talk-buddy

First Setup

Welcome to Talk Buddy! This guide will help you configure the app for the best experience.

Initial Launch

When you first open Talk Buddy, you’ll see:

1. Home Dashboard with welcome message
2. Sidebar navigation on the left
3. Status footer at the bottom (showing service connection status)

Essential Configuration

Step 1: Review Default Settings

1. Click Settings in the sidebar
2. Review the default configuration:
   • Speech Services: Pre-configured for online services
   • AI Model: Set to work with Ollama
   • Voice: Default male voice selected

Step 2: Configure External Services

Talk Buddy works best with these external services:

Option A: Use Default Online Services (Easiest)

The app comes pre-configured with working online services:

• Speech-to-Text: Speaches service
• Text-to-Speech: Speaches service
• AI Chat: Ollama service

Pros: No setup required, works immediately Cons: Requires internet connection, may have usage limits

Option B: Set Up Local Services (Advanced)

For better privacy and offline use:

1. Install Ollama (for AI conversations):
   • Visit ollama.ai
   • Download and install for your system
   • Run: ollama pull llama2 (or your preferred model)
2. Install Speaches (for speech services):
   • Visit Speaches documentation
   • Follow installation instructions
   • Start the service on http://localhost:8000
3. Update Talk Buddy Settings:
   • Go to Settings in Talk Buddy
   • Change service URLs to your local installations
   • Test connections using the “Test” buttons

Step 3: Test Your Setup

1. Check Status Footer: Look at the bottom of the app
   • Green dots (●) indicate working services
   • Red dots (●) indicate connection issues
   • Gray dots (○) indicate unknown status
2. Test Speech Services (if available):
   • Go to Settings
   • Click “Test STT” to test speech recognition
   • Click “Test TTS” to test voice synthesis
3. Test AI Service:
   • Go to Scenarios in the sidebar
   • Click on any default scenario
   • Try starting a conversation

Explore Default Content

Talk Buddy comes with sample scenarios to get you started:

Default Scenarios Include:

• Job Interview - Marketing Manager: Practice professional interviews
• Customer Service: Handle customer interactions
• Business Presentations: Practice explaining technical concepts
• Networking Events: Work on professional networking skills

Try Your First Scenario:

1. Click Scenarios in the sidebar
2. Choose “Job Interview - Marketing Manager”
3. Click the Start button
4. Follow the Your First Scenario guide

Understand the Interface

Sidebar Navigation

• Home: Dashboard with recent activity and quick actions
• Scenarios: Browse and manage individual practice scenarios
• Practice Packs: Organized collections of related scenarios
• Session History: Review your past practice sessions
• Archive: Manage deleted/archived content
• Settings: Configure services and preferences
• About: App information and help

Status Footer

The footer shows connection status for:

• STT: Speech-to-Text service status
• TTS: Text-to-Speech service status
• Chat: AI conversation service status

Quick Actions

• Click the Talk Buddy title to access the About page
• Click the version number to see app information
• Use the collapse button (☰) to minimize the sidebar

Customize Your Experience

Voice Preferences

1. Go to Settings
2. Under Voice Settings:
   • Choose Male or Female voice
   • Adjust speech speed if available
   • Test different voice models

Service Configuration

1. In Settings, configure:
   • Speech Service URLs: Change if using local services
   • AI Model Settings: Select your preferred conversation model
   • API Keys: Add if using paid services

Data and Privacy

Local Data Storage

Talk Buddy stores all your data locally:

• Scenarios: Custom scenarios you create
• Sessions: Practice session transcripts and history
• Settings: Your preferences and configurations

Data Location

Your data is stored in:

• Windows: %APPDATA%/TalkBuddy/
• macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/TalkBuddy/
• Linux: ~/.config/TalkBuddy/

Privacy Notes

• No data is sent to external services except during active conversations
• Speech processing happens via the configured services
• You control which services to use (local vs. online)

Troubleshooting Setup

Services Not Connecting

If you see red dots in the status footer:

1. Check Internet Connection: For online services
2. Verify Service URLs: Go to Settings and check URLs are correct
3. Test Individual Services: Use the “Test” buttons in Settings
4. Check Firewall: Ensure Talk Buddy can access the internet

No Audio Input/Output

1. Check Microphone Permissions: Your system may need to grant microphone access
2. Test System Audio: Ensure your microphone and speakers work in other apps
3. Restart Talk Buddy: Sometimes audio permissions require an app restart

Performance Issues

1. Close Other Apps: Free up system resources
2. Check System Requirements: Ensure your computer meets minimum specs
3. Use Local Services: Local AI models may perform better than online services

Next Steps

Now that Talk Buddy is configured:

1. Try Your First Scenario - Take your first practice session
2. Learn the Interface - Explore all the features
3. Create Your Own Scenario - Design custom practice content

For Specific Use Cases:

• Students: See Student Guide
• Teachers: See Teacher Guide
• Self-Learners: See Self-Learner Guide

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Ready to practice? Try Your First Scenario next! →