Mira stacking and double strokes -- me or the machine???

[Debbie Taggart]

I'm having a lot of problems with stacking, split strokes and double strokes (the the) when writing on my Mira. I've adjusted it every way I can think of. I have my stroke set as long as it can be. I have most of my individual keys set at 6 or 7 and I still get all this CRAP. Actually, when I push back the stroke length (the wheel at the front left inside), everything works pretty well except for occasional split strokes ("need" comes out TPHA / ED) and that danged bouncing T causing "the the" all the time. I also constantly stack the Question ID.

I'm wondering if anyone else has a problem like this with their Mira. I'm starting to think that it's my hands that are going and not the machine, but they feel fine. I'm just curious about other people's experience.

Debbie

[Anthony D. Frisolone]

Hi Debbie. I had similar problems with my Mira, also. The first thing I did was set my Smart Stroke setting to on so that it stopped splitting strokes.

As far as the double strokes, try setting each key individually by just playing with each key individually. This may take awhile to get it right, but just be patient. Also, the keystroke depth and keyboard tension plays is role in double strokes and sensitivity. I went from a Stentura to a Mira and the first few months were trial and error in getting the Mira adjusted. Stick with it.

[Debbie Taggart]

I've actually been writing on my Mira for about 3 or 4 years (can't remember when I bought it). I had no real problems with it, with maily factory key adjustment, until about a year ago. Since then, I've adjusted about everything I can think of with minimal success. I was told to turn the Smart Stroke off if you use an astrisk and that it is a problem with stacking, so I've turned that off, and it did help somewhat.

I think I still have to figure out the adjustment with my initial T. That might be some of my problem. I'll take your advice and keep at it.

[Susan Crivello]

Anthony,
Wow, I can't believe how may people are having this problem with stacking. I just picked up my Mira A3 from a woman who was selling one that was used for a couple of jobs. I was going to go with the Fusion because of all these stacking issues I have been hearing, but the deal I got was just too good to be true.....$2,500 for the writer and the professional Case software. Can you believe that! Well, if my Mira does not work out, I can always sell it for the Fusion.

[Sheila Detwiler]

I have the exact same problems. I've given up hope of ever correcting the problem. I love the touch of the machine so much that I don't want to give up the machine.

[Tami]

Same here. Mine is writing absolutely terrible right now. It is not you, Debbie!!

Last time that happened with my old Mira, when I sent it to Stenograph to get it fixed, it just got worse. I'm scared to send it in now. Of course I have T-/T- and T-/T-/T- entered in once, but so many keys are doubling and tripling up right now, it's not funny. So frustrating. Guess until the asterisk starts doing it I'm okay -- even though I think it's starting because I have noticed dropped strokes.

I want to know if anyone lately has gotten their writer serviced and it helped with our complaints.

[Susan Crivello]

Tami, do you have the Mira A3?

Susan

[Tami]

G2

[Darline Marie West]

Debbie: I am having the EXACT same problem with the "T," and also the machine throws a "P" in there sometimes, too, without me hitting it, believe it or not. It is so frustrating when this happens when writing real-time. I'd love to take the test, but these would be added errors during testing I DO NOT NEED! Split strokes also are a problem for me. I must say, though, that my machine did not do that the first year or so. It is now two-and-a-half years old now, and I want to throw it out the window. I have set the individual keys, as you have, and I just can't set them beyond what I've already done or it goes crazy the "other" way. The stroke length wheel, I feel, is so subtle that it doesn't help me. So I guess what I'm trying to say is, no, I don't believe it's you. It is definitely the Mira. I will be now be calling Stenograph about this now, I guess, although I have heard others have had very little success with them. I have done all I can think of to use the settings to make the corrections. I am just waiting for the "miracle" machine to come out some day, hopefully before I retire.

[Debbie Taggart]

Yeah, mine didn't do all this the first couple of years, either. I've been wondering if it just kind of wears out. I was afraid it was my hands wearing out, which still could be part of it. I've been at this for over 25 years. But it sounds to me like there are a lot of people having the exact same problem. Lengthening the stroke helps a lot, but I'm at the point that I can't lengthen it any more.

[Lisa Neal]

Debbie:

I, too, have experienced some odd stroking issues with my Mira. And as I read the comments on this page I can see a pattern with some of the problems I have been experiencing. The O-O-O or the P-P-P, as well as the odd way it stacks two strokes, but only one of the letters in the first stroke is stacked onto the second stroke. This scares me, as my writer is not quite a year old.

Please let us know the outcome of your experience with Stenograph.

Lisa

[Tricia McLaughlin]

I will start out by saying I do not have a Mira, although I have been tempted to buy one due to the light touch. A friend of mine who has a G1 (if that is the name of the first model) swears she never has/had any stacking issues.

I got my first SG machine three years ago, a used Stentura 8000. Before that I had an Xscribe III Plus. I didn't know what stacking was till the Stentura. I am about ready to throw the writer out the window due to stacking. My tran rate *should be* under 1.5 percent, but with the stacking, it's over 2.5. As one other had put, how do you even try to do the CRR with this type of issue?

I have no idea what machine I am going to invest in next. I was at the Mid-Year in Boston last April and tried the ProCat Stylus. I absolutely loved the touch......but almost $5,000 later, too much for my budget in this economy. The LS would be too much of a learning curve for me to adjust to after 33 years of reporting, which I started way before they even let you use an "electric Steno" for tests.

Has anyone approached SG with a full, outright, "fix it or I'll never recommend you." theory? It is just so scary -- let alone time-consuming to edit all the stacking issues or learn to rewrite your common ones to compensate.

Please keep this thread going. I almost got sucked in to buying a Mira to cure my stacking Stentura. I did say on another forum what I have said here: I did NOT know what everyone was talking about re: stacking till I purchased my Stentura. Good ole SG had to buy out Xscribe and, yet again, be a monopoly...........just my $.02.

Please keep me updated.

Tricia

[Susan Crivello]

Tricia, I just bought a used Mira A3 that is three years old, and has only been used four months. I just could not pass up the deal. The woman was selling the Elan Mira A3 with the full version of Case and the Edit version for $2,500. I could not pass that up. I don't have any stacking issues yet and I hope I never do, but I agree with you about Stenograph, they are a monopoly. They want to charge me $995 to issue an updated service contract on the MIra and $1,800 for the Case and Edit version software.....ridiculous. I am going to sell the Case software and go with Eclipse. I have the student version of Eclipse right now, and I am very happy with it.

If you are looking into a writer, you might want to try the Stylus. I know a few people who have it and love it. Try searching the internet for a used one. I searched for quite some time, and my searching paid off.

Susan