Captions are only as good as the sound they are made from. Choose the input once on the computer that runs the service, and check the level before you go live.
- Open Live Translation on the computer connected to your sound desk. On the Console, the first card on the right is Where does the sound come from?. The same card is under Settings → Audio.
- Set Feed to Sound desk input, then pick the Device that carries the stage mix. A USB interface or a Dante channel transcribes best. Avoid the built-in microphone in a live hall.
- If the browser asks to use the microphone, allow it. If the Device list is empty, press Allow access.
- Speak a few words, or have the sound desk play something, and check that Level says Speaking.
If the level stays on No signal, or you are live and no captions appear, see The session is live but there are no captions.
What the level says
| Level | What it means |
|---|---|
| Speaking | Sound is reaching Live Translation. |
| Silent | The input is working but it is quiet right now. Normal between songs; if it stays there while someone speaks, the input is turned down or it is the wrong one. |
| No signal | Nothing at all is arriving: no input chosen, or a cable, a channel or an interface that is off. Check the Device and the connection to the sound desk. |
| Paused | Translation is paused on the Console, so the sound is not used. |
Sound from a window or tab instead
When the sound is already on this computer, for example a livestream playing in another tab, set Feed to This device’s audio and press Choose window or tab…. Pick the window or tab and let the browser share its audio. Firefox and Safari cannot share a device’s audio, so use Chrome or Edge for this.
Only one computer captures the sound
The computer that captures the sound shows This machine captures on the card. Open the Console on another computer while a service is running and its card shows Another machine captures: that computer is a remote control, and it cannot change the sound input.
On a phone
On a phone the card is called Microphone: the phone’s own microphone, or one you plug in, chosen under Device. There is no feed to choose.