Mumble for use as translation

Reason for Project: Translation equipment is very expensive and increasing becoming hard to find. We researched this project when we had to facilitate a meeting with attendees speaking different languages. What we needed a broadcast system customized for events.

Requirements: The solution had to be light (low bandwidth), fast (no delay), secure and able to used across different platforms. Our final choice was between Teamspeak, Ventrillo and Mumble. We chose mumble because it was easy to install and it was open source(free to use).

Solution: Mumble is a gaming audio server/client system that was developed to allow gamers across the world to verbally interact in real time while playing an online multiplayer game. It can be hosted on an external ‘hosted’ server or on an internal personal computer. The Mumble clients are PCs, MACs, Linux, Android smart devices and iOS smart devices.

Implementation:

1. Choice of local desktop computer or externally hosted server:

For a local meeting where multi-language meetings are frequent a local desktop is recommended. In the event that your group travels from location to location an externally hosted server is recommended.

  1. For internal solution, you will have to download the Mumble server which is known as Murmur. Download Murmur here http://mumble.sourceforge.net/Installing_Mumble
    Tips: 1> Set static IP address on server, 2> make sure clients and server are on same network, open firewall for port on local server and 3> if you get certificate error you can download certificate here.
  2. For hosted solution we chose www.mumbleboxes.com. There is a 7 day trial, several servers and great price. Click here to let them know that we referred you. http://j.mp/1qGvxXq

2. Downloading and installing clients:

  1. For PC, MAC and Linux, please go to http://mumble.sourceforge.net/
  2. For iOS device, go to AppStore and search for Mumble by Mikkel Krautz or click here on device
  3. For Android device, go to Google’s Play Store and search for Mumble by LordMarty (or click here from device). An alternative is Mumble for Android Beta by NorskFjellGeit (or click here from device).

3. Configuring clients:

  1. Open client
  2. Enter server and port(Murmur computer or from external host). For example 192.168.1.100:64738
  3. Have listeners mute their client and the speaker unmuted
  4. Tip: you can use headphone splitter so that multiple people can use one device. We chose this.

Conclusion: We were able to implement both internal and external solutions and have been functioning for past four years. In one scenario, we had four languages being translated using four wireless networks and the translator’s laptop acting as the Murmor server and Mumble client.