How to get the builtin sentences working on a local voice assistant

A couple of months ago, local voice assistant worked pretty decently. After moving houses, setting everything up again in the same way, it only understands some of the commands. And even when it understands the command, it doesn’t always give the right response.

Changing to a larger whisper model and increasing the beam size helped with better recognition of the commands. I’ve read through My AI Prompt for Assist and Gemini – How I Made It Work and Issues getting a local LLM to tell me temperatures, humidity, etc - #2 by dpoulson. I understand the need for a good prompt, but the kind of 8 page thing they describe is faaaaaaaaaaar above my skill level. My first goal is to get the Talking to Assist - Sentences starter pack - Home Assistant working. Any tips on how to do this?

Versions used

  • Core 2025.3.3
  • Supervisor 2025.03.3
  • Operating System 14.2
  • Whisper 2.4.0 medium-int8 beamsize 3
  • Piper 1.5.2
  • Ollama llama3.2

Example:

stage: done
run:
  pipeline: 01j0bf9qpwz8akhb79k34m3mxc
  language: en
  conversation_id: 01JQ4MV5JQD39NWG2WJ8YKPA97
events:
  - type: run-start
    data:
      pipeline: 01j0bf9qpwz8akhb79k34m3mxc
      language: en
      conversation_id: 01JQ4MV5JQD39NWG2WJ8YKPA97
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:42.632845+00:00"
  - type: stt-start
    data:
      engine: stt.faster_whisper
      metadata:
        language: en
        format: wav
        codec: pcm
        bit_rate: 16
        sample_rate: 16000
        channel: 1
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:42.633040+00:00"
  - type: stt-vad-start
    data:
      timestamp: 1220
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:43.812059+00:00"
  - type: stt-vad-end
    data:
      timestamp: 2950
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:45.545775+00:00"
  - type: stt-end
    data:
      stt_output:
        text: " What's the time?"
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:51.568193+00:00"
  - type: intent-start
    data:
      engine: conversation.llama3_2
      language: en
      intent_input: " What's the time?"
      conversation_id: 01JQ4MV5JQD39NWG2WJ8YKPA97
      device_id: b5d382f2d3ce1b0eda30cac848c809d3
      prefer_local_intents: true
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:51.568409+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        role: assistant
        content: "{\""
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:58.176497+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: name
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:58.203390+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: "\":"
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:58.227483+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: " \""
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:58.251521+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: H
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:58.275295+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: ass
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:58.299310+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: Timer
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:58.323292+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: Status
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:58.347333+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: "\","
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:58.371253+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: " \""
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:58.395154+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: parameters
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:58.419011+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: "\":"
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:58.443201+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: " {\""
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:58.466893+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: area
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:58.490916+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: "\":"
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:58.514936+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: " \""
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:58.539065+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: None
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:58.575417+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: "\","
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:58.595316+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: " \""
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:58.619350+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: name
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:58.643473+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: "\":"
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:58.667484+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: " \""
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:58.691426+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: time
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:58.715643+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: "\","
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:58.739636+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: " \""
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:58.763440+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: start
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:58.787453+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: _hours
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:58.811553+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: "\":"
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:58.835681+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: " \""
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:58.859696+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: "0"
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:58.883844+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: "\","
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:58.907677+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: " \""
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:58.931700+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: start
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:58.955840+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: _minutes
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:58.979918+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: "\":"
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:59.003863+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: " \""
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:59.027904+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: "0"
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:59.051900+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: "\","
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:59.076117+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: " \""
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:59.099903+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: start
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:59.124043+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: _seconds
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:59.147973+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: "\":"
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:59.172013+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: " \""
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:59.195980+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: "0"
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:59.219964+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: "\"}}"
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:59.246372+00:00"
  - type: intent-progress
    data:
      chat_log_delta:
        content: ""
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:59.267889+00:00"
  - type: intent-end
    data:
      processed_locally: false
      intent_output:
        response:
          speech:
            plain:
              speech: >-
                {"name": "HassTimerStatus", "parameters": {"area": "None",
                "name": "time", "start_hours": "0", "start_minutes": "0",
                "start_seconds": "0"}}
              extra_data: null
          card: {}
          language: en
          response_type: action_done
          data:
            targets: []
            success: []
            failed: []
        conversation_id: 01JQ4MV5JQD39NWG2WJ8YKPA97
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:59.268594+00:00"
  - type: tts-start
    data:
      engine: tts.piper
      language: en_US
      voice: en_US-amy-medium
      tts_input: >-
        {"name": "HassTimerStatus", "parameters": {"area": "None", "name":
        "time", "start_hours": "0", "start_minutes": "0", "start_seconds": "0"}}
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:59.268789+00:00"
  - type: tts-end
    data:
      tts_output:
        media_id: >-
          media-source://tts/tts.piper?message=%7B%22name%22:+%22HassTimerStatus%22,+%22parameters%22:+%7B%22area%22:+%22None%22,+%22name%22:+%22time%22,+%22start_hours%22:+%220%22,+%22start_minutes%22:+%220%22,+%22start_seconds%22:+%220%22%7D%7D&language=en_US&tts_options=%7B%22voice%22:%22en_US-amy-medium%22,%22preferred_format%22:%22flac%22,%22preferred_sample_rate%22:48000,%22preferred_sample_channels%22:1,%22preferred_sample_bytes%22:2%7D
        url: /api/tts_proxy/kUXAiVQ5HRY5UZODFaJ4dA.flac
        mime_type: audio/flac
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:59.269689+00:00"
  - type: run-end
    data: null
    timestamp: "2025-03-24T18:00:59.269905+00:00"
stt:
  engine: stt.faster_whisper
  metadata:
    language: en
    format: wav
    codec: pcm
    bit_rate: 16
    sample_rate: 16000
    channel: 1
  done: true
  stt_output:
    text: " What's the time?"
intent:
  engine: conversation.llama3_2
  language: en
  intent_input: " What's the time?"
  conversation_id: 01JQ4MV5JQD39NWG2WJ8YKPA97
  device_id: b5d382f2d3ce1b0eda30cac848c809d3
  prefer_local_intents: true
  done: true
  processed_locally: false
  intent_output:
    response:
      speech:
        plain:
          speech: >-
            {"name": "HassTimerStatus", "parameters": {"area": "None", "name":
            "time", "start_hours": "0", "start_minutes": "0", "start_seconds":
            "0"}}
          extra_data: null
      card: {}
      language: en
      response_type: action_done
      data:
        targets: []
        success: []
        failed: []
    conversation_id: 01JQ4MV5JQD39NWG2WJ8YKPA97
tts:
  engine: tts.piper
  language: en_US
  voice: en_US-amy-medium
  tts_input: >-
    {"name": "HassTimerStatus", "parameters": {"area": "None", "name": "time",
    "start_hours": "0", "start_minutes": "0", "start_seconds": "0"}}
  done: true
  tts_output:
    media_id: >-
      media-source://tts/tts.piper?message=%7B%22name%22:+%22HassTimerStatus%22,+%22parameters%22:+%7B%22area%22:+%22None%22,+%22name%22:+%22time%22,+%22start_hours%22:+%220%22,+%22start_minutes%22:+%220%22,+%22start_seconds%22:+%220%22%7D%7D&language=en_US&tts_options=%7B%22voice%22:%22en_US-amy-medium%22,%22preferred_format%22:%22flac%22,%22preferred_sample_rate%22:48000,%22preferred_sample_channels%22:1,%22preferred_sample_bytes%22:2%7D
    url: /api/tts_proxy/kUXAiVQ5HRY5UZODFaJ4dA.flac
    mime_type: audio/flac