diff --git a/README.md b/README.md index a5e0cbc..7645493 100644 --- a/README.md +++ b/README.md @@ -1,2 +1,40 @@ -# c3lingo-interpreter-unit +# Conference Interpreter Unit +[c3lingo.org](https://c3lingo.org) is doing the great job of translating many talks of the Chaos Communication Congress and other CCC-related events to multiple languages. +But the required hardware for simultaneous translation is quite expensive to rent, even if it's "just" a specialized analog audio mixer. +So the idea was born to design an easy to use hardware with the special requirements of our interpreters in mind. + + +## Requirements +The hardware unit should deliver the native audio (stage/ hall mix) to the interpreter's headset and provide a sum of all interpreter's microphone to the input of the video streaming/ recording chain. +Mixing of the final translated audio (ducking the native audio with the translation) will be done as part of the streaming/ recording chain, so the interpreter unit should just provide the sum of all microphones. + +Normally just 2 interpreters will provide one translation, but demanding talks might require 3 people. +So either 3 headphone inputs/ outputs should be provided or it must be possible to daisy-chain multiple units. + +The user interface of the unit should be as simple, as possible to decrease the risk of mis-configuration. +This means, that no compressor and equalizer will be added in the input group. + +General requirements: +- Line input of stage/ hall mix (native language) (XLR/ 6.3 mm balanced jack combo connector) +- 3x Microphone input (XLR) (at first just dynamic microphones) + * VU-Meter for each input channel. (Perhaps with special color scheme: too quiet, good, too loud, clipping) + * Fader/ Potentiometer for gain control + * Mute switch (on/ off position, with state LED) + * Temporary mute button (momentary switch) +- 3x Headphone output (6.3 mm mono/ stereo (2x mono) jack) + * Should output mix of native audio and own microphone + * Potentiometer for output volume + * Potentiometer for volume of own microphone in the mix +- Outputs: + * Sum of all translators (XLR/ 6.3 mm balanced jack combo connector) + +All inputs (besides the microphones) and outputs should: +- expect/ deliver a nominal level of +6dBu (german TV broadcast standard, 0 dBu = 0,775 Veff) +- be transformer balanced and galvanically isolated + + +## Status +Requirements collection done, first research for circuit design, but no real progress yet. + +Help is always appreciated!