hour. I left and would never do the I-chart thing again and I was offered three raises while there and it still did not make up for the loss in line count. No thanks!! Now I am back to making a min of 30 an hour or more. That is what an MT deserves!!
I really don't have a set hours.
I generally work afternoons and late into the evening. I never have really had specific hours. When I was first hired a year ago, I just told them I preferred second shift, and that was it. I guess it all depends on what they need for that account.
IC Hours

When you are an IC, are you supposed to work a certain number of hours per week? I was just offered a position as employee or IC and am not certain which would be best. It is part-time. Any input would be helpful. Thanks!


PT hours
Has to be at least 20 hr/wk as far as I know. Have heard from others that they could not get less than 20. Don't know if they're hiring PT right now.