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Troubleshooting Empty Transcriptions with Deepgram's Nova-2 Model

When using Deepgram's API with the nova-2 model, users might occasionally encounter an issue where correct transcriptions are initially received, but after approximately 8 minutes of streaming, the transcriptions return empty results with confidence dropping to zero. Despite the lack of transcription, charges still apply, leading to concerns and confusion.

Understanding the Issue

If you're sending small, sporadic audio chunks (such as 2-10 frames per minute), Deepgram may expect a more continuous audio input. Intermittent input might cause some models, including nova-2, to behave unexpectedly in returning results.

API Logging and Analysis

To address this issue, it is recommended to:

  • Check API Logs: Examine API usage logs in the Deepgram dashboard for warnings or errors.
  • Network Stability: Ensure the network connection is stable to prevent intermittent request failures.
  • Audio Quality: Verify the audio quality and format being used. Issues may arise with non-standard or low-quality audio inputs.

Recommendations for Solutions

  1. Continuous Audio Streaming: Try sending larger, more continuous chunks of audio data rather than sparse frames to ensure the input is as expected by the model.
  2. Utilize Callbacks: Implementing a callback mechanism may offer a better solution for managing intermittent input and ensuring timely and accurate results.
  3. Update and Use SDKs: Ensure that any SDKs or libraries implemented are up-to-date to mitigate bugs or limitations in earlier versions. You can find Deepgram's SDKs on:

Further Assistance

If issues persist, or behavior continues to be inconsistent, reaching out to Deepgram support is recommended. Visit our community for more help: Deepgram Discord Community.

Conclusion

For optimal use of Deepgram's API, especially with models like nova-2 that may have specific input handling characteristics, ensure your audio streams are continuous. Adapt APIs to make use of callback mechanisms for handling intermittent input scenarios.

Always ensure your implementation uses the most current SDK versions and follows best practices for network stability and audio quality.

References