Digital Dictation

LP’s and tapes disappeared and were replaced by CD’s years ago.
Many of us have now abandoned film cameras, and invested in the digital version. The advantages are numerous: take as many pictures as you want, delete if necessary, print on demand, send photos by email, etc.

Digital dictation, in a way, is the dictating equivalent of digital photos.
Tape is dead. People can save time, save money and work more efficiently and flexibly with digital dictation.

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How is Digital different from Analogue?

With tape based analogue systems, the dictator would record onto a cassette tape or over the telephone. The transcriptionist would pick up the tape, transcribe, erase the tape and return it to the author.  This system was subject to mechanical failures, loss of tapes and recordings, high maintenance and costly repairs and the ongoing replacement of consumable parts.

Digital Voice Recorders have a number of key advantages over analogue systems:

  • Virtually unlimited storage capacity – The latest recorders can store well over 100 hours of recordings, meaning no more juggling of tapes.
  • Protection of sensitive data through real-time file encryption on the recorder
  • Outstanding sound quality of digital audio files – no wear and tear of cassettes
  • Convenience for authors
    • More time to focus on core competencies
    • The ability to go to any point within the dictated file, and either overwrite or insert new speech without losing any of the recording.
  • Workflow management advantages
    • Automatic transmission of dictations directly to secretarial staff or colleagues via the PC network or remotely from the office using VPN, FTP or e-mail
    • Transparency for secretarial staff
    • Smooth and even secretarial workload
    • Control for office managers
    • User and system statistics provide performance analysis and optimisation

Scalable Workflows

SINGLE OFFICE FIRM
In offices where both the author and the transcriptionist are on a PC network, digital voice files can be easily transferred from the author to a server or shared folder to be accessed and transcribed

MULTI-OFFICE FIRM
The main difference between a single office and a multi-office configuration is that if multiple offices wish to "pool" their transcription so that more than one typist can access the work regardless of the originating office.

REMOTE DICTATION
If the author needs to send dictation from a remote location, such as a temporary office, home or hotel, the workflow changes only in the method by which the dictation is transferred to the central office.

Types of Recorders

Hand-held digital voice recorders fall into two general classes: professional and consumer.

  • Professional recorders contain additional features that help users “manage” dictation workflow.
  • Consumer recorder users do not generally have as demanding a workflow requirement, nor do they use their recorders as often.

Professional recorders also come with USB connectors to allow you to download recordings to your computer. Software to manage these files is included. Additionally, recorders in this class most often are part of a dictation system that include transcription “kits” (software, footswitch and headset) that gives the professional office a complete workflow solution.

Consumer models fit smaller budgets. Some models are able to store and play MP3 files. Usually, consumer models contain “flash” or fixed memory, rather than using interchangeable memory cards, as most consumers have less need to change memory card capacities for very long voice recordings.

Transcription Systems

If you dictate files that require transcription, digital voice recorders represent only one piece of the overall puzzle. This is particularly true for doctors, lawyers and other professionals who record dictation or proceedings that must be transcribed to written documents.  When choosing a recorder for this purpose, you should also consider the means by which you plan to have your voice recordings transcribed, and in what setting your transcription will take place.

All Professional digital voice recorders can be used with Transcription kits and bundled workflow software, allow audio to be easily transported to a transciptionists, typed up and the document returned.

Most consumer models do not come with easy to transcribe solutions.

Speech recognition can also be used as a transcription tool, to speed up the process. 

 

Voice Perfect supplies digital voice recorders from the leading vendors, both professional and consumer models.
We are both Olympus and Philips Professional Dealers, which means we are qualified to provide the right support to ensure a successful implementation of your digital recording solution.

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Demonstration of Digital Dictation Transcribed with Dragon NaturallySpeaking: