It is my goal in writing this online guide to give you the information necessary to make an educated decision about your steno machine purchase. Hopefully, with this information, you can avoid the buying mistakes I have seen some people make here on eBay. If you happen to look up Stenotech on the web or here on eBay and make a purchase, well great! If not at least you hopefully will have a little more useful information.
This guide is for students of court reporting. I will be publishing a guide to buying professional writers in the near future.
First of all, let me introduce myself. My name is Kerry Brunner. I am the owner of Stenotech, Inc., a company that has been buying, refurbishing and selling all types of court reporting equipment for over fourteen years. My own experience in the Court Reporting industry has spanned over sixteen years. Stenotech has been active on eBay since 1999. We are Gold Level Powersellers and routinely offer a variety of writers, accessories and supplies. We are currently the largest eBay seller in the stenograph category and we are in the process of expanding our eBay store business. In case you're wondering, a Powerseller must uphold certain standards, sell a certain level of merchandise and have a minimum feedback score.
In order for me to advise you properly I need to know where you are in your career as a court reporter. You could be a beginning student, advanced student or somewhere in between. Another important factor is how much money you want to invest in your equipment. Your budget might be unrestricted or very limited; you may need to finance. These are all contributing factors that go into making the right steno machine decision.
Student Writers
Stenograph Reporter of Secretarial Models
Reporter Model Secreatarial Model
If you are just starting out in court reporting you probably want to keep costs as inexpensive as possible. Unless your school or online program requires you to start with a "real-time machine", you can probably get away with purchasing either a Reporter or Secretarial model. This is a model that was manufactured approximately up until the early 1990's. It has a rounded or bowl shape. They write on a spool ribbon to paper and have a manual touch. The brand new ribbons for these writers are readily available. Now what's the difference between the Reporter and the Secretarial models? Good question! The Reporter model holds a full pack of steno paper and the Secretarial holds a half pack of paper. Other than that the Secretarial is a little smaller in size. They come in charcoal (more like dark green), sand (tan), and avocado (light green) colors. Occasionally you will find painted models. (I sold a bright purple machine some time ago. ) Along with the machine you will also need a tripod, ink, a case, and paper.
What You Need To Know...
--First of all the very early Reporters and Secretarials didn't have a final DZ key but had a final DS instead. All the modern theories use the final DZ. You want to make sure that you ask that question or you might end up with a useless machine. In some cases we can change out the keys, but with the labor it's not cheap.
--There are also older "antique" writers being sold that use ribbons that are no longer made and impossible to find. Many of these are called Reporter models and look similar to the newer Reporter models. I would suggest that you stay away from any older writers unless you want to put it on a shelf and display it.
--Many of the machines have been sitting in storage and might require servicing. If the ad reads "keys work", that really can mean nothing more than the keys will move the platen. The machine might still need extensive work. Just to put that into perspective, a typical overhauling and cleaning on a manual writer will range from $125.00 to $200.00.
--I would also suggest you get the machine with a tripod, because a new tripod will cost around $75.00.
--Occasionally you will find Reporter models with a upgraded switch plate allowing it to do realtime. My advice is to avoid these.
So in summary ask questions and let the buyer beware. You will pay more if you purchase from a dealer like Stenotech, but at least you will know exactly what you are getting. We also offer an excellent 3 year trade-in guarantee as you continue to upgrade.
Stenograph Stenoelectric
The Stenograph Stenoelectric was manufactured around the same time as the Reporter and Secretarial and also was no longer made after the early 1990's. Basically what you have is a modified Reporter model. It is not a computerized writer. It works like the Reporter except it has an electric motor. What that does is give the writer an electric touch rather than a manual touch. It also has batteries that are Ni-Cad and should come with a charger or power cord. The nice thing about that is if the batteries are dead or if you don't have a plug the writer will still work. Stenoelectrics come in the same colors as the Reporters and Secretarials with the additional color of black. If you can find a black model it would be preferable because the black models were newer and generally are in better condition.
What You Need To Know...
--The advantage to starting with a Stenoelectric is the touch. Physically and mechanically it's identical to the Reporter, however the touch is improved.
--The disadvantage is that generally it will cost more than the basic Reporter model.
--When we refer to a writer as electric, what we are talking about is an electric platen. The keys are not electric; the movement of the paper is electric. Believe it or not that's very close to how all professional machines junction. Some students report that their speed increases when they upgrade to the Stenoelectric. You never know, that extra kick might just get you over a speed bump.
--On the negative side, many of the older Stenoelectrics we see have very old worthless batteries. The batteries are not really user replaceable unless you are pretty handy with a screwdriver and a soldering iron.
--The other issue is the board and the motor. If these are bad, you'll have a large repair bill. You could still use the machine in manual mode, but that would be defeating the benefit of the electric machine.
--You might also find these with a computerized switch plate, however, I would recommend avoiding these because of incompatibilities with newer CAT systems.
Stenograph Stentura 200
The Stenograph Stentura 200 was Stenograph's first modern student machine. It was first manufactured around 1992 and continued in production until the Stentura 200SRT was released sometime in the mid 90's. This machine is strictly a manual writer. It writes to paper only, but it does have a nice cartridge ribbon. This machine does not have a cable nor does it write realtime like the 200SRT. The nice things about the 200 is that it is light in weight, it has a more modern look and styling than the Reporter, and it has the Stentura touch. It comes in charcoal gray, burgundy, and slate blue colors.
What You Need To Know...
--The advantage to starting with the Stentura 200 is you will have a newer writer that hopefully will produce nice print on paper in order for you to learn court reporting theory. The Stentura 200 is a nice starting point if you have a limited budget.
--One thing to be aware of is that this writer requires accessories in order to use it. You will find many writers sold on eBay that don't mention accessories or don't describe them in detail. First of all you need a PAPERTRAY that isn't broken. I really wish Stenograph would have manufactured a tray that didn't break so easily. You will find that many writers come withe either broken or repaired papertrays. By the way, if you have to replace the papertray you are looking at paying over $100.00 for a plastic tray that if you drop will most likely crack. We recommend the metal tray we sell here on eBay for $89.95 that won't crack and weighs less than the plastic one. The other important accessory is the TRIPOD. Make sure you have a working tripod in good condition. Again tripods are expensive.
--What you want is a good working writer that is quiet and prints correctly. Because the Stentura 200 is as old as it is and because they are most frequently owned by former students you will generally find that they are not in as good of shape as the SRT models. Again, like always, ask questions.
Stenograph Stentura 400
The Stenograph Stentura 400 was Stenograph's first replacement for the Stenoelectric machine. It was first manufactured around 1992 and continued in production until the Stentura 400SRT was released sometime in the mId 90's. This machine is strictly an electric writer. It writes to paper only, but does have a very nice touch. This writer has the same mechanisms as a professional writer, giving the student a consistent feel through school and into their career. This machine does not have a cable or write realtime like the 200SRT or $000SRT. The nice thing about the 400 is that it is light in weight, it has a more modern look and styling then the Reporter, and it does have the Stentura touch. It comes in charcoal gray, burgundy, and slate blue colors. The Stentura 400 does have a battery that slides in under the machine.
What You Need To Know...
--The advantage to starting with the Stentura 400 is you will have a newer writer that hopefully will have a nicer touch than the previous models we talked about.
--I generally don't recommend the Stentura 400 because for not that much more money you can purchase a Stentura 200SRT and have realtime. Of course all the 400's Stenotech sells have a three year trade-in guarantee.
--In many cases the batteries you receive when you purchase these are either defective or have a very limited life. New batteries that don't color match from Stenograph are close to $70.00. We sell refurbished batteries for $45.00 that will match your writer and have the same duty-life as a brand new battery.
--You also may get a writer that has one or more broken clips. What's a broken clip? Good question. Just like the papertray, not one of Stenograph's strongest design points. All Stentura writers use a series of two clips to keep the lid on the writer closed. My experience is that many older writers and some new writers will have one or more clips missing. Thje issue here is that you can get noise from the lid with a broken clip. Sometimes it's just cosmetic, but you might want to check the photo or ask about the clips. If you need this repaired you are looking at replacing the entire top shell; and finding a shell is not easy since Stenograph stopped selling them along time ago.
--Like the Stentura 200 you also want to make sure you have the correct accessories. The Stentura 400 also has a charger. Check to make sure that you are getting an original Stenograph charger or one that was made for the writer. I don't recommend chargers from Radio Shack or some other generic charger.
Stenograph Stentura 200SRT
The Stenograph Stentura 200SRT is technically a manual machine with realtime or computer capabilities. What that means is that the touch is manual. It has the same touch as the Stentura 200. It does add the realtime capability by plugging in the writer. It was first manufactured around 1996 and continued in production until just a few years ago. It comes in a gray two tone color. The Stentura 200SRT does not have a battery. So if you are planning on connecting it with a CAT system then you would have to have it plugged n. It works as a manual writer writing to paper without being plugged in. The other electronic feature of the 200SRT is that the writer will store up to 50 pages in its RAM memory. So you could write plugged in and then later dump your raw steno notes into your CAT system.
What You Need To Know...
--The advantage to starting with the Stentura 200SRT is that you can have a computerized writer at a low price.
--The disadvantage is that you still have a manual touch and you would need to plug the writer in.
--All the accessories I mentioned in my discussions ot the Stentura 200 and 400 would be true with the 200SRT. You also would need a Stentura realtime cable and a Stentura charger or power adapter. By power adapter or charger I'm referring to the cord that plugs the writer into an electrical outlet. This is not a huge deal if one of these items is not included because they usually sell from $19.95 to $40.00 depending on the vendor and type. You might also want a lube kit and an adjustment tool. The lube kit comes in handy for keeping the writer properly maintained and quiet. The adjustment tool is critical to fine tuning the writer to your touch. I will give you more information on how to adjust your writer in a later guide.
--The one item I haven't mentioned is the case. I have purchased writers on eBay with cases that have broken zippers, tears and holes, and missing shoulder straps. Granted the cases can be repaired, however it's a good idea to factor in the price of a new case or a repair if the writer you are buying does not have a case or the case is damaged.
Stenograph Stentura 400SRT
The Stenograph Stentura 400SRT is a fully computerized electric student writer. It's a machine with realtime or computer capabilities and with a nice electric touch. It does have internal RAM memory; however the memory is limited to 50 pages. The one feature I like is the internal battery. With the battery fully charged you can easily connect and write realtime all day long. You could also plug it in and then later dump your raw steno notes into your CAT system. It was first manufactured around 1996 and continued in production until just a few years ago. It only comes in black.
What You Need To Know...
--I believe if you can afford this writer and you are over the initial hump in school, then the 400SRT is probably your best choice.
--The advantage to starting with the Stentura 400SRT is that you can have a computerized writer that will help you learn the profession and build your dictionary.
--In realtime you get instantaneous translation when you are connected to a CAT system. You can use this writer up to the point you decide to purchase a professional machine.
--The disadvantage is that the writer is a little pricey if you are just starting out.
--If purchasing from a private seller you might want to ask how old the writer is or if the writer was ever over hauled. Since some 400SRT's were manufactured quite some time ago and students rarely maintain their student writers, some 400SRT's might need work.
--You might also get a 10 year old battery that is worthless.
--Like all of the Stenturas, make sure you thoroughly scrutinize all the accessories. Don't make the assumption that all accessories are in good shape and included. Just a broken papertray will cost you $100.00.
--So, in conclusion, the 400SRT is highly recommended to students, particularly if you get one in great shape.
Stenograph Stentura Protege
The Stenograph Stentura Protege is Stenograph's newest student writing machine. The Protege is very similar to the 400SRT with the addition of a USB interface with any CAT system to either connect in realtime or dump your notes with the cable. Just like the 400 SRT, the Protege has a limitation of 50 pages. The Protege is a fully computerized electric student writer. The touch on the Protege and the 400SRT are identical. The one thing I especially like is the wheeled backpack case that comes withe the Protege. Of course if you are fashion conscience, the Protege also has 3 changeable plastic face plates. Personally I don't really get the point. If they wanted to really give you something creative then why not a white faceplate you could decorate or paint. The Protege has a very small monitoring screen that tells you if your adjustment is correct and gives you other technical feedback. It was first manufactured around 2006. The good news is that almost all of them are in pretty good shape.
What You Need To Know...
--This writer is the most expensive student machine, but I believe if you can afford this writer why not buy it.
--It does have the USB interface so you can avoid the USB to serial adapter, at least if you use Eclipse or Case Catalyst.
--Just like the 400SRT the advantage to starting with the Stentura Protege is that you can have a computerized writer that will help you learn the profession and build your dictionary.
--In realtime you get instantaneous translation when you are connected to a CAT system.
--You can use this writer up to the point you decide to purchase a professional machine.
--The disadvantage is that the writer is a little pricey if you are just starting out.
--Like all of the the Stenturas make sure you throughly scrutinize all the accessories.
--One item the Stenograph normally doesn't include is the serial cable. You would think after paying over $1500.00 for a writer that they would include a $10 cable. So if your student CAT system doesn't accept USB connection you will ;need that serial cable. Of course that's an item that we carry in our eBay store if you need one.
--So in conclusion, if you want the absolutely top of the line student writer, purchase the Protege.
Additional Considerations:
I thought I would conclude with just a few general things to keep in mind. Know your seller. What I mean by that is check feedback and make sure there is a track record in order to judge who you are dealing with. Everyone has heard the horror stories when it comes to deals gone bad. I would bet that most of those negative transactions involved sellers with no or minimum feedback. Another simple rule is don't assume anything and ask questions before you bid. I see many sellers selling steno machines for other people and as a result the seller does not know about the product. I have seen many inaccurate or just plain wrong descriptions. I would also suggest checking out whether an item has a warranty. Don't assume because the original buyer had a warranty that the warranty is transferable. Sometimes those warranties require a transfer fee. Good luck and please email us with any questions you might have. Thank you!
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