Settings: Engine and Model

Engine Fields

The Engine settings card controls local transcription dependencies.

Fields:

• whisper-cli path
• model path
• thread count (1 to 16)

Default preference values are configured to common local paths under ~/vendor/whisper.cpp.

If files were installed elsewhere, update these paths manually.

Test Setup

Use Test Setup to validate local engine readiness.

What the test checks:

1. microphone permission is granted
2. whisper-cli executable can run (--help)

Expected success message: whisper-cli is working.

If path validation fails, Steno shows inline errors such as File not found at this path.

Performance Guidance

Thread count affects speed and system load.

• start with default thread count (6)
• increase for faster local transcription on high-core machines
• lower if system becomes noisy or thermally constrained

Always test your typical dictation length after changing thread count.

Common Engine Errors

Typical failures and fixes:

• File not found at this path
  • confirm path exists
  • rebuild whisper.cpp if binary is missing
• whisper-cli exited with code X
  • verify binary is compatible with your local environment
  • try rebuilding whisper.cpp from pinned version
• microphone permission not granted
  • grant microphone access and rerun test