VMware Horizon Community
KiwiMuzzer
Contributor
Contributor

Why no Microphone when runing Horizon client on Chromebook

Our VDI run Teradici audio drivers, we use Jabra headsets .

Audio and microphone work with view desktop when accessed via Horizon client on windows 7 , and teradici Zero clients.

We have been trialling Chromebooks ,   Audio and Microphone work when using the PCoIp client app , but if we run the Horizon client , all we get is Audio, the microphone picks up no sound ?

The chromebook must be supporting usb passthrough for the PCoIp app to work, so unsure why the Horizon 6 view client is having issues . Would have expected either both to work, or neither.

Its noted the horoizon client on the google webstore is only 3.5.0 , though is dated Sept 2015

Any help much appreciated

Tags (1)
9 Replies
Linjo
Leadership
Leadership

Not sure what you mean with "PCoIP App", could you clarify?

As far as I know microphone in is not yet supported on the Chromebook client.

// Linjo

Best regards, Linjo Please follow me on twitter: @viewgeek If you find this information useful, please award points for "correct" or "helpful".
Reply
0 Kudos
KiwiMuzzer
Contributor
Contributor

The PCoIP app in question is the Teradici one that is available on the webstore, it provides zero client cabability for connection to a vdi VMware environment

PCoIP Client - Chrome Web Store

Im using a HP chromebook 14 , and the microphone definitly works, have used it via this client to use Lync within a vdi desktop presented as DaaS

I would use the permanently but Zero Client is for internal LANS, thus no good as the client if device is used in a mobile capacity , and thus connected sometimes to LAN and sometimes to Internet.

The Horizon client has seamless connection irrespective of network transport, but alas the microphone doesn't work , yet the audio is fine.

there is some related comments back in 2012/13 at Re: Input Audio/Microphone data to VM using PCoIP , but as its 2015 going 2016 , thought some progress / support would have been made.

Reply
0 Kudos
glennvelsol
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

WHich model headset are you using? I'm trying to find a good working one with our zero clients.

Reply
0 Kudos
glennvelsol
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

I don't mean to go off topic for ya but these work good with your zero clients? They are reliable (Mic and speaker work every time)?

Reply
0 Kudos
KiwiMuzzer
Contributor
Contributor

Yes, all good with teradici zero clients both Mic and speaker , and comfortable.

Reply
0 Kudos
KiwiMuzzer
Contributor
Contributor

Anyone got any update ?   As PCoip is only relevant when on LAN , lack of microphone is inhibiting the use of the chromebooks as a remote device where access is internet only .

VMWARE recently released a new version of the Horizon client for chromebook , version  4.2 , though still no microphone support.

The bit im struggling with , is that PCoip chromebook app obviously can upload the microphone stream, thus technically possible with ChromeOS , thus unsure why same method cant be utilised in the Horizon chromebook app

Surely the horizon chromebook app just needs to intercept the device stream (as per PCoip app) , and provide to the blast stream (on basis that backend doesn care specically what client is used, eg it just gets a standard protocol stream)

Reply
0 Kudos
RandyDGroves
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

I'm the CTO of Teradici. Our ChromeOS app is not intended to be used with VMware Horizon View, but with our Cloud Access Software (Teradici Cloud Access Software | Teradici PCoIP Solutions). So, I am assuming you must be using it via some sort of direct connect to the VM which is why you are saying it only works on LAN? Our Cloud Access software customers are able to use this client from the WAN just fine,

I also wanted to clarify that the USB audio to/from the headset is being locally terminated in the Chromebook and being sent over the PCoIP audio channels instead of being bridged over the USB channels. This is the same mechanism used by PCoIP Zero Clients, as well. However, when VMware implemented their RT-AV feature, they chose to use a proprietary approach that runs over a PCoIP "virtual channel" instead. This probably explains the difference, but not why VMware has not implemented this in their Chrome client.

Reply
0 Kudos
KiwiMuzzer
Contributor
Contributor

Thanks Randy , much appreciated .

Yes currently our DaaS provider only supporting the VMware horizon app via secure gateway (we use zero clients internally), will raise with them what it would take to support both (would be great if it was just the matter of opening a firewall port for PCoIP UDP ports, but suspect not) .

Hence PCoIP clients only supported on LAN in our setup .

No problems with the teradici product set,  thread really is addressed at VMWARE, and what really is restricting the bi-directional audio stream, given the teradici app shows that access to the stream is possible on chromebook H/W and ChromeOS.

Reply
0 Kudos