How Simultaneous Interpreting Works in Hybrid Events >
Table of Contents
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Short summary
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Key technical elements
- Where can the interpreters be located?
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The dynamics of a hybrid event with interpretation
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Most common challenges and how we solve them
- Infoports and hybrid events
- Checklist - what must be ready before a hybrid event with interpretaion starts
- What to remember when planning a hybrid event with simutaneous interpretation
Do you have a question or want to discuss a planned event?
Contact us - we will help you choose the perfect solution for your event.
- Phone: +48 502 386 666
- Email: biuro@oiww.eu
How Simultaneous Interpreting Works in Hybrid Events
In a hybrid event, simultaneous interpreting is delivered in two parallel channels:
A. For on-site participants (in the room)
Participants receive the interpretation through:
- classic booth interpreting systems + receivers, or
- Infoports (tour-guide systems), which are lightweight, mobile kits.
B. For online participants
The interpretation is sent directly to the streaming or videoconferencing platform (Zoom, Teams, a dedicated player, Webex, etc.) as a separate language channel.
Interpreters hear the speakers both from the room and from the online connections, and their voice is distributed simultaneously to both audiences. Language preference is set individually by each participant, both on site and online.
1. Short summary
For simultaneous interpreting to run smoothly at a hybrid event, you need:
- A clean, dedicated audio feed for the interpreters (a separate sound path from the room + from the online platform). Since ony one person can speak at a time, perfect coordination is required from the MC or person hosting a specific topic with multiple speakers.
- An on-site distribution system (booth or Infoports)
- A platform that supports multi-channel language interpretation
- A stable internet connection with redundancy
- An audio technician responsible for synchronizing on-site and online audio
- The option for interpreters to work either on site or remotely
2. Key technical elements
In the hybrid model there are three possible setups:
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Configuration
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Description
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When it makes sense
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On-site interpreters
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Work in a booth or with Infoports in the room
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Large events, high quality requirements
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Remote interpreters
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Work from a professional studio or home, hearing a mixed audio feed
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When local interpreters are hard to find
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Mixed model
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Some interpreters in the room, some remote
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International events
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OIWW regularly delivers all three variants.
3. Where can the interpreters work?
Speaker in the room
- Sound from the microphone goes to the interpreters and to the stream.
- The interpretation returns to the room (via receivers/Infoports) and to online participants.
Online speaker
- The online speaker’s voice is sent to the room (PA system) and to the interpreters.
- The interpretation is heard both by people on site and by the other online participants.
Panel answering questions from the floor and from the online Q&A
This is the most demanding situation. The moderator must clearly manage the order of speakers, and the technician must switch audio sources instantly. A well-prepared system lets interpreters hear both questions from the room and those asked online.
4. The dynamics of a hybrid event with interpreting
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Challenge
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Solution used by OIWW
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Latency in online audio
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Professional encoding + pre-event tests
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Poor sound quality from the room
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Dedicated audio path for interpreters + a good microphone
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Online participants don’t know how to select the language
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Instructions + technical rehearsal + clear labels in the platform
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Interpreters cannot hear questions from the floor
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Dedicated question microphone + mixed feed for interpreters
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No redundancy
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Backup internet connection + second audio system
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5. Most common challenges and how we solve them
Infoports work particularly well in a hybrid format when:
- there is no space or budget for booths in the event room,
- participants in the room move around (e.g. town hall, training, workshop),
- interpreters work remotely and only reception of the interpretation is needed in the room,
- the event is mobile or takes place in a large open space,
- the group needs to split into subgroups during the event.
On-site participants receive disinfected receivers, and the interpretation from remote interpreters reaches them without problems.
6. Infoports at hybrid events
7. Checklist — what must be ready before a hybrid event with interpreting
- Technical rehearsal with the interpreters (at least 1- 2 days earlier)
- Interpretation feature activated on the platform
- Access to the online platform at the event location and for speakers, participants and interpreters
- Ability to connect laptops in the room to the event (relevant for SSO on VPNS and corporate networks)
- Test of all language channels on the platform
- Check of audio quality from the room and from online connections
- Instructions for online participants (how to select the language)
- Contingency plan (backup connection, second system)
- Person responsible for on-site ↔ online coordination
- Materials for interpreters (agenda, presentations, terminology)
Simultaneous interpreting at a hybrid event only works well when technology, people and processes are synchronized.
It is not enough to “add interpreters” - you have to design the entire audio path and the experience for both people in the room and those online.
Want to organize a hybrid event with professional simultaneous interpreting?
Get in touch - we will advise on the best setup (booth, Infoports, remote interpreters or a mixed model).
8. What to remember about hybrid events
Contact us at:
t: +48 502 386 666
@: biuro@oiww.eu
OIWW sp z o.o.
ul. Twarda 18
00-105 Warsaw
@: biuro@oiww.eu
t: +48 502 386 666
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