Select a Preferred Webcam or Microphone on a Linux Client System

With the Real-Time Audio-Video feature, if the client system has multiple webcams and microphones, only one webcam and one microphone can be used on the remote desktop. To specify which webcam and microphone are preferred, users can configure options in the Settings menu or an administrator can edit a configuration file.

The preferred webcam or microphone is used on the remote desktop if it is available, and if not, another webcam or microphone is used.

With the Real-Time Audio-Video feature, webcams, audio input devices, and audio output devices work without requiring the use of USB redirection, and the amount network bandwidth required is greatly reduced. Analog audio input devices are also supported.

Prerequisites

Depending on whether you are configuring a preferred webcam, preferred microphone, or both, perform the appropriate prerequisite tasks:

• Verify that you have a USB webcam installed and operational on your client system.
• Verify that you have a USB microphone or another type of microphone installed and operational on your client system.
• Verify that you are using the Omnissa Horizon Blast display protocol or the PCoIP display protocol for your remote desktop.

How the Preferred Webcam and Microphone Configuration Works

Omnissa Horizon Client supports two different methods to configure the preferred webcam and microphone used for Real-Time Audio-Video: the Settings menu or the configuration file. Here's how the configuration set by each method takes effect and syncs with the other configuration.

• When a user changes the preferred webcam and microphone configuration in the Settings menu, the new configuration takes effect immediately. This configuration takes precedence over the existing configuration defined in the configuration file.
• When an administrator changes the preferred webcam and microphone configuration in the configuration file, the new configuration takes effect only after the user starts Horizon Client or reconnects to the remote session. At this time, the configuration in the Settings menu syncs to reflect the new configuration in the configuration file.
• To view the current webcam and microphone configuration, open the rtav-preferences file.

For instructions on how to set the preferred webcam and microphone configuration using either method, see the following sections.

Using the Settings Menu to Configure the Preferred Webcam and Microphone

1. Start Horizon Client and connect to a server.

2. Click the Settings button (gear icon) in the upper-right corner of the desktop and application selection window.

3. Select Real-Time Audio-Video.

4. Configure a preferred device.

   • To configure a preferred webcam, select a specific webcam or All from the Preferred Webcam drop-down menu.
   • To configure a preferred microphone, select a specific microphone or All from the Preferred Microphone drop-down menu. If you select a specific device, only the selected microphone and webcam devices are redirected to the remote desktop.

   If you select All, redirection occurs as follows:

   • For the webcam, Horizon Client selects the first webcam device that appears in the system's Video4Linux (V4L) device list.
   • For the microphone, Horizon Client selects the default audio-in device configured as described in Select a Default Microphone on a Linux Client System.