From 33aa37cf38c0ffbe4e753c19999675c9dafd9e89 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Emil Lerch <emil@lerch.org>
Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2025 18:05:51 -0700
Subject: [PATCH] switch to alsa default device and ask users to configure
 through alsa.conf

---
 README.md    | 14 ++++++++++++++
 alsa.conf    |  6 ++++++
 src/main.zig |  2 +-
 3 files changed, 21 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index fe604b5..463e70a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -2,6 +2,20 @@
 
 This project implements a minimal real-time speech-to-text application using Vosk and Zig.
 
+## Audio Device Configuration
+
+The application uses ALSA's default device, which is configured in `alsa.conf`. To use a different audio device:
+
+1. Find your audio devices: `aplay -l` or `arecord -l`
+2. Edit `alsa.conf` and update the `pcm.!default` section:
+   ```
+   pcm.!default {
+       type hw
+       card 3      # Change to your card number
+       device 0    # Change to your device number
+   }
+   ```
+3. Rebuild and run the application
 
 ### Prerequisites
 - Zig 0.15.1 (configured via mise)
diff --git a/alsa.conf b/alsa.conf
index 2ba34e2..ef78ac7 100644
--- a/alsa.conf
+++ b/alsa.conf
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+pcm.!default {
+	type hw
+	card 3
+	device 0
+}
+
 pcm.hw {
 	@args [ CARD DEV SUBDEV ]
 	@args.CARD {
diff --git a/src/main.zig b/src/main.zig
index 3a5c352..196f85c 100644
--- a/src/main.zig
+++ b/src/main.zig
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ pub fn main() !void {
     // These parameters maintain the existing working behavior
     const options = stt.SttOptions{
         .model_path = "zig-out/bin/vosk-model-small-en-us-0.15",
-        .audio_device = "hw:3,0", // Maintain existing audio device configuration
+        .audio_device = "default", // Use ALSA default device from alsa.conf
         .event_handler = speech_handler,
         .sample_rate = 16000, // Standard sample rate for speech recognition
         .channels = 2, // Stereo input (will be converted to mono internally)