Post by Lisa B on Sept 21, 2004 2:16:41 GMT -5
Has anyone had problems with the screen locking up in the Mira writer and losing notes on this "failsafe" system? I have had it fixed twice and now I have a promise in writing from Stenograph that they will replace it with a Stentura if I have any more problems. I was just wondering if this was a fluke or if anyone else has had similar problems. Are there many of us out there? I feel like I am the only one having problems. I have also had extensive problems with the Catalyst 4, version 5 software.
Just a small word of advice, if your Mira locks up (if you write more than 3 lines and it stops showing up on the screen or on the computer if you are writing realtime) you have to ask to stop the job and reboot the writer. There's a small reset button on the back of the Mira. Learn where it is just in case you ever have to use it. Turn off your writer and start a new file. If you forget to do this, when you start the realtime file again, it will feed back in what you've already done and throw off your audiosync or, even worse, break the sync completely. There's no way to sync the audio back up once it's been broken.
Do not depend on the machine and hope that the notes will be on the floppy, the RAM or the CF card. The last time this happened to me, the notes were completely gone. Prior to that, it always was on the CF card and not the RAM or the floppy, but when you are writing, there is no way to tell for sure.
If you don't stop the job when the Mira locks up, there is no way to read back. I only had to type in 4 questions and answers from the audio, but it could have been 31 pages had I not stopped the job, as embarrassing as that was. We can be sued for malpractice, so as embarrassing as this is, you have to tell them you are having technical problems and stop it. Do not depend on this machine!
If you have a current support contract on the Mira writer, you can ask to get the software update of version 2.01. This enables you to reopen the file just like how the Stentura works, so you can read back in case of a freeze but keep in mind there could still be some steno missing. From what I understand, the only way to get the update is to take the machine in. It isn't available as a download on the website.
One more thing I learned is that I bought a wireless connection to the Mira. If you have an older Mira and it is under a support agreement still, you need a new board replaced in it to make it work. They'll do this work under the support agreement. When they replace this board, your dictionary and all your key adjustments will be completely wiped out of the machine so you need to readjust the keys and reload the dictionary. When I got the machine back, the board was not seated in the machine correctly and it was impossible to adjust the keys no matter how hard I tried.
You can also buy all of the wireless equipment you need directly from Socket Communications online for the Mira wireless. It's about $80 less to buy it straight from them.
After the Mira being fixed twice and I am told that every board has been replaced, I believe if it will work for 6 more months with no more problems, it may be fixed for good. I've had it for 2 years and this problem happens every 3 or 4 months.
Buying this machine was a big mistake, in my humble opinion, but my TX and my Stentura were so reliable that I never dreamed I would have all of these problems.
It's just too bad because I can easily write on this machine for 10 hours and feel fine with no pain. A nice alternative is my 12-year-old Stentura with the keys shimmed. This lessens the stroke depth to the lightest touch possible and allows me to write paperless without damaging the platen. Plus if all else fails, the paper & ribbon can be reinserted just in casel
One more Mira tip, if you ever turn it on and try writing and it immediately turns off and you KNOW the battery is charged, you could have a corrupted dictionary file on the Mira. The fix is easy. Just switch to mode, disk opt, no text, okay. This will switch to notes only mode and won't use the dictionary. Keep in mind that writer support is not 24 hours no matter how much you pay. I learned this the hard way.
I truly hope this helps someone else.
Just a small word of advice, if your Mira locks up (if you write more than 3 lines and it stops showing up on the screen or on the computer if you are writing realtime) you have to ask to stop the job and reboot the writer. There's a small reset button on the back of the Mira. Learn where it is just in case you ever have to use it. Turn off your writer and start a new file. If you forget to do this, when you start the realtime file again, it will feed back in what you've already done and throw off your audiosync or, even worse, break the sync completely. There's no way to sync the audio back up once it's been broken.
Do not depend on the machine and hope that the notes will be on the floppy, the RAM or the CF card. The last time this happened to me, the notes were completely gone. Prior to that, it always was on the CF card and not the RAM or the floppy, but when you are writing, there is no way to tell for sure.
If you don't stop the job when the Mira locks up, there is no way to read back. I only had to type in 4 questions and answers from the audio, but it could have been 31 pages had I not stopped the job, as embarrassing as that was. We can be sued for malpractice, so as embarrassing as this is, you have to tell them you are having technical problems and stop it. Do not depend on this machine!
If you have a current support contract on the Mira writer, you can ask to get the software update of version 2.01. This enables you to reopen the file just like how the Stentura works, so you can read back in case of a freeze but keep in mind there could still be some steno missing. From what I understand, the only way to get the update is to take the machine in. It isn't available as a download on the website.
One more thing I learned is that I bought a wireless connection to the Mira. If you have an older Mira and it is under a support agreement still, you need a new board replaced in it to make it work. They'll do this work under the support agreement. When they replace this board, your dictionary and all your key adjustments will be completely wiped out of the machine so you need to readjust the keys and reload the dictionary. When I got the machine back, the board was not seated in the machine correctly and it was impossible to adjust the keys no matter how hard I tried.
You can also buy all of the wireless equipment you need directly from Socket Communications online for the Mira wireless. It's about $80 less to buy it straight from them.
After the Mira being fixed twice and I am told that every board has been replaced, I believe if it will work for 6 more months with no more problems, it may be fixed for good. I've had it for 2 years and this problem happens every 3 or 4 months.
Buying this machine was a big mistake, in my humble opinion, but my TX and my Stentura were so reliable that I never dreamed I would have all of these problems.
It's just too bad because I can easily write on this machine for 10 hours and feel fine with no pain. A nice alternative is my 12-year-old Stentura with the keys shimmed. This lessens the stroke depth to the lightest touch possible and allows me to write paperless without damaging the platen. Plus if all else fails, the paper & ribbon can be reinserted just in casel
One more Mira tip, if you ever turn it on and try writing and it immediately turns off and you KNOW the battery is charged, you could have a corrupted dictionary file on the Mira. The fix is easy. Just switch to mode, disk opt, no text, okay. This will switch to notes only mode and won't use the dictionary. Keep in mind that writer support is not 24 hours no matter how much you pay. I learned this the hard way.
I truly hope this helps someone else.
