DS-Interpretation, South San Francisco

DS-Interpretation chose Bettear CASTER and FORGE XD to deliver live interpretation over Auracast™ broadcast audio streams, so delegates can listen to their language on the earbuds and hearing devices they already carry, or on Bettear RTX receivers.

At a glance

• Customer: DS-Interpretation, Inc., South San Francisco, California
• Company type: Conference interpretation, language services and event technology provider, in business for more than 50 years
• Application: Real-time multilingual audio for on-site and hybrid meetings and events
• Bettear products: CASTER Auracast™ transmitter, FORGE XD stream expander, RTX receivers
• Capacity: Up to eight Auracast™ streams per CASTER and FORGE XD pair, with more languages added by adding pairs
• Audio source: Dante®-enabled interpretation and audio equipment

The challenge

Multilingual events depend on getting every language to every listener, and traditional receiver-based systems make that a logistics exercise.

DS-Interpretation has provided professional conference interpreters, interpretation equipment and language technology for on-site, hybrid and remote events for more than five decades. Its clients range from government bodies and international sports organizations to global corporations, with events that can span many languages and well over a thousand delegates.

Conventional interpretation systems require a dedicated receiver and headset for every listener. Each one has to be handed out, tracked, collected, charged and cleaned, and the number of available receivers limits how many people can listen. DS-Interpretation wanted a way to deliver interpretation channels that would scale with the audience, work with listeners' own devices as well as loaned receivers, and fit the Dante-based audio workflows it already uses.

The solution and products

DS-Interpretation adopted a Bettear CASTER paired with a FORGE XD stream expander, turning interpretation channels from its existing equipment into Auracast™ broadcasts, with Bettear RTX receivers for delegates who do not have Auracast™ devices.

• Bettear FORGE XD. A professional stream expander that receives up to eight mono channels from any Dante®-enabled device on the network, such as an interpretation console or mixer, and connects directly to the CASTER.
• Bettear CASTER. A professional Auracast™ transmitter that, with FORGE XD, broadcasts up to eight streams at once, in any mix of mono and stereo. For example, the floor language plus seven interpretation channels.
• Bettear RTX. A professional Auracast™ receiver that lists every available stream, showing each stream's language and flag, so delegates can choose their language at a glance. Delegates can pair it with headphones, or with a neckloop for telecoil hearing aids.
• Listeners' own devices. Delegates select their language on a compatible smartphone acting as Auracast Assistant, and listen on Auracast-enabled earbuds, headphones or hearing aids.

FORGE XD is compact, powered over USB-C and managed through a web-based panel over Ethernet, which suits the fast setup and teardown of rental and touring event work.

Scaling to more languages

The deployment grows in simple building blocks. Each CASTER and FORGE XD pair adds up to eight Auracast™ streams, so offering more languages is a matter of adding more pairs to the same network. A two-language board meeting and a large international congress with many interpretation channels use the same equipment, the same Dante® workflow and the same listening experience for delegates.

Because every stream carries its own language name, delegates still find their language in one list, whether they use a smartphone as Auracast Assistant or an RTX receiver, however many languages the event offers.

The results

Interpretation now reaches delegates the same way as any other audio on their phone or earbuds, with far less hardware to manage.

• Up to eight languages from one transmitter. A single CASTER with FORGE XD carries the floor audio and multiple interpretation channels at the same time.
• Scales with languages. Each additional CASTER and FORGE XD pair adds up to eight more language streams, so the same system serves scalable events.
• Scales with the audience. Auracast™ broadcast has no practical limit on listeners, so audience size is no longer tied to the number of receivers on hand.
• Bring your own device. Delegates use their own earbuds and hearing devices, which reduces receiver distribution, collection and cleaning.
• Fits existing workflows. Audio arrives over Dante® from the equipment interpreters already use, with no change to the booth setup.
• Accessibility built in. Delegates with Auracast-enabled hearing aids receive interpretation directly in their hearing devices.

Bringing Auracast™ interpretation to your events? Our team is here to help you plan coverage, choose equipment and get it running.