Jatin K MalikandGitHub
78f377fd0f
* fix(models): correct download size metadata for whisper.cpp and VOSK The size_mb values in WHISPERCPP_MODEL_INFO were using parameter counts instead of actual download sizes, causing the UI to display incorrect sizes (e.g., showing 39 MB when actual download is 74 MB). Updated all whisper.cpp models with verified sizes from Hugging Face and adjusted VOSK medium/large sizes to better represent actual downloads. Ultraworked with [Sisyphus](https://github.com/code-yeongyu/oh-my-openagent) * docs: update model download sizes to match actual downloads Update whisper.cpp size references from parameter counts to verified download sizes (e.g., tiny: 39MB → 74MB, medium: 769MB → 1.5GB, large: 1.5GB → 3.0GB). Ultraworked with [Sisyphus](https://github.com/code-yeongyu/oh-my-openagent) * docs(web): update model sizes across website pages Sync whisper.cpp size references on gpu-acceleration, compare, whisper-model-guide, offline, and homepage with corrected download sizes. Ultraworked with [Sisyphus](https://github.com/code-yeongyu/oh-my-openagent)
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User Guide
This guide explains how to use Vocalinux effectively.
Getting Started
After installing Vocalinux (see the Installation Guide), you can start the application from the terminal and optionally enable start-on-login.
Start on Login (Autostart)
Vocalinux supports login autostart using the standard Linux desktop-session mechanism.
- Where to enable it:
- First-run welcome dialog
- Tray menu: Start on Login
- Settings dialog: Start on Login
- What Vocalinux creates:
vocalinux.desktopin$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/autostart/or~/.config/autostart/
- How it starts:
- As a regular user GUI app in your desktop session (
--start-minimized)
- As a regular user GUI app in your desktop session (
- What it does not do:
- It does not create a
systemdservice/unit for autostart
- It does not create a
Desktop Compatibility Notes
- Works on most mainstream desktop environments (GNOME, KDE, Xfce, Cinnamon, MATE, LXQt)
- On minimal/custom window managers, autostart may require an autostart manager or desktop-specific startup hook
Basic Usage
Starting and Stopping Voice Typing
- Launch the application: Run
vocalinuxin a terminal or launch it from your application menu - Find the tray icon: Look for the microphone icon in your system tray
- Start voice typing: Click the tray icon and select "Start Voice Typing", or use your configured shortcut mode (toggle or push-to-talk)
- Speak clearly: As you speak, your words will be transcribed into the currently focused application
- Stop voice typing: Click the tray icon and select "Stop Voice Typing" when you're done, double-tap again in toggle mode, or release the key in push-to-talk mode
Understanding the Status Icons
- Microphone off (gray): Voice typing is inactive
- Microphone on (blue): Voice typing is active and listening
- Microphone processing (orange): Voice typing is processing your speech
Voice Commands
Vocalinux supports several commands that you can speak to control formatting:
| Command | Action |
|---|---|
| "new line" or "new paragraph" | Inserts a line break |
| "period" or "full stop" | Types a period (.) |
| "comma" | Types a comma (,) |
| "question mark" | Types a question mark (?) |
| "exclamation point" or "exclamation mark" | Types an exclamation point (!) |
| "semicolon" | Types a semicolon (;) |
| "colon" | Types a colon (:) |
| "delete that" or "scratch that" | Deletes the last sentence |
| "capitalize" or "uppercase" | Capitalizes the next word |
| "all caps" | Makes the next word ALL CAPS |
Tips for Better Recognition
- Use a good microphone: A quality microphone significantly improves recognition accuracy
- Speak clearly: Enunciate your words clearly but naturally
- Moderate pace: Don't speak too quickly or too slowly
- Quiet environment: Minimize background noise when possible
- Learn commands: Familiarize yourself with voice commands for punctuation and formatting
- Use GPU acceleration: If you have a GPU (AMD, Intel, or NVIDIA), whisper.cpp will automatically use it for faster transcription
- Choose the right model:
- For real-time dictation: Use
tinyorbase(fastest) - For better accuracy: Use
vocalinux --model mediumor--model large
- For real-time dictation: Use
- Check debug logs: Run
vocalinux --debugto see which backend is being used (Vulkan, CUDA, or CPU)
Customization
Keyboard Shortcut
Vocalinux supports two shortcut modes for controlling voice typing:
- Toggle mode (default): Double-tap the shortcut key (Ctrl by default) to start/stop voice typing
- Push-to-talk mode: Hold the configured shortcut key to speak, then release to stop
- Configure mode and key in Settings -> Shortcuts
Model Settings
You can change the speech recognition engine and model for better accuracy or faster performance:
Choosing Your Engine
Vocalinux now offers three speech recognition engines:
-
whisper.cpp ⭐ (Default) - High-performance C++ engine
- Fastest installation (~1-2 min)
- Works with AMD, Intel, NVIDIA GPUs via Vulkan
- True multi-threading (no Python GIL)
- Best for most users
-
Whisper (OpenAI) - PyTorch-based engine
- NVIDIA GPU only (requires CUDA)
- Larger download (~2.3GB with PyTorch)
- Installation takes ~5-10 min
- Use if you specifically need PyTorch features
-
VOSK - Lightweight engine
- Smallest footprint (~40MB)
- CPU only
- Great for older systems or minimal resource usage
Changing Engine and Model
- Open settings from the tray icon menu (right-click)
- Go to the "Speech Engine" tab
- Select your Speech Engine:
- whisper_cpp (recommended)
- whisper
- vosk
- Select your Model Size:
- tiny (~74MB) - Fastest, good for real-time dictation
- base (~141MB) - Good balance
- small (~465MB) - Better accuracy
- medium (~1.5GB) - High accuracy
- large (~3.0GB) - Best accuracy, slower
When to Use Each Model
For real-time dictation: Use tiny or base - they're fast enough to keep up with your speech.
For transcription: Use small or medium - better accuracy for recorded audio.
For maximum accuracy: Use large - best results but requires more RAM and GPU power.
GPU Acceleration
whisper.cpp automatically uses GPU acceleration when available:
- Vulkan (AMD, Intel, NVIDIA) - Automatically detected and used
- CUDA (NVIDIA only) - Fallback if Vulkan not available
- CPU - Always works as fallback
To check which backend is being used, look for these log messages when starting Vocalinux:
[INFO] whisper.cpp using Vulkan GPU backend: AMD Radeon RX 6800
[INFO] whisper.cpp configured with n_threads=16
Troubleshooting
If you encounter issues, check the Installation Guide troubleshooting section or run the application with debug logging:
vocalinux --debug
Check the logs for error messages and possible solutions.