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I would love to hear more about the software.  How much of a difference is there between the software that came with the DS-5000id and the new software version included with the DS-7000?  Do you think that Olympus will make the new version available to owners of the DS-5000id?

The reason that I ask is that I've also got a Grundig 704 and  although the Grundig software is very powerful it isn't that easy to learn and setup.  One thing that I do really love about the Digta 7 is that Grundig keeps putting out firmware updates with added features and new functions such as improved Bluetooth paring.

 -Jeff 

DNS v11  :  Samson Airline 77  :  Win 7 Pro  :  Intel Core i7  2600  3.4-3.8 GHz  :  8MB/cache  :  8GB DDR3   :  Olympus DS-5000id  :  Grundig Digta 704BT

Olympus gave away the DS-5000 DSS Player Pro software (renamed Dictation Module) to DS-4000 users to install over the top of their DSS Player Pro Ver. 4 software but we suspect this is because the Ver. 4 application would install on Windows 7 but wouldn’t run. Olympus will be charging to upgrade to the Dictation Module Ver. 6 because it is a major rewrite but we do not yet have pricing as the DS-7000 has only been out for a little over a week. We suspect the price will be somewhere between 99 and $149.

The bad news is that Olympus removed the cute little Dragon icon that would allow instant transcription gratification. All of the beta testers have strongly recommended putting the Dragon icon back and we suspect a SR patch is already in the works. For the time being, Ver. 6 users will need to Drag-&-Drop recordings onto the DragonBar which will fire up DragonPad and transcribe a single recording. Note that you can only transcribe one recording at a time via this method or ………………………………….

The good news is that it looks like Olympus turned the tables on Nuance a bit by adding the ability to simultaneously batch transcribe multiple recordings in the background while you are working on something else. This new feature basically duplicates the AutoTranscribe Folder Agent function which is only available in the professional versions of NaturallySpeaking. The bad news is that you have to close NaturallySpeaking (like with your Grundig 704) in order to transcribe recordings in the background but the good news is that you can now create any number of recordings on your recorder, drop your recorder into your DS-5000/DS-7000 USB cradle and forget about it. As soon as the Dictation Module Ver. 6 application finishes downloading the recordings, it will flash you a message that you can remove your recorder. All of the recordings will automatically be transcribed without any human intervention or prompts. You even have the option of doing other things on your computer but you won't have the option of using NaturallySpeaking until it finishes transcribing the files.

Most Ver. 6 enhancements deal directly with NaturallySpeaking and are doubly valuable if you're using NaturallySpeaking Premium. 1 last note: Setting up batch file background automated transcription requires about 20 precise setting changes. Fortunately our customers will receive a complimentary hard copy of our new exclusive 14 page pictorial KnowBrainer DS-7000 User Guide which includes a step-by-step on the process  

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Lunis,

Thanks for the info about the new software.  

 Could you tell me if the DS-7000 has a way to 'lock' the device well in recording mode.  As far as I know the DS-5000id doesn't have this ability.  But, the Grundig Digta 7 does.  On the Digta 7 I've got it setup to work like this.  After starting a new recording I then press and hold the lower 'function button' on left hand side of the recorder for 3 seconds.  It will then show 'Device Locked' on the screen and it is then impossible to accidently stop the recording process without repeating the same procedure.

 With a lapel mic on and the recorder in my pocket I use this feature all the time to record speeches that I deliver in-front of groups.  With the DS-5000id I found that it would move around in my pocket and end up switching of the recording part way though.  Is there anything on the the DS-7000 that overcomes this limitation?  If it has a recording lock on it similar to the the Grundig Digta 7 it might be worth listing my DS-5000id on eBay and repaceing it with the DS-7000.

 Thanks,

-Jeff 

DNS v11  :  Samson Airline 77  :  Win 7 Pro  :  Intel Core i7  2600  3.4-3.8 GHz  :  8MB/cache  :  8GB DDR3   :  Olympus DS-5000id  :  Grundig Digta 704BT

Click KB 2012 REV D to Download a 30 Day Evaluation of KnowBrainer 2012
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Like Lunis, I haven't found a 'Device Lock' feature on the Olympus DS-7000.

I have two Olympus recorders in my briefcase.

For dictation, I have a DS-7000, with the advantages of the slide switch, in-recorder editing and DSS Pro.

Much of the time, I use the DS-7000 with its built-in microphone. Sometimes, it is more convenient to use a WS-52M microphone clipped to my shirt (though I know that the KnowBrainer recommedation is to use the DS-7000's built-in microphone rather than a lavalier microphone). The foam windscreen supplied with the WS-52M falls off easily - a small piece of double sided tape solved this annoyance!

The cable supplied with the WS-52M has a right angle plug, which limits the annoyance of the EAR and MIC sockets being on the side of the DS-7000. It's a shame that Olympus didn't cut a neat hole in the DS-7000 leather case for these sockets, similar to the provided hole for the USB socket.

For meetings and lectures, I have a DM-550, which I'm not sure was ever sold in US / Canada, though the cut-down DM-450 was sold as the DM-420 in US / Canada. These recorders have now been discontinued and replaced with the DM-670 (not available in US / Canada) and DM-650 (DM-620 in US / Canada).

There isn't much difference between the DM-670 and DM-650:

• the colour is different (DM-670 is black, DM-650 is silver)
  
• DM-670 has 8GB of internal memory (DM-650 is 4GB)
• DM-670 has voice guidance for visually impaired users
• DM-670 has support for 44.1kHz mono WAV (DM-650 appears to have stereo WAV support, unlike the DM-450, the cut-down version of the DM-550, which lacks this support)

These recorders are much more suited to recording events as they have:

• stereo support
• hold switch
• a remote socket for the WS-30M infra-red remote
• ability to set the record level manually (according to the manual, this is possible even on the DM-650 - the DM-550 had manual record level but the cut-down DM-450 did not)
• Sonority software

The internal microphones in the DM-550 are OK for a small group. For a larger seminar, I use an ME-30W microphone kit and record in stereo. The DM-550 fits into the ME-30W carrying case - the DM-670/650/620 specification indicates it is the same size, so it should also fit. For lectures, I use a ME-31 shotgun microphone and record in mono.

The Sonority software is somewhat similar to DSS Player Pro or ODMS, but it has some features particularly useful for event recordings. You can press a button to recognise quiet passages of your recording, then play back without these quiet passages.

Though Olympus doesn't advertise the feature loudly, Sonority 1.1 and later work with an RS-27 or RS-28 foot pedal in playback without any extra transcription licence being needed. The drawback of this 'free' feature is that, unlike the ODMS Transcription Module, you have no control over the pedal functions. In Sonority, the RS-28 is L Rewind, C Fast Forward, R Play - all functions are continuous. To my surprise, Sonority 1.4 also works with the RS-31 (the new AS-7000 transcription kit pedal). Sonority will play back DSS and DSS Pro files, including under pedal control. Sonority 1.4 supports 128 bit encrypted DSS Pro but not 256 bit.

For Dragon, my 'sit down and go' setup is the ME-31 shotgun microphone used with an Andrea USB-SA. When mobile, the ME-52W is used with the USB-SA - this is a remarkably inexpensive setup, which gives me excellent accuracy with Dragon NaturallySpeaking 11.5 Professional. Again, I acknowledge that the KnowBrainer recommendation is to use a head mounted microphone rather than a lavalier microphone. The ME-52W works for me - sometimes the results do not match any theory, also the results can change from user to user even on the same hardware.

The only annoying thing is that you can only have two USB / mic-in type sources in a Dragon NaturallySpeaking 11.5 Professional profile - I'd like the DS-7000's USB audio features in my Dragon profile as well. Is it too much to hope that Dragon NaturallySpeaking 12 Professional will allow you to have as many audio sources as you desire in one profile, and give them sensible names reflecting the audio card and microphone combation?

David Wood

Hardware: Olympus DS-7000 (for dictation) - Olympus AS-7000 (for manual transcription) - Olympus DM-670 with ME-30W microphones (for seminars and events)

Software: DNS 12.5 Legal UK - pcbyvoice SpeechStart+ - Olympus ODMS 6.2 (Dictation and Transcription Modules) - Olympus Sonority Plus 1.4.3