Starting the Court Reporting Program and Getting a Steno Machine
Information for beginning Theory and speed students

Court Reporting has gone high-tech!  You will want a computerized writer by the second semester of class so you can hook your steno machine up to the computer and do practice drills and send your notes and files to your instructor.  However, we are starting out low-tech to reduce your costs.  So you have two options (and you just have to pick between the two!

Here is some information on new machines from Stenograph, the major retailer of stenotype machines:

2009 Cerritos Investment certificate use this form to get a discount on your purchase of a stenotype machine from Stenograph

www.stenograph.com    Stentura Protege Brochure    

You can also purchase an older model of the computerized stenotype machines, commonly known as Stenturas  (Stentura 400/500 SRT student models, or 6000/8000 professional models.)  This would be from any source that sells second-hand machines.  The Stentura 200SRT has no battery and must be plugged in but will work with the computer as well.   
*SRT stands for student realtime model.  There are 200/400/500 Stenturas that are NOT computer compatible and they are NOT SRTs.

You can purchase an older stenotype machine now and modify it with a ProWriter Plus for approximately $600 new (or at a bargain previously used.)  This is an option that will allow you to convert the machine you start with to a computerized writer. 

http://procat.com/ProWriters/ProWriter-Intro.html 

Also know that all of the older computerized stenotype machines hook into the computer with a serial port connection.  New computers don't have serial ports, but don't fret because you can purchase a serial port adaptor and make it work!  Even the newer and newest stenotype machines require this set-up to work with GlobalCAT or ProCAT.  The Protege manufactured by Stenograph comes with a USB cable, but the USB cable can ony be used to connect to Stenograph software.  So for GlobalCAT or any other software, you will need to purchase an adaptor for USB ports as listed below.

Important notice about computers:  GlobalCAT will work with Vista 32-bit software but it will NOT work at all/ever with Vista 64-bit software.  It is an older program and eventually will require an older computer to work on.  It does work with XP, 2000, 98 and 95.  The CAT softwares for court reporters, are just beginning to create their software to work with Vista 64-bit software.  Vista 64-bit operating system is basically for "gamers"  - You do not need that kind of memory or operating system for your court reporting software at this time and will likely find many problems trying to use it at the moment (posted February 2009).  

Students starting Theory and Theory Review will need a stenotype machine ASAP.  We have a couple we can lend in class only the first week, but you will have homework by Wednesday and you will need a machine.  The minimum would be an older, manual stenotype machine (usually sell for between $75-200 guestimate).  You can do Theory with a manual machine. 
The deluxe would be to have a computerized writer (used approx $400-1200) (more info below) so you can use our free computer tutorial and hook into the computer at home.  But if you choose not to invest too much your first semester, you can use our computers and writers in our court reporting lab to do the tutorials and you will have lab time scheduled if you are on campus anyway.  More information on what you need and renting a machine (which most likely will be manual) on www.cerritos.edu/courtreporting  under the “getting started” and “getting a machine” links.

•        Stentura 200 SRT  (must be SRT, which stands for “student realtime”.  This is a manual writer that does hook to the computer with a serial cable.  You need the cable also.  This writer has no battery and needs to be plugged in while writing to the computer.  You can use it manually in class without plugging in.) (Approx. 300-$500 guestimate)

•        Stentura 400 SRT or 500 SRT (must be SRT, which stands for “student realtime”.  This is an electric writer that does hook to the computer with a serial cable.  You need the cable also.  This writer has a battery.) (Approx. $500-1200 guestimate)

•        Stentura Protégé (new model) from Stenograph, approximately $1600.  Comes with a USB connection cord that only connects to Stenograph Case CATalyst software.  If you want to connect to any software other than CATalyst (like our Theory tutorial, GlobalCAT), you need to purchase a serial realtime cable and if you don't have a serial port on your computer, you will also need a USB to serial port adaptor as well.  See information above on serial port adaptors and realtime cables.  
            Order:  Student USB Serial Realtime Cable Kit (order number 37746) from Stenograph for Protege

 used to write to any software other than CATalyst, such as the GlobalCAT tutorial we use in Theory

Wide keys: For those of you who face this question buying a machine.  
Our Theory, the Roberts, Walsh, Gonzalez Theory, does NOT use wide keys.  Howsoever, when you finish school (or possibly even Theory), you may want to use wide keys to incorporate some more letter combinations, so… you do not need wide keys.  You can, however, get them and learn to avoid them (not stroke them by accident) and then you will have a little more versatility in the future.  If you do get wide keys, it is usually the asterisk and the DZ keys that are wide.  You do not need them now.  If you are looking way far ahead, you might want to get them so you can learn to stroke cleanly with them.  It is up to you.  (Wide keys just give you a bit more versatility down the line.  They also tend to get in the way while you are learning but you can learn to get around them.  It’s kind of 6 one and half dozen the other.) 

We have a free tutorial program that goes with your Theory that we will give to you when you are ready to hook your writer up to the computer, along with directions for installing it.  (You just send us back the disk after you copy/install it.)  The CAT (computer-aided transcription) programs available in student version range from $100-$700, but you won't need those until after you finish Theory.

If you find a used stenotype machine, you can call us and we'll do our best to tell you if we think it will work.  (Some of the first computerized models are way outdated and not recommended.  They have names like  Baron TX, X-scribe StenoRam, Smartwriter, and some of them took either a cassette tape or a low density floppy disk.  They are likely too old to be very useful, though some Smartwriters and older machines can do the job.)   You also will want paper notes when you get started and not a paperless writer like a Gemini keyboard or a Stenograph Cybra or Mira. 

So, the choice truly is yours.  Just make sure you have something ready to go when school starts because there is no time to get behind!

Please note!  If you are purchasing a computer:  GlobalCAT (interactive theory tutorial) will NOT work with Windows Vista 64 bit operating systems.  It will work with most 32 bit Windows Vista operating systems.  Windows Vista 64 bit operating systems are for gaming in particular.  You do NOT need that kind of memory or power to do your court reporting and because it is so new, it is not compatible with many peripheral devices and drives and court reporting software programs and Vista 64 bit is NOT recommended!

See the following sites as part of your computer research as to what computer specifications you need.  Remember, the software companies are designing computer specs for working court reporters.  You may not need all the bells and whistles as you go through school.

Computer Hardware Specifications for CATalyst 2010

Computer Hardware Specifications for ProCAT 2009

Best thing to do is to look at all of the information and learn as much as you can.

Below are some sites you can check out.  We do NOT endorse any of these sites because we have no first-hand knowledge of them, but they do offer some information:

http://slate.com/id/2119534/ 

http://www.cocra.org/links/repair_service.html

http://www.depo.com/reporters/vendors.html