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.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>