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would the MT post that uses just the keys, no pedal

Posted By: Rosey on 2008-01-04
In Reply to:

I can't find the post now, but I read a post earlier from an MT who does not use a pedal at all, but strictly the function keys.  Would you answer this post or e-mail me.  I presently have ExpressScribe and I can get my function keys on my keyboard to correlate, but I can't do that with InScribe.  I've found where to do that, but it doesn't seem to "take." 


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hot keys versus foot pedal

Am I the only one who finds it very difficult to transcribe using hot keys instead of the foot pedal?  I guess I'm just not coordinated enough.  I recently was about to accept a job with a company who uses Emdat.  I have used Emdat before and used Express Scribe with my foot pedal, no problems.  However, this company told me that I was not allowed to do that with them and that I had to use the hot keys or buy a foot pedal especially designed for Emdat.  I told the recruiter "no way."  She acted as if I was crazy for not being able to do it that way. 


How in the world do you control the dictation with your keyboard and try to be productive at the same time?  I just see it as being impossible.


Plug foot pedal into laptop. Or use hot keys.
io
The other post said learn short cut keys
and I was wondering just why? Thanks again.
Your post about foot pedal
Check with Radio Shack  -- they  sell adapters
If the latest version, post below says regular Infinity pedal will not work and cannot use outside p

This would be just a "regular" 3-pedal pedal and not the Dictaphone pedal. nm
s
You can buy just the Start/Stop software w/o the pedal if you're able to use your pedal as a VEC
s
Bringing up ExpressScribe pedal question again. Does anyone have 9-pin Infinity pedal on a USB?

tia


Is there ONE pedal I can buy that will work with ALL platforms? And where do I shop for a pedal?
.
A wave pedal is a foot pedal that connects to either
serial port, game port, or USB depending on the software needed with it.   You have to download the work via the internet and most companies still require high-speed internet, though some allow dial-up or satellite.   A pedal costs about $70, though can find on e-bay cheaper.  You can download ExpressScribe for free to use with the foot pedal unless the company requires a different software program. 
wav pedal is a foot pedal that plugs into your

computer so you can transcribe wav files.  There are many other formats such as DSS, but they are all digital voice files. 


I don't think brand of foot pedal is important, but need to know if it is game port, serial port, or USB and how many pins it has.   The majority of them are made by Infinity in some foreign country, but sold by many companies. 


 


WAV pedal vs. USB port foot pedal

PLEASE HELP! Are wav pedals and USB port foot pedals one in the same?  I've only transcribed from audio tapes, and all this is new to me.  Thank you for your help.


A wav pedal is just a generic term for a pedal used to

play voice files  you have on your computer.   You can get them on the equipment board here, e-bay, or you can Google and get lots of other places.  Some pedals are fairly generic and can play multiple "wav" types, but some only work with certain software.  You can have a serial port connection, a game port connection, or a USB connection.


If you do not already have a job that you need a pedal for I'd suggest waiting because you don't know which kind you will use.  If you need it for testing you can download ExpressScribe for free and use the function keys to test. 


I also have a USB foot pedal. Do most companies use the USB pedal or SM

will I need a 9-pin or a 15-pin.  Also, which transcription software for playing back audio files is the best?  I've used one that was a fee download, I think it was called Bytescribe or somethingl ike that.  Does that work for most all files or should I look into purchasing something like Start/Stop or GearPlayer?


Oh and does anyone know where I can get Microsoft Word or Office Suite for a reasonable (I'd say cheap, but cheap usually means bootleg) price? 


Sorry to ask so many questions, but it's been a while since I've worked for a national.  Before the hopsital job I'm being laid off from, I worked in the office at a hospital.  So I've been out of the loop so to speak.


Thanks guys.


I Take the Keys Off
I take the keys off and then clean it with a keyboard cleaner kit I bought.  It contains a little vacuum, lint-free cloth, and a few attachments to get between keys or whatever.  I use alcohol for the keys and the keyboard itself.  To just clean the wrist wrest and 'My Favorites' buttons, (I have the Microsoft Natural Ergonomic 4000) I use Lysol sanitizing wipes.
well in my 40s, looking for keys and....sm
my eyeglasses all the time began.....and is still happening and I'm no longer in my 40s....*LOL* - you have to laugh at it, or you'll cry, and we don't want you to cry so try to laugh at the aging process......try fighting it if you want...you know, you're as young as you feel/look, etc.  Certainly try NOT to worry about these things that happen to EVERYBODY!! 
use alt keys
you can use the alt keys:
f2-slow speed, f3, fast speed, f4 stop, f7 rewind, f8 ff, f9 play, f10 play reel speed.
hot keys
my last job we used the alt F keys and i actually got used to it. i never had a pedal. the stretch on the fingers tho does a number on ya. i will be back to using the pedal soon tho with this new job...back to tapes, oh my godddd. i took three steps back. surprise surprise, the voice recognition thing didn't go over well...
keys
You must be working with VR. I never use my function keys either. I follow along with my mouse. To me it is easier.
F keys
You dont have to use them, the mouse is fine. I personally dont like having to use the mouse and keep typing. I also use the F keys instead of the foot pedal. After 20 years, my foot and ankle are in pain after about one hour of typing.
Any others use hot keys only? sm
I know of someone in same situation, however, I did not suggest the hot keys as I tried them myself and I found it to be extremely slow and thought no company would ever put up with it, so I didn't suggest it. Does anyone else use hot keys exclusively? Could you be an Editor this way, just wondering. Seems very cumbersome, time consuming and probably could not keep up speed wise and get canned. Perhaps I've been wrong all this time, it would be nice if some company had the patience, they all seem to want speed, speed, speed.
Hot Keys
I transcribe with my footpedal for 1 account and then my big money maker is editing which I do exclusively with the hot keys. It works very well for me.

When I first started on-line transcription (I worked locally with tapes for nearly 3 years) I wanted to make sure it would be a good fit for me and find a good company ( I had heard and read many horror stories about not getting paid, etc) so I used the hot keys exclusively then too. I have found many transcription companies are looking for a certain number of lines a day (they do not care how long it takes you as long as it is within turn around time) rather than speed, but I understand that is not everyone's experience. Anyway I became quite fast with the hot keys on transcribing as well so it can work, but not for everyone certainly. Of course I do not and never expected to transcribe more than 200 lines per hour or rihgt around there:)
Hot Keys are....
They are your "F" keys at the top of the keyboard. This way your hands stay on the keyboard at all times. It can take some time getting used to, but it is well worth it!
hot keys
It took me probably a month before I was really comfortable with the hot keys.  I would try and learn a new hot key every few days.  The first one I would recommend is the ALT-K.
Hot keys
I give you lots of credit if what I understand is that you have been doing transcription without a foot pedal, but rather are using hot keys! I am utterly lost without my foot pedal!
If you can't get used to the marker keys, then
right click on Phrases, go to Options, Marker Keys and pick the ones you want to use. I used the space bar for a long time and maybe this option gave me the comfort to use what I knew. Use what you know for now so you can get used to it. IT really is a great program. I like the single and multiple file compilations too as IT then picks out the terms and phrases that you use a lot for you. Keep trying, it's worth the trip.
I have it too, but find the keys take
a lot more pressure than my previous keyboard. Do you have that problem?
Never use the mouse, only hot keys. nm
x
Blob Keys
Lol - yes the good thing about the lack of paint on the keys is it freaks anyone else who wants to use my PC! That'll teach 'em!

Yes, it is now looking quite fargin' ugly. The last keyboard had black keys and the sliver letters wore off. I used to write them back on with a white marking pen and ooooh didn't THAT look perty!

This time, the letters are not fading, but the black paint is chipping off slowly but surely. I am so disappointed because I did NOT get mine at Sam's Club and it was very expensive, as keyboards go. I've been going through keyboards about every 6 months for the past bazillion years and I hoped this would last longer. It functions just fine, but my H and N keys are no longer black but bright white. E and T are not far behind.

BTW, I am quite partial to the purple - just wish the lighting was brighter. Anything to make this job more exciting. Doesn't take much, huh? There is a keyboard in the works where each key is a LED. How cool is THAT?
shortcut keys

I am wondering if anyone knows this- there is supposed to be a shortcut key that you can circumvent an Expander with.  Say I want to type the name Lee and lee is my expander for lower extremity edema, is there something I can hit that would keep it from expanding just when I typed the name?  I swear I remember someone telling me this once but now nobody in our entire facility seems to know what that would be.  Thanks!


The short cut keys help.
You move around the document much more quickly. The short cut keys for the header, ccs, template, etc are key. I'm not a huge fan of the alt+K but I still try to use it. I also use just my autocorrect for expanders.
Try the shortcut keys
You will do much better with the shortcut keys. Remember, the linecount varies, depending on the physician and the customer. Give Alt-K a try.

Good luck

Try looking at the function keys...sm
in your laptop. If you have that CRT/LCD key, press "Fn" and then that function key (on mine, it's F8--I have a Dell). Your extension monitor should show your desktop, and your laptop monitor would go blank. Of course, I am assuming you already dealt with Control Panel/Display/Settings, and you've matched the physical arrangement of your monitors. I also have my "Extend my Windows desktop onto this monitor" unchecked. If you do leave it checked, your laptop desktop is going to show in your extension monitor as an "extension" of your desktop, meaning, you will be able to drag your mouse onto your secondary monitor. But, if you're like me and want to extend the life of your laptop monitor, then try to look for that function key. Good luck!
you mean keys instead of mouse?
Using the keys is always faster than using the mouse. I learned this the hard way going from an old key system to a mouse system -- my productivity was cut in half.
Clickiness of keys?
Are any of these keyboards nice and *clicky*???  I like springy keys, not the soft barely there mushy keys. 
Emdat F keys
I work with Emdat. I use the F keys all the time. What function are you trying to do?
ExpressScribe hot keys
If you open the ExpressScribe and go to control, then hot key set up you can make it work by assigning keys.  I work in MS Word and was using F5 to open files, but when I have the ExpressScribe reduced and hit F5 it opens the ExpressScribe window instead of my Word file.  I just assigned a different key to open and close the ExpressScribe.  You can also create a new one to assign a file to "done" so you don't have to use your mouse.
I just use the F keys with InScribe

Go to Options, Set actions, and select which F keys you want to have which function.  I thought I would die at first, now I don't think I would go back to the pedal!


 


Please, what are hot keys? How does this work? Thanks. NM
nm
Function keys with IT
I have a doc that says the same thing over and over. I have made a template for him and I use my F11 key to jump from field to field to "fill in the blanks". How can I get this to work with IT. I have added it to my glossary using the formated option and the F11 key does not work. I have tried using the command key (I insert the F11 key before every field in the template and then save it to the glossary) and this has not worked either. Any suggestions?
Short-cut keys
Do you all use your mouse much?  What short-cut keys do you find the most helpful?  I am trying to cut wasted time where I can and think maybe I can pick up something new from you. 
Try other F keys. I had platfor where F2 you
x
Already tried all F keys and nothing worked...nm

Function keys

I am typing now, but wanted to send you a quick note and say that you are right about the function keys for playing, FForward, and Rewind....I have been doing that this morning, and it works well!  I thought it would just be too much confusion to try and use those function keys instead of the foot pedal, but honestly, it's working great, so thanks!!  I appreciate any advice that's making it easier for me to use this system, and I got some good tips!


Have a good day


Hot keys and practice.

How long have you been on this account?  My average is typically between 550-600 lines an hour but I have bad days too, today is only 394 but that is with the kids home and lots of distraction.  At night is when I get my good lines in.  I use the shortcut keys, keep it mouse free, try to keep the audio speed increased whenever I can and do my proofing as I do my spellcheck and throughout the report.  I also still use my autocorrect a lot during editing for common mistakes that must be typed in (usually the same VR mistakes every time). 


I know that when starting a new account and still checking on specs and such it does take time to get that number up.  There are also days like today myself that typing just seems to be faster.  It happens.  I also noticed when I did a short sting on a clinical acount on Escript that it had horrible lines.  I much prefer Acute Care with VR. 


How long did it take you to get used to hot keys only?
I've been on escripiton for 2-1/2 years and only now has the company I work for even mentioned hot keys and they trained me. I'd love to get my lph up, but so far I am no where near you and the OP. Just wondering how long it took of daily practice to get used to using hot keys and not using the mouse. Thank you in advance for your response.
Right now I have 10 keys without letters
on them and it works fine. I don't seen need to replace unless the keys are sticking or not working.
skipping keys
No, it is just a plug and play
Plus and Minus Keys
It has the plus and minus keys by the backspace key, and they work the same as the 10-key.
Keys sticking

Get a new one or else clean it out with a vacuum or one of this spray cans for keyboards. When my keys start sticking especially the spacer bar, it's usually a sign that it's ready to be replaced.


It's amazing how much junk you find between the keys. Slide a little business card through your keys and see what you come up with. LOL


I also do VR but the arrow keys?
Maybe I am doing wrong but I do not use the arrow keys hardly at all. Why are you using these, are you supposed to? I think escription tells you not to use the mouse, well I hate to tell them but never have given that up. They say use hot keys, never have. Just too set in my ways to start at this late date. I never have any problems with arms, shoulders, on and on.