Mac version doesn't work!

[Guest Clevergirl]

I've been trying to get my Mac version of Express Scribe to work for over a month now. I've got a new (bought in April) 12 inch Powerbook running OSX 10.4.2 1.5 GHz PowerPC G4 with 768 MD DDR SDRAM. I followed the Express Scribe download instructions and basically, it doesn't recognise any of my sound files -- all of which were recorded using Sound Studio into AIFF and converted to mp3 using iTunes. In Sound Studio, I can also save them as .wav if necessary. But so far, I haven't been able to get Express Scribe to even recognise any of them as sound files!!!

 

I've tried suggestions given in other sections of the forum & finally managed to get the name of some files to appear, but the length doesn't show and it won't play, either.

 

Is this simply a matter of Express Scribe not yet being formatted to work with 10.4? Does anyone here have theirs working with 10.4? If so, how did you accomplish that? If the problem is with Express Scribe, then when is the program going to be fixed? It worked great on my old PC & I was soooo looking forward to using it on my Mac... but it doesn't work!!

[Guest Macgirl]

Hi Clevergirl,

 

Before the hard drive crashed on my G3 I was running Tiger and using Express Scribe with the problems noted in my posts but it was recognizing my mp3 files just fine.

 

I wonder if it has something to do with your converted files, it shouldn't but who knows.

 

Macgirl

 

Is this simply a matter of Express Scribe not yet being formatted to work with 10.4?  Does anyone here have theirs working with 10.4?  If so, how did you accomplish that?  If the problem is with Express Scribe, then when is the program going to be fixed?  It worked great on my old PC & I was soooo looking forward to using it on my Mac... but it doesn't work!! 

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[Guest Macgirl]

Hey Clevergirl,

 

Are you using a Vpedal? If so try the Quick Time plugin for the Vpedal. So far so good!

[Guest Joe F]

For what it is worth, I have been poking at Express Scribe for a while (OS 10.4.2, G5 dual 2.5). For a long time I could not get it to load any files. Finally I figure out how it works. Perhaps I am the only person who is so stupid they didn't see it immediately. But I thought I would post this in case it helps someone else.

 

The part I was missing is that you need to create a folder for the sound files you want to use. (I thought I could just click the Load button, browse to the folder I wanted, and then select the files. That doesn't work for me. All the sound files are greyed out.)

 

After you have created the new folder and put the files in it, go to Express Scribe-->Preferences-->Incoming Tab. Then click on the "add" button and then the "Computer Network" radio button. Then click the "..." button and use the browser that opens to go to the folder you created (it can be on your hard disk it does not need to be on a network). Use the check boxes to select the types of files you want to include. (dct, wav, mp3, aif). You can set a time interval for Express Scribe to check the folder for new files. Then close the preferences window and click the "load now" button and (at least for me) Express Scribe brings in the files and plays them correctly. (I think that if you just wait a few minutes, the files will load automatically.)

 

Note on "Delete" versus "Done." Clicking the Done button removes the highlighted file from the list. But those files can be added back on the list with File-->Recover Old Files. To actually get rid of a highlighted file, you need to use File-->Delete.

 

And, a final note. I did all this because I wanted to be able to use a footpedal to control playback. The Express Scribe description page says it works with Olympus. But after far too much time invested in trying to figure all this out and then discovering that my footpedal did not seem to work, I discovered a note on one of the support pages saying that Express Scribe did not work with some Olympus footpedals, including the RS23 which I happen to have. So, it isn't going to work for me unless I get another footpedal. I guess I will continue using the Olympus "DSS Player" software which works with the footpedal but crashes in OS 10.4 (and earlier) at random intervals.

 

Express Scribe looks as though it would work well, if I had a footpedal it liked.

[SahibAmar]

I am using OS X V10.3.9. I have been able to transcribe MP3 files on ExpressScribe - using the foot pedal I ordered from NCH. However, I can't get it to recognize AIF files (from an audio CD). The files load into ExpressScribe just fine but under "duration" it says 0. And when I click on the file in the ES window, nothing happens. I thought it was supposed to be compatible with AIF. So what am I doing wrong? This has happened on two separate occasions. I am resorting to copying the CD to tape (ugh!).

 

For what it is worth, I have been poking at Express Scribe for a while (OS 10.4.2, G5 dual 2.5). For a long time I could not get it to load any files. Finally I figure out how it works. Perhaps I am the only person who is so stupid they didn't see it immediately. But I thought I would post this in case it helps someone else.

 

The part I was missing is that you need to create a folder for the sound files you want to use. (I thought I could just click the Load button, browse to the folder I wanted, and then select the files. That doesn't work for me. All the sound files are greyed out.)

 

After you have created the new folder and put the files in it, go to Express Scribe-->Preferences-->Incoming Tab. Then click on the "add" button and then the "Computer Network" radio button. Then click the "..." button and use the browser that opens to go to the folder you created (it can be on your hard disk it does not need to be on a network).  Use the check boxes to select the types of files you want to include. (dct, wav, mp3, aif). You can set a time interval for Express Scribe to check the folder for new files. Then close the preferences window and click the "load now" button and (at least for me) Express Scribe brings in the files and plays them correctly. (I think that if you just wait a few minutes, the files will load automatically.)

 

Note on "Delete" versus "Done." Clicking the Done button removes the highlighted file from the list. But those files can be added back on the list with File-->Recover Old Files.  To actually get rid of a highlighted file, you need to use File-->Delete.

 

And, a final note. I did all this because I wanted to be able to use a footpedal to control playback. The Express Scribe description page says it works with Olympus. But after far too much time invested in trying to figure all this out and then discovering that my footpedal did not seem to work, I discovered a note on one of the support pages saying that Express Scribe did not work with some Olympus footpedals, including the RS23 which I happen to have. So, it isn't going to work for me unless I get another footpedal. I guess I will continue using the Olympus "DSS Player" software which works with the footpedal but crashes in OS 10.4 (and earlier) at random intervals.

 

Express Scribe looks as though it would work well, if I had a footpedal it liked.

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[Guest Paulette Chartrand]

I am using OS X V10.3.9. I have been able to transcribe MP3 files on ExpressScribe - using the foot pedal I ordered from NCH. However, I can't get it to recognize AIF files (from an audio CD). The files load into ExpressScribe just fine but under "duration" it says 0. And when I click on the file in the ES window, nothing happens. I thought it was supposed to be compatible with AIF. So what am I doing wrong? This has happened on two separate occasions. I am resorting to copying the CD to tape (ugh!).

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I am using OS X V10.3.9 too. I have been able to get ExpressScribe load correctly some .wav files but some don't (no time under "duration"). I suppose the problem is related to the "codecs". Is there someone who could help me with this issue? Maybe an audio file converter program which would "decode" those files... Even QuickTime can't open them.

[Guest Kristin]

Hey Clevergirl,

 

Are you using a Vpedal?  If so try the Quick Time plugin  for the Vpedal.  So far so good!

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Oh my god, Thank You. A beautiful, simple solution. So much for Express Scribe.

[Guest shaumbra]

I have the vpedal, could you let me in that "simple, beautiful solution", please? M'fraid I am a bit comp-illiterate. MUCH obliged for your time.

 

Oh my god, Thank You.  A beautiful, simple solution.  So much for Express Scribe.

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[Guest Clevergirl]

I have the vpedal, could you let me in that "simple, beautiful solution", please? M'fraid I am a bit comp-illiterate. MUCH obliged for your time.

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If you visit the vpedal website you can download a plug-in for Quicktime. That way, the pedal will work with Quicktime and you no longer need to use Express Scribe. It solves all of your express scribe issues in one fell swoop.

 

amazing, isn't it?

[Guest Susan]

Help! I can't get the Mac version to download. I end up with gobblety gook, foreign characters, and then it won't open in word.

 

What is Quicktime?

 

Thanks, I'm totally frustrated trying to get Express Scribe to work with my Mac