How to Run Whisper in Node.js With Word-Level Timestamp

To utilize OpenAI's Whisper model for speech recognition with word-level timestamps in a Node.js environment, you can employ the nodejs-whisper package. This package provides Node.js bindings for the Whisper model and supports word-level timestamping.

Key Takeaways

1. The nodejs-whisper package enables easy word-level timestamp integration in Node.js.
2. Word-level timestamps improve transcription accuracy and timing precision for subtitles and analysis.
3. Whisper offers flexible model and output options to suit different project needs.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Install Build Tools:

   Ensure that your system has the necessary build tools installed. On Debian-based systems, you can install them using:

   sudo apt update
   sudo apt install build-essential

   For Windows users, installing MinGW-w64 or MSYS2 is recommended. After installation, ensure that mingw32-make or make is available in your system's PATH.

2. Install the nodejs-whisper Package:

   Use npm to install the package:

   npm install nodejs-whisper

3. Download the Whisper Model:

   After installing the package, download the desired Whisper model:

   npx nodejs-whisper download

   The available models include:

   • tiny
   • tiny.en
   • base
   • base.en
   • small
   • small.en
   • medium
   • medium.en
   • large-v1
   • large
   • large-v3-turbo

   Choose a model that balances performance and accuracy based on your requirements.

4. Transcribe Audio with Word-Level Timestamps:

   Create a JavaScript or TypeScript file (e.g., transcribe.js) and add the following code:

   const path = require('path');
   const { nodewhisper } = require('nodejs-whisper');
   
   // Provide the exact path to your audio file
   const filePath = path.resolve(__dirname, 'YourAudioFileName.wav');
   
   (async () => {
     await nodewhisper(filePath, {
       modelName: 'base.en', // Specify the downloaded model name
       autoDownloadModelName: 'base.en', // (Optional) Auto-download the model if not present
       removeWavFileAfterTranscription: false, // (Optional) Remove WAV file after transcription
       withCuda: false, // (Optional) Use CUDA for faster processing if available
       logger: console, // (Optional) Logging instance, defaults to console
       whisperOptions: {
         outputInCsv: false, // Output result in CSV file
         outputInJson: false, // Output result in JSON file
         outputInJsonFull: false, // Output result in JSON file with detailed information
         outputInLrc: false, // Output result in LRC file
         outputInSrt: true, // Output result in SRT file
         outputInText: false, // Output result in TXT file
         outputInVtt: false, // Output result in VTT file
         outputInWords: true, // Output result in WTS file for karaoke
         translateToEnglish: false, // Translate from source language to English
         wordTimestamps: true, // Enable word-level timestamps
         timestamps_length: 20, // Amount of dialogue per timestamp pair
         splitOnWord: true, // Split on word rather than on token
       },
     });
   })();

   Replace 'YourAudioFileName.wav' with the path to your audio file. This script will process the audio and generate an SRT file with word-level timestamps.

Additional Notes

• Audio Format: The nodejs-whisper package automatically converts audio files to WAV format with a 16000 Hz frequency to support the Whisper model.

• CUDA Support: If you have a compatible NVIDIA GPU and CUDA installed, you can set withCuda: true for faster processing.

• Output Formats: The whisperOptions allow you to specify various output formats, including CSV, JSON, LRC, SRT, TXT, VTT, and WTS. Adjust these options based on your needs.

FAQs

How do I enable word-level timestamps in Whisper?

Set wordTimestamps: true in the whisperOptions configuration.

What is the benefit of word-level timestamps?

They provide precise timing for each word, ideal for detailed transcription and subtitle alignment.

Does enabling word-level timestamps impact processing speed?

Yes, enabling word-level timestamps may slightly increase processing time due to higher precision.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can effectively perform speech recognition with word-level timestamps in a Node.js environment using the Whisper model.

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