Overview

Configuring your microphone and speakers (headset) is essential in collaborating through the Sococo app. Not having audio set up correctly can cause you not to hear others or others not hearing you during the Sococo meetings. Issues can be with Sococo or OS audio settings, devices, or connection.

This article demonstrates the basic steps of reviewing audio settings and resolving common audio issues in the Sococo web app and desktop client.

Solution

There are several steps in troubleshooting audio issues:

Reviewing Sococo Audio Settings
Troubleshooting Audio issues
Troubleshooting Application Issues

Reviewing Sococo Audio Settings

If you are having audio issues with Sococo, here's a list of settings to check when confirming that your audio is configured correctly.

• Sococo microphone is turned ON

  Make sure to turn on your microphone so others can hear you. 
  
  The microphone will be visible on your avatar once enabled, and the menu will show the option to turn it off.
  You can review all about this feature in Turning the Microphone On or Off. It is important to select the correct microphone from the drop-down list.
  If you have reached the limit of media usage for the month, you will see the notification appear and you cannot turn on your microphone. In that case, a Sococo administrator will need to purchase more media minutes.

• Sococo audio settings - Test your Microphone

  Confirm that the audio is configured properly by following the steps in the article: Audio Settings.

  Make sure you select the appropriate microphone device and use the feedback indicator to confirm if your microphone is working. 
  
  If you see the green "My, what a lovely voice you have!...", Sococo is picking up the audio from your microphone accurately.
  
  If the app is still requesting you to "sing a song", Sococo is not getting sound from your microphone and you need to troubleshoot audio settings further.

Troubleshooting Audio issues

• You are using Google Chrome? Review Chrome permissions

  If your microphone is still not working (only applicable for the Sococo web app), confirm that you have "Allowed" Chrome to access your microphone. If you are having issues with setting the correct device permissions, follow these troubleshooting steps from Google Chrome. 
  
  It is not advised to use Incognito mode. If you are having issues with permissions, try using a regular account, not Incognito.

• You are using macOS? Review macOS permissions

  For macOS, you need to allow permissions for your Google Chrome or Sococo desktop app to use certain resources on the Operating System. To do that, allow usage in your Privacy Settings.
  
  To review steps in detail, review missing macOS permissions.

• Check your headsets toggle

  If your audio is not working, check if your headset is hard muted. Find the switch or button to unmute your headset. Some audio headsets have a volume/mute control on the cord and it is easy to inadvertently hit the mute button while leaning forward against your desk.

  Double-check the volume level and make sure your microphone hardware is not mute or not in a level 0 volume.

• Check your Operating System sound settings

  If your computer has a mute button for speaker output, check to make sure it is not turned on.

  • For Mac users:

    Go to System Preferences > Sound > Output.
    Ensure your speakers are not muted.
    

  • For Windows users:
    right-click on the volume icon in your Windows task tray (typically this is in the lower-right corner of Windows by the date and time).

    You will either see Playback devices or Open Sound settings (depending on your version of Windows). If you see Playback devices, click on this option.

    
    In the pop-up window that opens, double-click on your speakers on the list.
    If you see Open Sound settings, click on this option, and click Choose your output device option below and click on Device properties.
    In the Speakers Properties window, go to the Levels tab.
    Apart from checking that your volume is turned up, ensure that the speaker icon does not show a circle with a line through it. If it does, click on this icon to unmute your speakers.

    

• Are you using Mac OS v10.12 or earlier?

  1. If you are on a Mac OS Version 10.12 or earlier, there are known cases where the OSx audio stack fails. This often involves the simultaneous use of competing RTC applications such as Facetime, Skype, Zoom, GoToMeeting, etc. In cases where RTCs are running, Sococo is unable to capture input from audio devices. To fix this, follow these steps:
     1. On a Mac, quit FaceTime (or other RTC applications).
     2. Make sure that other processes are not blocking the device access:
     1. Open Activity Monitor.app (Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor.app)
     2. Select All Processes from the drop-down menu next to the search bar called Filter and type in coreaudio.
     3. Select the process name and click the Quit Process button at the top. Click Quit or Force Quit from the resulting dialogue box.
     3. Restart Google Chrome (for Sococo web app) or the Sococo desktop client (for the native Sococo installed in your Mac).

• Audio volume is decreasing for other applications while using Sococo?

  If the sound on other applications is decreasing when you are using Sococo, it is most likely due to your Sococo and OS settings. If you are using the Communications Settings for your audio,
  
  and your OS settings are to reduce volume for this type, you will have this issue.
  
  To fix the issue you need to either change the Sococo settings not to use Communications or your OS settings not to reduce volume. You can find all steps in detail here. 

• You can hear echo?

  The most common reason for echo is a meeting attendee's built-in speakers re-broadcasting audio over their built-in microphone. The best solution for this is to use headsets because they often have better echo cancellation than many built-in microphones. If not possible, there are other ways to reduce or stop the echo.

  • make sure your "Listen to this device" setting is turned OFF.
  • have everyone disable their mic unless they speak

  For details see Echo and Feedback.

• You have reached your limit of media usage for the month?

  A Monthly media limit is introduced to embedded media usage.
  When Organization passes the monthly allowance, this message will appear when you try to start your media (microphone, camera, screen share...)
  
  For details on how to purchase more minutes, see Media Usage Limit.

• No [speaker/camera/microphone] detected

  If your browser or operating system cannot detect the microphone or speaker, Sococo will show a warning that the device is not detected.
  
  You need to check if your devices is connected properly or reconnect them.
  For details, see Unable to Discover Media Device Alert: No [speaker/camera/microphone] detected

Troubleshooting Application Issues

If all the settings above are correct, and none of the Troubleshooting Audio Issues solved the issue, review the possible application and media issues by following the Application Troubleshooting steps. 

Testing

After attempting all of the above solutions based on your configuration and Sococo setup, the audio input and output will now let you hear any presentations while letting you communicate with other Sococo members. If you are still having issues with your audio, please follow up on a ticket with Support including all the details and steps you tried so far.

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