To put live translated captions on a projector, identify the caption view, the computer sending it and the venue display receiving it. Then check the actual projected result from audience seats; captions visible on an operator’s laptop do not establish that guests can read them.
This guide is a documentation review and an original planning worksheet, checked on 22 October 2026. It does not report a venue trial, measured translation delay or product comparison test.
Choose the audience arrangement first
| Arrangement | What to decide before booking equipment | What to check in rehearsal |
|---|---|---|
| One shared caption display | Which language everyone will see | Rear and side seats, with the event lighting |
| Slides and captions together | Who controls each region of the final image | Long captions and slide changes |
| Separate caption and slide screens | Where each screen sits relative to the speaker | Whether guests can follow both |
| Captions on guest phones | How guests open their chosen language | Joining instructions and individual devices |
These are planning options, not features promised by every service. JotMe, for example, documents moving its maximised transcript window to a projector-connected display.1 A supplier with an explicit display workflow may be appropriate when a shared screen is the main requirement. Confirm the required software, language support and licence with that supplier.
For the individual-device route, use the attendee joining checklist. Do not assume a phone page also provides a clean broadcast overlay or a dedicated projector output.
Write the picture route and the sound route separately
Fill in this chain with actual names:
Caption view → output computer and selected display → venue connection or switcher → audience screen.
Beside it, name the audio feed going into translation. The projector route and translation input need separate checks; use the audio routing worksheet for stage microphones, remote speakers and audience questions.
Ask the AV operator which screen or window is being sent. Keep private controls, messages and account details off the public output. Rehearse opening the caption view, switching slides and returning after a connection change. Record what must be reopened rather than assuming the system restores it.
If using PowerPoint’s own live subtitles, Microsoft documents separate spoken-language and displayed-language settings, plus subtitle placement controls.2 Confirm the relevant input language, version and account requirements. An output-language entry is not proof that the same language is recognised as speech input.
Check contrast, then check the room
W3C’s web contrast criterion specifies 4.5:1 for ordinary text and 3:1 for qualifying large text.3 These are useful reference values when choosing caption colours, not a projector specification, a recommended venue font size or proof of event accessibility.
Our suggested venue check is to show a changing caption containing a name, a number and a longer sentence. Ask colleagues at the rear and side seats to read the content without seeing the operator’s screen. Use the planned stage lighting and the actual screen layout. Record failures and changes; do not fill in a pass before checking.
There is no venue font size established by this article. A setting that works on a laptop must still be checked in the room. If increasing text makes captions cover a chart or speaker name, change the layout and repeat the affected checks.
Copy this display rehearsal sheet
Above the table, record the event, caption language, screen location, output device, selected view, lighting state and person authorised to change the output.
| Audience position | Caption and slide layout checked | Observed problem | Change and repeat result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rear centre | ___ | ___ | ___ |
| Rear side | ___ | ___ | ___ |
| Seat with a restricted view | ___ | ___ | ___ |
| Guest-phone alternative, if offered | ___ | ___ | ___ |
Keep a second short record: connection or view changed → who changed it → which checks were repeated → who accepted the result. This makes the worksheet useful during operator handover. It is not an accessibility certification or an accuracy score.
Decide what happens when the screen is unavailable
Agree who tells the host, what the host says and whether to pause or move to a rehearsed alternative. Use the interruption response worksheet to name the decision owner and restart check. A phone link can be an option only if that route has been checked and meets the audience’s needs. Do not treat it as an automatic substitute for an agreed access service.
For a Hong Kong event, confirm Cantonese speech input separately from Traditional Chinese text output. tlive’s documented presenter and guest flow includes a floating caption window and guest pages with individual text-size controls; one room supports the source language plus at most two translated languages. This article does not establish a dedicated projector mode or compatibility with a venue switcher.4
Where an event needs professional interpretation, arrange qualified interpreters and the appropriate delivery system. Where it needs an accessibility captioning service, agree that requirement with the audience and provider. A readable AI translation display alone does not establish either service.