Cisco IP Communicator mutes all other sounds

[dalourdas]

Hi All,

I am using Cisco IP Communicator version 8.6.3.0.

Whenever I have the app open, no other sounds will play. It mutes Spotify, Youtube and etc.

I only have a softphone so it needs to be open at all times in order not to miss a phonecall. On the other hand I need to have access to other audio outputs especially Skype for Business.

Do you know if there is a setting I can change in order to have this working?

[Amit23]

Hi Dal,

it might be due to bug in that version or system issue..
please try to download latest version of cipc..
if you cucm support jabber try to sue jabber as it will give same functionality as cipc giving...
and it might resolve your issue...

also you can check on your desktop on which youa re running cipc if required any uprgeade of window or any setting that blocking your sounds of other applications..

i am using same and not faced any issue...

[franzord]

Unfortunately I confirm that as soon as i open IP Cisco Communicator, the audio of other applications decrease very significantly, difficult to hear. No setting of volume mixer changes... no known way to restore previous audio levels, unless closing IP communicator (not possible, of course, if you need it).

[MH312]

As near as I can tell, this Cisco software latching onto the audio and not letting go is by design and I haven't been able to find any setting that I have access to that changes that status.  As long as the Cisco IP communicator is running, it has complete control of the audio to your headset, any audio coming from anything other than the Cisco software is muted.  I dread having this software running during the times I am required to be answering the phone, because I cannot do anything else that needs audio until the Cisco software is completely closed and turned off.   But in management think, this is probably how they want it to work as the logic is that you're not supposed to be doing anything else but sitting staring at your screen waiting for the phone to ring.  While that may not be the actual management thought, that's what it turns into because you have no other audio other than the Cisco Communicator while that software is running. 

[franzord]

Hy MH312, I think your functioning description is correct.
But all other communication app I know (Zoom, Teams, Skype for example) have different logics and you can use it together with other audio sources (any website in browser, for example). And they are much more widespread and versatile.
To mute all other sources is not a necessary solution, it is a (wrong) decision of Cisco Communicator. Maybe a flag “mute all other sources” that you can select IF you need, should be a good solution.
I am more and more convinced that Cisco Ip Communicator is not a good solution, and I am pushing my company to use different phone-in-PC apps.

[MH312]

I've worked with our in house Cisco Administrator to try to find and change the setting that causes this problem, and never found anything that resolves the issue.    Cisco Communicator is set to seize control of the audio.  To make matters worse, if some underlying software manages to sneak some sound through, then the next time the Cisco Communicator delivers you an inbound call, you have no audio on your Cisco call until you shut the software completely off and restart it.   Frustrating and annoying are an understatement.  

[MH312]

And I'll also add in that this seizing of the audio by the Cisco Communicator software will suck the battery in a Bluetooth headset dry way faster than it would be if it were truly in a standby mode while you are waiting on the phone to ring.    The significant reduction in the battery life of the Bluetooth headset is another indicator that the Cisco Communicator is keeping an open audio channel live to the headset the entire time the Cisco Communicator software is running.