Intervu

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macOS Troubleshooting ​

Common issues and solutions specific to macOS.

App Won't Open ​

"App is damaged and can't be opened" ​

macOS blocks unsigned apps with this error. Intervu is not currently code-signed.

Fix — Remove quarantine attribute:

bash
xattr -d com.apple.quarantine /Applications/Intervu.app

If the app is in a different location, adjust the path:

bash
# If in Downloads
xattr -d com.apple.quarantine ~/Downloads/Intervu.app

# If running from build output
xattr -d com.apple.quarantine /path/to/Intervu.app

Alternative — Allow in System Settings:

  1. Try to open Intervu (you'll get an error)
  2. Open System Settings → Privacy & Security
  3. Click "Open Anyway" next to the security warning
  4. Confirm by clicking "Open"

Code Signing Coming Soon

This workaround is temporary. Code signing for macOS (and Windows) apps will be added in a future release, which will eliminate this issue entirely.

"App can't be opened because it is from an unidentified developer" ​

Same root cause as above. Use either the xattr command or the System Settings method.

FFmpeg Not Found ​

Error: "FFmpeg not found" ​

Unlike Windows, Intervu does not bundle FFmpeg on macOS. You must install it manually.

Fix — Install via Homebrew:

bash
brew install ffmpeg

Verify installation:

bash
ffmpeg -version

The command should output FFmpeg version information with --enable-avfoundation in the configuration flags.

Check path:

bash
# Intel Macs
which ffmpeg
# Should show: /usr/local/bin/ffmpeg

# Apple Silicon Macs
which ffmpeg
# Should show: /opt/homebrew/bin/ffmpeg

If FFmpeg is installed but Intervu can't find it:

  1. Open Settings (gear icon)
  2. Go to Advanced Settings
  3. Set FFmpeg Path to the full path:
    • /usr/local/bin/ffmpeg (Intel)
    • /opt/homebrew/bin/ffmpeg (Apple Silicon)

No Audio Devices Listed ​

No devices in dropdown ​

Intervu uses AVFoundation (via FFmpeg) to enumerate audio devices on macOS.

Prerequisites checklist:

  • [ ] FFmpeg installed via Homebrew (brew install ffmpeg)
  • [ ] BlackHole installed (for system audio capture)
  • [ ] Microphone permission granted to Intervu
  • [ ] App restarted after installing new audio devices

Grant Microphone Permission ​

  1. Open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone
  2. Find Intervu in the list
  3. Enable the toggle
  4. Restart Intervu

If Intervu doesn't appear in the list:

  1. Open Intervu and click the microphone button once
  2. macOS should display a permission prompt
  3. Click "Allow"

Verify Devices with FFmpeg ​

bash
ffmpeg -f avfoundation -list_devices true -i ""

This should list all available audio devices, including:

  • MacBook Pro Microphone (or similar)
  • BlackHole 2ch (if installed)
  • External microphones/headsets

If this command returns no audio devices, check:

  1. Microphone permission — System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone
  2. Audio devices — Some devices only appear when physically connected
  3. FFmpeg version — Ensure it includes AVFoundation support

Can't Hear System Audio ​

Problem: Audio goes to BlackHole but not to speakers ​

This means you haven't set up a multi-output device. When BlackHole is set as the system output directly, audio goes to BlackHole (for Intervu) but not to your speakers.

Fix — Create a multi-output device:

  1. Open Audio MIDI Setup (Cmd + Space → "Audio MIDI Setup")
  2. Click + → Create Multi-Output Device
  3. Check:
    • BlackHole 2ch
    • Your speakers/headphones (e.g., MacBook Pro Speakers)
  4. Rename it to "Intervu Multi-Output"
  5. Open System Settings → Sound → Output
  6. Select "Intervu Multi-Output"

Now audio goes to both your speakers (you hear it) and BlackHole (Intervu captures it).

Multi-Output Device Issues ​

Audio sounds distorted or has latency:

  • In Audio MIDI Setup, select the multi-output device
  • Set the Master Clock to your speaker device (not BlackHole)
  • Try different sample rates (44100 Hz or 48000 Hz)

Multi-output device disappeared:

  • BlackHole may have been uninstalled or updated
  • Recreate the multi-output device in Audio MIDI Setup

Can't adjust volume:

  • When using a multi-output device, system volume control may not work
  • Use the volume knob on your external speakers/headphones instead
  • Or adjust volume in individual app settings

BlackHole Issues ​

BlackHole Not Showing in Audio Devices ​

  1. Verify BlackHole is installed:
    • Open System Settings → Sound → Look for "BlackHole" in Input/Output
  2. Reinstall BlackHole from existential.audio
  3. Reboot your Mac after installation
  4. Restart Intervu after reboot

BlackHole 2ch vs 16ch ​

  • BlackHole 2ch — Recommended for Intervu. Simple, works well.
  • BlackHole 16ch — For advanced multi-channel setups. Overkill for most users.

If you installed BlackHole 16ch, select "BlackHole 16ch" in Intervu settings.

AVFoundation Device Enumeration Errors ​

Error: "No audio devices found" ​

Common causes on macOS:

  1. FFmpeg not installed — Run brew install ffmpeg
  2. No microphone permission — Grant in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone
  3. FFmpeg lacks AVFoundation — Reinstall: brew reinstall ffmpeg
  4. No audio devices connected — Connect a microphone or headset

Device names appear as ":0", ":1" etc. ​

This is normal on macOS. FFmpeg uses index-based device identifiers with AVFoundation:

  • :0 — First audio device
  • :1 — Second audio device

Intervu maps these to human-readable names automatically.

Devices change after reboot ​

AVFoundation device indices can change. If devices stop working after a reboot:

  1. Open Settings in Intervu
  2. Click Refresh Devices
  3. Re-select your audio devices

Microphone Permission Issues ​

"Microphone access denied" ​

  1. Open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone
  2. Find Intervu and enable it
  3. If Intervu is not listed:
    • Launch Intervu
    • Click the microphone button to trigger the permission prompt
    • Click "Allow"
  4. Restart Intervu

Permission prompt doesn't appear ​

If you previously denied the permission:

  1. Open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone
  2. Find and enable Intervu
  3. You may need to restart Intervu

Performance on macOS ​

High CPU Usage ​

FFmpeg audio capture should use minimal CPU (~1-2%). If higher:

  1. Check for other apps using the microphone
  2. Close unnecessary applications
  3. Reduce audio chunk duration in Settings → Advanced

Audio Delay ​

Audio should be near real-time. If delayed:

  1. Reduce audio chunk duration in Advanced Settings
  2. Check system resources with Activity Monitor
  3. Ensure local STT/LLM endpoints are running

Battery Drain ​

Real-time audio capture and STT processing use system resources:

  1. Plug in your Mac during interviews
  2. Use a smaller Whisper model for STT
  3. Close unnecessary apps

First-Run Checklist ​

Before your first interview on macOS:

  • [ ] FFmpeg installed (ffmpeg -version works)
  • [ ] BlackHole installed and visible in Sound Settings
  • [ ] Multi-output device created in Audio MIDI Setup
  • [ ] Multi-output device set as system sound output
  • [ ] Quarantine removed (xattr -d com.apple.quarantine /Applications/Intervu.app)
  • [ ] Microphone permission granted
  • [ ] Speaches running (docker ps)
  • [ ] LLM endpoint running (Ollama, etc.)
  • [ ] Audio level meters show activity in Intervu
  • [ ] Both STT and LLM connections test successfully

Next Steps ​

Made with ❤️by Aldrick Bonaobra

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