Stenocast and Dropbox

[Janiece Young]

I used Stenocast to provide wireless realtime this week.  Man, it was so much easier than cables.  Worked like a charm.

I also used Dropbox and work units so my scopist could be working in providing me a rough by the end of the day while I was writing the realtime.  That is so much better than trying to send it to them on breaks or work on it when you get home.  I'm so glad I'm set up for this now.

[Deborah M.]

I agree on both counts.  And I have done the same.  By the time I'm home and done fighting the traffic, the rough is cleaned up and ready to go out!

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

Janiece, do you have to pay extra for your scopist to do the rough for you?  I heard it's an extra .50 a page.

[Janiece Young]

Yes, Kelli,

I paid extra.  It was totally worth it.

[Kellie Zollars]

Hi.

I still haven't set up DropBox, but need to add that to my to-do list.  I hear it's great.  

If you're using a scopist to do a rough, I hope she/he isn't providing an almost perfect transcript that you then send to the attorneys.  If the attorneys get used to great roughs, they may not bother ordering expedited transcripts.  Of course, they may request you every time because you do provide such clean roughs.  There are reporters who hate doing expedites so don't mind just providing a rough, but I wouldn't want you to lose out on any income.  

[Janiece Young]

Hi, Kellie,

I am writing a note to the scopist REPORTER'S NOTE:  CK ANSWER OR CK QUESTION.

I am giving them a scan edit.  I also ask the scopist to define any untrans.  I am not trying to provide a perfect transcript.  I agree with you.

Also, this is a fabulous system for when you do have an expedite because the scopist can start working on it right away and no one has to stay up all night.

Another option is to have a team of scopists helping.  Have one scopist do the first leg, the second scopist does the next leg and so on.  I have a lead scopist in charge of assigning the work units to the other scopists.

[Kellie Zollars]

Oh, good.  Too many reporters are spending a lot of time cleaning up their roughs and attorneys are now expecting it to be perfect when they want it at the end of the depo.  

Yeah, the Dropbox idea is great for expedites.  In Case Catalyst you can send the job to the scopist in work units every so many minutes (which may be done through dropbox, I can't remember right now).  I have been wanting to do this for months, I just haven't gotten around to setting it up.  I am sure that I will be frantically setting everything up right after I get a call for a 3-day depo with daily turnaround :)    

   

[Janiece Young]

Yes.  It's really easy.  If you are using dropbox now just give Stenograph a call and they can tell you how to do it.  If you are not under support I can help you.  It is just a place in your settings.

When the scopist is done, they send their section back to you in email and  you attach them to the file in order, Section 1, Section 2, and so on.  It works like a charm.  The audio synchs up just perfectly.  It's great.

You need to be connected to the internet at the job to do it.

[Lisa O'Sullivan]

I completely agree with you, Kellie, that too much time is spent cleaning up roughs, and that's potentially taking away from expedite income. I personally don't ever have scopists work on roughs. I'm doing my own globaling beforehand through job prep, and doing any fixing needing during the job at slow points and at breaks, and I usually email the rough right at the end of the job.

But the setup with work units and DropBox that you describe is great, Janiece! I use that, set up with 30-minute units, for immediates and next-day deliveries.