One transmitter. Six channels. Two systems fewer.
Interpretation, breakout sessions and accessible listening used to run on separate systems. With Auracast, they run on the same one.
Why two systems used to be necessary
| Criterion | Tour guide and interpretation system | Induction loop system |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | Event budget, often rental | Accessibility budget, often a building project |
| Technology | analogue UHF radio, DECT, infrared | loop installed in the floor or ceiling |
| Channels | several | one |
| Receivers | manufacturer-locked | hearing aid with a telecoil |
| Trigger | congress with interpretation | refurbishment, complaint, standard |
| Reaches hearing aids | no | yes |
| Reaches speakers of other languages | yes | no |
Swipe horizontally to view the full table.
Two systems, two budgets, two procurement processes and two maintenance contracts. Neither can do what the other one does.
What this looks like in practice
Channel 1 – original audio. What is said on stage, unchanged.
Channel 2 – English. The interpreter works in the booth and their audio reaches the same transmitter.
Channel 3 – breakout. A workshop runs in parallel at the back of the hall. Anyone who wants to change presses one button.
Channel 4 – accessible mix. Speech is raised and room reverberation is reduced. This channel reaches Auracast hearing aids directly.
Four channels, one transmitter and one receiver stock. The same distribution desk at the entrance and the same charging process overnight.
One device, two budgets
The system is purchased from the event budget and also meets the requirements for accessible listening.
Or the other way round: it is purchased from the accessibility budget and then enables multilingual events without requiring a second system.
For venues that need both, procurement is the real difference, not the audio.
Where the calculation has limits
Six streams means six speech channels, not six music channels. Available airtime is limited, and a high-quality stereo stream uses a large share of it.
Auracast does not replace the induction loop either. It sits alongside it. For the coming years, parallel operation is the right answer, not immediate replacement.