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epa80
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Horizon 6.2 Desktop w/ Philips SpeechMike 3200

We have been trying to setup our VDI environment to be able to utilize the Philips SpeechMike 3200 for a week or 2 now, with not much (any) success.

We're on Horizon 6.2. We're using Windows PCs or Dell Wyse 5010s w/ PCoIP thin clients are our endpoints. Thus far, the experience is the same: the VM session just isn't seeing the SpeechMike. At least how we expect to.


On my local Windows PC, when I plug in the mic, Windows automatically installs it. No need for specific drivers, no prompts, nothing. Just works. Part of this verification, is I then install the Philips Control Center on my PC. Sure enough, inside of it, we see the mic, it is able to perform all steps on the various buttons the validate the functions, we're good to go. I then connect to my VM using the Windows Horizon client. In device manager on the VM, I DO NOT see the mic. Interestingly, the functions work. The trackball moves the mouse, the audio output and input both work, that testing seems ok utilizing just standard Windows functions. When I install the control center though, it lists no device connected. This behavior is identical when using our thin client. The windows session will allow for the basic functionality, but we can't test the button functions because the control center, again, doesn't see it.

We plan on attempting to have our clinical staff test the mic within their application anyway, just to see. Perhaps the Control Center not seeing it is moot, and it will still work within the specific app. I'd just feel a bit better if control center on the VM saw it.

Am I missing anything? It looks like as of Horizon 6, Philips dictation devices are full supported.

View in VMware Horizon 6 Is Now Compatible with Philips Dictation Devices - VMware End-User Computin...

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Linjo
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Have you update the firmware on the SpeechMike? That is usually the solution to all these problems:

Here is the link:

https://www.dictation.philips.com/tw/support/product-support/product/speechmike_usb_dictation_microp...

You will need a Windows XP machine to do this, yes you read correct, Windows 7 did not work for me last time I tried but running WinXP in a virtual machine with VMware Workstation did the trick!

// Linjo

Best regards, Linjo Please follow me on twitter: @viewgeek If you find this information useful, please award points for "correct" or "helpful".
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epa80
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The only firmware related KB I saw out there, was this one here: https://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=20812...

It looks like the article stated for random interruptions with the SpeechMike, upgrade it to at least 2.19. Our mic is currently at 2.50. I see the most recent available is 2.55 I can give it a shot.

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epa80
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Well I did upgrade the firmware to 2.55, and still, no go. Within my personal VM, connecting from my PC with the Horizon 4.0.1 client and the mic plugged in, still the Philips Control Center on my VM doesn't see the device.

I attached a screenshot of what I see in device manager on the VM, as well as what I see on my PC when the mix is connected. You'll see, on the PC, Microphone (SpeechMike III) is listed under Audio inputs and outputs. No such entry exists on the VM.

As I said, part of the mic are working fine like the mouse buttons, trackball, microphone/speaker, I'm just not positive all functionality is there since I can't test it with the Control Center suite. Still waiting for our application people to test as well, but, I'd still love for the VM to see it and present it to the control center.

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Linjo
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Ok, then I am out of ideas.

I would recommend to open a SR with VMware and ask the Mike Prior have a look at this, he is the one that helped me with these issues last time.

// Linjo

Best regards, Linjo Please follow me on twitter: @viewgeek If you find this information useful, please award points for "correct" or "helpful".
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LikeABrandit
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We're running into issues here on a VDI build-out with the SpeechMike as well, also running Horizon 6.2, and I'm reaching out to Phillips for assistance since our issue is that the SpeechMike isn't functioning even when it is properly passed through to the VM. The first thing I want to note on your experience is that it sounds like RTAV is picking up your speechmike and is handling the audio in/out. You can confirm this by checking what is passing the audio on the VM, if you see "VMware Virtual Microphone" as the audio detection source, then it's VMware's Realtime Audio-Video (RTAV) that's passing that audio and not USB redirection. The trackball will also work by default because if it works on the physical then using it moves the physical machine's pointer and well... there you go, that's obviously being translated through the Horizon session like any local mouse movement (by the same token, the mouse-click button on the bottom of your SpeechMike should also work).

As to why you're not seeing the device for USB redirection, you may be missing the GPO settings for splitting the SpeechMike, which you'll need to do if you want RTAV for the audio, and to still pass the button functionality through USB redirection. You can also simply use the the GPO to "include" instead of split and pass the entire SpeechMike through USB redirection. However, the reason you want RTAV for the audio is because it keeps the audio from utilizing a large amount of bandwidth (SpeechMike is ~1Mbps according to the Nuance engineers I've been working with). If you're deploying these at a large scale 1000+, or to any remote sites or other locations where bandwidth is limited, I'd definitely recommend you utilize RTAV or another solution (such as Nuance's VMware Client Extension) to reduce your bandwidth needs.

Here's a KB regarding the Vid/Pids: Nuance SpeechMagic VMware View Extension - Supported USB Devices and USB Configuration (2068447) | V...‌ - Unfortunately that's specific to SpeechMagic and an older version of Horizon, but the split info is still relevant here, since the functionality of RTAV is very similar to that of the SpeechMagic extension. So, the VID/PID you're looking for with the 3200 is 'vid-0911_pid-0c1c'. Of course you need to have the vdm_agent admin template installed, then I'd recommend making the following changes to the GPO applying to your VMs:

To pass through the entire device using USB redirection:

Enable the following GPO and set its value to 'o:vid-0911_pid-0c1c':

Computer Configuration > Policies > Administrative Templates > Classic Administrative Templates > VMware View Agent Configuration > View USB Configuration > Include Vid/Pid Device

To pass through the button functionality and leave the audio for RTAV:

Enable the following GPO and set its value to 'o:vid-0911_pid-0c1c(exintf:00;exintf:01;exintf:02;exintf:03)'

Computer Configuration > Policies > Administrative Templates > Classic Administrative Templates > VMware View Agent Configuration > View USB Configuration > Client Downloadable only Settings > Split Vid/Pid Device


After configuring those you should be able to redirect the speechmike via USB redirection. This is where my issue begins, I can split the speechmike and redirect it, but it doesn't function in the VM with or without the Phillips SpeechMike drivers installed. The only part that works is VMware's RTAV, just like your situation. If I redirect the entire SpeechMike, I have the same issue, the audio works via the USB redirection now instead of RTAV, but both with and without the SpeechMike drivers the buttons do not function. Hope my info on this is helpful, sorry for the wall of text.


~LikeABrandit

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LikeABrandit
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Wanted to update with this documentation from Phillips regarding their directions on making this work. It still leaves me at the same state, since I don't want to use their extension install (we have uncontrolled physical endpoints, installing additional software is a problem on those) and their direction on how to split the device is identical to what we're already doing (and what I detailed in the previous post) without success. Still, using Phillip's extension may be an option for you, so I wanted to include the info.

~LikeABrandit

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Maarten_Caus
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Hi,

I implemented it following the directions of Philips with splitting the Vids and the Pids, and the extension in a hostpital and than it works.

Without it, the foot control and the speechmike did not work correctly. The only way it worked for me was to factory reset the Speechmike and use the default firmware.

Than every button and the trackball works.

Kind regards,

Maarten

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epa80
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Is there any reason I wouldn't see the "USB Configuration Settings" under Classic Administration Templates/VMware View Agent Configuration? Do I have the wrong ADM/ADMX?

And I guess I'm also missing where you can download/obtain the extension drivers.

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epa80
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When I talk into the mic, I'm seeing input coming from the "Teradici Virtual Audio Driver", not the "VMware Virtual Microphone". I'm doing my testing on a Dell Wyse 5010 PCoIP w/ ThinOS terminal.

As I replied previously, I don't see that GPO setting anywhere. We don't have anything for USB under the view agent config. That's really throwing me off.

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LikeABrandit
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Sorry for the delayed response, it's been incredibly busy lately. Here's the info on the GPOs: Add View ADM Templates to a GPO‌. The adm file named vdm_agent needs to be added to get those options.


So if you're seeing the Teradici audio driver, then you have audio passing through Teradici's driver/extension which is fine. It shouldn't impact your end results vs using RTAV assuming it's functioning correctly.


In my situation I've been working with Philips and Nuance engineers and am currently being forced to use Philip's client/server extensions, which are also documented in the PDF guide I linked. Unfortunately, Philips hasn't vetted their configs with Horizon since early 5.x, but the idea is to install an extension on both the client (endpoint) and server (VDI VM) which passes the controls for the buttons. I'm working through additional documentation regarding the driver and control configurations on the SpeechMike since we're currently having issues properly splitting it (and having it function).


The end result is there are the two following options:


Option 1:

    Client (Endpoint) Control:

    RTAV/Teradici for audio

    SpeechMike controls redirected


    Server (VM) Control:

    RTAV/Teradici for Audio

    vdm_agent.adm GPO configured to split SpeechMike controls for redirection

Option 2:

    Client (Endpoint) Control:

    RTAV/Teradici for audio

    "Client" extension from Philips installed

    Server (VM) Control:

    RTAV/Teradici for audio

     "Server" extension from Philips installed

That's not to say these are the only two options by any means, but currently the only option I can get to function is option 2, where we no longer need the GPO. This unfortunately means we need to have control over the Endpoints (i.e., it's painful news for BYOD). If I can find the problem/solution with the split configs I'll update here.

~LikeABrandit

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epa80
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Finally found why the GPO setting wasn't there. The vdm_agent.adm was old. Once I put in the new one, the option was there, and I did set the Include Vid/Pid value as you stated. I applied it to my test ou and myself as the security filter, but, thus far I'm still not seeing the philips speechmike as a device in control center. Going to give it a bit more time, maybe I'm jumping the gun.

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epa80
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Made some headway.

I am now able to see the SpeechMike inside of the Philips Control Center on my personal VM. Once I edited my local Group Policy Editor to include the vid/pid for the mic in the View Client Config - View USB Config, it worked. I didn't even need to attach to a VM with the GPO for the view agent setting of the same purpose. Just having the client setting allowed me to attach the mic. Now my quandary becomes trying to get it to work with our Dell Wyse ThiNOS terminals. Have a ticket open with them as so far, no luck.


Thanks. Not sure I'm out of the woods totally yet, but, making some progress.

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epa80
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Are the extensions form Philips something that needs to be purchased?

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epa80
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Ok, some progress.

I am using a Dell Wyse ThinOS terminal for this testing. The line "Device=vusb ForceRedirect=0x0911,0x0c1c,0x01,0x01,0x00" HAS to be in my wnos.ini. Mandatory. Must be there. Without it I get nothing.

A step I never performed was, after my session was started, unplugging the mic and reconnecting it. I had always had the mic connected from the very start, the bootup of the terminal. Today though, I got into my Windows 7 VM session, unplugged the mic from the terminal, and plugged it in. Magically, the "found new hardware " tray icon popped up, suddenly I saw SpeechMike III in the device manager, as well as in the local Philips Control Center suite. The only drawback is the VM is asking for a restart to finish the driver install, and since I'm using a linked clone pool to test, that refreshes on logoff, I got stuck there. I'm in the process of standing up a dedicated pool now.

One oddity was that, prior to unplugging and re-plugging, the mic worked fine in several ways: the trackball was fine, the sound out was fine, and the sound in was fine. After unplugging/re-plugging, even after the device was added properly (notwithstanding the need for a reboot of course) now there was no sound out, could not record sound, and the trackball did not work. For now I am chalking it up to the VM needing a reboot, but, we'll see about that soon enough.

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epa80
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After propping up my parent image with the microphone attached through vCenter before snapping it, I now have a new linked clone pool spun off that, and awesome, the mic now works right out of the gate in my session. It's in device manager, it shows up in the Philips control center, the buttons pass their test, looking good.

But of course a hiccup or 2. The trackball isn't working. Perhaps I should look to split it on the View agent side instead of the full pass through. The sound input is coming through "USB Audio device" inside of Windows. There's 2 other recording devices listed there, the Teradici Virtual Audio Driver, and the VMware Virtual Microphone. Doesn't look like sound is coming in through them. Sound is also not coming out of the mic, but, that may not matter.

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epa80
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More fun. Here I thought it wouldn’t be weird.

If the terminal boots up with the mic plugged into it the whole time, when you sign into your VM session, Windows doesn’t see it. So you unplug/replug, it goes to add it on the VM but needs a reboot. Even though we did the driver on the gold.

Ok. If the terminal boots up without the mic plugged in, then you plug it in and go into your session, you’re good as gold. Well, not gold, you’re at the part where I detailed earlier the trackball doesn’t work, but at least the device shows up right and the buttons test fine.

Wow.

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epa80
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Update.

I'm very very close I think, but, not quite 100%.


In terms of GPO, I am not doing anything client/server based right now. In the thread a few settings were discussed, but, for now I am at a point where I have not had to use them (still to be determined).


I am doing a redirection on my thin client, a Dell Wyse ThinOS Terminal, and it seems that the mic is showing up in the VM the way I expect. Of course we need further testing, but, right now it's solid. Inside the Philips control center software the Mic is there. The buttons respond to their individual tests, and sound input into the mic is coming across as the SpeechMike, not the teradici driver or the VMware virtual mic.


However, I do have the issue where, when operating the trackball, the mouse is indeed moving/responding, but the cursor on the screen flickers. It never moves. Anyone seen something similar before? The mouse pointer operations MAY NOT be a show stopper for me, but, man I'd like to get it fully functioning.

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