Join a session as a guest

What You Need

All you need is a phone, tablet or laptop with an up-to-date web browser, and a mobile data or Wi-Fi connection. There is no app to download and no account to create.

Parlabase shows the translation as text on your screen. Nothing is played out loud, so you don’t need headphones.

Joining a Session

There are three ways in, and they all take you to the same place:

• Scan the QR code the host shows on screen or in printed material, using your phone’s camera.
• Open the session link the host shared, for example the one printed under the QR code.
• Go to parlabase.com/join, type the session code and press "Join session".

You will then see the name of the session and "Choose your language". The language starts on English, so press it and choose your own language first. You can search for it by typing its name in English or in your own language.

Then press "Join session".

If the code doesn’t match a session, you will see "No active session matches the code" with the code you entered. Check the code with the host and press "Try another code".

Reading Along

You will see what is said in the original English, with your language beneath it. The English appears as it is spoken, and the translation follows moments after. If you chose English, you will just see the English.

The newest lines appear at the bottom and the page scrolls by itself. If you scroll up to read something again, it stops scrolling, and you can press "Latest" to go back to the newest line.

Keep the screen on while you read. Parlabase asks your phone to stay awake from the moment you join until you close the page, including while you wait for the session to start or to carry on, where your browser allows it. If the screen locks or you switch to another app, the text can stop arriving, so unlock your phone and reload the page if it has stalled.

Reloading takes you straight back into the session in the language you chose. If the page then says "Your screen may turn off while you read.", press "Keep screen on".

A long service or event uses more battery with the screen on, so if your battery is low, plug in if you can. Close the page once you have finished reading, so the screen can turn off. If you opened the link inside another app and the screen still turns off, open it in your phone’s own browser instead.

Changing Language

You can change language at any time. Press the settings button, the gear icon at the top right of the screen, to open "Session settings". Press your language, choose a new one and press "Save".

The text on your screen starts again in the new language. What you had already read may not all come back, but everything said from then on arrives in your new language. If you asked for the transcript by email, it switches to your new language too.

What the Status Means

The badge at the top right of the screen shows what the session is doing:

• Not started means the host hasn’t gone live yet, and you will see "Waiting for the host to start broadcasting." Keep the page open and the text appears as soon as they do.
• Live means the session is being translated now.
• Paused means the translation has stopped for now, for example during a song. It carries on when the host resumes. If it paused by itself, a notice explains why, such as "Paused — the broadcast is stopped for now and will resume automatically."
• Waiting for host… means the host’s connection has dropped. Keep the page open and the text carries on when they are back.
• Reconnecting… means your own connection has dropped, and Parlabase keeps trying to reconnect. If it doesn’t come back, check your signal or Wi-Fi and reload the page.
• Ended means the broadcast is over. You will also see it if you join before the host goes live on a session they have used before. Keep the page open, and if the host goes live again on the same session the text carries on.

A notice can also appear at the top of the screen while you are reading:

• "Live translation to your language isn’t available on the host’s plan — showing English." You will read English until your language becomes available, and then it starts by itself.
• "Live translation has paused — we’re working on it, and it should resume shortly. Showing English meanwhile." Your language comes back by itself as soon as the translation is working again.

Getting the Transcript

If the host offers it, the join screen has a switch under the language, "Email me the transcript". Turn it on and a box appears for your email address. Enter it and press "Join session". If the switch isn’t there, the host isn’t offering the transcript for this session.

Shortly after the session ends we email you a copy in the original English and in your language, with a version showing both together. It is what you would have read live.

If you haven’t confirmed your address with this church or organisation before, we first email you a link to confirm it, and the transcript is sent once you have. After that, transcripts from the same church or organisation are sent without asking again, for as long as we keep your address.

To confirm, press "Confirm my address" in the email, and again on the page it opens. If you don’t confirm, the transcript isn’t sent.

Until the transcript has been sent, you can change the address or stop it in "Session settings". Change the address, or turn the switch off, and press "Save".

You can also ask once the session is over. When it ends, the bottom of the screen says "This session has ended. We can email you the transcript." Press "Get the transcript", turn on "Email me the transcript", enter your email address and press "Save". The offer stays open for a limited time after the session ends, so it’s best to ask before you leave the page. If you have already asked, that line says where the transcript is going instead, with a "Change" button.

If the host ends the session and goes live again while you keep the page open, you will receive a separate transcript for each part.

Making the Text Bigger

Pinching to zoom may not work on the reading page, but your phone can still make the text bigger:

• On an iPhone or iPad, turn on Zoom in Settings › Accessibility › Zoom. Then double-tap the screen with three fingers to zoom in or out.
• On Android, in Chrome, open the menu and go to Settings › Accessibility. Drag the zoom or text size slider to make the text bigger.