General Conference Broadcast in Multiple Languages

[ksteurer]

Thank you to everyone who contributed here. We ended up running an audio feed from a computer to the headset translators that people wore while watching conference int he chapel. Please note: the audio feed from the internet has about a 5 second delay from the satellite transmission to the church building. Not terrible, but notable.

LESSON LEARNED: Everyone had iPads at conference, and some were instinctively using them to listen in another language. In the future, rather than setting up computers and translation equipment, we are telling people "If you need conference in another language, bring a tablet, smart phone or laptop, and headsets, and listen along". Much easier, and totally custom to the language that is needed, totally easier for the stake technology specialists, end of discussion.

We have plenty of download bandwidth in our stake center. If an individual doesn't have access to a tablet or smartphone or computer, arrange with home teachers or others to have someone sit with them who has a device that they can borrow. We will see how this works out in 6 months at the next General Conference!
Keith

[russellhltn]

In the future, rather than setting up computers and translation equipment, we are telling people "If you need conference in another language, bring a tablet, smart phone or laptop, and headsets, and listen along". Much easier, and totally custom to the language that is needed, totally easier for the stake technology specialists, end of discussion.

We have plenty of download bandwidth in our stake center.

You might have plenty of bandwidth, but probably not enough to support 30 streams.

Did you explore the option of feeding the satellite receiver into the translation transmitter?

[ksteurer]

We didn't try the stream from the satellite to the translation equipment due to the distance between the two. The satellite equipment is in the media center at the back of the building and the translation signal broadcast box can't send a signal that far to the headsets. I suppose we could get a long cable to get the signal into the chapel.

[sbradshaw]

That's great that there are actually that many people who watch conference at the building. In some areas, only four or five people actually come to the building for conference (except the Relief Society and Priesthood sessions). I like watching at least one session at the building otherwise I feel like I skipped church... but it's always sad when there are only a few people there.

[mevans]

It looks like this was hinted at in an earlier post, but maybe not direct enough: Get some VCRs and connect to your distribution feed in the chapel. Tune the VCRs to the appropriate channel for the specified language. Connect the audio out to the translation headset input. We've done this method a few times.

A few years ago I tried to get them to run audio lines to the chapel for our translated languages but they said the run was too far for it to work (the funny thing is we already have several audio lines going that distance and they work just fine...I think they didn't want to crawl through the attics).

[russellhltn]

It looks like this was hinted at in an earlier post, but maybe not direct enough: Get some VCRs and connect to your distribution feed in the chapel. Tune the VCRs to the appropriate channel for the specified language. Connect the audio out to the translation headset input.

Good plan, but in post #3, he said he didn't have a modulator for that language. Once FM gets him a modulator, then he can do what you suggest for the next conference.

[brycewj]

I have four stakes with two using two languages, one with three (I use two Satellite receivers and three modulators), one with five languages ( I use three satellite receivers with five modulators each is assigned a language, English, Samoan, Fijian, Tangola Phillipino, Korean) this set up allows all the members to watch the Gen Conf or any other broad cast on a TV with the assigned room and language. My set up took some work with the satellite help desk. You will need an extra Video and Audio Distributor to support these modulators if you do not have space in your current set up. One satellite receiver supports two pair of languages SLC spt can help with the set up. drop me an email I can send you a diagram of how I am set up. I had pasted a copy of the wiring in each rack to help any one with a question. I hope this helps
Regards Wallace