Getting Started
Quikscribe Player Overview
Setting up and testing your sound card
Connecting the Quikscribe Foot Switch
How to use the Quikscribe Foot Switch
How to use the interactive training tutorial
How to open an audio file
How to open .wav or .dss audio file
How to insert Markers
How to paste attachments into your current document
How to add documents or link documents
Understanding “Percentage Completed”
Understanding File Notification Icons
File Menus
Troubleshooting
Quikscribe Player Overview
The Quikscribe Player is specifically designed to replace tape based transcribing machines by playing audio files directly form your hard drive in digital format.
The Quikscribe Player is controlled via an external Foot Switch.
In addition to being able to Play, Stop, Fast Forward and Rewind, the Quikscribe Player can also insert location Markers plus it can paste embedded Text Attachments and Pictures, thus reducing overall transcription time.
The Quikscribe Player can receive files via the Network or Internet. Thus making remote transcription and dictation possible.
Setting up and testing your sound card
The Quikscribe Player Software requires a sound card and a headset (or speakers) to work correctly.
If you cannot hear any audio being played, here are four possible reasons:
- Your speakers or headset may not be correctly plugged in. Check to see they are plugged into the correct output jack. If your sound card is colour coded, Green normally represents the speaker output, and Black means Line Out. It is preferable to use the Speaker output because the signal will be amplified, whereas the Line Out jack will require amplification
- Your speakers or headset may not be working. To check, plug in a known working set and test again.
- Your output volume level may be too low, which means you will have to adjust the audio level of your sound card.
- It is possible that your sound card is not working, not installed or incorrectly installed. To resolve the issue, contact your Network Administrator to re-install or replace your sound card or sound card drivers.
Note: If you want to load an audio file that you know has good audio levels within it, select the Play Tutorial option under the Help
Connecting the Quikscribe Foot Switch
The Quikscribe Player Software requires a sound card and a headset (or speakers) to work correctly.
If you cannot hear any audio being played, here are four possible reasons:
- Your speakers or headset may not be correctly plugged in. Check to see they are plugged into the correct output jack. If your sound card is colour coded, Green normally represents the speaker output, and Black means Line Out. It is preferable to use the Speaker output because the signal will be amplified, whereas the Line Out jack will require amplification
- Your speakers or headset may not be working. To check, plug in a known working set and test again.
- Your output volume level may be too low, which means you will have to adjust the audio level of your sound card.
- It is possible that your sound card is not working, not installed or incorrectly installed. To resolve the issue, contact your Network Administrator to re-install or replace your sound card or sound card drivers.
Note: If you want to load an audio file that you know has good audio levels within it, select the Play Tutorial option under the Help
How to use the Quikscribe Foot Switch
The Quikscribe Player is control by a Quikscribe Foot Switch and there are two (2) different types of Quikscribe Foot Switches that can be used. Below is a description of how each type operates.
Single Foot Switch (view)
Press it once to start PLAYING
Press it once to STOP
Hold it down to REWIND
Triple Foot Switch (view)
Hold the PLAY button down to PLAY
Release the PLAY button to STOP
Hold the REWIND button down to REWIND
Release the REWIND button when you want to STOP
Hold the FAST FORWARD button down to FAST FORWARD
Release the FAST FORWARD button when you want to STOP
Note: When the audio file is STOPPED, Quikscribe will automatically jump back (BACK SPACE) a fixed distance. If you want to vary this distance, click on the Controls Icon and vary the Backspace distance.
Note: If you would like to change how the triple action foot switch works, click on the Settings Icon and then select the Preference Tab and select the Reverse Foot Switch tick box. (The REWIND function will then be on the left and the FAST FORWARD will be on the right)
How to use the interactive training tutorial
The quickest way to learn how the Quikscribe Player works is to do the following
- Select the Help menu.
- Select Play Tutorial.
Note: The Quikscribe Player will copy and open the tutorial for you. In this tutorial you will learn all of the main features and functions of the Quikscribe Player PLUS you will practice pasting text attachments and images directly into the audio file.
How to open an audio file
- Click on the Open Audio Icon.
- From within the Open Audio Dialogue Box, select one of the audio files from the list.
- Click Open
Note: When you select an audio file, Quikscribe will automatically display the file properties for this file, providing the audio file is an .iaf file. If you have the little speaker Enabled, you can preview (listen) to the audio file before opening it.
How to open .wav or .dss audio file
To import a .wav or .dss (Digital Speech Standard) file, do the following.
- Click on the Open Audio Icon
- From within the Open Audio Dialogue Box, select the Browse button.
- In the drop down list, select the file type you wish to open e.g. wav or .dss
- Browse your Hard Drive or Network to find the file you want to open. Select Open. Quikscribe will then import the audio file into Quikscribe.
Note: Quikscribe will now import the audio file into Quikscribe
How to insert Markers
Markers are like electronic bookmarks. They can be inserted within the audio file using Hotkeys and instantly accessed by selecting the ‘Next’ and the Previous’ Hotkeys..
To insert a Marker:
- While an audio file is playing, press CTRL 6 (the Default Hotkey to insert a Marker)
- Repeat the above process two or three times within the audio file.
- To move forward and backwards to the different marker positions, press CTRL 5 (the Default Hotkey for Previous Marker) and CTRL 7 (the Default Hotkey for Next Marker)
How to paste attachments into your current document
A Marker can contain either text or a picture that has been copied and pasted into the audio file by the Quikscribe Recorder. When a Recorder Marker has been found within the Quikscribe Player, a musical prompt will be played.
This prompt means that there is either text attachment or a picture is on the Windows clipboard, waiting to be pasted into your document at this point.
To paste the contents of the marker within your document – press CTRL V on the keyboard. Whatever is on the clipboard will be pasted directly into the document you are working on.
It is possible to have multiple Recorder Markers within an audio file. Therefore every time you hear the musical prompt you should press CTRL V.
How to add documents or link documents
With Quikscribe it is possible to add file or documents within the audio file or you can link files or documents to the current audio file.
If you wish to Add a file, do the following
- Open an audio file
- Select the File Menu
- Select Add Attachment
- Navigate and select the file you want to add
- Select Open
Note: At this stage, in the button left hand corner you should see “# 1”, indicating that your file now has an attachment within it.
If you wish to Link a document, do the following
- Open an audio file
- Select the File Menu
- Select Link Document
- Navigate and select the file you want to add
- Select Open
Note: The next time this audio file is opened it will automatically open the linked file.
Understanding “Percentage Completed”
The Quikscribe Player displays the Percentage Completed in the task bar while transcribing.
The Percentage Completed is continually updated in the file header. This means that either the Quikscribe Manager or Quikscribe Recorder can view the current staus of the audio file.
The Percentage Completed also provides the Quikscribe Manager the ability to calculate the E.C.T. (Estimated Completion Time) for the file. By comparing the current position within the file with the last recorded position in the file. The difference is a measure of how much has been completed within a given time (rate) which can then be divided into the remaining audio.
Lastly the Percentage Completed provided the Quikscribe Manager to calculate the true backlog for a typist or a queue, rather than add the duration of all files within a queue, the Quikscribe Manager looks at the current percentage completed for each file. Therefore if the a file is 10 minutes in duration but 50% completed, the duration remaining is only 5 minutes. As a result the Quikscribe Manager is able to display the real-time backlog value of any queue at anytime.
So at first glance, the percentage completed does not seem all that special, but it actually performs a major roll in providing E.C.T (Estimated Completion Time) and true backlog value
Understanding File Notification Icons
In the top left hand corner of the Quikscribe Player interface you will see a small yellow speaker. This Application Icon notifies the typist by changing colour when a new file arrives or if urgent or overdue files are waiting.
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Yellow speaker indicates that no files are currently waiting to be transcribed |
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Green stable speaker indicates that a file is currently open (being transcribed) and that one or more files are currently waiting to be transcribed
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Green flashing speaker indicates no file is currently open (being transcribed) but one or more files are currently waiting to be transcribed
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Red stable speaker indicates that a file is currently open (being transcribed) and that one or more Urgent or Overdue files are currently waiting to be transcribed
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Red flashing speaker indicates that no file is currently open (being transcribed) and but one or more Urgent or Overdue files are currently waiting to be transcribed
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Understanding how file are queued
All files sent from the Quikscribe Recorder are automatically queued based on the files priority. When a file is sent by an author, the author has the ability to set a Required by time for the file to be completed by. For example, if 4 hours was selected, the Quikscribe Recorder adds this value (4 hours) to the current date and time and saves this information to the beginning of the file being sent for transcription. As a result, the file being sent, now has a prefix added, as illustrated below.
Original File Name: | Bill Smith 123.iaf |
Requested Turn around time: | 4 hours |
Date & Time Sent: | 15th March 2002 at 10 am |
Filename of file that is Sent: | 020315_1400_Bill Smith 123.iaf |
020315_1400_Bill Smith 123.iaf | Year | 02 |
020315_1400_Bill Smith 123.iaf | Month | March |
020315_1400_Bill Smith 123.iaf | Day | 15th |
020315_1400_Bill Smith 123.iaf | Time (24 hour time) | 14:00 (2PM) |
020315_1400_Bill Smith 123.iaf | Original File Name | Bill Smith 123.iaf |
Note: If a file is sent as being Urgent, the Quikscribe Recorder automatically puts a 00 for the Year value. As a result, when listed within a directory, it will always appear first within the queue. Also because the file is Urgent, it is displayed in red text. If there is multiple Urgent files, the file that was sent first, will occupy the first position in the queue and so on and so forth. If at anytime a files requested turn around time is not achieved, the file will now be viewed by the Quikscribe Player from this point on as being Overdue, so rather than the file notification flashing Green, it will now flash Red additionally when displayed, it will be displayed in Red text also.
File Menu
Open Audio
Allows you to select and open an audio file.
Next Audio
Automatically loads the next audio file based on priority.
Close Audio
Close the current audio file.
Save As
Allows you to save the current .iaf with a new name or to a new location.
Complete
Close the current audio file and moves the file to the completed directory, where it will be deleted within 14-days (default duration) as set under the Settings Icon.
Normalise Audio
Will amplify your audio file to its maximum.
Export Audio
Allows you to Export a .wav file from an .iaf.
Link Document
Allows you to link your current audio file to a word document.
Add Attachment
Allows you to add a files or documents as attachment within the current .iaf.
View Attachments
Allows you to View, Export, or Remove files or attachments from within an .iaf.
System Settings
Brings up the Setting Tab, performs the same function as the Settings Icon.
Player Levels
Selecting this option will bring up the Windows Volume Control Dialogue Box.
File Properties
Allows you to view the file details of the current audio file.
Add Comment
Allows you to add a comment to a partially completed file. Ideal for shift change within large law firms, or you want to leave a reminder for yourself.
Comment History
Allows you display all comments saved within this document.
Exit
Closes the Quikscribe Player.
Marker Menu
Add Marker
This will add a Marker within the audio file. The default Hot-Key for this function is CTRL 6
Remove Marker
Removes a Marker from the audio file
Go To Previous Marker
This will jump backward within your audio file to a Previous Marker. The default Hot-Key for this function is CTRL 5
Go To Next Marker
This will jump forward to the Next Marker within the audio file. The default Hot-Key for this function is CTRL 7
Copy Marker Contents
This copies the contents of the Marker file to the Windows clipboard.
View Marker Contents
This allows you to view the contents of a Marker file. If you have text within the Marker file, you can edit this text if you wish and then select the update button.
Enable Marker Notification
If this is Enabled (Ticked), the Quikscribe Player will notify you when it finds a Marker created by the Quikscribe Recorder. If this is Disabled (No Tick), the Quikscribe Player will NOT notify you when it finds a Marker created by the Quikscribe Recorder.
Reset Marker Notification
Once a marker has been found and the typist has been notified, a flag is set within the file, preventing this marker any future notification from this marker. That way if the typist happens to rewind past this point, they are not continually prompted. If the audio file is closed and then re-opened, all marker flags a reset.
Note: You must use the numbers above the alphabetical letters on the keyboard for the Marker default Hot-key Do not use the numbers on the numerical keypad on the right side of the keyboard as these will not work.
Help Menu
Quikscribe Player Help
Loads the online Quikscribe Player Help.
Play Tutorial
Copies and load the 14 minute interactive Quikscribe Player tutorial, which explains how the Quikscribe Player works.
About Quikscribe Player
Displays the Quikscribe Player Splash Screen, Quikscribe Contact Details and the Software Version Number.
Not Playing audio
If Quikscribe is not playing audio files:
- Make sure an audio file is loaded into the Quikscribe Player. The easiest way to do this is to click on the Help file and then click on Play Tutorial. This will automatically open the Tutorial audio file.
- Ensure the position indicator is moving while the file is being played. If not, then Quikscribe is not playing the file. The Foot Switch may not be plugged in.
- Ensure your headset is plugged in and the volume is turned up.
- Review the topic ‘Setting Up Your Sound Card’.
- Contact your network administrator for assistance if the above does not help.
Will only work in DEMO mode
If the Quikscribe Player cannot detect a Quikscribe Foot Switch when it loads it will automatically go into DEMO mode. This means audio files can only play for a maximum length of 30 seconds.
To resolve the problem, make sure the Quikscribe Foot Switch is plugged in correctly and/ot the Comm Port setting is configured correctly