LIGHTSPEED TROUBLES

[Denise Christian]

Yikes. Midway during a 5-hour depo, my Lightspeed starts dropping strokes, sometimes several strokes in a row and sometimes just registering a few letters of the stroke, which makes for an interesting translation. Like writing with a pen that has air bubbles in the ink cartridge is the only way I can describe it. It finally gets back on track, and I'm happy to say I'm recovering nicely from the heart attack. Anyone having this problem? Thanks, Denise

[Denise Christian]

Hi, Grace. Sorry to say I have XP and the Lightspeed problems. :(

I have had suggestions that my laptop speed/capacity isn't sufficient, but I have more than the "hardware requirements" listed, so I don't think that's it.

If you're on Eclipse, Lightspeed support suggests using under the "Gemini" setting as opposed to the "Baron" I was initially instructed to use. I'm going to try that. Not sure about Case.

Lightspeed support did not express a preference between USB and Bluetooth, but I have bought 2 new cables, thinking it might be that. Didn't work better.

Lightspeed support thought that, when you only have an occasional drop and only for a short time, a minute or so (that can be a couple hundred words, though!) that the computer might be trying to run another program (anti-virus, etc.), and that may be interfering. They suggested shutting down everything else when doing Realtime. My husband is going to set up 2 different ways for me to use the laptop, one for realtime where nothing else is running, and one just normally for internet and everything else. We'll see...

I, too, have connection problems. It's hit or miss. I seem to have to connect in the same, exact order every time. Try making a mental note of what you did that got a good connection, and follow that every time. I let the drivers wind down, too (can you tell I'm not a computer person?) before I progress to the next step, and I connect in the same order each time. For me on Eclipse it's: Open Eclipse (wait), Open blank realtime file (waaait), Open Lightspeed (waaaaait), minimize Lightspeed. That "usually" works.

Grace, I'm not on Case, and I'm not sure what a "global table" is that you emptied that seemed to help. Can you describe it because I'm sure it's a different name on Eclipse. I'll try anything.

I, too, like the writer, but all these problems are making me sad. I am a new reporter doing depositions, and I checked with L.A. and S.D. courts and just found out they do not accept the Lightspeed as an approved writer. I am past the 90 days. Another sad face.

P.S. Have you updated the Lightspeed with the latest update? Support told me to do that. It's on their website.

Well, we certainly have enough of us trying to get this to work. Please keep in touch and let me know what you've been doing to get this working.

Any other Lightspeed users who are no longer pulling their hair out, please help us. :)

[Greta Duckett, CCR, RPR, CRR]

For a lot of people, it is the usb cord. One that is made for a digital camera is best.

Make sure that programs running in the background are turned off. Case Cat and Eclipse use up a lot of the CPU, and if you have antivirus, internet, etc., going on in the background it can interfere. If you check your SD card, I would bet that all the strokes are there. So then the problem is from the communication from the writer to the computer -- the usb cord.

[Jenny Griffin, RMR CRR CCRR CRC]

I've had an improved tran using my Olympus digital recorder cable. My biggest tran helper,though, was getting 2 gigs of RAM as I am on Eclipse.

[Denise Christian]

Thanks, Jenny. I'm going to make a note of this and try it. Appreciate all the suggestions. Something is going to be the right fix!

[Denise Christian]

Hi, Greta. Thanks for the suggestion about turning off other programs. Support also suggested this, so I'm going to give it a try.

About the cables, though, I just bought 2 new digital camera USB cables, and that wasn't the problem. But keep the ideas coming. I'll try anything. Thanks, Greta. Denise

[Denise Christian]

Hi, Jen. Just wrote a long note to Grace. Some of it might be helpful to you, too. We're trying every suggestion we get, so keep in touch and let us know what's working for you. Talk to you soon.

[Denise Christian]

Also, I bought 2 new digital camera USB cords, but that didn't help. I would try one new one, just in case it is your cable that came with the Lightspeed, but that didn't work for me. We'll keep trying...

[Grace]

Okay. Here's where I am with what I thought was my problem-free session with Lightspeed under XP. Even though I no longer have the massive dropping-stroke problem that I encountered with my Vista laptop, I've noticed that the problem is still occurring -- a stroke here, a stroke there, but consistent enough that you notice it's happening. At first I thought it was on my end, of my not writing the strokes (and at times that was the case), but after paying closer attention to the matter, I definitely know some strokes are still not registering.

I,too, will try the suggestion of turning off all the background software. I also plan on upgrading the RAM in my Vista laptop (as it's in the repair shop, I might as well get it done). And, yes, I have downloaded the latest updates using the Firmware Update. Hopefully all these changes will make a difference and eliminate the listed problems. Right now, my trusty Stentura and Cybra (I was thinking of selling them after getting my LS writer) are looking more attractive by the minute, as I didn't have any problem even with all the background software (plus an Air Card) running concurrently with CC4.

To answer your query about "global table": I don't know what you call it under Eclipse, but I'm referring to a kind of dictionary that contains all the textual globals (i.e, changing "Allan" to "Allen" textually only w/o actually making a dictionary entry). I had over 900 entries in that table (I think that happened because I kept applying the previous tables to my current file, thus duplicating the existing entries). When I deleted all the entries in the table, there seemed to be a vast improvement in strokes coming out properly. As it didn't eliminate the problem totally, I don't think that's the permanent answer. Again, all I know is that no matter how many global entries I had previously, I never had the missing-stroke problem with my regular writers.

So far I haven't had any connection problem with my XP laptop. I was told by the sales rep that I should turn on the LS first, then open up and turn on the LS software, make sure it's registering strokes, and then lastly turn on your reporting software. Again, I had some connection problems with my Vista laptop, but not with the XP.

Anyway, I'll keep you posted with how things go after trying out the above-stated suggestions with both of my XP and Vista laptops.

Keep us posted with your progress, too.

[Denise Christian]

Thanks, Grace. I'm going to try your method of hooking up. My husband has gutted my laptop so only Eclipse and Lightspeed are working. Don't have a job until next week, so I'll keep you posted. Crossing my fingers for you. Keep in touch, and have a great holiday weekend. Denise :) P.S. What size RAM are you upgrading to and from what size? Thx

[Brenda Rogers]

Denise, I'm on Eclipse, and I can't even start a RT file unless I have the LS software going first. I haven't had any trouble plugging in my LS and then turning it on and then starting the software, but others have discovered the only way they can get it going is to turn on the LS first, then plug in, then turn on the software.

Others have much better luck using Bluetooth and bypassing the software altogether. If you have that option, you may want to try it. Those who use it and like it say that that connection took care of their dropped strokes issue.

[Denise Christian]

Hi, Brenda. This info was great. Thanks so much. I was just looking at lightspeed comments on depoman in my quest for a solution, and there were several comments about success with Bluetooth. I'm going to try it, and also your start-up technique. Thanks again!