Use Zoom Audio as Hope Translator Input on Windows (VB-CABLE)
Use this setup when your main goal is to take Zoom meeting audio and feed it into Hope Translator as the sound input. Then you can share the Hope Translator broadcast link or QR code with participants so they can listen or read in their language.
The routing method is:
Zoom -> VB-CABLE -> Hope Translator
If needed, you can also send the same audio to a recorder (like OBS) and monitor it on your speakers.
Right-click the VB-CABLE setup executable and select Run as administrator (required by VB-Audio).
Complete the installation.
Restart Windows (required by VB-Audio after install).
Official source: VB-Audio states, "Extract all files and Run Setup Program in administrator mode. Reboot after installation." See the VB-CABLE page and Reference Manual (PDF).
Step 2: Route Zoom Audio into VB-CABLE
Set Zoom's speaker output to CABLE Input so VB-CABLE carries meeting audio to Hope Translator.
Preferred method: per-app output in Windows Volume Mixer
Open Zoom and join/start a meeting with active audio.
Right-click the speaker icon in Windows and open Sound settings.
Open Volume mixer.
Find Zoom in the app list.
Set Zoom's Output device to CABLE Input (VB-Audio Virtual Cable).
If Zoom is not listed yet, keep Zoom audio playing and refresh the Volume mixer view.
This captures more than Zoom, so use per-app routing whenever possible.
Step 3: Select VB-CABLE as Input in Hope Translator
In Hope Translator, select CABLE Output as your microphone/audio input source. That allows Hope Translator to receive Zoom meeting audio.
Open Hope Translator web console.
Go to microphone input settings.
Select CABLE Output (VB-Audio Virtual Cable).
Confirm Hope Translator input meter responds when Zoom audio plays.
Step 4: Start Translation and Share with Participants
Keep Zoom meeting audio running.
Confirm Hope Translator is receiving input from CABLE Output.
Start translation in Hope Translator.
Share the Hope Translator broadcast link or QR code with participants.
Participants open the link, choose their language, and listen or read in real time.
Step 5: Optional Monitoring on Speakers
Once audio is routed to VB-CABLE, you may not hear it through your speakers by default.
Method A: Windows "Listen to this device"
Open Control Panel -> Sound.
Go to the Recording tab.
Select CABLE Output.
Click Properties.
Open the Listen tab.
Enable Listen to this device.
Choose your speakers or headphones as the playback device.
Click Apply.
This works quickly but may add slight delay.
Method B: OBS audio monitoring
In OBS, open Settings -> Audio.
Set Monitoring Device to your speakers or headphones.
In the mixer, click the gear icon for your VB-CABLE source.
Select Advanced Audio Properties.
Set Audio Monitoring to Monitor and Output.
This usually gives better control than Windows listening mode.
Important Limitation
VB-CABLE carries whatever is routed to that output path:
If you route only Zoom to CABLE Input, Hope Translator receives only Zoom audio.
If you set all system output to CABLE Input, Hope Translator may receive all system sounds.
You can always use a regular microphone/speaker pickup setup in Hope Translator instead of VB-CABLE, but transcription is usually less accurate because room noise, echo, and speaker coloration affect the audio.
Troubleshooting
No input in Hope Translator: confirm Zoom output is set to CABLE Input and Hope Translator input is CABLE Output.
Zoom missing in Volume mixer: play Zoom audio first, then reopen Volume mixer.
No sound in speakers while recording: enable Windows listening mode or OBS monitoring.
Echo or delay while monitoring: use one monitoring method at a time and lower buffer-heavy processing in your recording app.