How Do I Use the Dictation Tools?
The Dictation Tool records audio clips that are associated with a study. You can control the Dictation Module with a mouse, keyboard shortcuts, a Philips SpeechMike, a PowerMic, or a foot pedal. Philips SpeechMike and PowerMic buttons, and foot pedals, work directly with the Dictation Module, so no keyboard shortcut setup is required to use them.
Before You Begin
- Your system administrator must give you access to the dictation tool.
- If access has been granted, you can choose to install the Dictation Module. The Dictation Module option is a checkbox under the PowerReader Setup icon.
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Open the Dictation Module
- Click the Open Dictation tool on the Reporting Tools toolbar.
- The software switches to voice recording mode and the Dictation Module appears on the screen.
- Once a dictation is created, it is available in the Worklist, in the Documents column.
The Dictation module
The name of the facility is visible on the title bar. The Record button will begin recording a dictation. When a dictation is being recorded, the Record button automatically changes into a Pause button and a text in the left bottom corner of the window flashing the word "Recording". A bar on the right displays the Decibel Level for the microphone input. This shows how loud your voice is registering while you are recording the dictation. The minimum level is recording volume threshold. Recording starts only when the acquired volume is greater than the threshold. The maximum threshold level is 275 by default and it is configured in the System Configuration entry "Dictation: Max Volume Level Displayed"
To save a dictation, click on the X in the top right corner of the window. This will also close the Dictation Module.
When the Dictation Module is open and the current recording has not been saved, clicking the record button will overwrite it. If the current recording has been saved or an unsaved recording is being played, clicking the record button will bring up the following dialog.
The Overwrite option will record on top of the existing recording from the current position. The Truncate option will overwrite the remaining portion of the dictation if the user clicks on the record button and the "Truncate When Overwriting" option has been selected in the settings. The option appears instead of the Overwrite option in this case. The Insert option will start recording from the current position, inserting the new recording as it goes but not overwriting the existing one. The Cancel option will not create a new audio recording and will leave the existing one untouched.
If you start recording with the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+D, this dialog does not appear. See Shortcut Keys
Here is a quick list of what each button does in the Dictation Module.
| ICON | NAME | DESCRIPTION | KEYBOARD SHORTCUT | PHILIPS SPEECH MIKE BUTTON |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Record | Starts and stops recording | Ctrl+Shift+D | Record |
 | Play | Plays and pauses dictations | Ctrl+Shift+Y | Play/Stop |
 | Rewind | Moves the dictation backward | Ctrl+Shift+U | Rewind |
 | Fast Forward | Moves the dictation forward | Ctrl+Shift+G | Fast Forward |
 | Stop | Stops playing the dictation | Ctrl+Shift+F | Play/Stop |
 | Critical Study | Makes the priority of the study as "Critical" | - | N/A - Mouse click only |
 | Settings | Opens the dictation module configuration | - | N/A - Mouse click only |
 | Cancel | Discards recording and closes the dictation module | - | N/A - Mouse click only |
The shortcuts in this table work when the Dictation Module window is active. While a dictation session is open, you can also use them from the PowerReader window. Play, Stop, and Rewind use different keys there. For the full list of shortcuts, instructions for changing them, and the administrator setting, see Shortcut Keys
Dictation module settings
Pressing the Settings button will open the Settings dialog.
The settings dialog lets you change the way the dictation module behaves while you dictate.
There are two types of settings i.e. those which are specific to Windows and affect everyone using the station and those defined by the individual User.
The ones specific to Windows user are:
| FIELD | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| Speaker Volume | Determines the volume of the recording. |
| Microphone Volume | Determines the volume of the microphone will record at. This setting is integrated with the Windows Wave In volume. |
| Background Noise Level | The background noise level determines how sensitive it is when listening for this sound and can be used to eliminate background noise while recording. Setting it to Low (Off) will turn all noise filtering off and record any sound the microphone picks up. Setting it to a higher level will prevent noises such as a loud fan from triggering the Voice Activation tool to start or stop recording. |
| Velocity | The speed setting for fast forward/rewind |
| Acceleration | When holding down fast forward/rewind, the speed it increases is controlled by the acceleration. |
| Playback Speed | Controls the speed of the recording. Setting it to Slow will reduce the playback speed by 50%. Setting it to Fast will increase the playback speed by 50%. |
| Kickback | Makes the play button start playing X seconds before the point in time where the play button is pressed. |
| Foot Pedal | Configures which foot pedal is used to rewind and naturally the remaining pedal is for fast forwarding. |
| Hold Record to Dictate | By default, this option should be unchecked (turned off). Enabling this option allows the user to hold the record button while dictating. This also applies to the Record keyboard shortcut. If you switch to another window while holding the keys, recording continues until you release them. |
| Playback while fast forwarding or rewinding | With this option, you could hear the playback in fast motion while the dictation is re-wound or fast forwarded. |
| Truncate When Overwriting | When the option is checked and the user clicks on the record button, the remaining portion of the dictation is overwritten by the new dictation. |
| Enable Audio Beep Tones When Recording | Plays a beep tone whenever the recording is started, paused, and stopped. |
Note:
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When a study is above the Prevent Modification study status, the Record and Critical Find buttons in the Dictation module will be disabled, regardless of the status (enabled/disabled) of the "Modify Locked Study" privilege.
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When a study cannot be modified, the Dictation Module shows Read-Only in the status bar. The Record button is disabled. Point to the button to see the reason.
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Dictations are displayed under Series Information as series with "AU" (audio) modality. Series Description display is limited to 16 characters.
Dictation settings in the User Options menu
Some settings of the Dictation Module can be adjusted in the User Options menu. They are accessible through Settings > User Options > General Options tab.
The Auto Launch Dictation Module option will launch the Dictation Module even if the study doesn't have a dictation.
The Auto Playback Dictation option will start to playback the dictation automatically when the Dictation Module is opened.
Note:
- Dictations are recorded at a higher audio quality than before. A new recording can use up to about four times as much storage space as an earlier recording of the same length. Earlier dictations play as before. If you add to an earlier dictation, the added audio keeps that dictation's original quality.