ES interfering with other programs use of the pedal?

rachelswan

I'm having problems with my foot pedals (I've tried 3 different ones, all with the same problem) in other programs after I install Express Scribe. Does ES somehow co-op the pedal and/or drivers so that other programs have difficulty?

The pedals will always work fine in ES, but when I switch to a different transcription program (for example eRad or Infraware - both transcription platforms I use for work) I have major problems. The pedal will simply stop working right in the middle of a file. To get it back on track I have to shut down the program entirely (not just that particular file). Often that won't even fix it and I end up having to unplug the USB pedal and then replug it in, restart the program. Occasionally I have to repeat this 2 or 3 times before it begins working again. Sometimes it will work for 30 seconds and quit again, other times it seems to work for longer (maybe 10-15 minutes) before crapping out again.

I have had this exactly same problem on 2 completely different computers (one was a Vista 32-bit, the current one is a Windows 7 64-bit). I have tried 3 different pedals from 2 different manufacturers (Phillips & Infinity).

I'm at my wits end with this. Suggestions anyone?

Damian_Lettie

Swans wrote:

The pedals will always work fine in ES, but when I switch to a different transcription program (for example eRad or Infraware - both transcription platforms I use for work) I have major problems.

Was Express Scribe still running when you tried the other programs?

If you reboot the machine and try one of the other programs without using Scribe first, does it make a difference?

rachelswan

No, I've tried it both with and without Express Scribe running in the background. I have also tried it with the "Enable foot pedal controller" box unchecked, thereby trying to dissociate the pedal completely from ES.

I have also tried having one of my pedals (a Phillips) set up for ES while keeping a different pedal (Infinity) solely for use with Infraware, but that does not seem to resolve the issue either.

I really don't want to have to get rid of ES since I've had 4 of my doctors purchase Express Dictate. It's nice to have the programs together. But my main bread and butter comes from my work on the Infraware platform, so getting this resolved is an absolutely MUST.

Thank you for your response.

nchdl wrote:

Was Express Scribe still running when you tried the other programs?

If you reboot the machine and try one of the other programs without using Scribe first, does it make a difference?

MrP

Have you got other USB devices plugged in? I would unplug everything and try just the one pedal. It might be something like the power is being shut off to the USB port possibly. Replugging it back in then activates it?

rachelswan

I have manually changed the setting so that the system cannot remove power to save energy.

Unplugging and replugging it in works 95% of the time. Occasionally I have to do that twice before it will begin working again.

Again, it does NOT have this problem at all in ES, it is only when used with other software. The only problem I ever have with ES is that occasionally the audio continues playing when I remove my foot, even though i have the "tap" feature disabled in the settings.

MrP wrote:

Have you got other USB devices plugged in? I would unplug everything and try just the one pedal. It might be something like the power is being shut off to the USB port possibly. Replugging it back in then activates it?

MrP

I would try then to go back to 4.35 which I'm using at the moment to get around the foot pedal ignoring releases and presses. It might solve other problems in doing so, but it sounds like it isn't linked to Scribe to me.