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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.

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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.

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Configuration Schema

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

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Schema Fields

FieldTypeRequiredDescription
apiKeystringYesYour Deepgram API key

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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.

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API Details

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Endpoint

Rowboat uses Deepgram’s synchronous API: 
https://api.deepgram.com/v1/listen?model=nova-2&smart_format=true

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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

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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

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Troubleshooting

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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

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”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.

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”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

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”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

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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

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Cost

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Free Tier

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

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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

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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)

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Additional Resources

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