When You Can Use a Webcam with the Real-Time Audio-Video Feature

If a Horizon administrator has configured the Real-Time Audio-Video feature, you can use a webcam that is built in or connected to the client computer in a remote desktop or published application. You can use the webcam in conferencing applications such as Skype, Webex, or Google Hangouts.

During the setup of an application such as Skype, Webex, or Google Hangouts on a remote desktop, you can select input and output devices from menus in the application.

For remote desktops, a redirected webcam might be named VMware Virtual Webcam in the application, or it might have the actual device name with (VDI) appended, for example, C670i FHD Webcam (VDI), depending on whether multiple webcams are supported. In published applications, a redirected webcam is always named VMware Virtual Webcam in remote sessions.

For many applications, you do not need to select an input device.

When the client computer uses the webcam, the remote session cannot use it at the same time. Also, when the remote session uses the webcam, the client computer cannot use it at the same time.

Important: If you use a USB webcam, do not connect it from the Connect USB Device menu in Horizon Client. Doing so routes the device through USB redirection and the performance is not usable for video chat.

With a remote desktop, if more than one webcam is connected to the client computer, you might need to configure a preferred webcam, depending on how a Horizon administrator has configured the remote desktop. With a published application, you can use only one webcam in remote sessions, and you must configure a preferred webcam.

For more information, see Select a Preferred Webcam or Microphone on a Windows Client System.