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For me, Inqscribe was the way and the light, man.  The only major issues are a) it's not free and b) it works best with Quicktime-based files, so you'll want to get something like Handbrake or Jodix Free Ipod Video Converter to turn .mpgs, .avis and .wmvs into .mp4s for best results. Also, instead of transcribing directly into the Word document, you'll be transcribing into essentially a plain-text file which you'll then copy and paste into the document, so occasionally you'll have to do a bit of format cleanup on the back end (and those three-column technical as-broadcasts will become virtually impossible). But for their standard format, it works really well.
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Apr 20, 2012 14:15
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Hey transcriptionists, recommendations on headphones and a pedal? I'm about to wrap up a big contract and looking at ways to bridge the gap to my next one and I've never minded doing transcription when I've done it before. Or failing that, anything in particular to look for in headphones? I have a pair that I really like but they have a lot of low end and bass response, dunno if that's good or not.
Dr. Kyle Farnsworth fucked around with this message at 03:36 on Apr 24, 2012 |
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Apr 24, 2012 03:20
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For a pedal, most transcriptionists tend to go with the Infinity IN-USB-2. At $55, it's a pretty reasonable value. I've got an older IN-USB-1 myself, and it's been rock solid since I got started in the business. As for headphones, audio quality and closed-ear cans are key. Lots of bass can be a problem -- usually when audio is lovely, it's lovely because there's too much bass -- but you might be able to adjust for that with an equalizer. Sound isolation is the biggest thing, though, if they'll cut out some of the ambient noise that's about 80% of what you're looking for. Right now I'm using a set of Sony MDR-XD200s (after my beloved set of Plantronics cans failed on me); they have a switch on each earpiece to go from "music" to "movie" mode (plays with the bass levels) and they've been passable.
kazmeyer fucked around with this message at 03:46 on Apr 24, 2012 |
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Apr 24, 2012 03:44
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Paul Coffey posted:I have some videos on YouTube that are getting some views, and now different people like Fullscreen and Machinima want me to go on their "networks". I've googled around for "diaries" of people who did this and can't find too much... does anyone know about these people? I know a guy who does this. I'm not sure what networks he is affiliated with but he makes pretty good money, enough that it is his primary source of income right now.
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Apr 24, 2012 04:17
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Thanks, kazmeyer.
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Apr 24, 2012 04:25
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This has been a helpful thread, thank you. I started writing for Textbroker recently. However, I am very slow at it. It can take me 2 hours to write 400 words. I choose topics that should be easy to research, but this still happens. Does anyone have any recommendations and how to research a topic and write on it faster without compromising on quality too much?
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Apr 25, 2012 00:48
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Nexus42 posted:This has been a helpful thread, thank you. I started writing for Textbroker recently. However, I am very slow at it. It can take me 2 hours to write 400 words. I choose topics that should be easy to research, but this still happens. Practice, really. The more you do and get used to it, the faster you become.
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Apr 25, 2012 01:00
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Nexus42 posted:This has been a helpful thread, thank you. I started writing for Textbroker recently. However, I am very slow at it. It can take me 2 hours to write 400 words. I choose topics that should be easy to research, but this still happens. You have to realize that at 1.4 cents/word they're not paying you enough to do more than cursory research. If something looks like it's going to take more than 20 minutes to research and write, I just move on.
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Apr 25, 2012 01:14
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Textbroker doesn't usually check cites or anything. I'm not saying write anything wrong, but you don't really have to do academic-level legwork. I stick with fields I know or that are pretty easy to bullshit (cars, for example, have a lot of articles that are pretty much "Buy a <make> <model> from <client>. Did you know the <make> <model> gets excellent gas mileage?" etc. etc.). It also helps if you can grab a bunch of similar ones. As an example, I had a day where I pretty much poopsocked the Honda website writing 300 word blurbs about Honda vehicles for a bunch of different car dealerships, so once I knew a smattering about each model, I could crank things out.
Dr. Kyle Farnsworth fucked around with this message at 04:53 on Apr 25, 2012 |
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Apr 25, 2012 02:38
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Nexus42 posted:This has been a helpful thread, thank you. I started writing for Textbroker recently. However, I am very slow at it. It can take me 2 hours to write 400 words. I choose topics that should be easy to research, but this still happens. Do you type like obscenely slowly? A cursory google should net you what people want to say about the THING in 1 to 5 minutes, with 10 at the absolute outside. Going from dead 0 knowledge on a topic, literally not knowing wtf it actually is, to 500 competent words has never taken me more than an hour. And after that you should be able to do more things on a similar topic in significantly less time.
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Apr 25, 2012 03:57
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Thank you everyone for the responses. It looks like my main problem was researching too deeply. Where can I find a sample of the article style? I have just been guessing, and it looks like it has lead to doing a lot more work than required.
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Apr 25, 2012 17:58
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Anybody done any writing work for these guys? http://www.interactmedia.com/ Just curious how legit it is. Nexus42, send me a PM or give me an email address and I'll send you some of mine that have gotten approved on Textbroker.
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Apr 29, 2012 21:31
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Dr. Kyle Farnsworth posted:Anybody done any writing work for these guys? http://www.interactmedia.com/ Reading their FAQ I'm seeing a few things that raise red flags for me. (http://www.interactmedia.com/writers-faq/) "Occasionally, visitors to the YoExpert site will read these sample articles and request answers to questions. If you have a question pending you will be notified and asked to answer the question. Once the question is answered, your account will be reactivated. This answer article is unpaid; however, the revenue we earn from YoExpert helps us keep our service free for all writers (unlike other writer platforms that charge writers a monthly fee or require them to purchase bid credits to get jobs.)" Your account will be reactivated? I can't tell if they mean the YoExpert account reactivated so you can answer, or your writing account will be reactivated once you answer. Either way, it's work that's unpaid and it doesn't sound like you have the option to not do it. "Do I get paid for words that are edited out? Writers are only paid for the amount of words that are approved by the client. During the review process, some of your content may be removed. You will not be paid for this content. The client will only pay for the amount of content that they can use." So at any time a client can decide 50% of the work you submitted to them isn't something they wanted, and only pay you 50% of what you agreed on, even though you have no guarantee they won't just take the content anyway. "In the Marketplace, clients are trying out writers to determine who will be a good fit for their projects. Therefore, the first page that you write for a new client should be considered a sample page that may or may not be accepted. You are trying to prove yourself to that client so that they will add you to their Favorite Writer's List, and assign you more work in the future. " So you're writing for assignments that the client can then decide they don't want you for and your work goes to waste. You don't get paid for it, but a client can offer you lower prices on it 'as an acknowledgement of time spent' (which seems potentially open to abuse.) They could be legit or they might not, but with the site skimming 20% off of any agreed on price, and with clients setting the rate, you might end up working for pennies. Without registering and actually getting in to see the prices on offer, I couldn't say if it's solid or not.
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Apr 29, 2012 22:28
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Is textbroker really more worthwhile than Constant Content? I usually made $25+ on articles. Granted, they were good quality, while you can sell garbage on TB, but still. If you can actually come up with ideas for articles, I would highly recommend trying CC.
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Apr 29, 2012 22:51
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I wouldn't say TB is more worthwhile, just that they're different styles. CC definitely requires writing stuff that's going to sell (meaning knowing the market) and pricing things competitively. If your articles don't sell, you don't get paid. TB is at least a somewhat guaranteed string of possible assignments. Anyone that writes for any of these sites should try Constant Content, for sure. If nothing else, an assignment posted on Textbroker is a topic someone is buying, and you can re-write your own article and post it on CC.
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Apr 30, 2012 01:47
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Anyone know the deal with everything being mostly US only? Is it just they need a tax number and it is easier to deal with? Or do they check IPs and such? What is stopping me from setting up a SSH tunnel on some hosting/friends house and just backpacking the world making $25 bucks a day which is plenty fine to be ballin in Thailand or something?
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Apr 30, 2012 03:04
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Tastic posted:Anyone know the deal with everything being mostly US only? Is it just they need a tax number and it is easier to deal with? Or do they check IPs and such? What is stopping me from setting up a SSH tunnel on some hosting/friends house and just backpacking the world making $25 bucks a day which is plenty fine to be ballin in Thailand or something? Most of those websites will require a W-9 form before they pay you. I don't know how it works beyond that but I think you could pull that off if you're an US citizen. Obviously websites like Leapforce and Lionbridge would be a lot more strict about it. On that note, I mentioned earlier in this thread that textbroker.co.uk is an option if you're not from the US. They pay is a bit higher (€1.2 cents per word at 4 stars) and they don't care where you're from. Liberatore fucked around with this message at 04:10 on Apr 30, 2012 |
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Apr 30, 2012 04:07
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Textbroker wants a copy of my license to verify citizenship. Anyone else have to do this?
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May 1, 2012 14:27
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Meow posted:Textbroker wants a copy of my license to verify citizenship. Anyone else have to do this? I got the same request and I was kinda sketched out.
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May 1, 2012 18:14
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I don't recall having to do that to get into Textbroker, but I might have and just don't remember it.
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May 1, 2012 18:18
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Meow posted:Textbroker wants a copy of my license to verify citizenship. Anyone else have to do this? I got the same thing, sent them a copy about two weeks ago, sent 3 follow up emails and still haven't heard back.
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May 1, 2012 19:44
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I didn't have to do that when I started but, from what I am hearing from others, that is standard for textbroker now.
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May 2, 2012 16:38
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Yep, just got an e-mail from them saying they need a photo id. I am trying to reactivate my LeapForce. I sent an e-mail to agent support last weekend and haven't heard anything back yet. Anyone have experience getting their LeapForce account reactivated?
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May 3, 2012 22:05
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No iphone means I'm NRT in LF for awhile until it gets fixed. Sent email to LF explaining the situation so hopefully it'll work out. I won't get my phone back until sometime next week at the earliest. Kinda bummed with no work, as iphone SxSes are the only tasks I get.
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May 4, 2012 00:19
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Armitage posted:No iphone means I'm NRT in LF for awhile until it gets fixed. Sent email to LF explaining the situation so hopefully it'll work out. I won't get my phone back until sometime next week at the earliest. Kinda bummed with no work, as iphone SxSes are the only tasks I get. Why do you only get iPhone SxS? Just curious...
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May 6, 2012 19:15
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Derek79 posted:One thing that I have rarely seen posted are at home phone jobs. In addition to Leapforce and various writing gigs, I have been with a company called LiveOps since May of 2007. I applied at LiveOps shortly after you posted this message. I've done all the steps up to an including the Voice Audition, but my application has been stuck in "Your Qualification is Being Processed" ever since. How long does this process typically take?
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May 6, 2012 19:23
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I'm gonna try to apply to Daily Transcription. Wow, that first file they make you do on the application page is a nightmare. Plus it would be nice if there were more example templates to verify your work on. I've transcribed about five minutes of audio in the last two hours but I'm slowly picking up speed. If I get hired I will definitely invest in a pedal.
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May 7, 2012 01:55
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dbadeb posted:I applied at LiveOps shortly after you posted this message. I've done all the steps up to an including the Voice Audition, but my application has been stuck in "Your Qualification is Being Processed" ever since. How long does this process typically take? You know, I'm not really sure. I started with them in May 2007 and the process was pretty quick at that point. Summer is generally the slower time as far as Direct Response goes but they could just be waiting for another program to seed.
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May 7, 2012 04:46
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Derek79 posted:You know, I'm not really sure. I started with them in May 2007 and the process was pretty quick at that point. Summer is generally the slower time as far as Direct Response goes but they could just be waiting for another program to seed. Thanks I'm hoping that since I haven't heard a "no", my app might must be sitting and waiting. I guess we'll see.
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May 7, 2012 17:14
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Spartan421 posted:I'm gonna try to apply to Daily Transcription. Wow, that first file they make you do on the application page is a nightmare. Plus it would be nice if there were more example templates to verify your work on. I've transcribed about five minutes of audio in the last two hours but I'm slowly picking up speed. If I get hired I will definitely invest in a pedal. The pedal will make an enormous difference in how fast you are. Here is a decent deal on the industry-standard pedal (plus some earbuds you probably won't use for transcription and a USB hub).
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May 7, 2012 18:53
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Ugh, I just checked my star ratings in Lionbridge for the past couple of months. I used to average 4 stars, sometimes getting 5, and sometimes 3, but the last three months I have gotten 2 three-stars and a two star in March. I have no idea at all what is different month to month but it scares me to get a 2 star rating. Does anyone have any idea what I can do to make sure I get high star ratings? It is so incredibly frustrating to have no idea what in the hell they rating me on and why...
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May 9, 2012 17:58
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Doghouse posted:Ugh, I just checked my star ratings in Lionbridge for the past couple of months. I used to average 4 stars, sometimes getting 5, and sometimes 3, but the last three months I have gotten 2 three-stars and a two star in March. I have no idea at all what is different month to month but it scares me to get a 2 star rating. Does anyone have any idea what I can do to make sure I get high star ratings? It is so incredibly frustrating to have no idea what in the hell they rating me on and why... Supposedly it helps if you take quizzes on Geoworkerz and attend Webinars, no idea how much though. Been liking the constant 30 hour weeks recently
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May 9, 2012 20:39
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dbadeb posted:Why do you only get iPhone SxS? Just curious... LF did a survey awhile back, asking users about what mobile phones they have, for future mobile-based projects. I have an iphone, so I told them that. I was looking forward to whatever mobile tasks they would have, but so far the only ones I've seen were iPhone SxSes in EWOQ2. A little disappointing, and they don't seem to work half the time. Also, there seems to be issues with toolbar/invoice tracking for these projects. I'd shrug 'em off and do other tasks, but for the longest time, those were the ONLY tasks that showed up for me. When they were working I'd spend 5 hours a day on 'em.
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May 10, 2012 13:57
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kazmeyer posted:The pedal will make an enormous difference in how fast you are. Thanks kaz, they just contacted me and it looks like I am hired. I appreciate the recommendation.
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May 11, 2012 20:15
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Don't thank me yet; I'm sure you'll be cursing my name when you're hip deep in some five-person focus group with crap audio where at least three of the people are ESL.
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May 12, 2012 20:39
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Hi guys. My partner and I run a service that offers "done for you" blogs that custom design/research/write/promote small websites with different themes. Instead of hunting down a bunch of unrelated subjects, they're in 5 article bunches of ~500 words apiece on different topics. I'll provide a subject and a list of keywords: (ex - BABY STROLLERS - McLaren Volo Stroller XL, Lightweight Strollers, Bob Duallie Stroller, McLaren Triumph. Gracie Flint Stroller) ...and you write something nice for it. Sometimes it's product reviews, sometimes it's general advice, and none of is hard to research at all. It's a tiny bit less than Demand Studios ($60 per batch of five, that is, $12 per article) but way less insane and demanding... we don't need citations for anything (trusting you not to plagiarize here). If it takes you longer than a week to write 5 articles, you gotta give me an update. Already hiring a handful of guys and it's been great. My email is zba.buchanan at gmail, so drop off a sample or two and your paypal and we'll get started. Thank ya.
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May 12, 2012 20:53
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Monarchy posted:My partner and I run a service that offers "done for you" blogs that custom design/research/write/promote small websites with different themes. I've done quite a few of these and can recommend this as a legit system with prompt payment and steady work. Nothing but good experiences on my end. e: as I post this recommendation, I'm literally slacking on a writing project for Monarchy that's half done in another window!  e2: vvvvv no joke I was wondering who took over a week to write 500 words x 5 Arnold of Soissons fucked around with this message at 03:02 on May 13, 2012 |
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May 12, 2012 21:32
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Monarchy posted:If it takes you longer than a week to write 5 articles, you gotta give me an update. Already hiring a handful of guys and it's been great. Echoing this is legit, work is good, and it's me. I'm the slow one. Finals is almost over though and then I can keep writing sweet sweet articles.
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May 13, 2012 01:35
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Is there any profitability in flipping articles? For instance, buying articles on Textbroker for cheap, making edits/cleanup if necessary, and then selling them on Constant Content or Scripted for a higher price.
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May 13, 2012 05:26
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Not really, no. You get what you pay for when it comes to content mill work.
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May 13, 2012 06:42
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