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Footpedal issues - Rob

Posted: Nov 21, 2014

Hi all. I am using the Infinity USB-2 footpedal with Windows 7. Recently, I started experiencing a problem wherein when I remove my foot from the play switch the dictation does not stop. I try tapping the switch again and nothing happens. I simply have to stp the dictation manually and exit my transcription program and then reopen the file and fast forward to the spot where I left off previously and continue transcribing. I have noticed that this generally only happens with longer voice files of 8 or more minutes long. Does anybody have any idea what could be going on? Our IT department thinks it may be a problem with the footpedal itself but I am wondering if I am having some sort of memory shortage or something since it seems to work fine with short files and only hangs up on the long ones. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Whenever that happens to me - it is the footpedal

[ In Reply To ..]
I wish there were a USB footpedal on the market that would not wear out. They are laughing all the way to the bank, these Infinity people. Sometimes they last a year or two, sometimes only 6 months or less. Personally, it seems the dust that gets in combined with the seemingly cheap coils that seem to not be so springy are the problem (if you poke in there with something and get the dust out that helps for awhile, but invariably it will fail again).

If anyone uses another type of foot pedal that doesn't wear out so easily, please share!

Luckily my company replaces them, but you still are out of work for a day or so while they deliver PLUS you have to have a tech session whereby the idiotic tech person tells you to plug it in another place and voila it is working again.

(Please indulge my following dramatic episode)

ME: But, that always happens but then eventually it starts sticking and not stopping when I remove my foot...

HIM: Well, it's working now.

ME: I know it's working now, that happens every time, but eventually it does not work and I can waste 10 minutes in a document that I cannot complete because the blasted foot pedal does not stop and it's like I'm listening to a recording.

HIM: Well, that's fixed then!

Oh, great, now I've wasted half an hour (and missed my favorite show) of unpaid time and that tech guy got paid for his time, and he is insisting there is nothing wrong with my foot pedal!

Anyhoo, luckily my supervisor was much more understanding and ended up getting the foot pedal. Grrrr...

So in my experience it is the dratted foot pedal and while you may have stretches of good behavior (you say short ones, maybe because once you take your foot off the pedal for awhile that's when the foot pedal decides it won't stop), invariably it is the beginning of the end for the foot pedal so you just need to replace it, the faster the better.

I have thought of having a spare, but really $55 on Amazon? I think I will just wait until my company stops providing them, which should not be a long wait, considering any possible benefit or perk of this job is being slowly but surely taken away from us poor MTs, the ones who create the income for the MTSOs, while the tech people such as above get paid probably nice fat hourly salaries. Go figure.

Thanks - Rob

[ In Reply To ..]
Thanks for the info. I know what you mean about the poor quality of these footpedals. I had an Infinity USB-1 (the big old heavy one) that I used for well over ten years until it finally died. I then ordered the new USB-2 model and I have had it less than 2 years but it has not worked right for a long time. I did find one online manufactured by Philips that looks pretty good and I have our IT team making sure it will work with our platform. Will let you know the outcome.

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