News

Click here for the FREE update to Olympus DSS Player Plus v7.5.4 for Mac

Only two weeks after Apple released High Sierra (OSX 10.13) for the Mac, which at the same time disabled the Olympus DSS Player Plus v7 dictation and transcription software (see this blog post), a fix has been released.

If running DSS Player Plus v7.5.3 or earlier on OSX 10.13 High Sierra, Apple dictation and transcription users were met with the below, entering your serial or licence key did not fix the issue:

The latest update to version DSS Player Plus v7.5.4 restores Olympus audio functionality back to the Mac, a relief for the many Mac transcription typists left in limbo over the last couple of weeks. To be fair, Olympus were alerted by dealers around the world, including us, immediately after the Mac operating system update and they have been working pretty hard to get the fix made, tested and now released. 

One of the main the reasons we remain a dedicated Olympus dealer is the great and open communication we have with Olympus. Sure, they may not have been too happy about social media posts highlighting the Mac issue, but Olympus Mac (and Windows) users are a dedicated bunch with plenty of brand loyalty. The audio products are fantastic, the support from dealers is second to none and customer satisfaction is high. Well done Olympus for getting the fix out so quick. 

** Update : Olympus have released R7 of ODMS - you can upgrade from DSS Player Pro R5 or ODMS R6 to the latest version Release 7 click here for details

What to do if you have a working, older Olympus digital dictaphone or transcription kit but your Olympus Windows software is no longer supported?

One of the main reasons that people love and continue to buy Olympus dictation products is because they are solid units and last for years and years. The current top-of-the-range digital dictaphone the Olympus DS-7000 is the latest in a long line of a history of professional digital voice recorders and replaced the Olympus DS-5000 which in turn replaced the Olympus DS-4000.

We continue to sell a great many replacement rechargeable batteries for the Olympus DS5000 (BR-403) which shows that they are still very actively used throughout Australia thanks to the build quality that all Olympus voice recorders enjoy. Indeed we had a customer recently still happily using the Olympus DS-4000, a model that was discontinued way back in 2009.

Although the physical hand held devices have a long and prosperous life, not so their software. With rapid advances in the Widows operating systems spanning the life of the Olympus DS-4000 to DS-5000 to DS-7000 we have lived through Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1 and now Windows 10 not to mention the transition from 32bit to 64bit.

What software came with your Olympus DS-5000 or AS-5000 ?

Olympus DS-5000 and AS-5000 were both supplied with DSS Player Pro Release 5 (R5)

I am moving to Windows 10, will DSS Player Pro R5 still work?

It might but it is no longer supported by Olympus and is officially not compatible with Windows 8 and above.

Can I upgrade to the latest supported Olympus software and still use my DS-5000 or transcription foot pedal?

Yes, Olympus have made it easy to upgrade from DSS Player Pro R5 to R6 of their software, which also changed name to ODMS or Olympus Dictation Management System. To upgrade you must know your R5 serial or licence key. You will know if your software is DSS Player Pro R5 as your licence key would start with the letters RD5xx or RT5xx 

ODMS R6 dictation module supports the Olympus DS-5000. If you have a transcription kit and need to upgrade to ODMS R6 transcription module just make sure that your pedal is an RS-28. Older RS-26 pedals will not work.

How do I upgrade from DSS Player Pro R5 to ODMS R6?

You will need to buy one of the following Olympus part numbers, they are $59 each incl. GST. You will need one part for each computer as each computer requires a unique licence key:

Olympus AS-7003 - DSS Player Pro R5 Dictation Module (RD5xx) Upgrade to ODMS R6 DM

Olympus AS-7004 - DSS Player Pro R5 Transcription Module (RT5xx) Upgrade to ODMS R6 TM

What is a digital download?

We now offer the R5 dictation module and transcription module upgrades as digital downloads. This means that when you order you will instantly be given your ODMS R6 upgrade licence key plus a link to download the latest version of the ODMS R6 software. This allows you to update a R5 install in minutes rather than wait a day or two for physical delivery of a CD.

Additionally, the ODMS R6 installer we supply also comes with the latest patches and full ODMS documentation. We will also email you a scanned copy of your physical hard printed licence key.

**UPDATE 2019** AWS, Amazon Web Services, throw their hat in the ring for automatic speech-to-text with their AWS Transcribe service. We offer a service for clients worldwide to convert recorded voice to text, click the image below for more details:

In this day and age of digital technology disruption it only makes sense to see the major tech giants look towards voice recognition to start to replace that clunky, push button, major taker of space on your laptop ... your keyboard. The thing we hammer daily and have done since its invention back in 1868, yes 1868, 149 years ago when Christopher Latham Sholes patented the QWERTY typewriter that we commonly use today. Long overdue for some kind of digital disruption as you can see.

What is voice recognition? Simply speaking, your spoken voice is automatically converted to text, as you speak. There are now a number of solutions that can do this, they range in features and cost but on the whole accuracy is high, speed is fast and cost varies from free to moderately expensive. 

In this post we are going to look at the major tech giants offerings as well as the stalwart of the voice recognition world a company called Nuance who make a product you may have heard of called Dragon. Nuance have been developing speech recognition software since 1997 with their first release of NaturallySpeaking for Windows. Dragon is now available from Nuance for both Windows and Mac.

 Google Voice Typing 

• Mac & Windows
• Free $0
• Only works with Google Docs and Google Slides
• Extensive list of supported languages including the following English accents: Australian, UK, US, Canada, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Phillipines and South Africa
• No software to install, works via your Chrome web browser 
• Extensive range of voice commands - Google Voice Typing Setup & Voice Commands
• Can not convert recorded speech to text, real time spoken voice only
• Internet connection required

 Apple OS X Dictation

• Apple Mac only (obviously)
• Free - $0
• No internet connection required (with Enhanced Dictation enabled, just download a local language dictionary file)
• Large list of supported languages including the following English accents: Australian, UK, US and Canada
• Enables voice to text anywhere you would normally type (e.g. Word, Pages, Skype, TextEdit etc).
• Can not convert recorded speech to text, real time spoken voice only

Dictation in OS X can be enabled in the System Settings. For offline use you will need to enable Enhanced Dictation:

 Microsoft Dictate (Garage Project) - Microsoft Office Add-in

• Windows only (Windows 8 and above)
• Free - $0
• Requires Office 2013 or Office 2016 (including Office 365 install)
• Real time voice to text in Microsoft Word, Outlook and PowerPoint
• Will convert spoken voice to foreign language (e.g. speak English and Microsoft Dictate will transcribe in French, very cool)
• Automated punctuation, no need to say "comma", "full stop" etc
• Can not convert recorded speech to text, real time spoken voice only

 Nuance Dragon for Windows (formerly known as NaturallySpeaking) and Dragon for Mac (formerly known as MacSpeech Dictate)

• Windows & Mac versions available
• From AU$300 upwards depending on version
• Can convert from recorded voice
• Advanced learning. Dragon builds a profile of the way you speak and learns over time.
• Is widely used in the legal and medical professions to convert voice-to-text
• The goto solution for businesses

Ok so yes we have shown you the free versions from the big hitters but the old faithful when it comes to voice recognition is Dragon from Nuance. It has been around for years, it just gets better and better with every release and is packed full of features and functions to justify its cost over the other options listed here. But, we do want to highlight that Apple, Google and now Microsoft all have a vested interest in voice recognition. Dragons days may be numbered but for now it remains the pick of the bunch for day to day voice recognition.

Olympus Australia (and worldwide) have just released a new range of USB connected, hand held microphones for voice recognition using Dragon. 

Please note, at the time of writing this the RecMic Series II is not compatible with ODMS R6.4.0 Dictation Module for Windows or DSS Player Plus v7 for Mac. These are just for use with Dragon.

There are three new RecMic II models in the range:

• Olympus RecMic II RM-4110S (RRP AU$449)
• Olympus RecMic II RM-4100S (RRP AU$349)
• Olympus RecMic II RM-4010P (RRP AU$399)

With Dragon getting better and better and now with the latest versions starting to gather some traction in the legal/medical/journalism fields the timing is right for Olympus to step up and use their incredible audio savvy in these hand held, USB connected, state of the art microphones for dictation and voice recognition. 

The key differences between the models are:

Olympus RM-4110S:

• Yes Optical Slide Switch
• Yes Clickable Trackball Mouse Control
• 4 Customisable Function Buttons

Olympus RM-4100S:

• Yes Optical Slide Switch
• No Clickable Trackball Mouse Control
• 7 Customisable Function Buttons

Olympus RM-4110S:

• Yes Push Buttons
• No Optical Slide Switch
• Yes Clickable Trackball Mouse Control
• 4 Customisable Function Buttons

Don't be fooled by the snazzy design and the blue and red led lights that look great but also indicate when noise levels are perfect for dictation, the RecMics are packed with the latest mic innovation from Olympus and features that ensure your audio is as good as it can be for use with Dragon for Windows or Mac. Inside the mic you will find:

Intelligent Dual Mic System for Speech Recognition in Noisy Environments

•  Two Omni-directional Microphones with Advanced Noise Cancelling Technology
•  Triple-Layer Pop-Filter to suppresses noise caused by exhalation into the microphone
•  Sound Studio Microphone Shock Mounting reduces noise from handling

Recording Modes & HID Keyboard Mode

 Preset Recording Modes for each recording environment

• Quiet Environment (Blue LED)
• Noisy Environment for Speech Recognition (Green LED)
• Noisy Environment for Classic Dictation (Red LED)

 Preset Button Modes for Dragon & Windows Speech Recognition

• Olympus Mode: Default (F1)
• Custom Mode: Custom settings set via the RecMic Configuration Tool (F2)
• Dragon Mode: Buttons optimised for Nuance’s Dragon speech recognition software (F3)
• Windows Mode: Buttons optimised for Microsoft Windows speech recognition (F4)

 HID Keyboard Mode

• Configure hot keys for applications to RecMic buttons.

Built-in Acceleration Sensor detects the position of the RecMic and adjusts accordingly

• Place the RecMic II on a desk – Microphone automatically mutes
• Pick up the RecMic II – Microphone automatically resumes recording
• Place the RecMic II in Stand – Microphone automatically set to Hands-Free Dictation mode

Each RecMic comes with a stand and is Mac OSX and Windows 10 (and earlier) compatible.

Official Olympus Australia Press Release - 10th July 2017 

Click here to download the press release

Olympus announces the launch of the RecMic II the most advanced microphone for speech recognition The new RecMic II Series with Intelligent Dual Microphone System and unique Noise-Cancellation Technology raises the bar for speech recognition experience.

Olympus Australia are pleased to announce the new RecMic II series of USB Microphones. Professionals using dictation have always been prone to the risk that recorded noise is falsely transcribed into text through speech recognition. With Olympus’ next generation technology in the RecMic II series, accurate speech recognition in noisy environments is now possible for the first time. The new RecMic II series is characterised by a unique Intelligent Dual Microphone System with innovative noise cancellation technology. Strong directionality is achieved through two omni-directional microphones with Beam Forming spatial filtering to actively monitor and analyse the phase difference during recording. Speech recognition accuracy depends greatly on the signal-to-noise ratio of the recording. The advanced noise cancelling technology of the RecMic II series is able to differentiate between human voice and recorded noise. The result is that the voice of the user is identified and isolated, while unwanted noise is suppressed to improve the conversion of speech into text - regardless of your environment. Several powerful features further enhance speech recognition performance with the RecMic II series. For convenience, the devices come with pre-set button modes which are configured for use with Dragon and Windows speech recognition. For noise suppression, the microphone housing now includes a Triple-layered Pop Filter like those used in studio recording. This filter effectively suppresses the noise caused by exhalation into the microphones.

The extra smooth UV Coating on the microphone body reduces noise from handling, while the low-noise buttons have an improved mechanism which dampens noise when operating the device to improve the recording quality. To support hygienic requirements, the RecMic II series has a cleanable, antimicrobial body with Polygiene® antimicrobial technology. This technology is based on the natural ability of silver to inhibit the growth of microbes. Thanks to the alcohol resistant coating, this device can be wiped with alcohol or the like to keep the device clean as needed. The ergonomic body design supports all day use with buttons that can be operated with ease without having to reposition the device. The highly durable and reliable optical slide switch of the RM-4100S & RM-4110S can be reached without being forced to bend your thumb, while the improved trackball of the RM-4110S & RM-4010P is now clickable for better efficiency when using applications. A built-in Acceleration Sensor detects the position of the RecMic and adjusts accordingly. When the RecMic is placed on a desktop, the microphone is muted to prevent unintentional recording. When the RecMic is picked up again, the microphone automatically resumes recording. The dedicated stand is ideal for hands-free dictation as the RecMic switches to ideal recording settings when placed in the stand, leaving your hands free for other tasks. Thanks to the support of HID keyboard mode, the RecMic II series is compatible with any third party application that can be controlled with regular keyboard shortcuts. Using the dedicated RecMic Configuration Tool, you can configure RecMic settings and assign functions like macros, keyboard shortcuts, text input and dragon commands that control applications to RecMic buttons. Device configuration and application control templates can be saved so settings can be replicated on other computers.

The Olympus professional dictation app for iPhone and Android combined with ODDS (Olympus Dictation Delivery System) subscription has been around for a couple of years now and proving extremely popular for authors who want to dictate away from the office or practice. 

Blog Post: What is the difference between the free version of the Olympus Dictation App and the paid Olympus ODDS Subscription

For many who use the Olympus dictation app every day there are some handy features which you may not be aware of so we thought we would details them for you.

Olympus Dictation App - Temporarily Send Audio To A Different E-Mail Address

When your Olympus ODDS subscription licence is configured, if you choose email as the delivery method, you define the email address to send your audio to, usually your transcription typist. Should he/she be away you can quickly and easily redefine where the audio is sent in the Olympus dictation app itself.

1. Tap the configure gear:

2. Tap on Server Options:

3. Tap Recipients (usually set to Use Portal Settings):

4. Tap the + to add a new send to email address OR select an email address already defined if you have any

5. Important tap the back button < Server Options to save the settings and update the details to the Olympus portal

That is it. From now on all new dictations will be sent to the email address you just defined. Additionally, if you have dictation you have sent previously in the Sent folder they can be re-sent to the new email address (see the next handy tip below).

Don't forget to set this back to the default Use Portal Settings when your transcription typist returns.s

Olympus Dictation App - Resend A Dictation Audio File

Dictation that has been processed and sent already can be re-sent as is or you can edit the audio (perhaps add some more dictation or remove some dictation) and then re-send. Don't forget with your audio you can position anywhere in your audio recording and either overwrite or insert further dictation.

To resend or edit/resend your audio, head to the Sent folder and tap the (i) next to the audio file. A pop-up then lets you choose to Resend, Review or Edit Copy your audio.

Olympus are the leaders in the digital audio world with a large range of digital voice and music recorders that cover everything from meetings, interviews, conferences, focus groups, jam sessions and live concerts. One niche of digital voice recording that Olympus excel at is digital dictation (i.e. single speaker dictation of letters and notes) utilised by many professions but most prevalent in the medical and legal sectors.

Digital dictaphones and dictation apps for smartphones are a little different in the way they work when compared to the meeting/interview recorders which are commonly referred to as note takers. The key difference is the ability to rewind the last audio recorded, hear what was said and then continue recording. For those of you old enough to know what an analogue tape is, this functionality emulates what a tape dictaphone machines could do. This is an essential feature for legal and medical professionals who tend to dictate notes and letters or for those people who need to move from the mainly discontinued technology of analogue tape dictaphones.

Olympus have three digital dictaphone models which are (from cheapest to most expensive) the Olympus DS-2500, Olympus DS-3500 and the top of the range Olympus DS-7000 along with a dictation app for iPhone and Android. In the digital dictation handheld range cheapest does not mean worst quality audio recording, in fact all three recorders and the dictation app will record pretty much exactly the same audio quality. As you move up the line of physical recorders the features and functions increase. Here is a summary of all three.

All Three Digital Dictaphones – Olympus DS-2500, DS-3500 and DS-7000 are:

• Mac OSX 10.12 and up and Windows 10 compatible
• USB connected to access your recorded dictation
• Supplied with software to access and play your audio

Olympus DS-2500

• Push button for record/play/rewind
• Only records in .ds2 audio format
• Audio Compatible with Dragon Professional Individual for Windows
• Audio Compatible with Dragon Professional Individual for Mac
• Powered by 2x AAA rechargeable batteries or can be used with standard alkaline AAA batteries.
• 1x SD card slot – 2Gb card is supplied with the recorder
• Supplied with a licence key for single install of DSS Player Standard software for Windows
• Supplied with a licence key for single install of DSS Player Plus v7 for Mac

The Olympus DS-2500 is generally referred to as an entry level digital dictaphone, that’s the polite way to say the cheapest, but with the same knockout audio quality as the others and .ds2 file recording. With the DS-2500 record/play/review is activated via push buttons on the side of the recorder. The DS-2500 comes with DSS Player Standard software, this is a cut down version of ODMS R6 (Olympus Dictation Management System) which is included with the DS-3500 and DS-7000. DSS Player Standard displays the audio recorded on your dictaphone and facilitates audio playback on your PC. Mac users receive DSS Player Plus v7 which is supplied with all Olympus digital dictaphones and allows Mac users to view the audio files recorded on their dictaphone and allows playback to confirm the recording before sending dictation to your typist or running through Dragon voice recognition software. DSS Player Standard does not automate the sending of dictation via email.

• Rocker switch for record/play/rewind
• Can record single speaker letters and notes in .ds2 or .dss audio format
• Can record interviews and meetings in .mp3 or .wav audio format
• Large 2 inch colour display
• Audio Compatible with Dragon Professional Individual for Windows
• Audio Compatible with Dragon Professional Individual for Mac
• Can be used as a USB microphone for real time voice to text with Dragon
• Device password protection, nobody can use your dictaphone or play back your audio without your password
• Real time 128bit or 256bit audio encryption of DSS Pro (.ds2) audio dictation files
• Powered by a single on Li-ion battery (710mAh) giving 26 hours of recording on a full charge
• Battery is charged via USB
• Dual card slots – 1x SD and 1x microSD can take upto 32Gb of storage
• 2Gb microSD card supplied with the recorder gives upto 306 hours of recording
• ODMS Dictation Module R6 software for Windows – Full workflow integration software
• DSS Player Plus v7 for Mac

Olympus DS-3500 Audio Control Switches

The Olympus DS-3500 is the middle recorder in the range but my goodness it’s a good one. The DS-3500 has a dual role to play, it’s excellent as they all are at dictation for recording letters and notes. But a quick tweak to the settings opens up the microphones for wider ranging recordings of multiple speakers, so it can record very capably an interview or small meeting. The DS-3500 is the only Pro Olympus recorder to record in DS2/DSS, MP3 and WAV audio formats. A rocker switch is used for record/play/rewind of audio and a large colour screen gives you all the detail you need to see what is happening with your dictaphone.

• Slider switch for record/play/rewind
• Can record single speaker letters and notes in .ds2 or .dss audio format
• Large 2 inch colour display
• Audio Compatible with Dragon Professional Individual for Windows
• Audio Compatible with Dragon Professional Individual for Mac
• Can be used as a USB microphone for real time voice to text with Dragon
• Device password protection, nobody can use your dictaphone or play back your audio without your password
• Real time 128bit or 256bit (configurable) encryption of DSS Pro (.ds2) audio dictation files
• Powered by a single on Li-ion battery (710mAh) giving 26 hours of recording on a full charge
• Battery is charged via a docking station, the battery is always charged and ready to go
• Sits in a multi-function desk cradle – charges the battery and USB connects all in one
• Dual card slots – 1x SD and 1x microSD can take upto 32Gb of storage
• 2Gb microSD card supplied with the recorder gives upto 306 hours of recording
• ODMS Dictation Module R6 software for Windows – Full workflow integration software
• DSS Player Plus v7 for Mac

Olympus DS-7000 Slider Control Switch

Top of the range Olympus DS-7000 is probably the most common digital dictaphone in use by legal and medical professionals in Australia today. The slider switch to control audio record, rewind and play is extremely popular with those new to digital dictation as well as those converting from analogue micro-cassette and mini cassette tape dictaphones. Paired with the ODMS Dictation Module software the DS-7000 takes the tech out of dictation. From a users point of view they lift from the cradle, dictate and replace in the cradle. The ODMS for Windows software will automatically collect the recording(s) and send them for transcription.

Olympus Dictation Delivery Service (ODDS) - iPhone & Android App

Blog Post - What to look for when choosing a professional dictation app for your practice or business.

The Olympus dictation app is unique, especially in an iTunes store and Google Play which is full of voice recording apps and the occasional dictaphone app. It is unique in a number of ways:

1. It has the ability to record in .dss or .ds2 audio format, the same audio format as the handheld recorders and importantly the same format used by your transcription typist to listen to and transcribe your letters and notes,
2. You have the ability to encrypt your .ds2 audio files (in either 128bit or 256bit encryption). This is essential when transporting confidential patient or client audio across the internet.
3. Audio can be delivered either via email or via FTP

Item 2 above is critical for medical and legal users. Encrypted audio ensuring client or patient confidentiality and meaning that if intercepted the audio can not be played without the relevant decryption details.

The Olympus dictation app (ODDS) can be used instead of a handheld recorder or as a companion recorder. Typically users will have a physical hand held device in their office or practice and use the app when away from the office, perhaps at court for legal users and in hospital or doing visits for medical users. Audio created when delivered to the typist arrives exactly the same as it would from a physical digital dictaphone and fits straight into the dictation and transcription workflow.

The Olympus dictation app is licenced via a yearly subscription per user. There is no limit to the number of dictations made during the subscription year and the cost is $149 incl. GST. We are able to set your business up on a free 60 day trial to see if the app fits your firm.

A Brief Word On The Olympus ODMS Windows Software

ODMS or Olympus Dictation Management Systems is the latest and greatest Windows software from Olympus in both Dictation and Transcription modules. The two work hand in hand and as a workflow management system, for dictation and transcription it works flawlessly across small and large organisations. But, and there is always a but, ODMS is for Windows only. ODMS has the smarts built in from a dictation point of view to auto collect dictation and send it via email, FTP or dropped on a shared network or cloud drive taking the extra effort of managing dictation away from the dictator.

For Mac users you have DSS Player Plus v7, the key difference between Windows ODMS and Mac Player Plus is the automatic send functionality which is missing in Player Plus. Mac users of the Olympus range of digital dictaphones will need to send their audio dictation themselves either by email or popping on their network or cloud drive. 

Do you own an Olympus DS-5000 digital Dictaphone? Are you starting to experience some issues with its battery, for example it no longer holds charge for a full day or discharges quickly?

If you are having issues with your Olympus DS-5000 battery then it is no surprise. These recorders were discontinued some four years ago yet are still widely used because they are strong and robust. The recorder itself may be in fantastic working condition but the rechargeable battery inside the recorder, with its constant charge and discharge, over time will degrade.

The simple way to fix battery issues is to just replace the rechargeable battery in the unit. The battery part number is Olympus BR-403 and they can be purchased from our store and cost $45 incl. GST with free delivery.

In the interim, while you're waiting for delivery, you can use standard alkaline AAA batteries in your Olympus DS-5000 digital dictaphone. If you open the battery compartment and remove the rechargeable BR-403 battery you will see indicated in the compartment how to insert standard 2x AAA alkaline batteries. This is detailed in the Olympus the DS-5000 manual, see below:

Want to try the Olympus Dictation App for Smartphones?

You may also be interested to know that since the release of the DS-5000 recorder (11 years ago now, released October 2008) Olympus now have a Dictation app for iPhone and Android. The app lets you dictate on your phone and email your audio, anytime from anywhere. The audio files created are exactly the same as the audio created on your DS-5000, i.e. .ds2 files, with the same Author ID and Workflow and the ability to encrypt each individual audio file. This is the only app which can do this.

The app can be used with a digital dictaphone or as a replacement. We offer a 60-day free trial if you would like to try the app and see what you think.

We have been dabbling with Dragon on both Mac and Windows quite a few years. We tend to phase-in for a while and then phase out, Dragon always talk the talk but never quite walked the walk. That is until now!

We recently upgraded our Mac version of Dragon to the latest version which is Dragon  Professional Individual version 6 for Mac. Straightaway we noticed a drastic improvement. Training a voice profile was very quick and subsequent real-time dictation was virtually 100% accurate.

So, we thought we would give transcription of an audio file a try. The results were very good, we selected a female speaker and ripped the audio from the Internet. The video below shows how well Dragon transcribed the voice, remember there was no training involved at all for Dragon to listen and just transcribe straight out of the box.

We have a more detailed blog post on this, including using Dragon to transcribe an interview, over at our main blog site: https://idictate.com.au

This post was written using voice only with Dragon Professional Individual for Mac v6

Olympus recently released an update to their USB transcription pedal line, replacing the RS-28 and RS-31 with RS-28H and RS-31H. The pedals look exactly the same, they all work with Olympus ODMS transcription module for Windows or DSS Player Plus for Mac, the only difference is HID compliance.

Ah, now you see where the H comes from but what is HID? Essentially it means that the device, in this case the Olympus foot pedals, now use the Human Interface Device protocols to communicate with a computer, so to the non techy, your computer can now talk to the pedal and not be locked out to needing a specific driver and software (a la RS-28 and RS-31).

To get an Olympus pedal to work with any audio or video playback software, popularly Express Scribe and Windows Media Player, all you will need is a H pedal (RS-28H or RS-31H) and the free Olympus Foot Switch Configuration Tool for Mac and Windows 10. The older RS-28 and RS-31 will not work.

The tool is available for both Mac and Windows and essentially lets you map hot keys used by the non Olympus software to a pedal. E.g. the keyboard command sequence in Express Scribe to play audio is F9 so that command simply needs to be mapped to the pedal of your choice. It is as simple as that.

Head across to our main blog - iDictate.com.au - for a screen shot of the Foot Switch Configuration Tool and the Olympus Australia download links for the free Windows and Mac software.

Olympus Australia have released the latest patch for their current release (ODMS R6.4.0) Dictation and Transcription module Windows software.

Although no notes were released with the patch it is generally to fix minor bugs and it is recommended that all users of the Olympus Dictation Management System (ODMS) apply this patch.

The download is small, around 3Mb and takes only a few seconds to apply. Download the patch from our Google share via this link: dictat.es/ODMSPatch0016

More details in our blog - idictate.com.au