Stentura 400 SRT

[talk...@gmail.com]

Good day!  I am having trouble with configuration...seems I am not alone from what I have been reading.  I have a Stentura 400 SRT connected to my PC laptop via USB converter.  I have the serial cord that came with the writer connected to the converter.  I finally found the driver for the converter and installed that, which at least gave me hope this might work, as the software appears to recognize the port now, and it initializes for a few seconds, but then disconnects!  Can you help me?

Thanks,

Jackie

[Daniel Langlois]

Hi, 'the software appears to recognize the port' might mean that you have Plover running? Is the Stentura 400 also running? Does the Stentura do anything on its own, like, you turn it on, you hit some keys, it prints out a transcript, and you're relying on it for hours every day, or, alternatively, you've never used it, or located the 'on' switch? perhaps it seems likely that one could assume the answers to these questions, but actually no. 

What is a 'USB converter'? I mean, sure, I have one of these too, but I wonder what you have. Did you buy this new? I'm a bit perplexed by the notion that the USB converter has a driver, which you finally found and installed. I don't recall requiring such a step. Did you find this driver available for download, was it on a CD? There is a USB specification, and what sort of packets are required by it. Which, your driver may not send. 

There could be a matter of correct settings, do you have a manual? Also, the distinction may be relevant, between Windows XP, Vista, 7. Also, 32-bit/64 bit. Starting w/this, are you using Windows?

You mention that you're trying to connect to your laptop, --is it convenient to try connecting to other computers as well?

[talk...@gmail.com]

Hi Daniel,
I'm sorry if I'm not using the correct terminology.  I have always used Macs, so this Windows/PC stuff is kinda new to me!  Anyway, I have a serial/USB converter, which I bought a while back at Amazon. I plugged that into the computer and then into the serial to serial cord that came with the Stentura.  When it didn't work, someone suggested I "update the drivers", so I contacted the manufacturer of the converter, and they "contacted China" (yeh, I know...), and gave me a website where I could download "drivers".  I did that, and have tried to follow all the suggestions and tips I could find anywhere and everywhere. 
Yes, I have used the Stentura quite a bit...just not with translation (just on paper)...I am a student of steno.  I have a new to me PC laptop with Windows 7, which I am trying to learn as well.  Do I have a manual for what?  The Stentura?  The Laptop?  The converter?  Yes on the Stentura...but the Plover issue doesn't come into play there...
Plover appears to be running, but the configuration of the Stentura doesn't seem to be correct or something.  After installing the "drivers", then the "port" showed up on the configuration, but when I try to run Plover, the Stentura initializes for a few seconds, and then disconnects.

My other computers are all Macs, which I have been through all this with already...with the same results, which was why I bought the laptop! 
I hope I have explained myself better...thanks!
Jackie

[Daniel Langlois]

the manufacturer..a website..

?

I'm not optimistic about your serial/USB adapter. But, also, it could be that the connection in the back is bad -- the connection on the machine itself. 

[Fred James]

The web site is <http://www.stenograph.com/>
The SRT 400 is no longer manufactured, and probably not supported by Stenograph
For service providers you could try <http://www.stenograph.com/providersearch.aspx?Type=ASP&id=3920001>
I personally have had good dealings with <http://jmsteno.com/shop/> in the US ... your mileage may vary.
If you need a good source in Canada, there is one in Alberta that has been good to me ... let me know.

Assuming you have a DB9, M-F, Stentura/Smartwriter "RealTime" cable (P/N 4010) or equivalent ...
    if you have a 9 pin COM port, can you try it there?
    if you don't have a 9 pin COM port, can you get a USB to DB9 COM adapter (convert a USB port on the computer to a DB9 COM port) and try that.
Either of those would be a quick/cheap way to test the connection on the machine, I should think.

If in the end you feel/know the port on the machine to be bad/failing, try getting it serviced/tested (see above)

Hope that helps
Regards
Fred James

Daniel Langlois wrote:

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[stepb.rick]

When I first hooked up my Stentura, I had problems.  Out of the 3 USB ports on my system, the machine only plays nicely with one of them.  I'm not sure why, but after trying to change all of the software settings (which didn't make a difference,) I went through all of the same steps/tests on each of the ports.  Silly question, but have you tried all of yours?

-R

On Thursday, February 13, 2014 8:36:36 AM UTC-8, talk...@gmail.com wrote:

[talk...@gmail.com]

Well...no, I never thought of that...but I will certainly try it!  Thank you.  Fingers crossed that it's just that simple!
J

[Mark Crossley]

This is an old post, but hopefully you have not given up.  PLOVER is so worth the effort.  I have DigitalCAT and CaseCatalyst and ECLIPSE, and truly feel that PLOVER is BEST for CART work (what I do) because it easily writes to websites, emails, Google Docs, WORD, NOTEPAD, WORDPAD, etc.  In fact, it HAS to write to something else - doesn't contain its own word processing capability.

When using a Stenograph machine with PLOVER, it is best to get an adaptor cable (called:  USB 2.0 to RS232 DB9 Serial Cable Male A Converter Adapter with PL2303 Chipset for Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Vista, XP - 10ft  -- UGREEN USB 2.0 to RS232 Male) and then change the machine type as TX (not Stentura) - it is very important that you make sure that the selection is for a TX machine (NOT Stentura).  Sounds odd, I know, but with the adaptor cable that you will be using, that is the configuration you will need to set in the PLOVER software. Once you do this, you are set, and your machine should work in PLOVER beautifully.  I use a Stenograph,and have done so for a couple years, using PLOVER (my favorite software, because of the immediate display) - this is what I have to do.

IF by chance you have already tried to configure your Stenograph to PLOVER and PLOVER is "hanging up", then you need to delete and reinstall PLOVER.

A quick way to solve the problem would be to delete the plover.cfg file. You can find this file by searching for it; should be in the directory:

C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\plover\plover