Sentura Fusion, Elan mira, Passport?

[Susan Crivello]

HI ALL! I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY HELP. I AM LOOKING TO PURCHASE A PROFESSIONAL WRITER. I AM READY TO GRADUATE AND NEED ONE ASAP.
THEY ARE VERY EXPENSIVE, AND I WANT TO MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE.

I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE GETTING A USED WRITER, AND I AM NOT SURE IF I SHOULD GO PAPERLESS.

I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY ADVICE. STENOGRAPH HAS A GREAT DEAL GOING ON RIGHT NOW ON THEIR NEW WRITERS.

ANY ADVICE??

[Marla Sharp]

Well, the DRA convention was up in Sonoma County. So my boyfriend and I made it a nice Valentine's weekend getaway and went wine tasting, etc.

Not to mention any names or place blame, BUT my boyfriend (we'll call him "Jeff" for anonymity) was in charge of packing the car. He forgot it. I had it sitting right with all the other bags!

All worked out just fine, though. Those people at ProCat were awesome, loaning me that machine. They sat down with me, made sure I knew how to use it, and then let me take it overnight the night before the test.

The other thing I like about the Stylus, besides it being so light, is there's room for me to attach my little keyboard on top. With the screen flipped up, I can velcro it right there.

I LOVE my little keyboard. I can edit so much quicker and smoother than having to reach over to the laptop. And it's wireless. I know they have a little stand you can use, but velcroing right on there makes it so much more handy. My only problem with it is there's no "off" button, so I have to take one of the batteries out to keep it from going through two batteries a week. Here's a link in case anyone's interested: http://www.stenograph.com/ProductDetails.aspx?id=0&prodid=37886

Oh, by the way, I did forget my machine once and had the horror of opening my trunk and having it not there. Luckily, I lived close to my job that day and could run home. But I never want to do that again. I aged ten years in that moment.

[Marla Sharp]

I'm using a loaner too, and it's made me realize how important my double wide asterisk and Z keys are. Oh my gosh, my fingers are falling between the keys, I can't do my usual asterisk with the -F or -R, and the -SZ combo isn't easy either. I've changed my writing a lot in the last few years and have incorporated the asterisk more and more.

[Janet]

I just bought a new "used" Stentura 8000LX from StenoTech. It has a one-year warranty. Please don't overextend yourself financially until you get established. I wanted a new writer, too, but after I thought it over, a used one will suit me just fine. After all, you (and me) are just starting out. The software is expensive, too. I wish I could get that used (like an older version).

[Susan Crivello]

I was looking at theStentura 8000LX from StenoTech also. Someone is selling a Fusion on ebay that has only been used 6 months. It still will cost me $3,700. I agree with you, between the machine and the software it is a fortune, and we are not even working yet.
Someone else had told me not to overextend myself until I am established. I have also heard that the Stentura 8000 and the 8000LX were Stenograph's best made machines. They were built to last.

[Glen Warner]

Hi, Susan.

I highly recommend getting a refurbished ProCAT Flash (check StenoTech and Steno Trader, among others).

While the Stentura 8000/8000LX sounds like it might be a good deal, the caveats about avoiding certain serial numbers, loose serial connectors, the "high-failure" item known as the 'floppy drive,' and worse, the non-availability of the 4MB memory boards (seems Stenograph has stopped making them ... which means that if your theory dictionary is larger than 2MB, there will be no translations on the writer's screen) makes this writer, in my mind, one to avoid.

On the Flash, there is no floppy; your notes are stored on a solid-state (as in, no moving parts) memory card -- about 700 pages on the smallest (256 MB) card. No serial connector on the Flash; there's a port that looks like a telephone connection on the writer.

When I purchased my refurbished ProCAT Flash, my classmates had never seen one before -- despite the fact that there was a flyer on the bulletin board with all sorts of info on it. Couldn't afford the new one (the flyer mentioned a $99/month special that was going on a year before), so I got the refurbished one I have now.

You can read my review of the writer here:

http://www.cheapandsleazy.net/flash.html

Fair warning: The Flash DOES NOT translate your steno on the screen! It will, however, get the job done while you're out working, and would be an excellent backup writer when you upgrade to the Mira/Fusion/Passport/etc. when you're established.

Good luck in your decision!

--gdw
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"For a Good (steno) Time ....."
http://www.cheapandsleazy.net

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[Susan Crivello]

Hi Glenn,

Thank you for the advice. Do you know anyone who has a Lightspeed? I am hearing very positive feedback about this keyboard. I started interning in court, and my hands have been throbbing. I am praying this is temporary.

I have heard this Lightspeed is difficult to get use to at first because of such a light touch, but once you master it, there is no turning back. The only thing I do not like is the fact that there is no screen and no notes. You have to hook up to your computer all the time. Do you know anyone who has one? Let me know.

Thanks,
Susan

[Glen Warner]

Hi, Susan.

Don't know anyone personally, but Brenda Rogers has one, and she just *loves* it ...!

There's even a support group, of sorts ... called "Lightspeed Addicts Anonymous."

As for the missing screen and notes, Johnny Jackson told me just before the current model was introduced, there will be one with a screen, and (I think) some sort of note storage.

Finally, for your throbbing hands ... a story.

We had a reporter come to my school many moons ago who told us that when she started out, her hands and forearms would ache like there was no tomorrow ...! She finally asked a naturopath about it, and the naturopath recommended that she soak her arms, from wrist to elbow, in ice water for one hour a week.

She took the naturopath's advice, and has been pain free for 20 years.

Hope that helps ....!

--gdw
------------------------------
"For a Good (steno) Time ...."
http://www.cheapandsleazy.net

[Susan Crivello]

Hi Glen,

I am going to try soaking my hands. Thank you so much for the advice. I will let you know if it helps. I will also look into the support group for the Lightspeed.

Thank you,
Susan

[Glen Warner]

Hi, Susan.

Not just the hands -- the entire arm, from wrist to elbow! :o)

Hope it helps ... and welcome to LightSpeed Addicts Anonymous!

--gdw
-----------------------
"For a Good (steno) Time ....."
http://www.cheapandsleazy.net