Your Computer System

I would suggest today that you need at least 512mg of RAM and at least 1ghz of speed plus at least 40-50 gigs of hard drive space to handle not only the program files but your clients' audio files and finished transcripts.

A good computer system is obviously one of the main transcription tools you need to be in the transcription business. And with the cost of computer systems coming down today, so you should be able to get a decent system for less than $600 that will handle everything you need to run on it.

Now you may want to invest in a laptop as either your main business computer or as a backup for when you travel and want to take some work with you, as a second system for recording while you're transcribing on the other computer, or just to have on hand in case your main computer crashes.

I bought a really nice Dell laptop a few months ago that still has Windows XP on it. I was in the situation a few times where I had two projects overlapping-I had to record a second webcast before I was finished transcribing the first, but couldn't stop typing the first while I recorded the second.

Another new little investment under $300 would be a netbook. They're smaller than a laptop and have no CD/DVD drive because they're mainly for accessing the Internet. After I gave my laptop to my son, I picked up a little netbook at Walmart to use for recording webcasts. It came in real handy also when I traveled and also to store some files when I reformatted my desktop system.

Audio Playback Software
Turn your computer into an online digital transcriber unit with this software, headset and a foot pedal that plug into your computer.

Word Processing Software
You need somewhere to transcribe all of that information into and plain old Notepad, Wordpad or even Microsoft Works won't cut it.

Transcription Headset
Don't try to decipher your audio through computer speakers. No matter how good you think they, there is no substitute for a good noise-cancelling headset.

Transcription Foot Pedal
Keep your fingers moving on the transcript and let your foot do the stop-start-rewind on the audio.

Transcription Resources:
Memory Giant
Memory Giant carries virtually every major computer memory manufacturer in the world with names like Samsung, Dell, Toshiba, and many others, and guarantees you a 100% compatible ram upgrade for your computer.

Express Scribe Transcription Playback Software
Express Scribe is free professional audio player software for PC, Mac or Linux designed to assist the transcription of audio recordings.

Audacity Sound Editor
Audacity® is free, open source software for recording and editing sounds. It is available for Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, GNU/Linux, and other operating systems.

PolderbitS
Magnetic tape deterioration can be a threat to your tape collection. Converting cassette to cd is the only viable option to save your recordings. PolderbitS' very easy-to-use sound recorder and editor software helps you preserve unique recordings. New-Version 7 now also records audio from the Internet and internal CD/DVD player!

Philips SHN5500 Headphones
Philips Noise Canceling Behind the Head headphones SHN5500/37 Music to your ears, 65% Active Noise reduction, Neodymium magnet, Excellent sound quality. Made to fit you and your lifestyle,1.2 meter cable, Single sided cable. Optimal listening in noisy environments, Adjustable earshells for ultimate seal, Compact control box, Audio jack Adaptor included, Battery included.

Executive Communication Systems
ECS can meet your needs for dictation/transcription systems from handheld portable devices to robust web based institutional requirements, including voice recognition in Medical, Legal, Insurance, Government/Military and the Transcription Service Industry.

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