microphone always on mute (while not in conference)

[brunokcisco]

Our Telepresence users in VIP meeting rooms, would like to have the microphones on their MX300 always on Mute mode. Mic light should be on red. (if not in conference). Can this be set somehow by template value? Somehow else? thx

[Patrick Sparkman]

This setting that might help you is MicUnmuteOnDisconnect.

Determine if the microphones shall be unmuted automatically when all calls are disconnected. In a meeting room or other shared resources this may be done to prepare the system for the next user.

Requires user role: ADMIN
Value space: <Off/On>
Off: If muted during a call, let the microphones remain muted after the call is disconnected.
On: Unmute the microphones after the call is disconnected.

You can set this using one of the following:

• Web Interface - Configuration > Conference > MicUnmuteOnDisconnect > On
• SSH - xConfiguration Conference 1 MicUnmuteOnDisconnect Mode On
• TMS Template - Conference MicUnmuteOnDisconnect Mode On

I haven't tested it, so not sure if it will mute the microphones when disconnected or leave them in there current state if they're not muted.

[Wayne DeNardi]

That setting leaves the microphones active if they're active when the call ends (I tested it here on a SX20 and other devices running the similar TC software would be the same).

You can force them to mute on answer, or stay muted on disconnect (if already muted in call with the setting above), but as far as I can see, there is no way to force the microphones to be muted when a call ends.

If you believe there is a valid reason for this to happen, I'd suggest that you log a feature request through your local Cisco Account Manager for possible inclusion in a future software release.

Wayne
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[Patrick Sparkman]

Thanks Wayne for testing that, would have been tomorrow sometime when I could have.

So it seems what you'd like is somewhat possible as long as certain factors are considered, that being if the mics are already muted just prior to the end of the call, they would stay muted with the setting I mentioned.  Unless you're looking for a 100% automated way to do this, one thing that you could consider is getting your users into the habit of muting the microphones before they leave the room.

Another thing to consider is using TMS configuration templates and push out a persistent template to mute the microphones every so often.  Some things would need to be considered in that, depending on when the endpoint is in use, and when TMS pushes the template out, it could interfere with an active conference.  So this idea is more on the side of chance and luck.

[brunokcisco]

thx to all for your feedback.

The only idea, at the moment I see would be to get the "red lights" automatically on:

Another thing to consider is using TMS configuration templates and push out a persistent template to mute the microphones every so often. (from Patrick)

What value or setting would it be to set via the template the microphones on mute?

This would be helpful. thx

[Patrick Sparkman]

Well, I should have looked at my TMS before I posted that, as it doesn't seem to be a template option that matches the MX product line to mute the microphones, similar to doing it through the remote.  There are several options if this were a room based codec such as a C or SX Series, just not for the MX Series.  So, it looks like this isn't possible at all, unless a feature is added.  As Wayne pointed out, contact your Cisco AM.

[Wayne DeNardi]

Or educate your users, that if the endpoint isn't in a call, then it really doesn't matter whether the mics are muted or not as the audio isn't getting transmitted anywhere.

Wayne
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[Alan Ross]

Hi there,

even through this discussion is quite old. I still have the same issue as mentioned above.

Are there any news on this?

So is there a chance to automatically mute all microphones on disconnect?

Status should be "muted" if not in conference.

Many thanks in advance

[Patrick Sparkman]

There is no setting to mute the microphones on disconnect, it's something you'll have to educate your users to do as mentioned above.  As Wayne mentions, it's not really an issue if you're not in a call as you're not transmitting audio.

[Scott Nieto]

When a call ends the users can no longer see an indicator light on the microphones. Therefore, it is not uncommon for users to unknowingly leave the microphones unmuted and then enter the next call with a hot microphone.

Why would Cisco make it possible to set the codec to always start unmuted but not also have the choice to start muted?

The other, even bigger problem, is that the microphones are still active when out of a call. Users, not in a call, see the microphone has no indicator light on and press the mute/unmute button to see if the light will come on, unknowingly unmuting the microphone.

[brunokcisco]

thx for all ideas:

If you (Patrick) say:

There are several options if this were a room based codec such as a C or SX Series, just not for the MX Series.

How would it be possible for a e.g. SX20?  Via which template value? Or anyhow else?

ANy other idea for not MX devices?

thx

[Patrick Sparkman]

It's on the integrator codecs such as the C40/60/90 and SX80.  There is an option to associate each individual microphone to a specific video input, for example the camera, to where if the camera's video input went inactive where no video was being received, it would mute that particular microphone.

Audio Input Microphone [1..8] VideoAssociation MuteOnInactiveVideo
Enable association of a video source to a microphone audio input.
Off: No video source is associated.
On: A video source is associated, and the audio will be muted if the associated video source
is not displayed.

I did some testing here on a C40, however there seems to be a slight issue with it.  I associated microphone 1 with input 1, that being the camera.  As long as selfview was turned on, didn't matter if there was video from the camera or not, the microphone stayed enabled.  However, if I turned off selfview, with incoming video from the camera and without, it stayed deactivated.