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Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a new steno machine in order to use the StenoCast X1-Lithium?
No. You simply plug the X1-Lithium into the serial port on your existing steno machine and follow the simple, one-time installation instructions.
Is the wireless connection secure from my steno machine to the computer?
What happens if I am using the StenoCast X1-Lithium and I take my steno machine outside the 100-meter (approximately 300 feet) range between my writer and my computer? Will the steno transmission itself be lost?
Absolutely not. If you walk with your writer more than 300 feet away from your computer while you are connected wirelessly, the transmission stops when you get out of range, but then immediately picks up again where it left off once you come back into range.
How long will the battery charge last on the StenoCast X1-Lithium before recharging is necessary?
The battery is rated to last for at least 30 hours of continual use before recharging is necessary. You may, of course, write on your steno machine and indefinitely remain connected wirelessly while the X1-Lithium is plugged into an outlet.
Will using the StenoCast X1-Lithium affect my CAT system’s synchronized audio recording?
No. Your sound file and your steno file are completely separate. In fact, one of the main reasons for using synchronized audio playback is to hear the spots where sound recording continued while you “dropped” or momentarily stopped writing. Your CAT system does not care whether it received steno wirelessly or through a cable. So the method for receiving your steno does not affect audio synchronization.
How does the StenoCast X7 work, and how does it benefit me as a reporter?
The StenoCast X7 simply plugs into your computer’s serial port or USB port. Itt has its own lithium battery, just like the one that’s built into the X1 unit for your writer. It taks only about 2 hours to fully recharge the lithium battery, then it’s ready to work for at least 15 hours. However, the X7 can also draw its power from the USB port of your computer. The X7 uses Bluetooth technology to wirelessly transmit your realtime feed to up to seven clients.
The benefits to the reporter are many:
· First, you no longer need to carry the cumbersome cables to each job location. You no longer need to budget all the extra time for setup before the hearing and breakdown afterwards.
· Your clients no longer need to be within a cable’s length of your computer. As a matter of fact, they don’t even have to be in the same room. As long as your client’s computer is within 100 meters (about 300 feet) of the X7, they will receive your realtime feed.
· Almost all reporters have had, or almost had, a disaster with someone (possibly even the reporter) tripping over the many cables draped around the reporter’s work area. Those days are gone forever.
· Serial cables are notoriously unreliable. Either the connectors break or the cables themselves have been stepped on one time too many. In any event, the connection isn’t there, which requires addition trouble-shooting and ultimately cable replacement.
Can the StenoCast X7 be used without the StenoCast X1?
Yes. So you can be wireless from your computer to your clients’ computers, if you want. Also, if you already have a wireless solution for the connection from your steno machine to your computer (whether it’s built-in Bluetooth or a kit from Socket or Stenograph), you can continue to use that. What the StenoCast X7 offers is a wireless connection to your realtime clients!
Will the StenoCast X7 work with LiveNote, Binder, and Summation litigation support software?
Yes. StenoCast X7 works with most, if not all, litigation support software. Just remember to set both your CAT program and your clients’ software at 2400 baud.
Do the StenoCast X1-Lithium and X7 work with all computer operating systems?
If I don’t have any experience with wireless technology, is there a learning curve involved here to get up to speed?
StenoCast’s wireless devices are simpler to use than the serial cables that we were forced to use all these years. Instead of disconnecting and connecting for each sidebar conference or in-camera hearing, the reporter just writes. If you get out of range, the X1-Lithium disconnects and reconnects again on its own, picking up where it left off. The initial one-time setup is a snap.
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