Can't hear anyone in voice calls

[kimimaru4000]

Description

When voice chatting with one person, neither participant can hear each other. This has been tested with desktop/desktop, browser/browser, and desktop/browser with all combinations, including unchecking P2P for 1:1 calls and falling back to the turn.matrix.org TURN server.

One participant is on Linux Mint and the other is on Windows 10, and both participants have different public Matrix homeservers. Both the input and output devices look fine on both ends. E2E encryption is enabled for both users. For reference, voice calls on other communication platforms are working.

Steps to reproduce

• Direct message another user to create a room with both participants.
• Attempt a voice call.
• The voice call starts, but neither participant can hear any audio.

Participants should be able to hear each other when the call starts if everything is configured properly.

Logs being sent: yes

Version information

• Platform: Both

For the web app:

• Browser: Firefox 76.0 (64-bit)
• OS: Windows 10, Linux Mint 19.3 Tricia
• URL: https://riot.im/app/, https://riot.privacytools.io/

For the desktop app:

• OS: Windows 10, Linux Mint 19.3 Tricia
• Version: 1.6.2

[kimimaru4000]

I sent the debug logs shortly after opening this issue, and I'm unsure if they've been received. I'd like some more feedback and potentially an option to view all the information I'm sending to the issue.

[t3chguy]

potentially an option to view all the information I'm sending to the issue.

#3879

[talbym]

I confirm that the audio channel ist not properly communicated in a voice or video call if using a RIOT Desktop App for Linux.

It happens as soon as at least 1 desptop app for Linux is involved in the call. I tested combinations of calls between two iPhones, the App for Win10, the App for Linux installed on Debian/testing and the App for Linux installed on Fedora. Testing all combinations (device A is calling device B, and device B is calling device A), No problems occured between iPhone and iPhone, or Win10 and iPhone, but whenever one of the Linux clients was involved, the audio channel was not communicated properly between the two parties. At least the Linux side did not receive Audio. All apps and OS have been fully updated to the newst versions as available from the Apple, Microsoft, Debian, Fedora repositories.

[jlopp]

I can confirm the same issue on PureOS (Debian 9)

Most platform combinations resulted in no audio working for either party, though some combinations resulted in audio only being transmitted one way.

[hypnotoad]

Same problem on Debian 10, happens at least at 1.6.2, but probably also with 1.6.0. I saw some pulseaudo-related error message on the command line when the call is established, but I cannot check now what exactly it was.

[jryans]

Hmm, perhaps something has changed in Electron / Chromium for desktop Linux? The next release will update to the Electron 9 series, so let's see if that helps here.

[bndw]

Same problem for macOS running https://packages.riot.im/desktop/install/macos/Riot-1.6.7.dmg. Both clients on macOS can connect but no audio/video seems to be received.

[jryans]

To be clarify, is this only affecting people on the desktop app, or also in browsers as well? @tdeeb, you listed some web versions as well as desktop are they all affected?

[kimimaru4000]

I have not used the web version since, but yes it was not working there either. Calls work when both the participant and I are on the matrix.org homeserver, but they did not when we were on different ones - in my case, I was on the privacytools.io homeserver and the participant was on matrix.org.

[talbym]

I confirm that the audio channel ist not properly communicated in a voice or video call if using a RIOT Desktop App for Linux.

It happens as soon as at least 1 desptop app for Linux is involved in the call. I tested combinations of calls between two iPhones, the App for Win10, the App for Linux installed on Debian/testing and the App for Linux installed on Fedora. Testing all combinations (device A is calling device B, and device B is calling device A), No problems occured between iPhone and iPhone, or Win10 and iPhone, but whenever one of the Linux clients was involved, the audio channel was not communicated properly between the two parties. At least the Linux side did not receive Audio. All apps and OS have been fully updated to the newst versions as available from the Apple, Microsoft, Debian, Fedora repositories.

Meanwhile for the Linux app the Audio appears to fully work again in the meanwhile updated app for Linux now called "Element" instead of "RIOT". I confirmed this on a Debian/testing "bullseye" and on a Fedora system in several call direction combinations (Debian to Fedora, iOS to Debian and Fedora, Win10 to Debian and Fedora, and all this also vice versa). So, from my point of view this issue could be closed.
!Thanks a lot for matrix.org and Element!

Element version: 1.7.4
olm version: 3.1.3
Homeserver is https://matrix-client.matrix.org
Identity Server is [none]

[jryans]

For anyone still facing this issue, can you try going to user settings -> Voice & Video -> Audio Outputs, and then change away from "Default Device" to a specific device?

After some internal testing, I believe a bug in our device handling is likely to blame for most / all of these issues, but would be good to confirm.

[SimonBrandner]

Are you all still seeing this?

[w3bb]

@SimonBrandner I'm experiencing this

[mkarg]

I experienced the same problem in a specific situation:

• Windows 10 Desktop App <-> Android App USING WLAN works pretty well for pure audio calls, but once the same Android mobile is using LTE instead of WLAN then audio is NOT WORKING (while chat messages still are working).

[okohll]

Can confirm that this is still an issue in Mac OS in Chrome browser and the workaround #13882 (comment) works

[TechGeeksIO]

I'm on MacOS 12.4 and with the Desktop App I have no sound in the voice call and also my mic is not working (everything else, like voice message is working fine), even with the workaround.

On Windows it's working fine.

Any ideas?

[Vamp898]

Having this issue on the most recent Version.

Element on the Phone works fine, i can call everyone and audio works.
I call from my Desktop (Firefox) and nobody can hear anyone.

//EDIT: It also works on Chromium just fine, but not on Firefox