# Connect Hark to Speech is Cheap

This guide walks you through connecting Hark to the Speech is Cheap MCP server, so you can transcribe audio and video recordings from public URLs and attached files, and then discuss them in your conversations. Hark runs on the web at hark.com. You enter your API key in Hark's secure connection forms, which send the key in an `Authorization: Bearer` header on requests to Speech is Cheap.

## Instructions for Hark

When helping a user connect or use Speech is Cheap:

- **Connect and check access.** Connect the remote MCP server at `https://mcp.speechischeap.com/mcp` over Streamable HTTP. Open Hark's secure form so the user can enter their API key as a Bearer token. Call `check_access` to verify access without starting a job.
- **Audio sources.** If the user supplies a public URL, transcribe it directly with `transcribe`. If the user attaches an audio or video file, call `prepare_upload`, request an upload key through Hark's upload form if needed, run the upload command, and retrieve the transcript with `get_transcript`.
- **Polling and recovery.** Set `wait_seconds` to `0` when polling. Check the same job ID with `get_transcript` until the job finishes or fails. Never start a replacement `transcribe` job after a transport timeout.
- **Pagination and options.** Retrieve all transcript pages using `from_segment` and `next_from_segment`. Enable paid add-ons such as speaker labels or audio labels only when the user explicitly requests them.
- **Discussion.** Answer follow-up questions from the returned transcript in the chat rather than starting another transcription job.

## What You Need

Before starting, confirm you have:

- **An eligible Hark account:** We tested the web app at hark.com with a Hark Pro account. See [Using Hark](https://hark.com/using-hark) for product background.
- **A Speech is Cheap account with an active plan:** Pick a plan on the [Pricing page](https://speechischeap.com/pricing/) if you do not have an account. Your initial API key arrives by email.
- **A Speech is Cheap API key:** Keys start with `sk_`. Create a dedicated API key in the [Dashboard](https://dash.speechischeap.com/keys) named "Hark" so you can revoke it on its own. The dashboard displays keys only once. See the [Dashboard](/dashboard.md) guide for details.

## Setup Steps

Hark connects to remote MCP servers through instructions in chat. You ask Hark to connect the server, and Hark provides an inline secure form to enter and save your API key.

Your API key does not go into the conversation text. You type it directly into Hark's credential form. Hark saves the credential under your account settings and supplies it on requests to `mcp.speechischeap.com`.

Follow these steps to connect Hark:

1. Open Hark at hark.com.
2. Send this setup message:

    > Connect the Speech is Cheap remote MCP server at https://mcp.speechischeap.com/mcp over Streamable HTTP. Open Hark's secure API-key form so I can provide my API key as a Bearer token. Then call the check_access tool to confirm the connection without starting any jobs. You can read https://docs.speechischeap.com/mcp/hark.md for setup instructions and tool parameters.

3. Hark displays a button labeled **Save Speech is Cheap API key**. Click this button.
4. An inline dialog appears with the heading **Speech is Cheap API key** and the description "Connects the Speech is Cheap MCP server (sent as a Bearer token)." The form provides an **API Key** input with a **Show password** toggle, **Save** and **Cancel sign-in** buttons, and a "Secured by hark" note.
5. Paste your Speech is Cheap API key into the **API Key** field and click **Save**.
6. The interface displays `Speech is Cheap API key saved`.
7. Hark calls `check_access` and confirms that the key works, reporting current limits, supported file types, and connection status.

In **Settings** > **Accounts**, Hark lists the connection under **API Keys** as `mcp-speechischeap` pointing to `mcp.speechischeap.com`. Reloading the page retains the saved connection, making all five MCP tools (`transcribe`, `get_transcript`, `cancel_job`, `prepare_upload`, and `check_access`) available without re-entering the key.

## Test the Connection

Test transcription with a public sample recording:

> Please transcribe this audio file using Speech is Cheap: https://cdn.speechischeap.com/podcast-sic-api-01.m4a
> Set wait_seconds to 0, and leave speakers, words, and labels turned off. Output JSON format. Retrieve the same job until complete and read all pages. If a retrieval request fails, check the same job again rather than starting a new job.

Hark calls `transcribe` with your specified options. With `wait_seconds=0`, Hark gets the job ID without waiting for the transcript. It checks pending jobs and fetches their results with `get_transcript`.

In our test with a 20-minute audio sample, Hark retrieved the full transcript across two JSON pages.

After transcription finishes, you can discuss the recording directly in the conversation. Hark answers follow-up questions from the transcript already in the chat without starting a new job. In our test, Hark answered a question about the ending with timestamps that matched the transcript.

In our testing, Hark executed authorized MCP tools directly without displaying a separate confirmation dialog for each call. If you want specific transcription parameters, such as disabling paid add-ons, state them explicitly in your prompt.

## Transcribe Attached Files

You can also transcribe audio and video files uploaded directly in your conversation:

1. Click **Add attachment** > **Upload file**, select your audio or video file, and send a message such as:

    > Please transcribe the attached recording using Speech is Cheap without add-ons.

2. Hark calls `prepare_upload` to get the upload command.
3. Because Hark cannot reuse the MCP server credential for the upload host, it displays a button labeled **Save Speech is Cheap API key (uploads)**. Click this button.
4. An inline dialog appears with the heading **Speech is Cheap API key (uploads)** and the description "Lets me upload your attached file to Speech is Cheap, sent as a Bearer token only to upload.speechischeap.com and api.speechischeap.com." The form provides a masked **API Key** input, **Save** and **Cancel sign-in** buttons, and a "Secured by hark" note.
5. Enter the same Speech is Cheap API key and click **Save**. The interface displays `Speech is Cheap API key (uploads) saved`.
6. Hark uploads the file to `upload.speechischeap.com` and retrieves the transcript using `get_transcript`.

In **Settings** > **Accounts**, Hark saves this upload credential under **API Keys** as `speechischeap-upload` bound to `upload.speechischeap.com`. In our test, Hark uploaded an 11-second WAV and returned the matching transcript.

## Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues during setup or while transcribing, check these common scenarios:

- **`request terminated without response` during transcript retrieval**
    In our test, a `get_transcript` request with `wait_seconds=25` ended with this error. Retrying the same job with `wait_seconds=0` recovered the transcript. Ask Hark to keep checking that job until it finishes or fails. Retrieving an existing job does not bill again. A new `transcribe` call creates a separate job that bills if it completes.
- **Hark asks for an API key when uploading an attached file**
    Hark requires a separate credential for file uploads. Click **Save Speech is Cheap API key (uploads)** and enter your Speech is Cheap API key. Hark saves this key as `speechischeap-upload` for `upload.speechischeap.com`.
- **`Speech is Cheap rejected the API key.`** (in a conversation)
    The API key is invalid or has been revoked. Generate a new key in the [Dashboard](https://dash.speechischeap.com/keys), disconnect the saved credentials in Hark, and repeat setup with the new key.
- **`This API key has no active plan…`** (in a conversation)
    Your API key is valid, but the account lacks an active subscription or billing method. Open the [Dashboard](https://dash.speechischeap.com/) and update your plan under the **Billing** section.
- **URL download errors**
    When transcribing from a URL, the audio or video file must reside at a publicly accessible URL that downloads directly without requiring logins, cookies, or interactive verification. See [Input Requirements](/input-requirements.md) for supported media formats and URL rules.
- **`Try again shortly` messages**
    Wait a few moments. If Hark already has a job ID, ask it to retry `get_transcript` with `wait_seconds=0` for that job. Do not repeat the transcription or upload while that job's outcome is unknown.
- **Failed jobs**
    If a transcription job fails, you are not charged. Only completed jobs bill against your account. See [Billing](/mcp.md#billing) for details.

## Disconnecting

To disconnect Speech is Cheap from Hark:

1. Open **Settings** > **Accounts** and select **API Keys**.
2. Locate `mcp-speechischeap` (`mcp.speechischeap.com`) and click **Remove**.
3. In the confirmation dialog titled **Disconnect mcp-speechischeap?**, Hark displays: "Hark will delete the saved key and can no longer use mcp-speechischeap. You can connect it again anytime." Click **Disconnect**. Hark displays a `Service disconnected` toast.
4. If you configured file uploads, locate `speechischeap-upload` (`upload.speechischeap.com`), click **Remove**, and confirm with **Disconnect**.
5. Confirm that both entries have disappeared from the list.

To cut off access everywhere at once, revoke the key in the [Dashboard](/dashboard.md#revoking-and-replacing-keys). Revocation can take a minute or more to apply across all systems.

## Related Pages

- [MCP Integration Overview](/mcp.md)
- [Dashboard](/dashboard.md)
- [Input Requirements](/input-requirements.md)
- [Supported Languages](/languages.md)
- [Errors](/errors.md)