H is for Hardware

NCH Software ABCs Series

Hardware and software can't help but go hand in hand. You need a computer to run your software, a microphone to record audio, a video camera to capture videos, a phone for your apps and the list goes on. Despite being two distinct things, you cannot accomplish much with one and not the other. What can you do with a computer and no software? Or software without a computer for it to be installed on? Which is why so many of our software products have a section on the webpage or in the help talking about hardware related to that program.

AltoEdge is our sister company and carries hardware that compliments and has been tested with our software programs. For example, you can find foot pedals to go with Express Scribe. Video capture devices to help you connect older camcorders or VCRs to your computer so you can digitize old home movies. Then you can use VideoPad to edit and remaster, Express Burn to burn to DVD, or share them online. For the audio enthusiast there are microphones, headsets, mixing consoles and more audio equipment to help you record, mix, listen and produce high quality audio with our audio programs.

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Transcription Foot Pedal or Hotkeys?

One of our programs popular with transcriptionists worldwide is Express Scribe Free Transcription Software. Express Scribe, an invaluable tool to transcriptionists, helps control the playback of audio or video files during transcription with extremely helpful features, including variable speed playback, and can be controlled either with a transcription foot pedal or with assigned 'hotkeys' on the keyboard. Most transcriptionists rave about foot pedals, but have you ever wondered if they really make transcription more efficient or if their use is really just a matter of preference?

Well here's your answer. Chris Beamish at HoT Virtual Assistant Resources recently crunched the numbers on if you should use hot keys or a foot pedal for transcription and, based on his estimates, you could potentially save yourself over 11 hours-worth of typing in a week by using a foot pedal instead of hotkeys where he has found the potential for hitting the wrong command to be much more likely.

What do you think? Do you use a foot pedal or hotkeys with Express Scribe? And if you invested in a foot pedal did you see an increase in your productivity once you got into the swing of things?