How Simultaneous Interpreting Teams Build Workflows for Hybrid Conference Interpretation

One of the biggest hurdles simultaneous interpreting teams face during hybrid conferences is audio routing and lip-sync calibration. With speakers and attendees split between in-person and virtual audiences, even minor technical oversights can trigger severe audio latency.

To deliver seamless integration between on-site and remote participants, professional simultaneous interpreting teams adopt a centralized on-site interpretation hub workflow, following these standard operational steps:

1. Audio Source Aggregation & Mix-Minus Routing

Sound engineers feed microphones from the stage alongside audio feeds from remote virtual speakers into the venue’s main mixing console. A dedicated mix-minus channel is configured for all virtual attendees: each remote participant’s audio feed strips out their own voice, eliminating disruptive echo on the virtual stream.

2. Channel Assignment on Interpreter Consoles

The mixed primary floor audio feed is routed directly to each interpreter’s control station. Alongside crystal-clear audio, dedicated on-site monitors are mandatory to display close-up live footage of remote presenters and real-time presentation slides.

3. Dual-Stream Simultaneous Distribution

Audio signals run via hardwired cabling to infrared broadcast transmitters for on-site attendees, who tune into interpretation feeds using infrared headsets.

Separately, an audio interface routes identical feeds to the venue’s live streaming server, linking directly to dedicated language channels on Zoom or Microsoft Teams for remote audience selection.

4. Latency Monitoring & Redundant Backup Infrastructure

A dedicated technical supervisor stations themselves adjacent to the interpreter booths, using two independent monitoring units to isolate audio from the on-site infrared system and virtual live stream.

Network transmission inherently creates 1–2 seconds of signal delay, requiring constant fine-tuning to align audio and visual timestamps. Additionally, a full backup system—comprising a secondary 5G connection and manual video switching console—is deployed on standby for instant failover to auxiliary audio channels if issues arise.

Why Dedicated Professional Sound Engineers Are Non-Negotiable

Many event organisers attempt a makeshift workaround: running Zoom directly from a consumer laptop to pipe audio to interpreters.

This approach carries critical risks for corporate conferences. Built-in noise suppression algorithms on standard laptops incorrectly flag ambient venue sound as interference and cut it out automatically, while they lack the functionality to execute proper mix-minus routing.

Real-World Case Studies

Case 1: Three-Language Hybrid Interpretation – Asia Financial Summit, HKCEC (Wan Chai)

Event format: 800 on-site delegates + 2,000 global virtual participants with simultaneous Mandarin, English and Japanese interpretation. Keynote speakers joined remotely via Zoom from London, with two panellists presenting live on the HKCEC stage; Q&A sessions were open to both in-person and online attendees.

Technical solution: On-site engineers deployed a Bosch DICENTIS hybrid interpretation hub at the venue’s AV control desk. All Zoom presenter audio underwent mix-minus processing before reaching Mandarin and Japanese interpreters’ headsets. Interpreted feeds were distributed simultaneously via infrared hardware for on-site guests and Zoom’s dedicated simultaneous interpretation channels for remote viewers. A private 300 Mbps dedicated leased line was installed exclusively for the event, limiting cross-stream audio-video latency to under one second.

Case 2: Bilingual Academic Medical Congress – Centralised Hub Interpretation Booths, AsiaWorld-Expo (AWE)

Held in AWE Hall 5, the event featured two ISO 4043 standard permanent simultaneous interpretation booths. The venue’s vast open space created significant reverberation, while multiple international medical specialists could not travel to Hong Kong for in-person attendance.

Technical solution: The full interpreting team operated exclusively from on-site ISO-compliant booths, rather than working remotely. Dual 24-inch monitors were mounted in each booth: one displaying presentation slides, the other streaming high-definition live footage of virtual speakers. On-site delegates accessed interpretation via infrared headsets, while overseas medical professionals tuned into a custom web streaming portal offering Cantonese, Mandarin and English language tracks.

Reference：

[1] AIIC (International Association of Conference Interpreters). AIIC Hybrid & Remote Simultaneous Interpreting (RSI) Technical Guidelines & Industry Best Practice Standards

[2] Audinate (Dante Audio) & Professional Sound Engineering Collective. Whitepaper: Audio Routing & Echo-Free Mix-Minus Configuration for Hybrid Conferences

[3] Bosch Conference Systems. Bosch DICENTIS Digital Conference & Simultaneous Interpretation System Network Architecture Manual

[4] HKT Enterprise / Hong Kong Broadband Network (HKBN). Redundant Dedicated Line Deployment & High-Availability Network Configuration Guide for Large Exhibition Events

[5] Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). AV & Simultaneous Interpreting Engineering Technical Handbook for Large-Scale International Conferences (HKCEC Hall 1 & Hall 3)

[6] AsiaWorld-Expo (AWE). ISO 4043 Simultaneous Interpretation Booths & Dante Audio Network Installation Specifications for AWE Hall 5