WhisperX: A Beginners Guide to Install & Run

Introduction

This tutorial provides a comprehensive guide for beginners on how to install and run WhisperX, an openAI variant designed for speech recognition tasks. By following these steps, you will be able to set up WhisperX on your system and start utilizing its capabilities effectively.

Step 1: Install Python

To run WhisperX, you need to have Python installed on your machine. Follow these steps to install it:

1. Visit the official Python website.
2. Download the latest version of Python (3.7 or higher recommended).
3. Run the installer:
   • Make sure to check the box that says "Add Python to PATH."
   • Follow the installation prompts to complete the setup.

Step 2: Install Git

WhisperX requires Git for version control. Here's how to install it:

1. Go to the Git website.
2. Download the appropriate version for your operating system.
3. Run the installer and follow the instructions.
4. Verify the installation by opening a terminal (Command Prompt or PowerShell) and typing:

   git --version
   

Step 3: Clone the WhisperX Repository

Now that you have Python and Git installed, you need to clone the WhisperX repository:

1. Open your terminal.
2. Choose a directory where you want to store WhisperX.
3. Run the following command:

   git clone https://github.com/your-repo/whisperx.git
   

4. Change into the new directory:

   cd whisperx
   

Step 4: Install Dependencies

WhisperX requires several dependencies to function correctly. Install them using pip:

1. Ensure you are in the WhisperX directory.
2. Run the following command:

   pip install -r requirements.txt
   

Step 5: Download Pre-trained Models

Before you can use WhisperX, you'll need to download the necessary pre-trained models:

1. Visit the model repository linked in the WhisperX documentation.
2. Download the desired model files.
3. Place the downloaded model files in the appropriate directory within the WhisperX folder.

Step 6: Run WhisperX

With everything installed, you can now run WhisperX:

1. In the terminal, make sure you are still in the WhisperX directory.
2. Execute the following command to start the application:

   python main.py
   

3. Follow any on-screen prompts to input your audio files and start processing.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have successfully installed and run WhisperX on your machine. You can now explore its capabilities in speech recognition. For future steps, consider experimenting with different audio inputs and settings to fully leverage WhisperX's features. If you encounter issues, refer to the repository's documentation for troubleshooting tips.