Digital File Formats: Just as word processing programs create differing file formats (Word vs. WordPerfect, for example), digital sound technology has different file formats as well. Some of the formats created are .wav, .vox, .dsp, and .dss, to name a few. What's the difference? File size, or compression ratio. "wav" is the format used in windows for audio files. In digital systems, voice, which is an analog signal, is converted by a codec (analog to digital converter) to a digital signal. Depending on the codec, that signal is a compressed at varying rates into a smaller file size. The difference in the end is the compression factor (size of the file, and quality of the voice). The higher the compression, the lower the quality. DSP TrueSpeech is one such codec and ADPCM is another. The difference is in compression. Truespeech files are about 1/15 to 1/8 the size of other wav codecs and about 1/4 the size of the smallest ADPCMs. Sound quality is essentially unchanged for dictation and transcription purposes. This is done so that files can be stored and transferred more efficiently, because .wav files are very large. The resultant voice file must be converted back to the analog signal by reverse of the above in order to be heard by the transcriptionist.

Dictation Capture: There are many different devices out there for capturing dictation, most of which can be narrowed down to one of two methods: hand held or dial-in. Larger facilities may have an in-house system into which physicians will dial and dictate. The residing codec within the dictation system will convert the analog (voice) signal to a digital one. These systems can capture patient information as well, by entering data on the phone keypad.

Many transcription services have dial-in systems also, the only difference being that physicians are calling the transcription company's system instead of their own. Some of the pricier digital systems include file routing capabilities so a transcription manager can automatically route digital sound files to transcriptionists. A well established transcription company may have the technology to tap into a facility's in-house system to electronically transfer those digital sound files for transcription. This can be quite expensive, as many of the systems are proprietary in nature and require special software and equipment purchases.

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