Express Scribe Foot Pedal Controls

Foot Pedal Controllers

There are three types of foot pedals that can be used with Express Scribe on a PC or Mac. First there are professional 3 foot pedal controls that connect direct to the computer's game, serial or USB port. Second, there are game controller "rudder" style pedals. You can also make a custom cable to wire almost any other pedals (eg. Radio Shack) to the game or serial port.

Express Scribe works with almost all professional transcription pedals that connect to a PC's game or serial port. Refer to the Help screen for setup instructions.

Option 1 Professional Three Pedal Foot Controller		NCH Software offers two pedals that you can purchase online and they are available for both serial and USB ports. Both USB foot pedals are compatible with Windows and Mac OS X. These are high quality 3 pedal controllers made for professional transcription work that cost around $US70 and can be shipped worldwide. The VEC foot pedal is also a suitable alternative for other transcription players. More Information | Purchase Online
Option 2 Game Controller Pedal		These are pedals made for games. The advantage is that they are common and available at most computer stores so if you really need a foot control today, this may be your only option. They should cost around $US70. The disadvantages are that they are only 2 pedal controllers and that you may need to keep a steering wheel or joystick under your desk! If you have game or serial port pedals but your computer does not have an available game or serial port (eg. a laptop) you can use a USB - game port adapter like the Rockfire USB Nest Joystick Converter or the RadioShack item 26-164 to connect your gameport pedals or you can also use a serial port USB adapter to connect serial port pedals. Refer to the Help screen for setup instructions.
Option 3 Wire your own or modify an old-style pedal		This is by far the cheapest option, but you will need to make your own cable/plug. With a special cable you can use the Radio Shack (Tandy) Pedals (Radio Shack Item 44-610C). The pedals should cost around $US12 each. You then need a special cable to connect to your game or serial port. The wiring details are listed on the Pedal Wiring Instructions Page. Alternatively, if you have pedals for old-style microcassette transcription units, the plugs can often be modified for only a couple of dollars. Again you will need to be handy with a soldering iron and refer to the wiring information listed on the Foot Pedal Control pages of the Express Scribe Help Screens.

Write your Own Pedal Driver

Foot Pedal Setup Instructions

These instructions might work with serial and gameport pedals from other manufacturers but probably will not work with USB pedals from other manufacturers.