© BrenDeBev (all publication rights reserved)

At 10:30 p.m. on the night of 29 October 1969, a student programmer successfully transmitted a message from a computer at UCLA networked to another computer at Stanford University. This seemingly inauspicious event marked the beginning of the internet age. In the less than 50 years since, the internet has grown to include an incalculable number of PCs, servers, tablets, phones, smartwatches, televisions, and other devices peppered all across every conceivable corner of the globe. That original network still exists today in an updated form. Virtually all of our data exchanges still access that backbone for some or all of the data journey.

In our work utilizing Eclipse’s Connection Magic server, we connect using one of four primary methods: hardwired Ethernet, wifi, dedicated mifi, and cellphone hotspot.

Hardwired Ethernet is usually the most reliable of the four. In this scenario, an Ethernet cable runs from your computer to a modem/router which is hardwired to a switching station nearby, which in turn is hardwired to a central switching station, which in turn is connected to the backbone, and then the signal moves on through more cables and switching stations until it reaches the person or persons at the other end. While IT managers and ISPs can throttle or otherwise manipulate bandwidth access, access is permitted to as much as is available.

Wifi can be nearly as reliable as hardwired access; however, there is more room for outside factors to affect the ability to establish and maintain a reliable connection. Distance from the router is an important factor (best results occur within 30 feet of most routers). Because more devices can access a wifi signal, it is possible to have too many people sharing a connection or a few people using a disproportionate amount of the available bandwidth.

There is much less bandwidth available overall to cellular traffic. While traditional internet users are allocated bandwidth based on their need (someone streaming a movie will be allocated more bandwidth than someone simply checking email), cellular internet users are each allocated an equal portion of the bandwidth pie. It’s possible to start out with half the pie, but, as more users join, your share can go down to a mere sliver of the pie. There is no method in place to allocate according to need; everybody gets the same equal share.

In addition, there are many more environmental factors at play, such as stone walls, heavy user traffic, and distance from cell towers. Even with a strong signal and good bandwidth, the traffic is much more variable with cellular internet connections. Just like vehicular traffic, cellular traffic experiences peaks in usage that roughly correlate to vehicular rush hour times. Even during nonpeak times, traffic can vary widely from moment to moment, causing great fluctuations and variability in the reliability of the connection.

Of the two, a mifi-type connection is more reliable than a phone being used as a hotspot. When using mifi, users are not sharing limited resources with every single other user out there; they are only sharing with other mifi users.

We have come a long way in the less than 50 years since the start of internet communications, but we still have a long way to go. Data sharing is increasing at a rate far faster than most providers can cope with. Connection Magic Shared Editing is an amazing method we are fortunate to be able to use; however, it is limited by the infrastructure to which we have access.

At Perfect Partners Transcript Brigade, we understand these technological issues and have a number of means and methods at our disposal to help us make the most of what’s available. We can quickly diagnose and recognize common shortcomings and offer options and solutions to help deal with them. We make it our business to try to stay abreast of the latest technological advances and changes in the technology so that we can help our clients have the most trouble-free shared editing session possible.

© BrenDeBev (all publication rights reserved)

ASI » Advantage Software, Inc., the company that develops, maintains, and sells Eclipse CAT software.

Bridge (not the same as “Bridge Mobile”) » A standalone program bundled with Eclipse that allows a reporter to send a realtime feed to other computers over a LAN. Each computer must have the program installed. Bridge does not work with tablets or other mobile devices and predates Bridge Mobile.

Bridge Mobile (not the same as “Bridge”) » The umbrella name for the two ASI components, Bridge Broadcaster and Bridge Mobile Viewer, that facilitate realtime output and viewing.

Bridge Broadcaster » The reporter software that allows the broadcast of a transcript in real time to other computers and/or mobile devices. Reporters must purchase a yearly license to use this functionality.

Bridge Mobile Viewer » Software that allows attorneys and others to view realtime transcript files on computers and/or mobile devices.

CM-Link » A free CAT software add-on that allows users of CAT programs other than Eclipse and/or users of older versions of Eclipse to utilize Bridge Mobile.

Connection Magic (CM) » A proprietary server that handles the streaming of data for realtime sessions using Bridge Mobile (feed viewed by attorneys, paralegals, et cetera) and for editing sessions using CMSE (feed viewed by scopists and/or proofreaders working in the file in real time). Keyless license verification is also accomplished via CM.

Connection Magic Shared Editing (CMSE) » A method of sharing a live file with scopist(s) and/or proofreader(s) for realtime editing purposes.

Keyless License » A method of ensuring that a user’s copy of Eclipse software is valid that does not require the presence of a physical software key.

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Browser Cache » Temporary storage space on a computer where a web browser stores files needed to display a website. This space is limited and must be cleared from time to time.

Codec (compression/decompression) » A computer programming algorithm used to compress files (usually audio) for faster transmission and then decompress them on the receiving end. Popular codecs include GSM, PCM, and Speex.

Ethernet Cable » A specialized cable used to connect a computing device to a modem, router, or another computing device in order to send and receive data.

Hard Drive » A physical component of a computer where all files and programs are stored, whether in current use or not. Hard drives are sometimes referred to as “storage space” and is not the same thing as RAM.

LAN » Local Area Network. A closed network broadcast via a router that allows nearby connected devices to send and receive data.

MiFi » A proprietary brand of mobile hotspot, often used in a generic sense to mean any mobile hotspot.

Mobile Hotspot » A wireless router that allows access to the Internet via the cellular data network. Most mobile phones can be set up to act as a mobile hotspot.

Modem » A wired device that allows access to the Internet.

RAM » Random Access Memory. An area of storage space on a computer used by open programs to temporarily store files and other data. RAM is not the same as a hard drive.

Router » A device attached to (or sometimes incorporated within) a modem that broadcasts an Internet signal to multiple devices simultaneously.

The Cloud » Online storage where files reside in a remote location instead of the physical hard drive of a computer. Popular cloud services include Dropbox, Google Drive, and iCloud.

Wi-Fi » A wireless Internet signal, as distinguished from a signal fed directly from modem to computer via an Ethernet cable.

© BrenDeBev (all publication rights reserved)

One of the most powerful features of Eclipse is the functionality of its conflict resolution.  Punctuation conflicts, well trained, can save the reporter — and scopist — many keystrokes in adding or deleting punctuation.

A common mistake is to define a phrase, such as “Your Honor” or “you know,” with commas {,} surrounding the phrase.  The problem with this is that the commas will appear at every instance: at the beginning of a sentence, with other stroked punctuation, at the end of a sentence.  A better option is the conditional punctuation feature {,?} which adds the comma if there is no other punctuation present (including beginning or end of sentence).

While this is a very good option, the comma(s) will appear every time there is no other punctuation.  To use it alone effectively, separate strokes for the punctuated and unpunctuated form will need to be devised.

But if you combine this with a conflict without the punctuation, the software will learn which fits with the grammatical structure of the sentence.  It won’t be 100%, but it will be quite effective.

\you know\{,?}you know{,?}

\Your Honor\{,?}Your Honor{,?}

\Doctor\{,?}Doctor{,?}

etc.

If you have a string of punctuation conflicts, such as \you know\{,}you know\you know{,}\{,}you know{,}\{,}you know{.} or the like, those can all be replaced with this simple two-choice conflict entry, making your output more accurate and the selection process in editing, when necessary, more streamlined.

Perfect Partners Transcript Brigade understands the importance of excellent realtime output right from the start. While the use of conflict selection during a normal editing session saves time and effort for everyone involved, the benefits are even greater when they are used in conjunction with Connection Magic Shared Editing.  Each time a PPTB editor selects a conflict during a CMSE session, your Eclipse software is being trained in real time to recognize which selection best fits a given situation.

For more information about working with the experienced editors at Perfect Partners Transcript Brigade, please contact us at transcriptbrigade@gmail.com.

© BrenDeBev (all publication rights reserved)

The speaker list is a very powerful tool that needs to be understood in depth to reap its full benefit. With the advent of Version 7 and the speaker table being shared between reporter and edit team, it is even more important to be aware of its functions.

Set up your default speaker list by going into the Translate tab and click the Speaker list button. Here is where you set up your main speaker table. These settings will apply to each future job you open in that user.

The 0 slot, by default, is devoted to THE WITNESS. If that has been changed, it is highly recommended to restore it to that default. Click the blank next to 0 and fill in both the Current and Master fields with THE WITNESS. If you notice at the top of the window, it says Shortcut 0. That refers to a built-in macro, which will be covered later in this article.

Before you leave this window, notice Color at the upper right? This is where it gets fun – and very useful. Click that. It takes you to the same color chart you use to define other colors in your display. Choose a color. This will make that speaker name the color you’ve chosen.  Assigning colors gives the user a visual cue as to a potential speaker conflict.  Version 7 applies this color to that speaker’s BY line, another prompt to assure the proper speaker name is in place.

If you use speaker tokens, such as STPHAO and SKWRAO, and have those defined in your dictionary as something like LEFT1, ATTY1, PLAINTIFF1, etc., that is where you start to fill in your table. For the first slot, fill in the Master field with your dictionary entry, not the steno. Leave the Current field blank to be filled on the job. Assign a color to each slot.

Regardless of how important your judge is, put THE COURT at slot 8, filling in both sides of the table with THE COURT.

Before you leave your speaker list, make sure the Save in and Load from boxes are checked in the lower left corner under Job dict.  When you select this job dictionary, these speakers will be loaded, which is a great help for continuing cases.

Below is an example of what a speaker table should look like. Note that the entries under Master will change based on your own speaker tokens.

When beginning a realtime file, the speaker table should open.  If it doesn’t, use F2 to manually open it. On the top line of the table, type the name of the speaker that you are assigning to your first speaker token. The first empty field will automatically be populated with that name. Continue on in the same way with the rest of the speaker names. Another way of doing this is to click the space you wish to assign, click Change or use Alt+C and fill in the Current field.

Now, as to why it is important to have THE WITNESS in slot 0 and THE COURT in slot 8. Edit macros. These are built into the macro list already. Pgh.>THE WITNESS, Speedkey Ctrl+0 Pgh.>THE COURT, Speedkey Ctrl+8 Pgh.>Speaker 1, Speedkey Ctrl+1 Pgh.>Speaker 2, Speedkey Ctrl+2 up through slot 6. Slot 7 and 9 on are not preassigned macros.

The speedkey designations are the shortcut numbers in the speaker list. This changes the current paragraph label to the corresponding speaker label, whether it be a misidentified speaker or an unlabeled paragraph.

Scopists and proofreaders are familiar with these shortcuts and use them instinctively, particularly Ctrl+0 for THE WITNESS. If the table is set up in a different manner, efficiency is affected. Scopists will often rearrange these speakers to suit their needs when editing locally; in Version 6, scopists build their own speaker tables to their liking as they learn the names in Connection Magic Shared Editing (CMSE). The reporter’s speaker table setup has been less important because of this flexibility.

Now that Version 7 shares the speaker table in CMSE, it is important that everyone is using the same system. Any change in the table will apply to everyone’s view, so individual modification is not an option.  Following these steps will help your team be more efficient and accurate in editing your daily transcript. Understanding the power of the speaker table will help you, as the reporter, be more efficient in your own editing as well.

Note: For the experienced user who has assigned THE COURT to a slot other than 8, there is no reason to change your ways. The Ctrl+8 macro will insert THE COURT regardless of where your speaker is in the list. The speedkey where you have assigned THE COURT will work as these macros are meant to do. The only caveat we offer is to reserve 0 for THE WITNESS as that is what most scopists know and use, whether with Ctrl+0 or F2+0.

The Perfect Partners Transcript Brigade understands the importance of efficiency and accuracy. Through teamwork and preplanning, we can accomplish our common goal:  a stellar transcript in the shortest time possible.

© BrenDeBev (all publication rights reserved)

Most of us use our software every day without really understanding or even being aware of many of the features available to help fine-tune our user experience. Today we are launching a series of blog posts, Making Eclipse Work for You, that will explore Eclipse’s user settings.  We begin with the Translate tab.

1.  Insert missing BY lines. Checking this box will instruct Eclipse to insert a by line after colloquy while you are writing.  No need to remember to use your speaker symbol when returning from colloquy or marking an exhibit.  At the beginning of an examination, stroke your speaker symbol and the Q, and Eclipse will remember which speaker to insert until you write a new speaker+Q (or Q+speaker) combination.  This is a win-win, saving time on both the reporting and editing sides of the job.

2.  Convert ANSWER to: THE WITNESS. For those of you who designate the deponent/witness on the stand as THE WITNESS after colloquy, this is a real timesaver.  The answer symbol will serve both purposes when this option is selected.

3. Pick 1st conflict choice by default. This is also a great timesaver. Use this feature and your RT feed will never display another conflict.  For best results, set up your conflicts so that the most common word is always the first choice. That way, at least 50 to 60% of the time, the choice made by Eclipse will be the correct one.  NOTE:  Checking this box does not override the AI rules Eclipse has already learned.  This feature is only triggered when Eclipse is unable to make a logical guess at a conflict based on the words around it.

4.  Tie related items.  This is a simple check box which will beautify your transcripts as you write by keeping title designations and numbers “tied” to their partners.  Mr. Smith will stay on the same line without the need to define the title with a lockspace {~}.  Dates, addresses, and other digits will tie to the words around them thanks to this small adjustment.  This also means that some number-word combinations will get a lockspace that isn’t strictly necessary, but that’s a small price to pay when you consider all the dictionary and editing time saved.

Perfect Partners Transcript Brigade understands the importance of excellent realtime output right from the start. This continuing series of tips is intended to help reporters supply a more polished realtime feed to those in the room while also making the most effective use of offsite editors during the Connection Magic Shared Editing process. For more information about working with the experienced editors at Perfect Partners Transcript Brigade, please contact us at transcriptbrigade@gmail.com.

© BrenDeBev (all publication rights reserved)

As a skilled court reporter, you’ve learned to cope with unexpected challenges without skipping a beat: the technical expert with the Martian accent, the attorney who speaks at 350 words per minute because he has a plane to catch at 3:00 p.m., the writer that suddenly refuses to connect with CAT software, the Wi-Fi connection that drops in the middle of a proceeding, the telephonic connections that snap, crackle, and pop. You came, you saw, you conquered.

But there’s one challenge that few are truly prepared for: the moment when the call comes in that tomorrow’s all-day job is now a daily.

Not to worry. By gathering a few items for your CMSE Prep Kit, you can meet this challenge as readily as you have all the others.

“But why do I need to prepare NOW? I may never need such a team. I don’t even work with a scopist/proofreader on a regular basis. What’s the point in spending time on it NOW? I’m sure I can just post on Facebook and find all the help I need at a moment’s notice.”

Maybe; maybe not. Most quality scopists and proofreaders keep a full calendar of work. Forming a good team is always a challenge, even more so at the last minute. And, as we all know, even the most “foolproof” technology can behave like an unruly child, especially when there’s no time to troubleshoot or learn.

So where do you start?

First, begin lining up a team of scopists and proofreaders NOW who have extensive knowledge and experience with daily and immediate turnaround work. Searching for quality help when there is no time for due diligence is a sure recipe for disaster.

Second, agree upon a form of communication that will afford all parties the fastest response time possible.

Third, notify your team as soon as you learn of an impending daily. Send your team any word lists, prior transcripts, or any other information you have that may contain spellings/terms/parties pertinent to the case.

Fourth, if using Connection Magic, set up a test session with your team of scopists and proofreaders, preferably at the location where the job will take place. Even if you can’t access the job location, a test from home will help you become more familiar with the necessary steps to help alleviate frazzled nerves on the all-important day.

Finally, relax. You now can accept with confidence that daily turnaround job, knowing that you are equipped with a secret weapon — a skillful team of scopists and proofreaders working alongside you with one goal in mind — delivering a finished, polished transcript in record time to your adoring fans – er, attorneys.

At Perfect Partners Transcript Brigade, we eliminate many of these steps by providing you with an accomplished team of professionals who are accustomed to working together, have processes already in place to facilitate communication with you and each other, are familiar with the most common technical pitfalls and how to surmount them, and who will work tirelessly with you to produce that beautiful transcript on time. For more information about our services, please contact us at transcriptbrigade@gmail.com.