A simultaneous interpreting system carries interpreted speech from an interpreter to the people who need it. Buying one means planning the entire audio path: microphones, interpreter workstations, routing, transmitters or network delivery, and participant listening devices. A receiver catalogue alone cannot tell you whether the event will work.
Before asking for a quote
- Specify simultaneous language feeds, rooms and listeners separately.
- Ask for usable channels in your venue, not just selectable frequencies.
- Plan assistive listening separately from language access.
- Include interpreters, technical support, rehearsal and recovery procedures.
Start with an event brief
List the floor languages, required interpretation directions, attendance by language, room schedule and whether interpreters will work on site or remotely. Specify whether participants need spoken interpretation, signed-language interpretation, captions or assistive listening. These needs can overlap, but the services are not interchangeable.
For example, three interpreted language feeds plus the original floor audio may require four distribution feeds if the floor is also offered to listeners. That does not automatically mean four radio transmitters: the mapping depends on the system architecture. Ask the supplier to draw the signal path and name every feed. Agree staffing, breaks and handovers with the interpreting team rather than deriving interpreter headcount from hardware channels.
Compare RF, infrared and network delivery
| Delivery | What to verify | Acceptance test |
|---|---|---|
| Radio frequency (RF) | Equipment authorisation, locally permitted bands, interference and simultaneous channel capacity. | Walk the occupied listening area while all required feeds and nearby systems are active. |
| Infrared (IR) | Emitter placement, receiver visibility, obstructions and model-specific channel capacity. | Test seats and movement paths with the room in its actual event layout. |
| Network delivery | Supported listener devices, network capacity, latency, access controls and fallback equipment. | Rehearse concurrent listeners on the intended network, including people who cannot use their own phones. |
The ListenIR overview describes infrared delivery; use the specifications for the proposed model to establish its capacity. Do not turn one product's specifications into limits for all infrared systems. Likewise, network delivery still depends on compliant network equipment and applicable local rules; using Wi-Fi does not make radio regulation disappear.
Distribution technology is also not a complete security policy. Consider signal coverage, access controls, encryption where offered, recording permissions and device handling. Ask the supplier to document the actual protections instead of labelling every RF system insecure or every infrared system confidential.
Do not infer channel capacity from a regulatory bandwidth figure
In the United States, 47 CFR § 15.237 covers auditory-assistance devices operating in the specified 72–73, 74.6–74.8 and 75.2–76 MHz ranges. It confines emissions to a 200 kHz-wide band centred on the operating frequency, with that band wholly inside the specified ranges. This is not a rule for every wired, infrared or network interpreting system.
The 200 kHz emission window does not require every transmission to occupy the entire window, nor does the section establish universal channel spacing. Dividing the total band widths by 200 kHz therefore does not establish a universal ten-channel ceiling. Usable concurrent channels depend on the equipment, frequency plan and interference conditions.
Distinguish selectable frequencies from simultaneously usable channels. Request the latter for the exact transmitter and receiver models, with all rooms operating together. Have the supplier confirm equipment authorisation and local suitability; a US rule is not permission to use the same equipment in another country.
Calculate language receivers and assistive listening separately
Language receivers are driven by the number of people listening to each feed and the distribution design. Include agreed spares, charging, collection and hygiene arrangements. Assistive-listening obligations require a separate assessment of the venue and event.
The US Access Board's ADA section 219 addresses assembly areas where audible communication is integral. Outside courtrooms, an exception applies where audio amplification is not provided. Other provisions include a common-management aggregation exception and an induction-loop exception affecting hearing-aid-compatible receivers. Confirm the applicable requirements before treating a table as a shopping list.
Where section 219 applies without a relevant exception changing the calculation, a 120-seat area falls in the 51–200-seat row: two receivers plus one per 25 seats, or fraction, above 50. That gives five receivers, including at least two hearing-aid-compatible receivers. This accessibility example does not mean five devices will serve 120 people requesting language interpretation.
Ask for specific standards evidence
ISO 24019:2022 concerns simultaneous interpreting delivery platforms where interpreters are not at the same venue as participants, speakers and signers. Its scope should not be expanded to every software distribution product. The ISO summary also refers to ISO 20108 for sound and image quality.
If a bid claims compliance, request the exact standard and edition, the components covered and the evidence supporting the claim. Ask separately about the working conditions and audio quality required by the interpreting team. A standards logo does not replace an end-to-end rehearsal, and an audio system does not provide signed-language interpreting merely because it carries speech.
Put acceptance criteria in the quote
- Routing: identify floor audio, each interpreted feed, relay requirements and any recording outputs.
- Capacity: document concurrent feeds, listeners and rooms, including interactions with neighbouring systems.
- Participant access: test language selection, volume controls, compatible listening accessories and a non-phone option where needed.
- Operations: name the technician, interpreter handover process, battery plan and device-return procedure.
- Recovery: rehearse loss of a feed, network interruption and a failed receiver, with clear instructions to participants.
Compare quotes on the same scope. Hardware rental, interpreters, technician time, transport, setup and overtime are separate items unless the supplier explicitly bundles them. For budgeting, see simultaneous interpretation cost; for the software layer, see interpretation software and remote interpreting services.
Where MirrorCaption fits
MirrorCaption can support informal spoken conversations with automated transcription and translation. A supported browser can capture a meeting tab when the user explicitly shares its audio. It does not automatically capture every native meeting application, supply professional interpreters or create interpreter booths and receiver infrastructure. Evaluate the actual audio source and supported languages before relying on it.
Use it as a distinct automated tool, not as a claim that an event meets accessibility requirements. Where participants need qualified interpreting or signed-language access, arrange that service explicitly.
Try automated captions
Test supported audio and languages with an informal conversation first.
Try MirrorCaptionFrequently asked questions
Does US law limit every system to ten channels?
No. Section 15.237 sets an emission window for specified US radio bands, not a universal ten-channel limit. Ask the supplier for the number of simultaneously usable channels for the exact equipment and venue.
How many assistive-listening receivers does a 120-seat room need?
Where ADA section 219 applies and no relevant exception changes the calculation, a 120-seat assembly area needs five receivers, including at least two hearing-aid-compatible receivers. This is not the required number of language-interpretation receivers.
Does ISO 24019 apply to every interpretation app?
No. ISO 24019:2022 addresses simultaneous interpreting delivery platforms where interpreters are not at the same venue as participants, speakers and signers. A general software or audio-distribution label alone does not establish applicability or compliance.
Can MirrorCaption replace an interpreting system?
MirrorCaption provides automated transcription and translation of supported captured speech. It does not supply qualified human interpreters, signed-language interpretation, interpreter booths or an assurance of venue accessibility compliance.