Discussion

In the Discussion menu, you can configure some general conference settings such as the microphone mode and the maximum amount of open microphones. To access this page, click the Discussion icon in the menu on the left.

Figure 1-1: Discussion page of the Technician role

Microphone mode

Different microphone modes are available and, depending on the mode, you can configure additional settings. This is only applicable to a microphone with a delegate priority. For more info on how to change the priority, go to Room Layout.

Direct speak

With direct speak, the delegates can activate their own microphone by pushing the microphone button. The following additional settings are available:

  • Override
    • Not-selected: the microphone will not become active when the maximum number of open microphones is reached and you press the microphone button. Another active microphone must switch off first. Deactivation is possible by the delegate, via the operator page, through the chairperson using the API.
    • Selected: when the maximum number of open microphones is reached, the first activated microphone will switch off when a delegate presses its microphone button.
  • Allow delegates to switch off their microphone:
    • Not-selected: when a microphone is active, the delegates are not allowed to switch off their microphone by pressing the microphone button. Only the operator or chairperson is allowed to turn off the delegates' microphone.
    • Selected: when a microphone is active, the delegates can deactivate their microphone by pressing the microphone button.
  • Button toggle activation: press the microphone button once to activate the microphone.
  • Button push activation: keep the button pressed to activate to microphone. When you release the button, the microphone will switch off.

Request

In request mode, you do not automatically activate your microphone by pressing the microphone button. By pressing the microphone button, you are put in the request list. The chairperson/operator can activate the microphone of the next delegate in the request list by pressing "Next-in-line" button . Which delegate may speak first is defined by the "first-in-first-out" principle (FIFO).

In request mode, additional settings can be configured:

  • Allow delegates to cancel their request:
    • Not-selected: the delegates are not allowed to cancel their request to speak by pressing the microphone button. Only the operator or chairperson is allowed to cancel their request by using the web page.
    • Selected: the delegates can cancel their request to speak by pressing the microphone button.
  • Allow delegates to switch off their microphone:
    • Not-selected: when a microphone is active, the delegates are not allowed to switch off their microphone by pressing the microphone button. Only the operator or chairperson is allowed to turn off the delegates' microphone.
    • Selected: when a microphone is active, the delegates can deactivate their microphone by pressing the microphone button.

Group mode

The Group mode is a semi-automatic mode for standalone conferences where less protocol has to be followed and no operator is available. Pressing the microphone button activates the microphone, unless the maximum amount of open microphones is reached. In this case, the microphone will be put in the request list. When another microphone becomes inactive, the first unit in the request list will become active.

When the chairperson presses their priority button , they deactivate all active delegate microphones, but the microphones in the request list do not automatically become active. If they want to continue, the chairperson or operator needs to press the 'Next-in-line' button .

This mode has 3 activation types: Button toggle activation, Button push activation and Voice activation.

  • Button toggle activation: press the microphone button once to activate the microphone or to put it in the request list.
  • Button push activation: keep microphone button pressed to activate the microphone or to put it in the request list.
  • Voice activation:the microphones becomes active or is put in the request list when it detects sound above a defined threshold.
    • Threshold: the system will monitor the ambient sound level and will activate the microphone when it is above the configured threshold value.
    • Hold time: determines the number of seconds the microphone stays active after detecting the last sound above the threshold.

Operator

In operator mode, the delegates cannot activate their own microphone. The microphones can only be activated using the operator/chairperson web page. The delegates can deactivate their microphone by pressing the microphone button.

Microphone functions vIP/Chairperson

When a VIP/chairperson wants to activate their microphone, they can do so by pushing the microphone button.

When the maximum number of open VIP/chairperson microphones is reached, the first activated microphone will switch off when another VIP/chairperson presses its microphone button. Additionally, when a microphone is active, a VIP/chairperson can deactivate their microphone by pressing the microphone button.

A VIP/chairperson has two extra buttons that the delegate does not have:

  • Next-in-line : the VIP/chairperson can activate the next speaker in the request list.
  • Priority :
    • short press: the VIP/chairperson can deactivate all active delegate microphones, but not other chairperson/VIP microphones.
    • long press: the VIP/chairperson can temporarily deactivate all active delegate microphones, but not other chairperson/VIP microphones. When the button is released, the deactivated microphones become active again.

Hands-Free Mode

This functionality is applicable for Wired devices only.

The hands-free mode functionality makes it possible to have all microphones always open without the participants having to push a button to speak.

With speech detection, the microphone will turn green or red on the unit (depending on how you defined the microphone settings, see section below) as soon as the person starts speaking. If there’s a camera tracking system, it will get the notification that someone is speaking, and the camera will automatically focus on the speaker.

This mode is ideal for small to medium meetings of up to 29 microphones. In that case, besides the microphones being open, gain sharing and automatic balancing system will also be applied.

In case there are more than 29 microphones in the meeting room, the first 29 microphones will have the hands-free mode activated. On the other ones, the loudspeaker will be on, but the microphone will always be off.

If some seats have been initialized but not assigned, they will be taken into account when selecting the hands-free mode.
Push to Mute

When the checkbox Push to mute is activated, the delegates can push the microphone button on their unit to mute/unmute themselves:

  • When muted, the active color of the microphone will be flashing.

  • When unmuted, the active color of the microphone will be permanent.

If a delegate has been muted by a chairperson or an operator, they cannot unmute themselves.

open microphones

With Plixus, you can set the number of open microphones between 1 and 24. This does not include the chairperson microphones. You can activate up to 8 additional chairperson microphones on top of the 24 delegate microphones.

For Confidea G4, the total number of possible open microphones is 8. You can set the number of open delegate microphones from 1 to 6. The number of open microphones for VIPs or chairpersons depends on the set number of delegate microphones. You take the number of open delegate microphones and subtract it from the maximum number of 8 microphones to know how many VIP/chairperson microphones are available

Microphone settings

Change the LED color of an (in)active microphone or a microphone in request. By default the LED of an active microphone is red and for a microphone in request green.