#1 2008-07-01 11:11:10

**_creed_**

Switching layouts shuts off voice

Unexpected and troublesome behavior here:

We have a meeting room with a couple of layouts, one with a Camera/Voice pod and one without.  If you are in the layout with the Camera and Voice pod, with the Talk switch locked on for talking, if you turn on your camera the Talk switch remains locked on.  However, when switching to a layout without a Camera/Voice pod present, the Talk switch below the participant's area (Connect v7) shuts off, even though it was locked on. 

You would figure that if the lower Talk switch was locked on that it would remain locked on when switching from layout to layout.  In fact, it does this, unless you turn on a camera in one of the layouts.

The only way around this was to add a Camera/Voice pod to the layout that previously did not have one and hide that behind another pod.

Bottom line:
If you want to talk constantly while changing layouts, using the lower Talk switch, but also want to go to a layout that includes a Camera pod, the Talk switch will shut itself off when you move from that layout to any layout that does not have a Camera pod present.  Unless you do this workaround, it seems.

Any thoughts?
-Craig

Last edited by **_creed_** (2008-08-27 11:43:56)

**_pafell_**

Re: Switching layouts shuts off voice

The scenario you have described is exactly how it works (whether we like it that way is another conversation).  If you switch to a layout that does not have a camera and voice pod, you lose VOIP even if you were actively using it.  We do what you indicated you did -- put the pod on the layout but put it underneath one of the other pods.

In Connect 7, they separate out the camera from the voice and I believe that issue goes away and voice controls are always available.  We haven't upgraded our licensed server to Connect 7 yet but it's my understanding that the audio controls are separated in the new release.

-Paul

**_creed_**

Re: Switching layouts shuts off voice

Thanks Paul,

To clarify, as I mentioned, I am currently using Connect 7, with the separate Talk control at the bottom of the screen.  The current version of the Camera and Voice pod does not even have a talk switch, (so why it is still called Camera and Voice is beyond me).

Edit:  I guess it is still called Camera and Voice as when multiple people are using their cameras and mics, the host can control their use permissions of both.

Continuing:
I am used to this behavior happening in version 6 of Connect, and having to hide Camera and Voice pods behind other pods to save on real estate in a particular layout.

But in version 7, even with the talk control removed from the Camera and Voice pod and located separately in the interface, when that talk switch is locked on, changing layouts to one that does not have a Camera pod turns off the mic.

This is not expected behavior when the talk switch has been separated from that original pod.

Thanks,
-Craig

Last edited by **_creed_** (2008-07-01 12:27:46)

**_roysdenc_**

Re: Switching layouts shuts off voice

Craig - I have seen something similar to this, and it was because the camera/voice pod was in one layout and not the other.  In that case, we were not using the pod so we got rid of it, and everything worked.  If you are using the camera/voice pod in one layout, put it in the other layout like you did with 6 and see if you still have issues.  Likewise, try removing it all together and see if you still have issues.  Since we usually do not use the camera/voice pod I haven't said anythign to Adobe, but it looks like this is just another bug to add to the ever growing list.  Hope you get it worked out.

Chris

**_creed_**

Re: Switching layouts shuts off voice

Thanks, Chris.
We already had to use the old-school workaround of hiding the camera pod in the layout that did not need it present just so we would not lose Talk capabilities when we switched to it.

We unfortunately have a presentation mapped out where we move through a series of prepared layouts, some with camera pods, others without, with the host always talking throughout.
-Craig

**_Terry_at_RefinedData_com_**

Re: Switching layouts shuts off voice

Just a note to let you know that when you're hiding the V&C pod, you can make it as small as you like since you don't care how it displays. Then hide it below another pod like Chat or Attendees and you won't lose your audio as you switch layouts.

We generally advise clients to include the C&V pod on every layout in their templates as well as on every new layout they create since people often forget to add the C&V pod and have no idea that the audience cannot hear them when they switch from one layout to the next.

For this reason we usually create a layout called "Blank" that includes the C&V pod and perhaps a couple of other standards like Chat and HandsUp. We then create all new layouts by copying this "Blank" layout ensuring the C&V pod is never left out.

It would make more sense if Adobe fixed the issue but don't hold your breath on that one!

Terry