Device settings explained

Last updated October 1, 2026 For: Church admins and tech volunteers fine-tuning a translation device

On this page

Each device has a Settings tab in the Dashboard. This article explains every setting on it, using the same labels you see on screen. SW1 boxes and Web devices show different settings, because a browser handles its own microphone.

Who it's for#

  • Organization admins. Other team members can view settings but not change them. They see "View only — ask an organization admin to change this device's settings."

Before you start#

Open the Settings tab#

  1. In the Dashboard, open Devices.
  2. Click the device's card.
  3. Open the Settings tab.
  4. Change what you need. The Save Settings button at the bottom becomes active once something has changed.
  5. Click Save Settings.

If the device is offline, you see "Settings saved. The device is offline — they will be applied when it reconnects." Language changes reach an online device within seconds, even during a service.

Device detail window on the Settings tab showing the Audio, Audio I/O Tuning and Translation cards, with the Save Settings button at the bottom

Info (all devices)#

  • Device Name — How the device appears on the Devices page.
  • Description — A note for your team, for example "Behind the aux board".
  • Add Photo / Change Photo — A picture of the device or where it lives. A landscape image works best.

Click Save under these fields to save them. They're saved separately from the settings below. SW1 boxes also show read-only details such as Software Version, Registered and Supported Languages.

SW1 settings#

Audio#

  • Input Device — Which audio input on the box carries the pastor's microphone. Click the refresh button next to it to rescan the box's inputs, for example after you plug something in.

Audio I/O Tuning#

  • Manage mic input gain — On (default): SermonWave sets the box's input level to Mic input gain %. Off: the input stays at whatever level it was set to by hand.
  • Mic input gain % — Input level from 1 to 100. Default is 80. Use the Mic Input meter on the device card to check it. You want good while someone speaks.
  • Manage TTS output volume — On (default): SermonWave sets the volume of the translated voice coming out of the box to TTS output volume %. Off: the output stays at its manual level.
  • TTS output volume % — Translated-voice volume from 1 to 100. Default is 40. This only affects audio played out of the box itself, not what listeners hear on their phones.
  • Adaptive catch-up speed — On (default): if the translated voice falls behind a fast speaker, it speeds up a little, then returns to normal when it catches up.
  • Stream live floor audio to /listen — Off by default. When on, the box sends the full-quality room microphone to your listener page. Remote listeners can then hear the live service in the original language, and your team can use Monitor audio on the Live tab. Saving this setting restarts audio capture, so don't change it during a service.

Translation#

  • Source Language — The language being spoken: Auto-detect, English, Español or Français. Auto-detect works, but choosing the language you know is being spoken improves accuracy.
  • Target Languages — Tap each language to turn it on (filled) or off (outlined). The list shows the languages set up for this device. When the source isn't English, English appears as a target. To add a language that isn't listed, contact support.
  • Audio Output Routing — For boxes that play translated audio out of their own audio outputs (for example to headphone or assistive-listening transmitters). Choose an output for each language. Each language must use a different output.

Transcription#

  • Speed — Fast, Balanced (default) or Accurate. Fast shows words sooner but can clip words at phrase breaks. Accurate waits for more complete thoughts. Balanced is right for most services.
  • Noise Filter — From Pick Up Everything to Speech Only. Start in the middle. Move toward Speech Only if you see nonsense text during music or crowd noise. Move toward Pick Up Everything if a soft-spoken speaker's words are being missed.
  • Reset to Defaults — Puts Speed and Noise Filter back to their defaults.

Post-Processing#

  • Enable post-processing — On (default): after each service, SermonWave creates a summary, translations and translated audio for your sermon archive. Off: the recording is saved, but no processing runs. Turn it off for test devices or for content that isn't a sermon.

Web device settings#

A Web device picks its microphone on its own capture page, so the Settings tab has no audio input, routing or tuning cards. A note at the top explains this and has an Open web device button.

  • Translation — Same Source Language and Target Languages as above.
  • Translated voice → Spoken languages — The languages listeners can hear as a spoken voice. Captions are shown for every target language either way. You need at least one target language turned on before you can pick a spoken language.
  • Room audio → Stream room audio to listeners — Sends the original room audio to your listener page, for example for remote listeners who speak the source language.
  • Post-Processing → Enable post-processing — Same as above.

Settings you won't find here#

  • Starting and stopping — The Start, Stop and VOX (auto-start) controls are on the device card, not the Settings tab. See Live monitoring.
  • Choosing a voice — Each language uses a built-in voice. You can't pick a different voice right now.
  • Auto-start sensitivity — There's no separate sensitivity slider. Use Noise Filter if auto-start reacts to music or misses speech.

Troubleshooting#

The Save Settings button is greyed out. Nothing has changed yet. Change a setting first. If you don't see the button at all, you don't have admin rights.

"Settings saved, but the device could not apply them." The device received the settings but reported an error. Try saving again. If it keeps happening, contact support.

The Input Device list is empty. The box is offline or busy. Check that it shows Online, then click the refresh button next to Input Device.

A language is missing from Target Languages. Only the languages set up for that device are listed. Contact support to add one.

FAQ#

Do changes interrupt a live service?#

Language changes apply live without a restart. Stream live floor audio to /listen restarts audio capture, so change it before or after the service.

Who can change settings?#

Only organization admins. To change who is an admin, see Users and roles.