Stenocast's Audio2Me Pro

[Janiece Young]

I just talked to Stenocast.  I am interested in their Audio2Me Pro microphone system.  It has a regular wired microphone and a wireless microphone you can place across the table for the attorney who is whispering his objections.  This microphone has a high quality sound card in it.  It is supposed to be easy to use (just install a driver).  Both of these microphones make your synched audio file.

There is also an Audio2Me that is not a pro version.  I think that one does not have the wireless microphone.

It has a jack for headphones so the reporter can listen to the amplified audio at the depo.  It is not out yet.  It should be coming out in the fall.  It costs $350.  You can return it for 15 days if you are not happy with the product.  There is a 15 percent restocking fee.  So that is $52.50 if you are not happy.

There is a waiting list if you are interested.

Do you have any experience with this company or their products?  If so, please let me know.

[Greta Duckett, CCR, RPR, CRR]

I am having trouble dealing with Stenocast and the not-ready-for-prime-time products.  The Audio2Me sounds like a great product, and I know someone who actually purchased one.  Just one itty-bitty problem with that:  IT DOESN'T EXIST!  The company is selling these things, and charging people, and it doesn't exist.  That is so impossible to believe.

 

I purchased the Stenocast EZ Send at Tech Con.  It finally came (because it was really still in development too!), and does not work well.  I lost some realtime $$ and a lot of pride the first day I tried to use it, after a hookup test that was okay, but it was only a minute or two.  The problems don't reveal themselves that soon after hookup. 

[karen harper]

I bought a StenoCast Edge two years ago for about $1,200. I have had nothing but problems with it. Now it doesn't work at all. They told me the Edge is discontinued, they no longer sell it, and for a small "fee" I could ship it to them and see if they could fix it. I'm back to cables. Very frustrated with the entire experience.

[Janiece Young]

Greta,

I knew there was some product people had been talking about that was not working and I could not remember which company had the issue.  

Yes, you are correct.  The Audio2Me is not for sale at this point.  It is supposed to come out this fall.  Hmm....

[Greta Duckett, CCR, RPR, CRR]

I guess you can tell I'm kind of upset at them?  Mostly because they don't do what they say they're going to do.  I think it is crazy that they took people's money for a product that wasn't made yet. 

 

They agreed to send me an old Stenocast to use until the EZ Send was ready. Well, they sent me back the EZ Send without an update that they now claim was available at the time they sent it back.  Why would they send me back the non-updated device when the update was ready?  And then they said they emailed and called the customers who purchased, but I received neither.  And it didn't go into my junk folder, and I've received other emails from them prior to this alleged email they sent out. 

[Janiece Young]

Greta,

Yes.  That is exactly the information I wanted to know before I give them $350.  Thank you for letting me know.  I appreciate it.

[karen harper]

I wouldn't give them any money at all. Nothing but trouble with mine. Then they send me an e-mail asking if I would like to update and trade-in for only $400. Joke of a company.

[Janet]

My EZ Send is back at Stenocast for the update.  I hope they fix it.  That's a whole lot of money to spend on something you're afraid to use. 

[Greta Duckett, CCR, RPR, CRR]

I'm sending mine back for the update.  I really want it to work!  I know that they'll work out the bugs and it will operate sooner or later.  I just resent being a beta tester and not knowing it. 

 

I should have known better:  Never buy something that is brand new.  Wait until any problems are worked out.  That is my mantra with new cars.  If it is the new body style, wait a year until they figure out what the problems are and fix it the next year! 

[Janet]

I want it to work too.  I love the size of it.  I just don't want attorneys glaring at me when something happens.  I think what I'll do when I get it back is set up an extra netbook on realtime jobs so that I can watch what the lawyers are receiving until I'm sure it's going to work without a hitch.

[Quyen]

Yeah, I want the latest and greatest, too, when it comes out, but when I get it, I'm afraid to use it.  Like the Eclipse 5.  Got the CD MONTHS ago . . . I'm still afraid to install it and give it a go.

I think it would be a good solution if StenoCast would stand by their product and let us keep what IS working (StenoCast RED, in my case) and ship the EZ Send for, say, $600.  That way, the reporter still has a WORKING backup RT system if the EZ has problems. Then, when the reporter is certain the EZ Send works, s/he could send back the RED or whatever previous version, and StenoCast should credit back the $200. But from the sounds of it, StenoCast has questionable customer service, or lack thereof, and one might never see that $200 again.  :/

[Janet]

LOL, Quyen.  I've had the Eclipse 5 so long that I don't know where I put it.  Now I couldn't install it if I wanted to!

 

I just got an e-mail from Stenocast that my EZ Send is on the way back.  I really hope it works.  I'm on an arbitration next week that I don't dare to use it on.  They're definitely not the clients to have technical issues with.

[Quyen]

:)

I want the EZ Send too! *in bratty, spoiled little-girl whine*

Janet, what exactly are the problems with EZ Send?  In what way(s) does it not work?  Will our dongles USB receivers for StenoCast RED still work with EZ?  Or are they going to replace the whole system?