WavPlayer by Bytescribe Development Company is a program that allows the user to listen to standard Windows sound files while controlling them with a foot pedal. A transcriptionist can type dictated reports without taking her hands off of the keyboard. The foot pedal controls the play, pause, rewind and fast forward functions. The software can run in a minimized state so that the transcriptionist is able to type into a word processor on the same computer. The WavPlayer software also offers speed and adjustable backspace controls. The foot pedal that comes with the WavPlayer software plugs directly into any serial or USB port of any PC computer. The USB Version of WavPlayer runs on Windows 98/ME/2000/XP/Vista/7. The Serial Port Version of WavPlayer runs on Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP.
To install the WavPlayer, first connect the foot pedal to the appropriate port on your PC. If you are connecting a serial port pedal, see the section of this manual entitled Connecting a Serial Port Pedal. If you are connecting a USB pedal, see the section entitled Connecting a USB Port Pedal. If you will be using a headset, plug the headset into your audio out jack of your computer’s sound card (where your speakers are connected) or into a headset jack on your speakers if one exists. Next install the WavPlayer software by using the installation CD. Place the installation CD into the appropriate drive. Follow the prompts through the installation process.
Once the software has been installed, you can begin using the software by clicking the WavPlayer icon that appears on your desktop or click Start -> Programs -> Bytescribe -> WavPlayer. Upon running the WavPlayer software for the first time, the WavPlayer program will give you information on how to register the software with Bytescribe (this registration information is also found in your WavPlayer packet). If using a registration dongle, follow the dongle installation instructions included with the dongle.
If a computer has a 9-pin serial port, a serial port foot pedal can be connected. Older computers may have a 25-pin serial port. If the computer only has a 25-pin serial port available, you may need to purchase an adapter for the 25-pin port from Radio Shack or similar.
If you are not certain about which COM ports your computer has available, check the Port settings in the Device Manager. To access the Device Manager in Windows XP/2000, click right-click on My Computer and select the Manage menu option. Select Device Manager from the list as shown in the image below. In earlier version of Windows, select Start -> Settings -> Control Panel from the Windows task bar. Then double-click the System icon and select the Device Manager tab from the System Properties window (Hardware tab on some versions of Windows). Find Ports in the device list and double-click on it to view the available ports. The COM setting in the WavPlayer must match one of the port settings recognized by Windows and it must correspond to the port into which the foot pedal is connected. The figure below shows COM1 and COM2 available for this example.
If you have installed a serial port pedal, you may see the following window when running the WavPlayer for the first time.
This window simply indicates that no port has been selected yet. It does not indicate that the port being displayed is invalid. If you see this window, select the appropriate port from the drop-down list and click the OK button (refer to Device Manager for available port).
Before using the program, check to see that the software is configured to the correct port. Select the Ports menu options from the WavPlayer menu to view the configured port. If the configured port is not properly set, select the proper port.
Connect the foot pedal to the USB port of your PC. The foot pedal cable fits directly into the USB port. Once connected, your PC should automatically configure the port with the proper drivers.
To ensure that Windows properly detected the pedal, you may view the Device Manager to confirm that it was recognized. To access the Device Manager in Windows XP/2000, click right-click on My Computer and select the Manage menu option. Select Device Manager from the list as shown in the image below. In earlier version of Windows, select Start -> Settings -> Control Panel from the Windows task bar. Then double-click the System icon and select the Device Manager tab from the System Properties window (Hardware tab on some versions of Windows). The pedal will appear in the device list as USB Human Interface Device as shown below.
The following section describes the functions of WavPlayer. The software is easy to use. Becoming familiar with all of its functions can improve efficiency and productivity.
Opening Files
Sound files can be opened in a number of ways. Files can be opened using the Open button or Open menu. Files can dragged & dropped from Windows Explorer (see the section entitled Drag & Drop Support). Files with known file type extensions can be opened from Windows Explorer by double-clicking (see the section entitled Making WavPlayer the Default Player). Previously opened files can be selected from the drop down list in WavPlayer.
The File | Open menu option will display the Open Dialog Box shown below. You may also press the Open button on the right side of the WavPlayer window. The Open Dialog Box can be used to view the contents of various folders on your computer by clicking on the down arrow at the end of the Look in field. Select the file you wish to play and click the Open button (or double click the file).
If the file you wish to play is of another format, you will need to select the appropriate format from the drop down list at the bottom named Files of type:
Previewing Wav Files
Wav files can be previewed using a separate Open dialog box. The File | Preview Wav Files menu option will display the Open Wave File dialog box shown below. This dialog box can be used to preview and open wav files only. The wav file format and size is displayed. A Play/Stop button can be used to listen to a selected file before opening it in WavPlayer. The Preview checkbox enables a visual graph of the sound being played (only certain wav file formats can be graphed). The Auto Play checkbox enables files to automatically start playing as they are selected.
If you wish the window below to appear when clicking the Open button, select the "Use Open button for wav files only" checkbox from the Settings window. To access the Settings window, select Option | Settings from the WavPlayer menu. This dialog box cannot be used to open other types of file formats such as .dss, .vox, .mp3, etc.
Drag & Drop Support
With the WavPlayer you can Drag & Drop your audio files from Windows Explorer into the WavPlayer. To do this, press and hold down the left mouse button over the files you want to move. Still holding down the button, move the files to the top of the WavPlayer and then release the mouse button. The audio files have now been added to the drop down list (click the down arrow at the end of the file field to see this list of files). Click on a file from the list to open it in WavPlayer. Files from the list can also be queued using hot keys (see section entitled Hot Keys or Custom Settings).
Controlling Playback
The Play, Pause, Rewind, Fast Forward and Stop functions can be controlled in several ways. Stepping on the foot pedal, clicking buttons, selecting menu options or using keyboard shortcuts can control the functions. The most convenient method for controlling these functions is by using the foot pedal. In order to use the keyboard shortcuts (such as Ctrl-P to Play), the WavPlayer window must be the active window on your screen. This means that the WavPlayer window cannot be minimized when using keyboard shortcuts.
Controlling Fast Forward/Backspace
By default, the Rewind function of the WavPlayer moves the position in the voice file approximately 3 seconds backward from the current position. The Fast Forward function moves the position 3 seconds forward from the current position. There is also an auto back-step function that rewinds the position about 1 second when the Run/Play function is selected. Adjusting the “BkSp” (Backspace) slider on the WavPlayer will change these incremental values when using your foot pedal. Also, continuous rewind and fast forward can used with the foot pedal. The longer the pedal is held down, the further the position is moved.
Controlling Speed
The speed at which a sound file is played can be varied by adjusting the Speed bar on the WavPlayer window or by selecting menu options from the Speed menu. There are three keyboard shortcuts to control the speed. The Function Keys F10, F11 and F12 can be used to quickly change the speed at which a sound file is played (the WavPlayer window must be the active window in order to use the keyboard shortcuts).
Adjusting Volume
Select the Options | Volume menu option to adjust the playback volume of the WavPlayer.
Using a Word Processor with WavPlayer
The WavPlayer can be used with any word processor in Windows. Once a file has been opened, the program may be minimized so that it does not obstruct the view of the current document. The foot pedal will still be able to control the sound file while the WavPlayer is minimized.
Streaming Files from the Internet
The WavPlayer has the capability of playing files directly from an Internet site. It also has the capability of playing files while they are being downloaded. This capability is referred to as audio streaming. Only certain types of file formats support streaming. Wave files do support streaming. To play files from the Internet, simply type in the web address of the sound file on the Internet. (For example, http://www.bytescribe.com/audio/0724-006.wav). Then press the foot pedal to begin playing.
Note: To stream large files from the Internet, you must click the Controls | Play menu option from the WavPlayer menu to begin the streaming process. Once streaming has begun, you may use the foot pedal to control playback.
When playing files from an Internet site, it is necessary to have proper access to the web site. Consult the web site administrator if user names and passwords are necessary. The WavPlayer will not send this information.
Hot Keys and Keyboard Shortcuts
Hot keys can be used within any program to control the WavPlayer functions. Keyboard shortcuts can only be used if the WavPlayer window is the active window.
Hot Keys
Play/Pause toggle key...........F6 (default)
Rewind key......................F9 (default)
Open file.......................Ctrl + Alt + F6
Open next file in list..........Ctrl + Alt + F9
Keyboard Shortcuts
Play............................Ctrl + P
Pause...........................Ctrl + U
Stop............................Ctrl + S
Rewind..........................Ctrl + R
Fast Forward....................Ctrl + F
Beginning of File...............Ctrl + B
End of File.....................Ctrl + E
Open File.......................Ctrl + O
Toggle Window Size..............F4
Slow Down.......................F10
Normal Speed....................F11
Speed Up........................F12
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