What kind of computer do you need to run STENOCAT 32?
These are general recommendations for computers built since 2006. Most new computers will exceed the requirements of the software. We do not make any specific brand recommendations because computers change too often. Additionally, even models within brands can be completely different. Computers evolve very quickly. If you have any questions, please contact us.

Operating System
Windows XP,
Home or Professional

 Either XP Home or XP Professional is recommended. Media Center PCs are used more in the computer gaming industry, and are not necessary for SC32.
Vista Compatibility Statement (AUG 2008)

Processor
1 GHZ or faster

 Computers manufactured since 2006 will have a clock speed of at least 1 GHZ and will be fast enough to run StenoCAT 32.

Look for processors that are designated as "mobile" chips. These were made more for laptops and consume less power and generate less heat. The newer Duo core processors will be fast enough. The brand of the chip (eg. Intel, AMD, etc.) does not matter.

Hard Drive
40GB or higher

 This is the amount of storage space. New computers will most likely exceed this.

CDRW Drive

CDRW Drives 'Read and Write', which allows you to make CDs. This is highly recommended since you will need to archive jobs, dictionaries, etc. onto CDs. This might be missing on some of the smaller computers to save space. You can buy an external one. DVD and DVDRW are not needed for StenoCAT purposes.
RAM
at least
512MB
 This is the amount of memory that is available. Choose 512MB or higher. There are a lot of computers that still have only 256MB, but they can be upgraded rather easily.
USB Ports
at least 2
 You will need at least 2 for connecting to peripheral hardware like your printer, writer or external hard drives, as well as your hardware key.
Serial Port
This is the 9 pin (male) port where you may plug in your writer. Most likely, you won't find this port on any new computer. Instead, you can buy a "USB to Serial Adapter" to accomodate your writer. You may also use a PCMCIA Serial Adapter (i.e. Socket I/O card) if you have an old one. We do not recommend the newer PCMCIA cards because of their cost and some difficulty with high speed issues.
Floppy Disk Drive
 The computer industry is moving away from this old technology, but reporters need them for opening archive jobs and dictionaries; creating ASCII disks; and reading notes from some writers such as Stenturas. You can buy an external floppy drive for about $40.
Microphone
 You may need an external microphone to use Insync audio synchronization since most computers no longer have "built-in" microphones.
Internet
 You will need an e-mail account and High Speed Internet Connection (Cable, DSL, etc.), especially if you are sending/receiving audio files.
OPTIONAL EXTRAS
  • USB Flash Drives - These store anywhere from 16MB to over 3GB of information. You can use these for moving files from one computer to another and may be helpful with files too large for email.
  • USB hubs - If you run out of USB ports on your computer, you can use these to provide more ports.
  • External hard drive - You can use these to backup "everything." It is still a good idea to have additional backups such as CDs, in case this device fails.
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