Dictation Machines Buyer’s Guide
If you dictate 8 hours a day or 8 minutes a week, a dictation machine is a great way to remain efficient while recording your important dictation. Dictation recorders are used mostly today by lawyers They have improved to provide a great, more efficient workflow through transcription and capture audio recording. Also, aging cassette dictation equipment is discontinued.
Key Dictation Machine General Features:
Mechanical Slide Operation
A four-position slide switch or push-button recording and operation? If the author has been using dictation recording equipment for more than a few years, he or she may only know the four-position slide as it’s the most efficient. Professional grade dictation machines always offer a model with this feature as many find it comfortable. Push-button operation is cheaper to manufacture and cost less. If you’re buying a handheld dictation machine for someone else to use, we recommend you to purchase a slide control dictation recorder. A lawyer will increase their use and efficiently of this type of diction machine.
Construction
Lawyers or any profession that requires large amounts of dictation should be aware of the material the recorder is made out of. Dictation devices, like consumer items, are handled constantly and can easily be dropped. Professional dictation machines are constructed out of aluminum or stainless steel for durability. Low priced push-button dictation machines are generally made out of plastics and break easier. You may end up replacing a push-button two or three times in the next few years.
Check the fit and finish a quality dictation machine should be made out of stainless steel so it can handle constant wear.
Screen Size
LCD size on the dictation recorder matters. The Olympus and Philips dictation machines professional models even go as far as to offer back lit LC-Displays. When buying for a dictation recorder, You need to ponder your needs and see if you desire a color screen and the size of the screen. When you are deciding screens and features make sure you have the insert/overwrite functions. This allows you to rewind, review, your dictation in real time. The more information on the dictation machines LCD the quicker you will be able to find the feature and use the recorder.
Dictation Machine Security
Protecting your dictation machine from unauthorized users before they leave your recorder? Dictations that contain medical or legal dictations may need to be protected by a password. Philips and Olympus have dictations systems that have a pin feature or bio-metric fingerprint locking solution. The new laws for privacy mandate these features for clients.
Menu System
How easy is your dictation machine? If you are dictating only a few minutes a day, a lower-priced menu push dictation machine may be easier for you to buy. The menu system is how you interface with your dictation machine. The more features that your recorder has the easier it will be for you and your secretary get the voice transcribed into text.
Premium dictation recorders and machines can make the dictating job enjoyable. Remember if you like the recorder you are mode likely to use it often.
Gradual Rewind
One of the most important features only found on the professional dictation machines is the incremental rewind. You won't find this on the voice recorder in your local store. These features allow you to rewind and locate the area you want to record over and make a correction.
Dictation Machine Controls
“Insert” function is only a professional grade dictation machine. You rewind to you the spot on the recording you made a mistake and then you insert a word or sentence to correct the dictation. If you dictated something and you want to record over it you can use the "Overwrite" features which allows you to record over dictation.
Metadata Dictation Machines Demographics
If you’re a lawyer dictator, you’ll want to consider the use of file metadata in your dictations. While today, you may dictate a case number, client number, etc, using file demographics enables the software to route and prioritize your dictations quickly and without any human intervention. Amazing! The pro dictation machine allows text charters or bar-codes to be scanned into the metadata in instantly. This metadata will help speed up the transcription part of creating a document. The transcriber will import and route your dictation to the correct secretary.
Dictation Included Software
Have feature-rich downloading and movement software for your dictation machine is as important as which mode you are buying. Some software is basic offloading software to get the dictation files onto your PC. That doesn't help you if you are a lawyer and busy all the time. We need the dictation machines downloading software to organize, download, transfer the files via email or FTP or Google drive to the correct place. On top of the line dictation machines, 256-bit encryption is included. Note if you are using a high-end dictation machine it may only be compatible with the encryption with the corresponding companion transaction software solution.
Dictation Voice Audio Files
The Lawyer dictation machine.
Every dictation recorder makes a digital audio file on its internal storage or memory card. Sony, Philips or Olympus creates its own unique file type called .dss dictation standard. If you have bought your transcription software you need to find out what brand it is and consider buying a dictation machine based on the transcription software you own. You need to make sure your dictation machine and transcription software are compatible.
Technical Support
Dictation machines that integrate with software and Windows.
Sometimes questions or issues arise. When that happens, make sure your vendor offers technical support.
Warranty
Dictation products warranty will vary from site to brand and vendor to vendor. Buy a product with a warranty that puts your mind at ease, from a vendor that will stand behind your purchase with a satisfaction guarantee. An extended warranty may be worth the investment if you use your dictation machine daily.
Price
Dictation machines and voice recorder can vary in price. Consider if you are a basic user or an advanced user. Here is how you should decide. If you are dictating more than 30 minutes a day I would say you need to buy a professional dictation machine. Serious dictation machines have features that are going to cost more but make your life so much easier. Remember a small price difference may cut 1 hour out of your workday.
Where to buy Dictation Machines?
That is a great question. Only specialty sites such as Martelelectronics.com carry advanced dictation machines for lawyers.
You can not find them at Staples or Costco. They are only sold from approves dictation re-sellers with technical support and knowledge of the products and users. Martel is one of a hand few of professional dictation machine resellers.
Internet re-sellers
If you’re considering a purchase your dictation machine online, you should investigate the e-retailer first. How many years have they been in business? Do they have telephone support? This could lead to issues in the event you needed assistance with the product or needed to return it for any reason up to and including repairs in the future.
If you have questions about dictation machine recorders or want a helpful consultation on dictation machines with a professional, give us a call 800-553-5536