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Most SW1 problems come down to three things: network, audio input, or a part of the box that needs a restart. Start with the lights on the box and the device card in the Dashboard. Then find your symptom below.
Who it's for#
- Volunteers who look after the SW1 box in the sound booth.
- IT staff or network admins who need to know what the box needs.
Before you start#
- Look at the box's five status lights. They're explained in Set up your SW1 box.
- Open Devices in the Dashboard and click your SW1's card. Look at the Live and Status tabs. See Monitor a live session.
Quick check: the lights#
| What you see | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| No lights at all | No power | Check the power supply and the outlet. |
| Light 1 keeps blinking green for more than 2 minutes | The box didn't finish starting | Unplug the power for 10 seconds and plug it back in. |
| Light 2 red | The box can't reach SermonWave | See "The box is Offline" below. |
| Light 3 red | Waiting: idle or armed for auto-start | Normal before and between services. |
| Light 3 green | Recording and translating | Normal during a service. |
| Lights 4 and 5 off while someone speaks | No audio coming in | See "No audio" below. |
| Light 5 red | Input is clipping | Turn down the sound board output to the box. |
Network and firewall requirements#
The SW1 box works on most church networks with no changes. It needs:
- A wired network connection that hands out addresses automatically (DHCP).
- Outbound internet access. The box only makes outgoing connections. You don't need to open any incoming ports.
- Outbound HTTPS (TCP port 443).
- An outbound UDP connection that the box uses for its secure link to SermonWave. Some strict firewalls block outbound UDP. If yours does, contact support for the port to allow.
- No sign-in page. Guest networks that make you accept terms in a browser (captive portals) block the box. Use a staff network instead.
If your network uses a content filter, ask support for the addresses to allow, and add them before the next service.
Troubleshooting#
The box is Offline in the Dashboard.
- Check that light 1 is solid green. If not, the box is still starting or has no power.
- Check that the network cable is firmly connected at both ends. Try another cable or network port.
- If light 2 stays red, the box can't reach SermonWave. Check the firewall needs above, or ask your IT person if anything changed recently.
- Unplug the power for 10 seconds and plug it back in. Wait 2 minutes.
- Still offline? Contact support.
No audio: the Mic Input meter says silent.
- Check the audio cable between the sound board and the box.
- Make sure the sound board output going to the box is unmuted and turned up, and that the pastor's mic is sent to it.
- Open the Settings tab and check Input Device. Click the refresh button next to it, choose the right input, and click Save Settings.
- Check that Manage mic input gain isn't set to a very low Mic input gain %.
Audio stopped in the middle of a service and doesn't come back. The box's audio input can occasionally lock up. The box normally recovers by itself within a few seconds. If it doesn't, unplug the box's power for 10 seconds and plug it back in. If it happens often, contact support.
The meter shows good, but no captions appear.
- Open the Live tab and wait 10 to 20 seconds of continuous speech.
- Check the Status tab. If anything says Stopped, click Recycle on the device card.
- If the room is noisy or has music, move Noise Filter toward Speech Only in Device settings.
- Check Source Language. If it's set to the wrong language, captions may be missing or wrong.
Captions appear, but one language has no translation. Open Settings and check that the language is turned on under Target Languages. Then click Save Settings.
No translated voice comes out of the box's own outputs. Check Audio Output Routing. Each language needs its own output. Also check TTS output volume % and the volume on the connected speaker or transmitter. This doesn't affect what listeners hear on their phones.
The session didn't start on its own. Check that the card shows Armed. If it shows Idle, turn on the VOX switch on the card, or press Start. After a power cut, the box arms itself again once it has finished starting.
A session started during music or announcements. Auto-start reacts to speech it can understand. Move Noise Filter toward Speech Only, or send only the pastor's mic to the box.
The session ended during a long prayer or worship set. A session ends after several minutes with no speech. If VOX is on, a new session starts when speaking resumes. Sessions from the same service are grouped together in your archive.
"Pipeline degraded: …" appears in the Dashboard. One part of the box stopped. Click Recycle on the card. If it keeps coming back, restart the box and contact support.
Settings don't take effect. If the box was offline, the settings are applied when it reconnects. If you see "Settings saved, but the device could not apply them", save again, then contact support if it repeats.
The recording isn't in the archive yet. The box finishes the recording about 10 minutes after the last speech, then uploads it. Processing takes more time after that. Leave the box powered on and online after the service.
FAQ#
Is it safe to unplug the box?#
Yes. When it's powered on again, it starts and reconnects by itself. Try not to unplug it during a service or right after one, while it's still uploading.
Can I move the box to another room or network?#
Yes, as long as the new network meets the requirements above. The box keeps its settings.
What should I send support?#
Your church name, the device name, what the lights show, and roughly when the problem started. A screenshot of the Status tab helps too. See Contact support.