How can I configure and test audio devices and video devices for ProCall?

Update status

June 2023

Product relevance

ProCall 8 Enterprise

~~ProCall 7 Enterprise~~ (End-of-Life seit 31.12.2024)

Audio/Video wizard in ProCall

ProCall provides you with an audio/video wizard for selecting or testing suitable devices for audio/video communication and softphone. The wizard shows you the available devices. You can configure or test devices such as the headset, microphone or camera for playing and recording.

How to start the wizard?

You can find the Audio/Video wizard in the ProCall main window. Right-clicking on the Video symbol or on the three dots top right shows the menu item Start Audio/Video Wizard.

Sample screenshot: Start the wizard in the ProCall main window

To the extent that estos ProCall is also available as an icon in the notification area, the Audio/Video wizard can also be started via the context menu for this icon.

Example screenshot: Launch wizard from Microsoft Windows notification area

Audio device selection

Sample screenshot: Select your audio devices for audio/video chat and softphone

Screenshot: Audiogeräte für Audio-/VideoChat und Softphone auswählen

Select the audio devices you want to use or test for ProCall for the microphone and playback for AudioChat/VideoChat or softphone.

The Microphone selection field offers you the microphones available on the computer system. The Playback selection field offers you the selection for the desired audio output device. Another audio output device available on the system can be selected for the output of the ringing tone.

Audio settings

Configuration options for the audio settings for the selected audio device are available in the estos ProCall Enterprise client WebRTC stack:

Echo Cancellation (EC),
Automatic Gain Control (AGC),
Noise Suppression, Noise Cancellation (NS),
Call control (covered in separate following section).

A detailed explanation of this can be found in the estos ProCall 8 Enterprise client product documentation or directly in the online help, which can be called up context-sensitively via the F1 key:

In the case of poor audio communication, such as unsuitable volume, echo or reverb effects, or noise, the most optimal setting must be determined by varying the parameterizations. Since many headset manufacturers provide their own integrated audio enhancements, activating the WebRTC-integrated enhancement measures can lead to negative interference here.

However, in case of audio problems in connection with the sensitivity of the headset microphone, the call volume, the noise or echo suppression, it is also useful to install the respective software packages of the headset manufacturers in order to bring about an optimization of the audio quality with the setting options provided via them:

Jabra: Jabra Direct
Plantronics/Poly: Plantronics Hub
Sennheiser/EPOS: EPOS Connect
Yealink: Yealink USB Connect

The software packages of the manufacturers can also provide functions to update the firmware in case of problems, which is generally recommended by estos.

If the audio quality is insufficient, please also consider the settings in the Microsoft Windows sound control panel (mmsys.cpl). In particular, the level setting for the microphone used should be checked here and the audio behavior tested with lower or higher level values:

In case of unexpectedly poor sound of the outgoing speech during softphone call or audio chat, it is generally recommended to perform a cross-check with another headset.
It can also be useful to test with a simple headset without extensive intelligence of its own.

Call control

If the selected device offers call control via keys (e.g. call acceptance, mute, etc.), the otherwise gray option "Activate call control via device" is offered. This allows, for example, incoming audio/video chats to be answered and hung up again by pressing the corresponding key directly on the headset. Depending on the terminal manufacturer, this HID (Human Interface Device) functionality or feature is also referred to as EHS/Electronic Hook Switch/electronic call acceptance.

For more information, see the context-sensitive help of the Audio/Video wizard (accessible via the Help button or the F1 key) and ProCall Enterprise online Help.

For some headset manufacturers, the installation of a separate SDK may be required. If, as shown in the following example, the availability of the Plantronics Hub interface cannot be identified by the estos ProCall Enterprise client, this call control option via headset will not be available and a message Please install Plantronics Hub first will appear:

Example screenshot: ProCall audio/video wizard – activate call control – install SDK if necessary

Operation in Terminal Services environments

If estos ProCall Enterprise client is run in a terminal server session or a virtualized desktop, HID functions are generally not available. Since ProCall Enterprise client and headset are running or connected on different hosts, communication via SDK between these components is not possible. The option Activate call control via the device is therefore always grayed out and deactivated in Terminal Server mode.

Due to the lack of HID pairing, even a headset base station will not be able to play a ringtone on an incoming call to the softphone.