All guides
Good audio in = good interpretation out
The interpreter can only translate what it hears clearly.
Ways to get sound into Spiiksi, best first.
- Best: a feed from the venue's mixing desk (line out / aux send) into a USB audio interface on the speaker computer. Clean speech, no room echo.
- Good: a headset or a clip-on microphone close to the speaker's mouth.
- OK for small rooms: a laptop's built-in microphone near the speaker.
- Avoid picking up loudspeakers, music or the audience. Background music also keeps auto-pause from kicking in, which costs balance.
Before the event
- Open the event and press Open microphone on the computer that will broadcast.
- Choose the right microphone in the list and allow microphone access.
- Speak and watch the microphone level move.
- Go live and use Preview as a listener or Monitor a channel with headphones to check the result.
- Plug the computer into power and turn off sleep. Prefer a wired network or reliable Wi-Fi.
Feeding interpretation into headsets
If the venue already has an infrared or radio headset system, play the interpretation from a device into that system so people use the headsets they have.
Common problems
"Microphone access denied". The browser blocked the microphone. Click the lock or camera icon in the address bar, allow the microphone, reload. On macOS also check System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone for your browser.
Messages on the speaker's screen, explained below.
Wrong or no microphone in the list / "Audio devices are unavailable". Plug the device in before opening the page and reload. The page must be on HTTPS.
"Your microphone audio stopped". The browser stopped capturing. Keep the microphone tab open and in front (browsers throttle background tabs), check the cable, and don't let the computer sleep.
"Connection lost — reconnecting…". Network dropped. It usually recovers in a few seconds; listeners hear silence meanwhile.
"PAUSED — Translation paused". No sound for the auto-pause time. It restarts by itself when someone speaks.
"Translation starts at … Helsinki time". A scheduled start is set. Press Start translation now to start earlier.
"The broadcast stopped automatically because it reached its time limit". The maximum length or latest stop time was reached. Press Go live again, and adjust in Change settings if needed.
"Balance runs out in …". Top up, or turn on automatic top-up.
"No channels found for this event". Add at least one listener language.
Echo or the interpretation getting picked up by the mic. Use headphones when monitoring; keep speakers playing the interpretation away from the microphone.
Listeners hear nothing but I'm live. Check that every language is connected to audio (event page readiness), that the room's languages aren't under Not in any room, and that the microphone level moves.
Translation is poor. Check the spoken language is right, improve the mic signal, add interpreter instructions and names/terms, or try Plus.
Was this guide helpful?
Questions about this?
Ask the assistant. It answers from this guide, in your language.