FAQ

Many people ask for our hardware specifications in order to get computers, printers and modems compatible with The CourtRoom Program®. While computer companies change their product lines every day, the following list is our current 'guess' at a minimum...

	CONTENTS What kind of computer do you recommend for the Court Room Program? What kind of printers do you recommend for the Court Room Program? How to backup the data? How to backup the data on CD-ROM? COMPUTER RECOMMENDATIONS Many people ask for our hardware specifications in order to get computers, printers and modems compatible with The CourtRoom Program®. While computer companies change their product lines every day, the following list is our current 'guess' at a minimum... Computer - Pentium-IV processor with speed of 800+ MHZ, 256MB RAM memory, hard disk storage of 10+GB, Windows 2000, NT, XP, or Vista operating systems, CD-ROM (CD-ROM recorder), mouse, keyboard, 1.44MB floppy disk and Zip-100 (or ZIP-250) disk. Monitor - The screen should be a minimum of 17-inches. The 19-inch is a better choice if you have the desk space for it. Case - While we don't give much thought to the case, we've noticed that some of the new computers come in such small cases that there is almost no room for any expansion. If the thought of an internal ZIP disk or CD-RW disk is attractive to you, please select a unit with a mini-tower or larger case. Modem - Any good 33.6KB or 56KB modem will work with the State's electronic filing software and DMV access through HyperTerminal. Usually the computer "shares" the same telephone line with the Court's fax machine. Speakers - Not required by The CourtRoom Program®, but some programs use them for audio training or help systems. Speakers allow you to play background CD music as you work. On Site Service - If you are purchasing a mail-order machine, think about extending the on site service coverage. Press here to go to the contents again. PRINTERS RECOMMENDATIONS Main Printer - Hewlett Packard Laser Printer. Model 1300 looks like a good bet for smaller courts. HP's larger models are better used for courts with higher speed requirements. Label Printer - Optional small dot-matrix printer connected to a second parallel printer port is fine if you want to use either docket labels or need name/address labels because you don't use window envelopes. Do not connect a label printer using a switch box with your laser printer, it's cheaper to add the second printer port. We are also suggesting the Seiko Smart Label Printers. The Seiko Label Printers are very small label printers that we suggest for courts with minimal space. It is capable of doing both single labels and/or batch labels as well as name/address labels. Receipt Printer - Receipts can be printed on your laser printer, if you prefer to use multi-part receipts, plan on a second (or third) printer and get another dot-matrix printer. In any event the receipt printer needs it's own parallel printer port. Press here to go to the CONTENTS again. HOW TO BACKUP THE DATA Instead of tape backup, we recommend that an internal ZIP-100 (or ZIP-250) disk be added to your computer. Our backup methods require about one floppy disk for each 10,000 defendants. Our larger clients with over 200,000 cases can backup on a single ZIP-100 disk and have 80% of the disk still available. Please see the new section on CD-ROM recorders on this web page. Press here to go to the CONTENTS again. Backup your data to a CD-ROM Now that CD-ROM burners (recorders) are affordable it might make sense to use one to backup your Court's data. We have several courts that are using CD-R disks for backup, here's how it works. Each day the backup routine creates a compressed ZIP file of your defendant data. This file is the one you now copy to floppy or ZIP disks. For a medium size court this daily file may be around four or five megabytes (4 to 6 disks). This is the file that would be written to the CD-ROM each day. Wouldn't that need a new CD-R disk each day? No - not really. It's true that these CD-R disks are not the re-writable disks, but if each day's backup ZIP file is written to a new folder (subdirectory) on the CD we can keep using the disk until the full 650MB is used. Our free program FILER.EXE is the key to making each day's folder. You can even backup more than once a day if you like. And every single backup you ever make is saved! Do I only need one CD-R disk? No, we think that you should have several CDs that you rotate. One method would use five CDs labeled for each day of the week. That way if one of the disks turns out to be defective, there are others with recent data to backup the backup. The old "don't put all your eggs in one basket" idea. What do the numbers mean when buying CD burners? The numbers represent the speed of the unit. Usually there are three numbers. For example: 8x4x32 means that CD-R disks are written at 8 times the speed of the first CD readers, CD-RW (re-writable CDs) are recorded at 4 times the original speed and a normal CD is read at 32 times the speed of the first CD players. What is the cost? CD Recorders are now available in the price range of about $100 to about $300 depending on speed and features. Often the $100 units will require some kind of mail in rebate. You should also budget for about an hour of technical support time to install the recorder. The CD-R disks are currently selling for well under a dollar apiece in lots of five or ten disks. Remember a disk will hold a whole bunch of daily backups. What software is used? Good point. We recommend buying hardware that comes with Adaptec brand software. Adaptec's DirectCD(r) recognizes the CD-R disk and almost automatically sets up the CD just as if it was another disk drive. Once this is done, the Windows(r) copy command moves the backup file to the CD. Press here to go to the CONTENTS again.

Computer - Pentium-IV processor with speed of 800+ MHZ, 256MB RAM memory, hard disk storage of 10+GB, Windows 2000, NT, XP, or Vista operating systems, CD-ROM (CD-ROM recorder), mouse, keyboard, 1.44MB floppy disk and Zip-100 (or ZIP-250) disk.

Monitor - The screen should be a minimum of 17-inches. The 19-inch is a better choice if you have the desk space for it.

Case - While we don't give much thought to the case, we've noticed that some of the new computers come in such small cases that there is almost no room for any expansion. If the thought of an internal ZIP disk or CD-RW disk is attractive to you, please select a unit with a mini-tower or larger case.

Modem - Any good 33.6KB or 56KB modem will work with the State's electronic filing software and DMV access through HyperTerminal. Usually the computer "shares" the same telephone line with the Court's fax machine.

Speakers - Not required by The CourtRoom Program®, but some programs use them for audio training or help systems. Speakers allow you to play background CD music as you work.

On Site Service - If you are purchasing a mail-order machine, think about extending the on site service coverage.

PRINTERS RECOMMENDATIONS

Main Printer - Hewlett Packard Laser Printer. Model 1300 looks like a good bet for smaller courts. HP's larger models are better used for courts with higher speed requirements.

Label Printer - Optional small dot-matrix printer connected to a second parallel printer port is fine if you want to use either docket labels or need name/address labels because you don't use window envelopes. Do not connect a label printer using a switch box with your laser printer, it's cheaper to add the second printer port. We are also suggesting the Seiko Smart Label Printers. The Seiko Label Printers are very small label printers that we suggest for courts with minimal space. It is capable of doing both single labels and/or batch labels as well as name/address labels.

Receipt Printer - Receipts can be printed on your laser printer, if you prefer to use multi-part receipts, plan on a second (or third) printer and get another dot-matrix printer. In any event the receipt printer needs it's own parallel printer port.

HOW TO BACKUP THE DATA

Instead of tape backup, we recommend that an internal ZIP-100 (or ZIP-250) disk be added to your computer. Our backup methods require about one floppy disk for each 10,000 defendants. Our larger clients with over 200,000 cases can backup on a single ZIP-100 disk and have 80% of the disk still available. Please see the new section on CD-ROM recorders on this web page.

Backup your data to a CD-ROM

Now that CD-ROM burners (recorders) are affordable it might make sense to use one to backup your Court's data.

We have several courts that are using CD-R disks for backup, here's how it works. Each day the backup routine creates a compressed ZIP file of your defendant data. This file is the one you now copy to floppy or ZIP disks. For a medium size court this daily file may be around four or five megabytes (4 to 6 disks). This is the file that would be written to the CD-ROM each day.

Wouldn't that need a new CD-R disk each day? No - not really. It's true that these CD-R disks are not the re-writable disks, but if each day's backup ZIP file is written to a new folder (subdirectory) on the CD we can keep using the disk until the full 650MB is used. Our free program FILER.EXE is the key to making each day's folder. You can even backup more than once a day if you like. And every single backup you ever make is saved!

Do I only need one CD-R disk? No, we think that you should have several CDs that you rotate. One method would use five CDs labeled for each day of the week. That way if one of the disks turns out to be defective, there are others with recent data to backup the backup. The old "don't put all your eggs in one basket" idea.

What do the numbers mean when buying CD burners? The numbers represent the speed of the unit. Usually there are three numbers. For example: 8x4x32 means that CD-R disks are written at 8 times the speed of the first CD readers, CD-RW (re-writable CDs) are recorded at 4 times the original speed and a normal CD is read at 32 times the speed of the first CD players.

What is the cost? CD Recorders are now available in the price range of about $100 to about $300 depending on speed and features. Often the $100 units will require some kind of mail in rebate. You should also budget for about an hour of technical support time to install the recorder. The CD-R disks are currently selling for well under a dollar apiece in lots of five or ten disks. Remember a disk will hold a whole bunch of daily backups.

What software is used? Good point. We recommend buying hardware that comes with Adaptec brand software. Adaptec's DirectCD(r) recognizes the CD-R disk and almost automatically sets up the CD just as if it was another disk drive. Once this is done, the Windows(r) copy command moves the backup file to the CD.

CONTENTS

COMPUTER RECOMMENDATIONS

PRINTERS RECOMMENDATIONS

HOW TO BACKUP THE DATA

Backup your data to a CD-ROM