Select a Default or Preferred Webcam or Microphone on a Linux Client System

If you connect multiple webcams or microphones to the client, you can use one preferred webcam and one preferred microphone in a remote desktop with the Real-Time Audio-Video feature. To specify which webcam or microphone is 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, all webcams and microphones are redirected.

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

Prerequisites

• If you are configuring a preferred webcam, verify that the webcam is installed and operational on the client system.
• If you are configuring a preferred microphone, verify that the microphone is installed and operational on the 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 from the Preferred Webcam drop-down menu.
   • To configure a preferred microphone, select a specific microphone from the Preferred Microphone drop-down menu. If you select Default, the default microphone configured in the client system settings is used. If you select a specific device, only the selected devices are redirected to the remote desktop.

   If you select All, redirection occurs as follows:

   • For the webcam, Horizon Client redirects all the devices that appear in the system's Video4Linux (V4L) device list.
   • For the microphone, Horizon Client redirects all the audio input devices attached to the client system.