
Ask HN: Is IBM Watson speech to text API so bad - bikash1999
I am have a requirement for converting speech to text using a prerecorded audio file. I am planning to use IBM Watson API (I have license for unlimited api request) but results are very bad and is hardly accurate. Whereas the same file if I use google speech to text gets me almost accurate.<p>So I feel not using IBM Watson API.<p>Below is a test for Speech to Text using IBM watson
https:&#x2F;&#x2F;speech-to-text-demo.mybluemix.net&#x2F;<p>Google Speech to Text
https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.google.com&#x2F;intl&#x2F;en&#x2F;chrome&#x2F;demos&#x2F;speech.html<p>Any suggestions or experience around it??
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sdague
I did some experimenting with Watson and Google using podcasts, and Watson
came out pretty well in the mix - [https://dague.net/2017/06/12/comparing-
speech-recognition-fo...](https://dague.net/2017/06/12/comparing-speech-
recognition-for-transcripts/) and [https://dague.net/2017/06/13/visualizing-
watson-speech-trans...](https://dague.net/2017/06/13/visualizing-watson-
speech-transcripts/). I haven't done systematic analysis with a lot of data
points yet.

You can get per word confidence levels back from the Watson API if you ask for
it, which is useful to know what parts it is sure about and what parts it is
not.

Disclaimer: I work at IBM. But feel free to reach out at sean.dague@ibm.com if
you want some help debugging on the Watson STT side.

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ig1
Why not use Google Speech API ?

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codegladiator
I guess probably because OP has license for unlimited requests on Watson.

