Separate speech recognition from answer generation
A speech model turns received audio into text. An answer model uses the question and relevant context to generate a response. Copycat lets you configure these parts separately. Local transcription alone does not make a hosted answer provider local, and a fast answer model cannot fix audio that was never captured.
What local transcription changes
Supported local speech models run recognition on your device after their files are installed. This can avoid sending audio to a cloud speech provider for that recognition step. It also uses your device’s memory and compute. Download size, supported languages, streaming behavior, and speed depend on the selected model and runtime.
What cloud transcription changes
A configured cloud speech provider receives the audio required for transcription. It needs connectivity and valid provider credentials, and may bill for usage. Supported languages, streaming options, quotas, and data handling differ between services. Review your chosen provider’s terms rather than assuming all providers behave the same way.
Check language and hardware fit
Use the language support actually offered by the selected model. Some models are English-only; others support multiple languages. A larger download does not automatically produce better results on your machine. Try the same representative speech sample with a model your device can run comfortably.
Measure the whole experience
Check time to the first transcript, how well names and technical terms are recognized, whether the transcript keeps up during longer questions, and how the device feels after several minutes. Then test response generation separately. Network latency, provider queues, speech processing, and answer generation all contribute to the delay you see.
Fix audio quality first
Make sure meeting audio reaches the real capture meter. Avoid clipping, overlapping speakers, and unintended echo where possible. A recognizer cannot reliably recover words from silence or severely distorted input. Check names, numbers, and specialized terminology in the final transcript.
Understand the price
Copycat’s monthly app access is USD 20, with an approximate INR reference conversion available on the pricing page. Bring your own key for configured providers. Hosted speech and AI services may charge separately; a local model may avoid those per-request provider charges while still requiring suitable hardware.
A practical starting point
Choose one installed local model that fits your device, or one cloud provider you already understand. Test a representative conversation, review errors, and change one setting at a time. Keep the setup that is reliable for your own language, device, privacy preferences, and budget.