diff --git a/buzz/buzz.py b/buzz/buzz.py
index d4a7a34b..6f434353 100644
--- a/buzz/buzz.py
+++ b/buzz/buzz.py
@@ -25,8 +25,11 @@ from buzz.assets import APP_BASE_DIR
 if getattr(sys, "frozen", False) is False and platform.system() != "Windows":
     faulthandler.enable()
 
-# Sets stderr to no-op TextIO when None (run as Windows GUI).
-# Resolves https://github.com/chidiwilliams/buzz/issues/221
+# Sets stdout/stderr to no-op TextIO when None (run as Windows GUI with --noconsole).
+# stdout fix: torch.hub uses sys.stdout.write() for download progress and crashes if None.
+# stderr fix: Resolves https://github.com/chidiwilliams/buzz/issues/221
+if sys.stdout is None:
+    sys.stdout = TextIO()
 if sys.stderr is None:
     sys.stderr = TextIO()
 
diff --git a/buzz/file_transcriber_queue_worker.py b/buzz/file_transcriber_queue_worker.py
index 1babc641..8e5cf1a8 100644
--- a/buzz/file_transcriber_queue_worker.py
+++ b/buzz/file_transcriber_queue_worker.py
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ if sys.platform == "win32":
 
 from demucs import api as demucsApi
 
+from buzz.locale import _
 from buzz.model_loader import ModelType
 from buzz.transcriber.file_transcriber import FileTranscriber
 from buzz.transcriber.openai_whisper_api_file_transcriber import (
@@ -127,11 +128,19 @@ class FileTranscriberQueueWorker(QObject):
             separator = None
             separated = None
             try:
+                # Force CPU if specified, otherwise use CUDA if available
+                force_cpu = os.getenv("BUZZ_FORCE_CPU", "false").lower() == "true"
+                if force_cpu:
+                    device = "cpu"
+                else:
+                    import torch
+                    device = "cuda" if torch.cuda.is_available() else "cpu"
                 separator = demucsApi.Separator(
+                    device=device,
                     progress=True,
                     callback=separator_progress_callback,
                 )
-                _, separated = separator.separate_audio_file(Path(self.current_task.file_path))
+                _origin, separated = separator.separate_audio_file(Path(self.current_task.file_path))
 
                 task_file_path = Path(self.current_task.file_path)
                 self.speech_path = task_file_path.with_name(f"{task_file_path.stem}_speech.mp3")
@@ -140,6 +149,12 @@ class FileTranscriberQueueWorker(QObject):
                 self.current_task.file_path = str(self.speech_path)
             except Exception as e:
                 logging.error(f"Error during speech extraction: {e}", exc_info=True)
+                self.task_error.emit(
+                    self.current_task,
+                    _("Speech extraction failed! Check your internet connection — a model may need to be downloaded."),
+                )
+                self.is_running = False
+                return
             finally:
                 # Release memory used by speech extractor
                 del separator, separated
diff --git a/buzz/locale/ca_ES/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po b/buzz/locale/ca_ES/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
index 679658da..802fbed5 100644
--- a/buzz/locale/ca_ES/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
+++ b/buzz/locale/ca_ES/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
@@ -1482,6 +1482,12 @@ msgstr "Afegeix a sobre"
 msgid "Append and correct"
 msgstr "Afegeix i corregeix"
 
+#: buzz/file_transcriber_queue_worker.py:161
+msgid ""
+"Speech extraction failed! Check your internet connection — a model may need "
+"to be downloaded."
+msgstr ""
+
 #~ msgid "Snap permission notice"
 #~ msgstr "Avís de permís d'ajust"
 
diff --git a/buzz/locale/da_DK/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po b/buzz/locale/da_DK/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
index f916fc62..957c2c1a 100644
--- a/buzz/locale/da_DK/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
+++ b/buzz/locale/da_DK/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
@@ -1473,6 +1473,12 @@ msgstr "Tilføj herover"
 msgid "Append and correct"
 msgstr "Tilføj og ret"
 
+#: buzz/file_transcriber_queue_worker.py:161
+msgid ""
+"Speech extraction failed! Check your internet connection — a model may need "
+"to be downloaded."
+msgstr ""
+
 #~ msgid "Snap permission notice"
 #~ msgstr "Snap tilladelse notifikationer"
 
diff --git a/buzz/locale/de_DE/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po b/buzz/locale/de_DE/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
index c7ea808f..d7f2fc6d 100644
--- a/buzz/locale/de_DE/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
+++ b/buzz/locale/de_DE/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
@@ -1475,6 +1475,12 @@ msgstr "Oben anhängen"
 msgid "Append and correct"
 msgstr "Anhängen und korrigieren"
 
+#: buzz/file_transcriber_queue_worker.py:161
+msgid ""
+"Speech extraction failed! Check your internet connection — a model may need "
+"to be downloaded."
+msgstr ""
+
 #~ msgid "Snap permission notice"
 #~ msgstr "Snap-Berechtigungsmitteilung"
 
diff --git a/buzz/locale/en_US/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po b/buzz/locale/en_US/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
index d6d7e1a0..f614c61b 100644
--- a/buzz/locale/en_US/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
+++ b/buzz/locale/en_US/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
@@ -1442,3 +1442,9 @@ msgstr ""
 #: buzz/settings/recording_transcriber_mode.py:7
 msgid "Append and correct"
 msgstr ""
+
+#: buzz/file_transcriber_queue_worker.py:161
+msgid ""
+"Speech extraction failed! Check your internet connection — a model may need "
+"to be downloaded."
+msgstr ""
diff --git a/buzz/locale/es_ES/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po b/buzz/locale/es_ES/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
index c9e05f66..fb146e67 100644
--- a/buzz/locale/es_ES/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
+++ b/buzz/locale/es_ES/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
@@ -1543,6 +1543,12 @@ msgstr "Añadir arriba"
 msgid "Append and correct"
 msgstr "Añadir y corregir"
 
+#: buzz/file_transcriber_queue_worker.py:161
+msgid ""
+"Speech extraction failed! Check your internet connection — a model may need "
+"to be downloaded."
+msgstr ""
+
 #~ msgid "Snap permission notice"
 #~ msgstr "Aviso de permiso Snap"
 
diff --git a/buzz/locale/it_IT/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po b/buzz/locale/it_IT/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
index 4853a48e..26134032 100644
--- a/buzz/locale/it_IT/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
+++ b/buzz/locale/it_IT/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
@@ -1484,6 +1484,12 @@ msgstr "Aggiungere sopra"
 msgid "Append and correct"
 msgstr "Aggiungere e correggere"
 
+#: buzz/file_transcriber_queue_worker.py:161
+msgid ""
+"Speech extraction failed! Check your internet connection — a model may need "
+"to be downloaded."
+msgstr ""
+
 #~ msgid "Snap permission notice"
 #~ msgstr "Avviso di autorizzazione Snap"
 
diff --git a/buzz/locale/ja_JP/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po b/buzz/locale/ja_JP/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
index e5e67066..4d6e8424 100644
--- a/buzz/locale/ja_JP/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
+++ b/buzz/locale/ja_JP/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
@@ -1468,6 +1468,12 @@ msgstr ""
 msgid "Append and correct"
 msgstr ""
 
+#: buzz/file_transcriber_queue_worker.py:161
+msgid ""
+"Speech extraction failed! Check your internet connection — a model may need "
+"to be downloaded."
+msgstr ""
+
 #~ msgid "Snap permission notice"
 #~ msgstr "Snap権限通知"
 
diff --git a/buzz/locale/lv_LV/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po b/buzz/locale/lv_LV/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
index 1dc854bb..d3902732 100644
--- a/buzz/locale/lv_LV/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
+++ b/buzz/locale/lv_LV/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
@@ -1477,6 +1477,14 @@ msgstr "Jaunie teikumi augšā"
 msgid "Append and correct"
 msgstr "Papildināt un labot esošo"
 
+#: buzz/file_transcriber_queue_worker.py:161
+msgid ""
+"Speech extraction failed! Check your internet connection — a model may need "
+"to be downloaded."
+msgstr ""
+"Runas atdalīšana neizdevās! Pārbaudiet interneta savienojumu, iespējams "
+"jālejupielādē modelis."
+
 #~ msgid "Snap permission notice"
 #~ msgstr "Snap atļauju piezīme"
 
diff --git a/buzz/locale/nl/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po b/buzz/locale/nl/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
index 745ffb9b..724904af 100644
--- a/buzz/locale/nl/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
+++ b/buzz/locale/nl/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
@@ -1474,6 +1474,12 @@ msgstr "Bovenaan toevoegen"
 msgid "Append and correct"
 msgstr "Toevoegen en corrigeren"
 
+#: buzz/file_transcriber_queue_worker.py:161
+msgid ""
+"Speech extraction failed! Check your internet connection — a model may need "
+"to be downloaded."
+msgstr ""
+
 #~ msgid "Snap permission notice"
 #~ msgstr "Snap-rechten"
 
diff --git a/buzz/locale/pl_PL/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po b/buzz/locale/pl_PL/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
index 380ad41e..f79442bb 100644
--- a/buzz/locale/pl_PL/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
+++ b/buzz/locale/pl_PL/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
@@ -1492,6 +1492,12 @@ msgstr ""
 msgid "Append and correct"
 msgstr ""
 
+#: buzz/file_transcriber_queue_worker.py:161
+msgid ""
+"Speech extraction failed! Check your internet connection — a model may need "
+"to be downloaded."
+msgstr ""
+
 #~ msgid "ID"
 #~ msgstr "ID"
 
diff --git a/buzz/locale/pt_BR/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po b/buzz/locale/pt_BR/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
index db6d0fbe..1e37df69 100644
--- a/buzz/locale/pt_BR/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
+++ b/buzz/locale/pt_BR/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
@@ -1478,6 +1478,12 @@ msgstr "Acrescentar acima"
 msgid "Append and correct"
 msgstr "Acrescentar e corrigir"
 
+#: buzz/file_transcriber_queue_worker.py:161
+msgid ""
+"Speech extraction failed! Check your internet connection — a model may need "
+"to be downloaded."
+msgstr ""
+
 #~ msgid "Snap permission notice"
 #~ msgstr "Aviso de permissão do Snap"
 
diff --git a/buzz/locale/uk_UA/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po b/buzz/locale/uk_UA/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
index 597c47ef..f12ab79c 100644
--- a/buzz/locale/uk_UA/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
+++ b/buzz/locale/uk_UA/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
@@ -1470,6 +1470,12 @@ msgstr ""
 msgid "Append and correct"
 msgstr ""
 
+#: buzz/file_transcriber_queue_worker.py:161
+msgid ""
+"Speech extraction failed! Check your internet connection — a model may need "
+"to be downloaded."
+msgstr ""
+
 #~ msgid "Snap permission notice"
 #~ msgstr "Попередження щодо дозволів Snap"
 
diff --git a/buzz/locale/zh_CN/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po b/buzz/locale/zh_CN/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
index 773cbbe6..27ce95c6 100644
--- a/buzz/locale/zh_CN/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
+++ b/buzz/locale/zh_CN/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
@@ -1492,6 +1492,12 @@ msgstr "增加上方"
 msgid "Append and correct"
 msgstr "增加并纠正"
 
+#: buzz/file_transcriber_queue_worker.py:161
+msgid ""
+"Speech extraction failed! Check your internet connection — a model may need "
+"to be downloaded."
+msgstr ""
+
 #~ msgid "Snap permission notice"
 #~ msgstr "快照权限通知"
 
diff --git a/buzz/locale/zh_TW/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po b/buzz/locale/zh_TW/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
index 52c19593..a1d78091 100644
--- a/buzz/locale/zh_TW/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
+++ b/buzz/locale/zh_TW/LC_MESSAGES/buzz.po
@@ -1484,6 +1484,12 @@ msgstr ""
 msgid "Append and correct"
 msgstr ""
 
+#: buzz/file_transcriber_queue_worker.py:161
+msgid ""
+"Speech extraction failed! Check your internet connection — a model may need "
+"to be downloaded."
+msgstr ""
+
 #~ msgid "ID"
 #~ msgstr "ID"