Voice Transcription

Enable voice notes with Deepgram

Rowboat supports voice notes through Deepgram’s speech-to-text API. This allows you to record voice memos that automatically capture and update key takeaways in your knowledge graph.

Setup

1. Get Deepgram API Key

   1. Sign up at Deepgram Console
   2. Create a new project or select an existing one
   3. Navigate to API Keys
   4. Click Create New Key
   5. Copy your API key (starts with a long string)

   Deepgram offers a generous free tier with 200 hours of transcription per month.

2. Create Configuration File

   Create the configuration file at:

   ~/.rowboat/config/deepgram.json
   

   Add your API key:

   {
     "apiKey": "your-deepgram-api-key-here"
   }
   
3. Restart Rowboat

   Restart Rowboat to load the new configuration. The voice note feature will automatically become available.

Configuration Schema

deepgram.json

{
  "apiKey": "<your-deepgram-api-key>"
}

Schema Fields

Field	Type	Required	Description
apiKey	string	Yes	Your Deepgram API key

Using Voice Notes

Once configured, you can record voice notes directly in Rowboat:

1. Click the microphone icon in the sidebar
2. Record your voice memo
3. Stop recording when done
4. Rowboat will:
   • Transcribe your audio using Deepgram Nova 2
   • Extract key information
   • Update relevant notes in your knowledge graph

Rowboat uses Deepgram’s Nova 2 model with smart formatting enabled for the best accuracy.

API Details

Endpoint

Rowboat uses Deepgram’s synchronous API:

https://api.deepgram.com/v1/listen?model=nova-2&smart_format=true

Features

• Model: Nova 2 (Deepgram’s latest and most accurate model)
• Smart Formatting: Automatically formats punctuation, capitalization, and paragraphs
• Real-time: Transcription happens in seconds

Privacy

Audio Privacy

• Audio is sent to Deepgram’s API for transcription
• Deepgram does not store audio files by default (check their privacy policy)
• Transcripts are stored locally in your Rowboat vault
• If privacy is a concern, consider using a local transcription solution

Troubleshooting

Voice note button not appearing

1. Verify deepgram.json exists at ~/.rowboat/config/deepgram.json
2. Check that the apiKey field is present and not empty
3. Restart Rowboat

”No apiKey in deepgram.json” error

// ❌ Incorrect
{
  "key": "your-api-key"
}

// ✅ Correct
{
  "apiKey": "your-api-key"
}

Make sure the field is named apiKey, not key or api_key.

”Deepgram API error: 401” (Unauthorized)

• Your API key is invalid or expired
• Generate a new key in the Deepgram Console
• Update your deepgram.json with the new key

”Deepgram API error: 403” (Forbidden)

• You may have exceeded your free tier limits
• Check your usage in the Deepgram Console
• Upgrade your plan if needed

Poor transcription quality

• Speak clearly and at a moderate pace
• Reduce background noise
• Use a quality microphone if possible
• Nova 2 performs best with clear audio at 16kHz or higher sample rate

Cost

Free Tier

• 200 hours/month of transcription
• Nova 2 model included
• No credit card required

Paid Plans

If you exceed the free tier:

• Pay As You Go: $0.0043/minute for Nova 2
• Growth Plan: $0.0036/minute with commitment

See Deepgram Pricing for details.

Alternatives

If you prefer not to use Deepgram, you can:

1. Local transcription: Integrate Whisper.cpp or similar local models (requires custom integration)
2. Other APIs: Rowboat currently only supports Deepgram, but you can request support for other providers
3. Manual entry: Simply type your notes instead of recording them

API Key Security

Keep your API key secure:

• Never commit deepgram.json to version control
• Don’t share your API key publicly
• Rotate keys regularly
• Use read-only keys when possible (Deepgram only requires read access for transcription)

Additional Resources

• Deepgram Documentation
• Nova 2 Model Details
• Smart Formatting