MaliasRV

Barbara, are the operating systems on the laptop and desktop both exactly the same? Like on my two laptops - one has regular Windows XP and the other has the Media Center edition. As you saw from Olympus' reply I posted above, DSS files won't open in the Media Center edition, but everything works fine on my other laptop. Are you trying to open DSS files, also, or another audio format? I'm glad this discussion has helped some and I hope you find the solution to yours, too. It's nice when people report back what worked - maybe if we keep this up we'll eventually find a solution to all our glitches!

I feel your pain! From what I read on this forum from other people who had the same problem, you may need an older version if you're using 4.16. Here's what tech guy from ES sent me: uninstall this version of ES(via control panel->add or remove programs) and download older version from link below and install it, http://www.audiochannel.net/software/es.zip Hopefully that easy fix will work for you! Malia

I hope you find your solution, Michael. I just wish I could get it to work at all on my new computer. After much investigation and talking to more tech people in the last week than I ever want to talk to again in my life, I got a response from Olympus. It was as I suspected - DSS files won't play on Windows XP Media Center Edition. I had come to believe this when none of the file conversion programs that said they could convert DSS to WAV wouldn't work, either. Here's what Olympus said: "Windows XP Media Center Edition does not support any of the Olympus software program. The difficulties you have might be cause by incompatibility of your current software and the operating system too. Olympus products are not compatible with Media Center edition as this is a specially modified WIN version. Reverting to WIN XP will solve you a lot of difficulties related to the compatibility (as all the software programs available in these days are compatible with WIn XP Professional edition)." And according to Toshiba, I can't get a restore disc from them for this computer with just the regular XP. So it looks like my only options at this point are to buy the retail version of Windows XP for about $200 and hope that doesn't cause more problems than I have now (and I'm not convinced of that). Or just use my old computer for DSS dictation. That's probably what I'll do because I really like the new computer for everything else. I sure wish somebody (Microsoft, Olympus, Express Scribe, God) could do something to fix this, but apparently not... If anybody ever comes up with an idea, I'd love to hear it. Thanks, Malia

Hi Nikolay, I really appreciate your reply, but I did get the link from ES tech which installed older version 4.05. However, I had already tried that from other replies on this forum and it doesn't work. I'm now convinced it is some sort of incompatibility problem between Windows XP Media Center Edition which won't allow DSS files to download properly. I've even tried downloading Switch and another conversion program to convert the DSS files to WAV, but I keep getting message about invalid file format. ES works fine on my older computer with regular Windows XP. I'm not getting any help from Windows support group, though. No replies yet, so it seems this problem has stumped everyone. Really don't know what to do at this point...I'm pretty frustrated.

Since Express Scribe won't properly load DSS files on my computer anymore (even though I've tried all their forum help re: going back to previous versions, etc. - I get zero duration and they won't play) I'm desperately looking for a way to get my virtual boss' DSS files to play on Express Scribe or to find another program that will. I downloaded the trial version of Switch Plus because it said the paid version would convert DSS to WAV files. But when I just tried to do that, I got message "The specified source format could not be read." I'm willing to buy paid version of Express Scribe or Switch or pay for tech support - whatever! I've just got to get this work done - can somebody PLEASE help me?

Aw, come on guys - doesn't anybody have anything else I can try? I'd be willing to pay for tech help, but the initial response I got from them suggested the older versions that I've already tried. If there is something else I can check, please, please, please let me know. This has really stumped me and I'd really appreciate some suggestions here. Many thanks! Malia

I've been reading all the other posts about this subject and don't understand why the older versions worked for you guys, but not for me. So far I've tried 4.16, 4.15, 4.08 and 4.05. This very program used to work on this very machine before I had to reformat hard drive and reinstall. Could there be any setting that got screwed up that you could point me to? I've looked at everything I can see - properties of DSS file opens with scribe, but still with zero duration. I could really use some guidance here and really would appreciate your help.

I just had to reinstall ES today and now my DSS won't load, either - same deal - zero duration. I tried going back to all the older versions mentioned here, but none of them are working now, even with files I transcribed and know are fine. Is there any other transcription program y'all know of that I can use since I apparently can't use ES anymore?

I've used Express Scribe for quite a while with no problems. Due to recent computer crash, I re-installed v. 4.16 on a different computer and now get 0 duration on DSS files. After reading similar posts, I tried installing 4.15 with no luck. I looked on old computer and I was using 4.08. It still works on old computer, but after transferring over to new one, it still won't on the new computer. To further complicate matters, the same program did work on the new computer before I had to reformat its hard drive, so I don't think it's the computer itself. It won't even load older files I know I transcribed on this computer with no problem before. I'm running Windows XP. I've tried installing and reinstalling several times, have restarted the computer, etc. and am just unreasonably stressed about it now because work is piling up and I've really gotta get it working on the newer computer. Any suggestions from the gurus out there, please???

One client I work with has an Olympus DS4000 and I have no problem transcribing his dictation with Express Scribe. A new client was going to get one, but I guess that model is no longer available. She wants to know if the Olympus VN-2100 will work with Express Scribe. I can't find the answer either here or on Olympus site. Specs for this model says it uses CEPL, ADPCM (wave) format. I don't want to tell her to buy this if it won't work with Express Scribe. Can anybody help me out here? Sure would appreciate it so I can get to work for this lady. OR if anyone could tell me what digital recorder to tell her to buy that would for sure work, that would be GREAT! Thanks, Malia

Looks like I'll have to return the Olympus foot pedal I just received because it won't work with Express Scribe. Guess I didn't look any further than the front page that says ES works with Olympus - I guess that's only if you have Olympus software, too? Anyway, is my only option to buy foot pedals through Express Scribe? I've seen less expensive ones like Infinity at EBay, etc. and am trying to save money here, but I need something that will work. Any suggestions? Thanks! Malia