Blackberry audio files are stored in a proprietary .AMR format.
The dream of every doctor and lawyer is that they can simply grab their Blackberry, dictate their notes, dock their device and those notes become transcribed. This is an excellent dream, but can the dream be given form? Realistically?
Yes… with the following understanding and caveats.
Accuracy with the Blackberry
Two of the THE most important aspects to accurate transcription by Dragon are:
- microphone quality, and
- dictation quality.
The Blackberry’s microphone is certainly not the best, and was not designed for use with speech recognition. However, even a poor microphone can yield acceptable results if the second half of the above equation is adhered to.
Dictation quality is paramount. This includes the ability of the dictator to hold the device properly, speak effectively for Dragon’s sake, and do so in an environment that is acceptable to Dragon.
I have heard some lawyers say “I just need a rough transcription, so I don’t care if there are lots of errors.” Then, a few weeks later, I receive a phone call from a frustrated correctionist/proofreader or even the lawyer themselves, asking what they can do to make Dragon more accurate. Aim for 100% accuracy, and don’t settle for 80% — most users ultimately find “not caring” unacceptable.
As a final note, there are numerous features within Dragon itself that should be employed to increase accuracy. Do not discount Dragon’s accuracy features. These, combined with the above, should yield acceptable results for some.
How to Transcribe the .AMR Files
Dragon cannot transcribe native .amr files. However, .amr files can be converted within Philips’ spectacular SpeechExec 6.0 or Olympus R5.0 software applications. Once converted there are various methods (some automatic, and some user driven) for Dragon to transcribe these converted audio files.
Once transcribed, the resulting transcription can be proofread and formatted as desired.
Need More Information?
For more information about Dragon, please contact Alexandria at 604-264-9109 ext 102.
For more information about the Philips SpeechExec 6.0 or Olympus R5.0 software, please contact Dean Husby at 604-264-9109 ext 103.
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