Using wifi/phones to listen to translation

[timsabre]

I'm trying to find a low cost solution to get an audio translation to about 20 people in our church service. We have a person to translate, it's just how to get it to the ears of the people who want it.

 

Low tech solution is to get them all to sit together and use a headphone distribution amp.

 

Looking at wifi to phone solutions such as Cast or LimeOnAir - does anyone have experience with doing something like this?

[bruce]

If budget was no object, I’d be looking at phone based hearing assistance setups like sennheiser mobileconnect

 

https://en-uk.sennheiser.com/mobileconnect-smartphone-hearing-system-app

 

But that’s not a low cost option.

 

For a handful of listeners, a barix instreamer would do the job for a couple of hundred pounds. Don’t think it would scale to 20, but will check.

 

You could lash up something with a mp3 encoder and icecast server, free software and it’ll run on pretty much any hardware- an old pc, or a pi. That could handle hundreds of clients.

 

If that’s of interest, I could probably put together a recipe..,

[timsabre]

After I posted that, I did think about a raspberry pi solution... Would be interested how you'd do it on that

[bruce]

Despite being a unix guy at heart, I’d probably do it on windows for convenience..... The software below all works on Windows, mac and linux.

 

 

Standard windows build, on hardware that has an audio input. Standard mic input would do for testing, then get a proper interface if it all works.

 

Let’s assume the IP is 192.168.1.100

 

Install “Butt” (“Broadcast Using This Tool”) from https://sourceforge.net/projects/butt/

Install Icecast http://icecast.org/download/

 

Configure Icecast for 1 Mp3 stream - so as well as the standard bits where you configure the server and set passwords, you’d add to the config:

   <mount>
       <mount-name>/translate.mp3</mount-name>
       <password>mypassword</password>
       <max-listeners>64</max-listeners>
   </mount>

Start up the icecast server, check it’s running OK by going to "

http://192.168.1.100:8000/status.xsl

"

 

Configure “butt”. In the "configure> server” menu, create an “icecast” server, address 192.168.1.100, port 8000, password whatever you set above, mountpoint “/translate.mp3”, user “source” (that last one is well hidden in the manuals!

In the “device > audio" menu, select the input device, MP3 encoding, with a suitable bitrate- say 128k.

Save config, go back to the main menu, click on the : “play” button. Hopefully you’ll get no errors in the “butt” window, it will say it’s connected to the server, and if you go to the icecast status page you’ll see the thing connected.

 

Finally, on your client devices (on the same network) - PC, phone, whatever, use a web browser or music player to go to

http://192.168.1.100:8000/translate.mp3

 

Audio received on the encoder should be played out on the clients. Latency depends on the buffer size on the client device. Some devices allow you to tune this - you want it small for low latency. Upping the stream bitrate will also decrease latency if buffer is fixed size.

[timsabre]

Thanks for the comprehensive instructions, I'll have a try and let you know how I get on.

[bruce]

It’s a setup I’ve used many times for internet radio - although the source and streaming server would normally be on separate hardware. The key thing will be the latency - if it’s too high, try setting the “burst-size” parameter to 0, then experimenting if possible with the buffer size on the receiver.

[kerry davies]

I would have thought the technical side was surmountable with things like "silent disco" hire and radio headphones but simultaneous translation skills are specialised and a lot more complicated than being fluent in two languages. In January 2017 the UN paid their people in London starting at $7,000 a month up to $15,000 plus extras. ($400-$900 a day basic).

Before going to any expense with phones etc it might be worth a trial to see if your translator can listen, interpret and speak all at the same time. Not easy.

[timsabre]

Thanks Kerry, we are lucky that the person happens to be an experienced translator, they have already been working with a single person who they sat next to and just spoke in their ear. But then that person brought their friend... Then they brought friends... Now we have 20 people needing translation.

[ImagineerTom]

Silent disco kit is your answer - one basic transmitter will cost you £50, you can then use the traditional headphones or they have beltpack receivers that can take customers own earbuds at around £25 each. You'll instantly have a tried, tested and stable system (that will have multi-channel option already built in should you want to expand the service later) plus you can purchase just a few receivers of your own and rent-in extra packs for bigger events.

[sleah]

My first thought was Silent Disco too.

 

The talk of Windows/Linux wifi sounds rather like an industrial wrecking-ball to crack a peanut.... :P

[timsabre]

OK, was just trying to think of a low cost option and using phones that people already have seemed like an idea.

 

So silent disco looks interesting, hadn't seen that before. Only problem I can see is the RF channels could conflict with our radio mics, would a radio mic on the correct frequency send directly to the headphones?

[Shez]

OK, was just trying to think of a low cost option and using phones that people already have seemed like an idea.

 

You might need to provide a power outlet at each seat if they're to use their phones - it amazes me how many people seem to need theirs to be permanently plugged in rather than being, well, mobile!

[sleah]

You might need to provide a power outlet at each seat if they're to use their phones - it amazes me how many people seem to need theirs to be permanently plugged in rather than being, well, mobile!

I've noticed that too. Never - well almost never - been an issue for me.

Is it because battery technology is so useless (Apple seem quite bad...) or is it just because they don't bother charging them in a sensible way?

 

I always charge overnight, sometimes don't if it's still above 70% to give it a deeper discharge. The last three phones I've had I've bought because they had decent batteries.

 

Sorry to take the topic off side-ways

[bruce]

On the other hand, people using their own phones means you have no worries over "headphone hygiene"

[Shez]

Is it because battery technology is so useless (Apple seem quite bad...) or is it just because they don't bother charging them in a sensible way?

A bit of both. People want smaller & lighter phones that are more powerful; the batteries will always struggle. And much like a laptop that always stays plugged in, the battery gradually fails if it's connected to the charger excessively.

 

On the other hand, people using their own phones means you have no worries over "headphone hygiene"

Good point. Although you could encourage regulars to bring their own headphones to plug in to the venue receiver.