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OpenLiveCaption v2.0.0 - Easy Install

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@Ruthhilary Ruthhilary released this 11 Feb 23:50
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v2.0.0
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🎬 OpenLiveCaption v2.1 - Release Package

Real-time Speech-to-Text Captions for Everyone!

📦 What's Included

This release package contains everything you need to run OpenLiveCaption v2.1:

  • ✅ Complete application source code
  • ✅ Easy-to-use launcher (no command prompt)
  • ✅ Beginner-friendly interface
  • ✅ Audio capture for YouTube, Zoom, and more
  • ✅ Multi-language support (90+ languages)
  • ✅ Real-time translation
  • ✅ Customizable caption overlay
  • ✅ Subtitle export (SRT format)

🚀 Quick Start Guide

Step 1: Install Requirements

Python 3.11+

Download and install from: https://www.python.org/downloads/

Important: Check "Add Python to PATH" during installation!

Visual C++ Redistributables

Download and install from: https://aka.ms/vs/17/release/vc_redist.x64.exe

Step 2: Install Python Packages

Open Command Prompt (cmd) and run these commands:

pip install torch torchvision torchaudio --index-url https://download.pytorch.org/whl/cpu
pip install openai-whisper PyQt6 sounddevice PyAudioWPatch numpy opencv-python

Wait for all packages to install (this may take 5-10 minutes).

Step 3: Restart Your Computer

IMPORTANT: After installing Visual C++ Redistributables, restart your computer!

This is required for PyTorch to work properly.

Step 4: Start OpenLiveCaption

  1. Extract this ZIP file to a folder (e.g., C:\OpenLiveCaption)
  2. Open the extracted folder
  3. Double-click: START_OPENLIVE_CAPTION.bat
  4. The application will start with a clean GUI!

📖 How to Use

For YouTube Videos:

  1. Start playing a YouTube video (make sure you can hear audio)
  2. Open OpenLiveCaption
  3. In the dropdown, select: 🔊 Speakers (Realtek Audio) [Loopback]
  4. Click the green "▶ Start Captions" button
  5. Captions will appear on your screen!

For Zoom Meetings:

  1. Join a Zoom call (make sure you can hear people talking)
  2. Open OpenLiveCaption
  3. Select: 🔊 Speakers [Loopback] device
  4. Click "▶ Start Captions"
  5. Live captions appear for everyone speaking!

For Your Microphone:

  1. Open OpenLiveCaption
  2. Select: 🎤 Microphone (Your Microphone Name)
  3. Click "▶ Start Captions"
  4. Speak into your microphone
  5. Your speech appears as captions!

🎯 Understanding Audio Devices

When you open OpenLiveCaption, you'll see audio devices organized into two categories:

🔊 For YouTube/Zoom (System Audio)

These devices capture what your computer is playing:

  • Speakers [Loopback] - Captures system audio
  • Stereo Mix - Alternative loopback device
  • Use these for: YouTube, Zoom, Discord, Netflix, Spotify, etc.

🎤 For Your Speech (Microphone)

These devices capture your voice:

  • Microphone (Device Name) - Your microphone
  • Use these for: Recording your own speech

⭐ Recommended devices are marked with a star - try these first!

⚙️ Settings & Customization

Accuracy Level

  • tiny - Fastest, good accuracy (recommended for real-time)
  • base - Balanced speed and accuracy
  • small - More accurate, slightly slower
  • medium - Very accurate
  • large - Most accurate, slowest

Language

  • Auto-detect - Automatically detects the language being spoken
  • Select manually - Choose from 90+ languages

Translation

  • Enable to translate captions to another language in real-time
  • Select target language from dropdown
  • Works with any language combination

Caption Size

  • Small (18) - Compact captions
  • Medium (24) - Default size
  • Large (32) - Easier to read
  • Extra Large (48) - Maximum visibility

Advanced Settings

Click "⚙️ All Settings" to access:

  • Caption position and colors
  • Font customization
  • Background transparency
  • Export settings
  • Keyboard shortcuts

🔧 Troubleshooting

Problem: Application won't start

Error: "DLL initialization failed" or similar

Solution:

  1. Make sure you restarted your computer after installing Visual C++ Redistributables
  2. If still not working, run: DOWNLOAD_VC_REDIST.bat (included in package)
  3. Restart computer again
  4. Try starting the application

Problem: No loopback devices showing

Error: Only microphones appear, no 🔊 devices

Solution:

  1. Right-click the speaker icon in your taskbar (bottom-right)
  2. Click "Sounds"
  3. Go to "Recording" tab
  4. Right-click in empty space
  5. Check "Show Disabled Devices"
  6. Right-click "Stereo Mix" and click "Enable"
  7. Restart OpenLiveCaption

Problem: "Invalid sample rate" error

Error: Captions won't start, shows sample rate error

Solution:

  1. Make sure audio is PLAYING before clicking "Start Captions"
    • For YouTube: Start the video FIRST
    • For Zoom: Join the call FIRST
  2. Try a different audio device from the dropdown
  3. Try using your microphone instead (always works)
  4. Close other audio applications (Discord, OBS, Audacity)

Problem: Captions not appearing

Error: Application starts but no captions show

Solution:

  1. Check that you selected the correct audio device
  2. Make sure audio is actually playing (check volume)
  3. Try increasing your system volume
  4. Try a different accuracy level (tiny or base)
  5. Check that "Show Overlay" is enabled (not hidden)

Problem: Captions are slow or laggy

Error: Captions appear with delay

Solution:

  1. Change accuracy level to "tiny" (fastest)
  2. Close other heavy applications
  3. Disable translation if you don't need it
  4. Make sure your computer meets minimum requirements

Problem: Command prompt window appears

Error: Black console window shows when starting

Solution:

  • Use START_OPENLIVE_CAPTION.bat instead of Main.py
  • This launcher uses pythonw which hides the console
  • If you see a console, you're using the wrong file

📁 Files in This Package

Main Files:

  • START_OPENLIVE_CAPTION.bat - Main launcher (use this!)
  • Main.py - Application entry point
  • fix_pytorch_and_run.py - PyTorch DLL fix script
  • requirements.txt - List of Python packages needed

Folders:

  • src/ - Application source code
  • assets/ - Icons and images
  • docs/ - Additional documentation

Documentation:

  • README.md - Main documentation
  • AUDIO_NOT_WORKING_FIX.md - Audio troubleshooting guide
  • SYSTEM_TEST_REPORT.txt - System test results

💡 Tips for Best Results

For YouTube:

  1. Start the video BEFORE starting captions
  2. Use "Speakers (Realtek Audio) [Loopback]"
  3. Use "tiny" or "base" model for real-time performance
  4. Adjust caption size for readability

For Zoom:

  1. Join the call BEFORE starting captions
  2. Select loopback device
  3. Use "base" or "small" model for better accuracy
  4. Position captions at bottom of screen

For Recording:

  1. Use your microphone device
  2. Speak clearly and at normal pace
  3. Use "small" or "medium" model for best accuracy
  4. Enable subtitle export to save captions

For Translation:

  1. Set source language (or use auto-detect)
  2. Enable translation
  3. Select target language
  4. Use "base" or higher model for better translation quality

🌍 Supported Languages

OpenLiveCaption supports 90+ languages including:

Popular Languages:

  • English, Spanish, French, German, Italian
  • Portuguese, Russian, Japanese, Korean, Chinese
  • Arabic, Hindi, Turkish, Polish, Dutch
  • And many more!

Auto-detect works for most languages automatically.

📊 System Requirements

Minimum:

  • Windows 10 or 11
  • Intel Core i3 or equivalent
  • 4 GB RAM
  • 2 GB free disk space
  • Internet connection (for first-time setup)

Recommended:

  • Windows 11
  • Intel Core i5 or better
  • 8 GB RAM or more
  • 5 GB free disk space
  • Stable internet connection

🆘 Getting Help

If you need help:

  1. Check the troubleshooting section above
  2. Read the documentation files included
  3. Visit GitHub Issues: https://github.com/Ruthhilary/OpenLiveCaption/issues
  4. Check GitHub Discussions: https://github.com/Ruthhilary/OpenLiveCaption/discussions

When reporting issues, include:

  • Your Windows version
  • Python version (run: python --version)
  • Error message (if any)
  • What you were trying to do
  • What audio device you selected

🎉 What's New in v2.1

✨ Major Improvements:

  1. Beginner-Friendly Interface

    • Clear labels showing which device is for what
    • Icons: 🔊 for system audio, 🎤 for microphones
    • Recommended devices marked with ⭐
    • Helpful tooltips everywhere

  2. No Command Prompt Window

    • Clean professional GUI
    • No black console window
    • One-click launcher

  3. Better Audio Capture

    • Automatic sample rate detection
    • Works with more devices
    • Better error handling
    • Automatic reconnection

  4. Enhanced Stability

    • PyTorch DLL fix included
    • Better memory management
    • Improved error recovery
    • Device disconnection handling

  5. Improved User Experience

    • Splash screen on startup
    • System tray integration
    • Quick settings access
    • Better performance

📝 License

This project is open source and available under the MIT License.

🙏 Thank You!

Thank you for downloading OpenLiveCaption v2.1!

We hope this tool makes content more accessible for everyone.

Made with ❤️ for accessibility

🌟 Support the Project

If you find OpenLiveCaption useful:

  • ⭐ Star the project on GitHub
  • 🐛 Report bugs and issues
  • 💡 Suggest new features
  • 📢 Share with others who might benefit

GitHub: https://github.com/Ruthhilary/OpenLiveCaption

Enjoy real-time captions! 🎬

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