Data Supplies Blog

Saving Time With Digital Dictation Machines

We recently shared an article on Twitter and Facebook about a GP practice who were able to cut the amount it took them to submit a letter after a patient consultation by 50%. How? Quite simply by switching from an analogue dictation system to a digital dictation system.

It may seem surprising in a world dominated by tablet PCs and smartphones, but analogue dictation machines are still in wide use in many sectors across the UK. We still supply analogue dictation machines and accessories on dictationsupplies.com. However, we always recommend digital machines as they are much more time efficient and a greater aid to productivity.

There are many features of digital dictation machines that make them more time efficient than their analogue counterparts. Below we've shared a few of those reasons.

• No Tapes: One of the main pro points of digital machines is that there are no tapes involved. If there are no tapes, you don't need to waste time replacing and filing tapes. Your dictations will be saved in digital format on your computer, which means that it is much easier to locate files when you need them.
• Instant Transfer of Recordings: Digital machines automatically save your dictation recordings into email-friendly file types. This means you can plug your machine directly into your computer and email the file to whoever it is who will be transcribing the recording. This is especially helpful when using an outsourced transcription service, as it saves the time, money and headaches that come with posting out recordings on analogue tapes.
• Compatibility with Smartphones: Many dictation software producers are now adding compatibility to smartphones such as Blackberries and iPhones. This means that recordings can be easily transferred from your phone to your computer to your dictation machine with ease.
• Dictate on the Go: The nature of digital dictation machines mean that they are much more portable than their analogue counterparts. This means that they're easier to carry round in your briefcase or handbag, and don't require any complicated set up when you need to dictate a message. Dictating on the go helps you to make use of time that would have been wasted otherwise.

 

The Future of Dictation: The Digta7 (Part Three)

PART THREE: WORKFLOW

A few weeks ago, we went down to London to learn about the Digta7 - Grundig's latest offering. We've long been a fan of Grundig machines, and were really excited to hear about the features on their lastest machine. There was so much information to share that we've split it into three blog posts. In this, the third and final part, we'll be talking about the workflow features of the software that accompanies the machine. You can also read about the Usibility Features and the Security Features in the two earlier parts. 

The Digta7 comes complete with the new version of the DigtaSoft software. This version will be number 4.7, and has a number of great new features. One of these key features is that the software allows folders on the handset to be configured. This means that rather than having the folders automatically named as A, B, C, etc - you can personalise them. Imagine - call them 'letters', 'referrals', 'Urgent' etc, whatever works best for you. 

In addition to this, there have been some changes made to allow users to message each other. The current Pro Version for the software allows users to message each other from PC to PC - but the new version will allow these massages to go straight onto the handset. 

Finally, we'd like to draw your attention to the Bluetooth version of the Digta7. This will be a bit more expensive, but will allow even more flexibility. You'll be able to record on the Digta7, pair it to your smartphone and then email it  straight back to the office. No cables needed! You can also use this feature to pair a bluetooth headset to the machine, meaning that your recoding can be done completely handsfree.

The Digta7 machine is coming soon.... We'll keep you up to date!

 

 

 

The Future of Dictation: The Digta7 (Part Two)

PART TWO - SECURITY

Grundig recently revealed it's newest dictation machine; the Digta7. Last week we blogged about the great new usability features of the machine, and today we're taking a good look at the security features on offer.

The machine comes complete with a selection of features designed to protect both the machine itself and the content you've recorded on it. Grundig understand that often the information you're recording is confidential - and that you wouldn't want it to be readily accessible. 

Because of this, the machine creates a Unique User ID for each file created. This means that even though names of files can be changed directly on the machine itself (as we mentioned last week) the Unique User ID always remains the same. Files can be traced from beginning to end by this ID.

Features such as 256bit encryption are available if needed - and this can even be applied to the extra SD card slot not just the internal memory. If needed, that extra SD card slot can be locked out completely. This means that it can't be used at all; and adds extra protection.

Finally, the machine is fitted with a gravity sensor designed to protect itself. If the machine is dropped, the sensor kicks in and will close and save the file you are working on. This happens instantly - and is a huge step forward. Up until now, if you dropped a machine while recording you could lose the file and the memory card would often become corrupted. The gravity sensor stops this from happening. 

It also works the other way too - if you put the machine down it will go into standby mode; but when you pick it up again the sensor will bring it back to life!

Stay tuned for the final installment of our Digta7 introduction next week when we will be taking a good look at the software that accompanies it.   

The machine will be available in March/April. If you are interested in getting your hands on one, please get in touch. 

 

 

Dictation Video Tutorial Round Up

For some time now, we've been using YouTube as a platform to upload video tutorials on how to use some of our dictation products. We've offered a helping hand to those wondering how to use such things as dictation software or wanting to set up a foot pedal to use while transcribing recordings. 

Today on the blog we thought that we'd share a round up of some of these videos. For the full selection, visit our channel on YouTube. 

First up, one of our most popular videos is this look at Grundig Digtasoft workflow software;

For a more general look at digital dictation, you might enjoy this video on why using digital dictation might be beneficial to you.

If you're looking for other dictation help - please get in touch with us. We offer support for machines, even  if you didn't buy them from us in the first place. We also offer online support at www.dictationsupport.co.uk. Pay us a visit and see if we can solve your dictation problems!

New Product Round Up

In the past couple of weeks, we've taken delivery of a few new products which we're keen to share with you. We thought we'd offer a round up of these new products and their features.

First up, we've introduced a couple of new microphones to www.dictationsupplies.com

The CM1000 Conference Microphone

The CM1000 is slim and compact with an unparalleled 350 degree range. It's perfect for use in  board room situations, and provides seamless sound transfer. It's ideal to be used with either a PC or a portable recorder. It eve has it's own pocket pouch for ease of portability. 

The CM1000 is £49 plus VAT and we're currently offering free delivery. See more details or order here.

The Audio Technica AT9942 Zoom Microphone

This is a high quality zoom microphone which is perfect for use either at close range or further away. It would be ideal for use at a conference or a seminar. It comes in three parts, the microphone, the stand and the bracket - and is really easy to put together. It's very sensitive and has a brilliant frequency response.

The Audio Tecnica AT9942 is £39 plus VAT and also comes with free delivery. See more details or order here.

Finally, we'd like to share a new Olympus dictation machine.

The Olympus DS2800 Digital Voice Recorder

The DS2800 is similar to the DS2400 recorder but has one significant improvement - the slider switch! It has a 2GB memory, an LCD menu, voice activation and VCVA recording. It can also be controlled with the slider switch, which makes it much more intuitive and easier to use than previous models.

The DS2800 is available at £249 plus VAT, and again comes with free delivery. To find out more or order, click here.

If you have any questions about microphones or digital recorders, let us know and we'll be pleased to help!