Category:Transcription -> Hardware -> Troubleshooting 

Symptom:  USB device sometimes fails or doesn’t work all the time.

Resolution: Turn off the Windows power management setting on ALL the USB ports.

�  Click Start>Control Panel>System Hardware >Device Manager. 

�  Double click Universal Serial Bus controllers, right click USB Root Hub, click Properties, click Power Management, and uncheck “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power”.  Make this change for each USB Root Hub.

You may find the physical address of the computer by selecting:

Start,  then Run

Type “command” in the entry panel, then press Enter.

Now type “ipconfig /all”, then press Enter. 

The physical address will display to identify the PC and allow you to match that address to the Quikscribe registration for that PC.

1.) Open QuikScribe
2.) Select FILE, Select SYSTEM SETTINGS
3.) Select PREFERRENCES
4.) Change COMM PORT to Auto Detect
5.) Save Changes
6.) Close QuikScribe Player
7.) Access Device Manager in Windows Control Panel -> System
8.) Under HID, Human Interface Devices, remove all HID Compliant and Consumer Devices
9.) Scan for hardware changes, give it a minute
10.) Open QuikScribe Player
11.) Select FILE, Select SYSTEM SETTINGS
12.) Select PREFERENCES
13.) Change COMM PORT to USB
14.) Save Changes
15.) Close and Re-open QuikScribe Player.

File delivery notification is displayed in the top left hand corner of the Quikscribe Player interface with a small speaker.  This application Icon notifies you when a new or an urgent file arrives by changing color. The speaker will turn Green when a new file arrives and is waiting to be typed. The speaker will turn Red if an urgent file arrives and is waiting to be transcribed. If the Quikscribe Player is open but not in use, the speaker will flash either Green or Red to attract attention if files are waiting to be transcribed.  Below is a summary of the color and status of the speaker.

Speaker color notifications:

  Yellow - no files waiting
  Green, stable - file open and file(s) waiting
  Green, flashing - no file open but file(s) waiting
  Purple, stable - file open and overdue file(s) waiting
  Purple, flashing - no file open but overdue file(s) waiting
  Red, stable - file open and Urgent file(s) waiting
  Red, flashing - no file open but Urgent file(s) waiting

The Quikscribe Player has an option under the Preferences Tab of the Quikscribe Settings to automatically notify the typist when new files arrive. If the option for automatic notification, Check for new files every (xxx) seconds, is checked, the speaker at the top of Quikscribe Player will change color and/or status.  The default time period is 120 seconds (2 minutes).  With the default setting Quikscribe Player will search all mapped folders every 2 minutes for new files that have been sent by the Quikscribe Recorder.  It is not recommended to set the time for less than 2 minutes, but times over 2 minutes are suitable.

Note:  The notification received also depends on the current status of the Quikscribe Player and the type of file that has arrived.

Additional options in Settings -> Preferences allow you to set an audible prompt when a new file arrives (“Play audible prompt when files are available”) and also “Start QSP when files are available” (so if QS Player is closed, the program will start automatically when a new file arrives in your preferred queue, and the program will appear on the computer monitor).

If you can’t send a file to the transcription destination, it may be a corrupt file on the PC hard disk.

Here are steps to recover the audio portion from the original file.

Since the file is corrupt, you will need to export the file in order to resend it.

Below are the instructions to export the corrupt file and resend it.

- Open the file in Quikscribe Recorder.

- From the file menu, click Export Audio.  Save the file which will be a .wav file.  Note the name and location of the .wav file.

- Close the file.

- Click the Create New File icon in QSR.  Name the new file and click Create. If the file is named automatically, note the name of the file in the blue banner at the top of QSR. 

- From the File menu, click Import Audio.  Select the .wav file and click Open.

- Now send the file that was created.

Symptom:  The Philips SpeechMike (or other USB device) stops functioning for no apparent reason.

Often this is related to Window Power Management settings turning off power to the USB port.

To disable the power management setting on the USB ports:

-  Click Start>Control Panel>System Hardware >Device Manager. 

-  Double click Universal Serial Bus controllers, right click USB Root Hub, click Properties, click Power Management, and uncheck “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power”.  Make this change for each USB Root Hub.

Note:  If you have problems with the SpeechMike connection, or with the recording levels not remaining stable, please make sure of the following:

The SpeechMike USB connection should be plugged directly into the computer’s USB port instead of a USB hub.  If you have to use a USB hub, make sure it’s a powered USB plug that plugs into an A/C outlet for external power.

Category:Dictation -> Hardware -> Philips SpeechMike

SpeechMike II. Sound and voice recording properties are muted on pc start up.

Our Suggestion is to go to the run section of the registry and remove any perceived sound applets that are running. Then check to see if the muting still occurrs.

We have noted an issue with some SoundMax applets monopolizing the sound resources or blocking the WDMA drivers. 

Sometimes the SoundMax Applet running intercepts or block the USB audio stream.

Check under Task Manager to see if SMax4PNP.exe is running under Processes.

Start/Run/Regedit

Look for and Remove SMax4PNP.exe (or similar file) from the “Run”-Key in the registry (if found), and also remove all key entries for Smax4PNP.exe

It’s recommended that you Export the Registry to your “My Documents” first then remove SMax4PNP.exe from the “Run”-Key this way if it doesn’t work you can Merge the original registry settings back in.

Note:  If you have problems with the SpeechMike connection, or with the recording levels not remaining stable, please make sure of the following:

The SpeechMike USB connection should be plugged directly into the computer’s USB port instead of a USB hub.  If you have to use a USB hub, make sure it’s a powered USB plug that plugs into an A/C outlet for external power.

Category:Dictation -> Hardware -> Troubleshooting

Category:Dictation -> Hardware -> Philips SpeechMike

Category:Dictation -> Hardware -> Olympus

Tips for setting the microphone sound level input for Quikscribe Recorder:
(if you record directly into QSR using a SpeechMike or other PC microphone).

Windows provide audio settings in Control Panel to define the audio input device (microphone, SpeechMike, etc.)

Quikscribe Recorder provides access to audio volume levels by selecting File, then Play/Record Levels.

This video demonstration provides instructions for setting the audio sound levels in Windows and Quikscribe Recorder.

Note:  If you have problems with the SpeechMike connection, or with the recording levels not remaining stable, please make sure of the following:

The SpeechMike USB connection should be plugged directly into the computer’s USB port instead of a USB hub.  If you have to use a USB hub, make sure it’s a powered USB plug that plugs into an A/C outlet for external power.

- Open Quikscribe Recorder
- Click the Open Audio File icon (the file folder)
- Select the Sent Audio Directory at the bottom left
- Click the file you wish to re-send
- Click the Recall ** button under File Details
- Click the Send File icon (the two computers)
- Select the folder to which you wish to send the file
- Click the Send button
** If the Recall button is grayed out, click Open.  A warning will display that the file cannot be recalled.  Select Yes to open the file.

Open Quikscribe Recorder.

Click the Open Audio File icon.

Select the Sent Audio Directory in the bottom left of the Open Audio panel.

Click on a file in the sent directory to view the File Details. 

File Details included are:  the date and time sent, the typist destination, the sent filename, and the status. In addition, recall and status options are available.  I
f you wish to cancel dictation of a file, click Recall. 
If you wish to know more details regarding the status of the transcription and typist, press   ?  .