MX Linux Forum

I am looking for recommendations for a decent Speech-to-Text application (Whisper) which I can download & install on an MX Linux machine without any access to internet.

A self-contained appimage or an appimage with a separate Speech Model download (that I can transfer to the offline PC and point it to) would be as complex as I'd want to make it.

kdenlive requires internet access for its speech-to-text stuff. All the offerings that I have looked at require rather difficult installation on internet-enabled computers. I want an app that runs as portably as possible, as simply as possible.

Try Speechnote, Flatpak

I might have this wrong, but doesn't downloading a flatpak version of anything only allow install onto the PC I downloaded it from, and not allow me to run it on a completely offline PC?

https://github.com/Const-me/Whisper
So this is the type of thing I am looking for, but for MX Linux.

I can download the app & the larger speech-to-text Model file. I transfer them both to a completely offline machine that never sees the internet, running it portably.

I suppose it's possible for me to run this in a Windows virtual machine, but I'd rather not run in a virtual machine if I can avoid it. The (relative) slowness, the extra RAM usage, etc.

user101 wrote: Mon Jun 02, 2025 3:13 am https://github.com/Const-me/Whisper
So this is the type of thing I am looking for, but for MX Linux.

I suppose it's possible for me to run this in a Windows virtual machine, but I'd rather not

The literal first line of the README states "This project is a Windows port of the whisper.cpp implementation."

You might want to take a look at the “Hugging Face” solution, which is used in the June project ( https://github.com/mezbaul-h/june ). Voice input / processing (AI) / voice output locally on the (MX) computer WITHOUT internet access.
I would be very happy if this would help you.

user101 wrote: Fri May 30, 2025 11:20 pm A self-contained appimage or an appimage with a separate Speech Model download (that I can transfer to the offline PC and point it to) would be as complex as I'd want to make it.
kdenlive requires internet access for its speech-to-text stuff. All the offerings that I have looked at require rather difficult installation on internet-enabled computers. I want an app that runs as portably as possible, as simply as possible.

Two assumptions reading between the lines :), 1) you mention kdenlive's speech-to-text stuff, so I assume speech-to-text processing of material within media production software, for transcribing/subtitling purposes or similar, would be the main goal (instead of, say, realtime dictating of spoken shell commands), and 2) if the first assumption is correct, then you are generally at least somewhat familiar with media production software.

If these assumptions match, then: https://techaud.io/projects/reaspeech-lite/ ... Check that out even if Reaper isn't already familiar to you beforehand. This is the most streamlined free and offline solution for media transcription purposes I currently know of. It started out as a Docker solution combined with a Reaper Lua script, you can see some of how it came about (and what to expect) in this thread https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=294811 - but that's more like, for background and informational purposes, as this more recent plugin based solution is more straightforward to use. Especially if production software like this is already familiar to you, that is.

DukeComposed wrote: Mon Jun 02, 2025 3:53 am
The literal first line of the README states "This project is a Windows port of the whisper.cpp implementation."

If you can work out how to download whisper.cpp, then transfer the files onto a completely offline PC that will never see internet, let me know.

KaramellPudding wrote: Mon Jun 02, 2025 5:02 am You might want to take a look at the “Hugging Face” solution, which is used in the June project ( https://github.com/mezbaul-h/june ). Voice input / processing (AI) / voice output locally on the (MX) computer WITHOUT internet access.
I would be very happy if this would help you.

I am aware of many apps that work without internet access (after they've been installed using the internet). It's just that I want the app to be able to be totally portable and self-contained: download it on one internet-enabled machine, then transfer files to completely offline machine & have it run successfully.

user101 wrote: Mon Jun 02, 2025 11:50 pm

DukeComposed wrote: Mon Jun 02, 2025 3:53 am
The literal first line of the README states "This project is a Windows port of the whisper.cpp implementation."

If you can work out how to download whisper.cpp, then transfer the files onto a completely offline PC that will never see internet, let me know.

Follow the Quick Start in the Readme, it's really not that hard to compile and move it wherever you want.
https://github.com/ggml-org/whisper.cpp

Where's the problem?

Adrian wrote: Mon Jun 02, 2025 11:59 pm

user101 wrote: Mon Jun 02, 2025 11:50 pm If you can work out how to download whisper.cpp, then transfer the files onto a completely offline PC that will never see internet, let me know.

Follow the Quick Start in the Readme, it's really not that hard to compile and move it wherever you want.
https://github.com/ggml-org/whisper.cpp

Where's the problem?

The problem is that OP isn't bothering to read the READMEs. The whisper.cpp project documentation even claims to offer two different Docker images and pre-built binaries. Putting Docker on the target device may not be an option, but compatible binaries would certainly work. This isn't even hidden in a dark little corner of a wiki somewhere, it's right there in README.md. OP wants a Linux version of the aforementioned Windows port for whisper.cpp? That's whisper.cpp.

Adrian wrote: Mon Jun 02, 2025 11:59 pm Follow the Quick Start in the Readme, it's really not that hard to compile and move it wherever you want.
https://github.com/ggml-org/whisper.cpp

Where's the problem?

I would like a GUI app. Easy to install. I come from years of Windows use...compiling is not familiar or easy to me.

DukeComposed wrote: Tue Jun 03, 2025 12:10 am
The problem is that OP isn't bothering to read the READMEs.

Correct. I come from too many years with Windows, where I rarely (if ever) read the READMEs too. I didn't read the README for https://github.com/Const-me/Whisper , and yet I was successfully able to run it on the Windows machine I am using now, and can be transferred successfully and easily to other completely offline Windows machines.

Nokkaelaein wrote: Mon Jun 02, 2025 7:39 am
If these assumptions match, then: https://techaud.io/projects/reaspeech-lite/ ... Check that out even if Reaper isn't already familiar to you beforehand. This is the most streamlined free and offline solution for media transcription purposes I currently know of. It started out as a Docker solution combined with a Reaper Lua script, you can see some of how it came about (and what to expect) in this thread https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=294811 - but that's more like, for background and informational purposes, as this more recent plugin based solution is more straightforward to use. Especially if production software like this is already familiar to you, that is.

This is interesting. What I had in mind was more of a self-contained, single-purpose app, but I never knew about this, so thanks.