Foot Pedal
Saturday, September 17th, 2011![]() |
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Keep Up Your Typing Speed With Headsets And Foot Pedals
If you want to get work from home as a general transcriptionist, you'll need a combination of hardware peripherals and software programs, and all are really necessities to starting your new transcription business.
Even if you just want to do this for a hobby or supplemental income, or you're between jobs, you need to have the right equipment to get the job done right. But by being a savvy shopper, however, you can find some great bargains so you won't have to have a large amount of money on hand. And since you're going to be self-employed as an independent contractor, any money you spend to get started is business expense tax write-off when you file your income taxes.
Up-to-date Computer System
You need to make sure your computer is capable of handling some added software and peripherals and won't be crashing every time you start a new program. If your household is like most today, and with the prices of new computers staying within a reasonable cost, you may not need to invest in upgrading your current computer or buying a new one.
If you're not sure if you need to upgrade your system or not, check out what the software requirements are first, then update your computer or invest in a newer one to make sure it will run the software without a problem.
Software Programs
There are a couple of software programs you're going to need. One of them is word processing software, such as, Microsoft Word or Open Office. This software allows you to type transcriptions into document forms that can be saved and sent back to clients.
The second is audio playback software, or Express Scribe, which is the most widely used and it's free. Express Scribe will enable you to listen to the digital audio files you need to transcribe. It's like having a transcriber unit inside your computer.
If you need to record webcasts or podcasts from the Internet before you transcribe them, Audacity is a very powerful and free software download for recording and editing digital audio files.
Headset & Foot Pedal
In order to keep your typing speed up while having good clarity and quality on your digital file playbacks, you'll need to get a good headset to help block out any background noises, and foot pedal so you can keep your fingers on the keyboard.
While a lot of beginning transcriptionists simply use the Hot Keys to control Express Scribe, most eventually invest in a foot pedal and immediately see an increase in their typing speed and a lot less typos.
And enough can't be said for a good pair of noise-canceling earphones for improving the quality and clarity of audio files while at the same time blocking out some unnecessary background noise. If you share an office or have small children at home, a good headset can save you a lot of headaches.
Keep in mind that when you start looking for computer upgrades, software and peripherals, you don't have to pay a small fortune in order to get quality. You can save a great deal of money by looking for good used or refurbished items on auction sites, like eBay or Amazon. You can find some great deals on craigslist.org too. Or look in your local newspaper for ads about office and estate auctions.
About the Author
About the Author: Karen Musselman owns Musselman's Online Publishing, operating her transcription business and her custom laminated bookmarks business from her home office.
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