Publisher's Description
From NCH Software:
Express Scribe is a free transcription player featuring variable speed playback, foot pedal operation, speech recognition, file management and more. Ideal for playing dictation. Features: Variable speed playback (constant pitch); Supports many professional foot pedals which connect to the game, serial or USB port to control playback; Uses 'hot' keys to control playback when using other software (e.g. Word); Ability to dock both analog and digital portable recorders to load recordings; Works with Microsoft Word and all major word-processor applications; Automatically receives and loads files by internet (FTP), e-mail or over a local computer network; Automatically sends typing to the person who dictated the work; Works with speech recognition software such as Dragon Naturally Speaking to automatically convert speech to text; Loads CD audio directly--start to work as it loads in the background; Can switch to 'mini' mode to reduce screen space; Integrate with dictation management systems using the Express Scribe SDK.
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All versions:
4.0 starsout of 42 votes
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Current version:
5.0 starsout of 8 votes
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My rating:
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Results 1-8 of 8
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"Intuitive and simple with comprehensive features"
Version: Express Scribe 5.01
Pros
All the customizable speed and step-back features are great, and I love the exact time display to show exactly where you are in the file. The ability to dial in an exact speed (faster or slower) is awesome, and the sound is quite clear at any speed.
Cons
It doesn't bring me my coffee in the morning. :) Honestly, there's nothing I dislike.
Summary
I've been using Express Scribe for medical transcription for about a year now, and it's miles better than the old analog tape machine I was using.
I'm pretty particular about software and there's nothing about Express Scribe that seems clunky or unwieldy. It's a breeze to use and once you tweak a couple of settings to your style of transcription, you basically forget about it. It does its job, and I can do mine. The best software is the one you don't have to think about.
As an aside, I would highly recommend getting the foot pedal they recommend. The shortcut keys work just fine, but for my purposes and style of typing the foot control makes it so much easier. The recommended pedal (VEC Infinity USB) is very solid and sturdy with an excellent feel to it. -
"Excellent product, does just what it says."
Version: Express Scribe 5.01
Pros
Simple, yet has features that make transcribing much easier to do. Works great with my pedals. Customize things like backstep amount, speed of FF & RW pedals. Control audio playback in the background with pedals while Word is open in the foreground.
Cons
Moving the "playback" head with the slider does not allow for as fine adjustment as I would like. Would be better if they also added a "go to" function you could enter a time into. Loading files on the Mac version could be more intuitive/Mac like.
Summary
I only use the playback features, not the project management features, so this is only about playback. However, I am quite impressed with the various workflow and project management features, in a product that is free. It appears that one could run a transcription business or department just using Express Scribe and word processing software.
I do some transcribing myself, but I mostly use professional transcriptionists for my research projects. I use Express Scribe to both proof and listen/analyze the transcripts. What is great about it is that it has almost everything I could want for playback and it has no trouble working in the background with Word in the foreground. It works flawlessly with my foot-pedals, and the ability to customize things like the Fast Forward & Rewind speed, the amount of Back-step when I stop & restart, is great.
I wish it was a bit easier to go to a specific audio time. When the transcriptionist can not make out some words they indicate it for me by typing [inaudible HH.MM:SS]. I go to those spots to see if I can figure it out (usually I can because I did the interview and hearing it in context allows me to make an educated guess). The slider works okay, but it is tough to go to an exact time. Adding a Go To function with a box one could type the time into would help. This is probably not an issue for transcribing, only the kind of proofing I do.
I use it on both a Mac and Windows. It works great in both cases. It does not seem to get bogged down with longer audio files, however, I convert my raw recordings to 64kbps mono MP3 for transcribing, so I am not pushing it too hard anyway.
I do not have my field notes transcribed by a professional. I use Express Scribe to selectively transcribe and add more details to my field notes. It works great for this purpose and has saved me both time and money.
I have sometimes used Express Scribe to do my initial coding of an interview. I listen and stop/rewind when I hear something I want to code. Then I transcribe just that part of the audio, along with the audio time (in effect a manual time-stamp). The playback speed feature works great for this, allowing me to adjust the speed on-the-fly, and spend less time listening than the actual total audio time.
I have also played with using a full transcript in Word, listening to the audio with Express Scribe, and coding by inserting comments in the Word document. If you like coding from the audio, which is something I prefer for at least the first few interviews, this is a simple way to do it. I have done this using QDA software like NVivo or Atlas, but I find that running audio while the coding database is open makes these programs slow down too much and crash more often. So, using Express Scribe and Word together gives me a lot of what I need to do my initial coding while listening to the audio, without getting bogged down or crashing.
However, all of my thoughts on coding are well beyond what Express Scribe was intended for. It does an excellent job of playing back audio while being controlled by a foot-pedal. This has allowed me to more easily proof transcripts done by someone else, and makes it easier for me to transcribe when it makes sense for me to do it myself. -
"Just what I needed!"
Version: Express Scribe 5.01
Pros
Just what I was looking for. Plays media with keyboard controls to play/pause and skip back for transcription.
Cons
Just one really minor thing. It won't accept the <play>. keystroke, while processing a skip back - this is a real nitpick.
Summary
I had to do an interview for a class, and was looking for a program that would allow me to transcribe the recording. This program fit the bill perfectly. I don't have a foot pedel, but function keys were supported too, And the function keys work with the program in the background, with MS word in focus-NICE! There were one minor nit that they might want to fix, as I mentioned in cons, when I was typing away, and missed something, I'd rapidly hit the <skip back> key a couple of times, and immediatly hit <play> again. The play wouln't take, so I'd just have to hit play again a half-second later. This is a real minor thing, and absolutly the only problem I had with it.
This program seems to be much more advanced than how I used it. It seems to support a queue, and a bunch more stuff, I never even looked at.
If you're taking a class that requires you to do transcription, or you want to transcribe an interview, or recorded notes from class, this program is the ticket.
I had taken another class where we had to transcribe from cassette tape (if you can believe it!), it would have been easier for my to make an mp3 of the tape and use this program at home, than trying to get access to one of the beat-up old tape transcripton machines at school.
Thianks for making this program available!!! -
"What a find!"
Version: Express Scribe 5.01
Pros
It works on Windows 7 and with an Infinity Foot Pedal I can transcribe various types of audio files. I love the way I can organise my work and I can even download audio files direct from my email! So easy to download as well - even for me!
Cons
Not sure whether it's there and I just can't see it, but the only tiny niggle I have is that I would like to see how many minutes of tape I have left to transcribe and not just the total recorded time.
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"Outstanding product"
Version: Express Scribe 5.01
Pros
Does everything as promised. Easy to learn, no problems. An exception to the old adage of "you get what you pay for." nWorks with either keyboard of footpedal controls.
Cons
Nothing that I can think of.
Summary
Easy and reliable to use.
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"Perfect transcription program."
Version: Express Scribe 5.01
Pros
Does exactly what you want to: Play back a recording so that you can transcribe the recording or jot down notes. You can pause, slow down the play, fast forward, fast reverse. You can use it alone or with a footpedal.
Cons
The only con is that I didn't discover this years earlier.
Summary
My memory has become more unreliable over the years, so I often record important lectures, conferences, and interviews to supplement my notes. Express Scribe makes it easy for me to play back and either transcribe manually or jot down notes. Excellent for students, writers, and anyone else who needs to transcribe recordings. They make a lot of other excellent software, too.
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"Excellent program for wife's use on Lap Top ."
Version: Express Scribe 5.01
Pros
Good for Audio Playback on Transcription with foot pedal Use
Cons
Nothing is wrong with this program
Summary
Using a USB flash drive already loaded with dictation for playback transcribing
reports. Do not need Dictation Express Scribe Program on my computer, Just Playback. Transcription. This is better than using tapes. Can keep better records. -
"Excellent product"
Version: Express Scribe 5.01
Pros
I have used this product for years and love the ease of use. It is quite excellent in terms of its output (all sounds are adjustable). I also like the fact that it was easily incorporated into my Windows 7 conversion.
Cons
I miss the ability to change the size of the actual screen as I like the smaller screen size (larger than the mini mode, but smaller than the standard window size).
Summary
Automatically picks up the foot pedal used. You can go back and retrieve deleted dictations. Overall excellent product.
Results 1-8 of 8
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