bruce816

Egad! Please send me the link if/where you saw a sample report on my site?!? I thought I had deleted my sample. Are you looking at my site or something on Interspect voice?

Yes, the software is merely listening for commands. When I want to add some boilerplate or pre-typed comments, I say, "add _______". When I want to dictate, I say, "begin issue" and start talking. If you train the software enough, it will recognize most of what you say. You will still need to proof read.

I used AHIT's Inspect It for a few months. Interspect Voice has a much simpler way to add new comments (pre-typed or canned comments). Steve calls them "Quick Texts". Each quick text can have a "voice tag". If I see something that is common, i.e. roof nail heads that need sealing, I just say "roof caulk" and that pre-typed comment goes into the report. Of course you can call it anything, I just chose "roof caulk". I am on my second Dell unit. I like Dell but there is some preloaded software or proprietary stuff that messes up other software I have (including Interspect). I called Steve before I bought this Dell I'm currently using and he said either Dell or Toshiba. You might ask him before you buy. I know he's not set up for Apple. At least I don't think he is. You can definitely use the headset/software while in the attic or crawl space. Around here a crawl space is literally a crawl in the dirt, so I don't take my headset down there...just my camera (Pentax W90) and a flashlight. I always wear the headset in the attic. I've never had time where everything was wiped out. Steve always recommends a back up of your system which includes quick texts and voice tags. I also use Carbonite and have selected those particular items to go up to the "cloud". I've been using this software since May 2007. The only issue I had was that I forgot to back up something once when I was upgrading to Windows 7. Steve was able to help me get almost everything back. I think I lost one report (that'll be the one that comes back on me someday . But it was my fault for not backing up before I upgraded. Any questions, call me.

What sort of software do you use now? There are a few things I wish it did differently. It would be hard to describe on here and I don't know if other HI softwares are any better. I would say that the tech support up until this year has been wonderful. Steve is still around and I when I email him he does respond. I wonder if since home inspection has been down around the country, he's feeling it too. I think he may be working on some other software right now that is supporting his family. But...I feel fairly confident that if you purchased the software he'd be there to help you as much as you need. I'm available to ask questions as well. The headset is a Plantronics device. I believe it has about a 300ft range. I don't know how big the houses are that you normally inspect, but this one is good for me 99% of the time. It is affected by wind noise. Make sure you get the little foam cover for it. On really windy days, I keep it on mute and when I speak, I do so inside a towel that I carry. The voice recognition software is Microsoft. yes is does learn as you go. You need to train it several times before you start inspecting. You can add vocabulary words into a page on Interspect (those really weird words that only you make sound funny). I'd say for the most part, there are just a handful of words that I can't seem to make work. Everything is else is good. Like all software, none are perfect. Remember that you will have a learning curve to go through.

awesome music...felt like I was watching Bonanza or the Big Valley !!

I use the Xtend and Climb (770P) for interior scuttle holes, a 4ft step ladder and a 12' Werner articulating ladder for getting on the roof. I respect the Xtend and Climb by checking all of the red/green dots and wiping it down with silicone occasionally.

my own personal thought, and lest I offend, it is my own personal thought.... I don't really want to have to wash those coveralls and put somebody else's dirt, cat poop/pee, spider webs and asbestos in MY washing machine. I have been buying the Kleenguard XP by the case, but I like the price of these a LOT better. Are they really "Lite and Kool"? I really want to believe that...really...

Had this same one back when I was in construction. Threw it in my inspection kit and now I take it with me all the time. I generally use it on low-slope applications (similar to my forehead).

I've got a Blackberry Bold. I got it b/c I can receive emails when I'm out and about. I had been getting emails to do draw inspections but I wouldn't see them until I got home (really sucked because several times I had just driven past the area of the inspection). I do (now) use the internet on the Bold and it's nice to be able to talk or look up stuff simultaneously. I realize the Iphone is faster when it comes to internet stuff. I agree that ATT service sucks and I thought Sprint sucked. Definition of irritating (for me): First day after getting ATT, my inspection is in an area without any ATT signal whatsoever...nothing...nada...zip. My brand new Blackberry was basically an expensive paperweight. The realtor was talking on her Verizon phone the entire time AND using her Verizon mobile broadband to surf the internet on her laptop. aargh.

Yes, I would've answered but I didn't have an @ sign to subscribe. This began at another thread.

Kurt, any news about the @ sign? I would like to subscribe to some of these forums; however, many, if not most, of them do not have the subscription button. At least that is true for the forums I'm interested in.

Kurt, I will begin monitoring my Carbonite backup schedule (thanks for the head's up). What types of files are NOT backing up immediately?

Interesting

I've used Godaddy for about 8 years...maybe longer.

Wow, I'd never have to go into attic from April to September! I usually just take 3 shirts on each inspection.

wow...I can dream about owning one; can't I? Thinking about training my 12 year old to do crawls so I don't have to. [:-bigeyes

Funny! I liked that one. One of my favorites is Boudreaux and Thibodeaux were driving out in the country when they came to a crossroads with a 4-way stop sign. Boudreaux just slowed down, gave a quick look left and right and kept going. He didn't get 50 yards before a Louisiana Highway Patrol turned his lights on and pulled him over. As he walks up to the window, Boudreaux says, "Look officer. I knows I didn't stop back dere at dat stop sign, but I slowed down. What's da diff'rence?" The officer grabs his billy club and proceeds to beat the tar out of Boudreaux and says, "Would you like me to STOP or SLOW DOWN?" Boudreaux screaming says, "OK, OK!!! STOP!!! I get it!! Jes gimme da ticket!!! " So the officer writes him the ticket then walks around the car and taps on Thibodeaux's window. Thibodeaux rolls his window down and the officer proceeds to beat the snot out of him as well. Thibodeaux screams and says, "HEY HEY, wha chu doin'? I ain't da one drivin' !!!" The officers says, "No, but I know you Cajuns. You'll get about a mile down that road and say, "I wish he'd a hit ME wit dat stick.""

Is there something I have to do to make the @ sign appear by the "share" button? I'd like to subscribe to this thread. I see that many threads do not have the @ sign.

Randy, I use Interspect Voice. Steve McNeese is the creator and he is here Texas (Plano area I think). The software has several nice features. The voice feature (which is an add-on now) is one of the reasons I bought it. I wear a wireless Plantronics headset and walk around the house dictating my report to my laptop, which is usually sitting on the kitchen counter. I have created several "Quick Texts" which are pre-typed sentences or paragraphs that I use for common items that I see quite a bit. I really have a lot of QT and usually only feel the need to dictate or type the few unusual issues that I run across. Each QT has a voice tag that will initiate it. I carry around a piece of paper listing my quick texts. Steve added a nice feature for me that lets Interspect Voice (IV) print off my quick texts. I've kept it to a legal-sized sheet that is folded up in my pocket. If I add/change the quick texts, I just print out a new cheat sheet. Here is how it works: Bruce: "Add water pressure too high" Interspect (talking in my ear): "Added quick text" Then I take a photograph of the pressure gauge to substantiate. Bruce: "Add issue photo" Interspect: "Issue photo added" This is why I need to synchronize my camera to the computer. Interspect adds a little tag with a time stamp on it. At the end of the inspection, I insert my SD card and upload the photos. With one click, all of the photos go into the appropriate places on the report. I really like doing this which is why the camera needs to sync with the computer. When I load the photos into that inspection's library, IV automatically sizes them. It will even add some edge beveling or soften the edges. This makes the photos a little more 3D and they stand out on the page better. If I want to circle something in the photo, add an arrow or some text, I can do that as well. As with all software, each person has his/her own preferences. I've been using this one for about 3 yrs now - having tried 2 others. Like other software, there is a learning curve. Here is the link for it: http://www.interspectsoftware.com/default.aspx? He has a 30 day free trial. I'm not one his salesmen but he does have a referral program. Bruce