Phone reader vs on-screen display — which to use?
The two modes serve different needs. Phone reader mode puts the translation on each attendee's own device — private, personal, and available in any language simultaneously. On-screen display puts the translation on your projector or confidence monitor — visible to the whole room, in one language at a time.
- Phone reader: best when multiple languages are needed simultaneously, or when individuals want a private translation experience
- On-screen display: best when one primary language group dominates, or for livestreams reaching a single-language audience
- Many churches run both simultaneously — on-screen for the dominant second language, phone reader for other languages
- On-screen display can also serve Deaf and hard-of-hearing members as live captions in the service language
Displaying translation in OBS
- 1Open your Voco display URLIn your Voco dashboard, find the Display URL for your chosen language. This URL renders the live translation as a clean text overlay — white text on transparent background.
- 2Add it as a Browser Source in OBSIn OBS Studio, click the + button under Sources and select Browser. Paste your Voco display URL. Set the width and height to match your output resolution (typically 1920×1080).
- 3Position and style the captionDrag the browser source to the bottom third of your scene. You can adjust font size, colour, and position in the Voco dashboard settings. The transparent background means it overlays cleanly on any background video.
- 4Test before the serviceRun a test with someone speaking and confirm the caption appears on screen with the expected delay (2–4 seconds). Adjust font size for readability at the back of the room.
Displaying translation in ProPresenter
- 1Use a Web Item in ProPresenterIn ProPresenter 7, go to the Slide menu and add a new Web Item. Paste your Voco display URL as the source.
- 2Send to your confidence monitor or second outputProPresenter allows you to send different content to different outputs. You can show the translation on a confidence monitor (visible to the pastor and front-of-house team) while your main screen shows slides.
- 3Use Stage Display for the pastorSome churches put the translation on the Pastor's Stage Display so the pastor can see a rough indication of what the congregation is reading — useful for pacing.
Using display mode for Deaf and hard-of-hearing attendees
On-screen English captions are valuable for Deaf and hard-of-hearing members even without translation. Voco generates accurate English captions of the live sermon that can be displayed on screen alongside your normal slides — removing the need for a BSL interpreter for spoken services.
Live captions in English aren't just for multilingual services — they serve every member who finds following a live speaker easier with text support.
