3CX Phone software and USB headset issue

[semmelbroesel]

Hi.
I'm wondering if anyone else has run into this issue and found a solution.
I use the free 3CX Phone software for Windows (version 6.0.19548.0) and a Logitech USB headset.
In the preferences, my regular speakers are set for ringing, and my headset for microphone and in-call speaker.
When I restart my computer and the 3CX phone opens (relatively late among all the programs I run), I always have to go back into the Preferences and reset the Speaker setting - it keeps "forgetting" my USB headset (only as speaker, not for microphone) and pick an output on my audio card that has nothing plugged into it.
I somehow imagine the hardware drivers for the USB headset to be done loading way before the phone software can start, so I don't know for sure what is causing this.
I found where the settings for the software are stored:
c:\Users\MyUserName\AppData\Local\3CX VoIP Phone\3CXVoipPhone.ini
I'm wondering if setting this to read-only might work as a bandaid fix...
Since I'm not paying for support, all I could do was send an email to the info email address noting this as a potential bug report, but I have not heard back at all, and I probably won't.
So now I'm asking the community
Any thoughts?
Thanks!

 

[leejor]

Have you tried manually starting the phone after giving the PC enough time to detect the USB headset? If that works, then 3CX starting before the PC knows that the headset exists.

I've seen a similar problem when using Bluetooth. You have to establish the BT headset before starting the phone app or it won't be listed as an audio option.

 

[semmelbroesel]

Hi.
I haven't tried that yet, but I will.
The only thing that kinda goes against this theory is that at least this morning pretty much every one of my applications loaded first - I have multiple browsers and development tools open - and the phone software loaded last. Also, I imagine that Windows would load all hardware drivers before even opening the Desktop...
But maybe the phone software started loading before everything else and just took that long to build the window - who knows...
In any case, starting it manually might help find the reason for this issue, but it is not a permanent solution because I am likely to forget starting the phone software... Maybe I can find a program to put a 2 minute delay on autostart or something...
Well, I'll test this first and report back here.
Thanks!

 

[eagle2]

Try also uninstalling the 3CX softphone, downloading the newer version (19920) and reinstalling.

 

[semmelbroesel]

Ah, thanks - I have "auto check for updates" turned on but did not know about this update...
I'll try that, too, thanks!

 

[eagle2]

I'm not sure it will help in your case, but I solved other problems with newest release.

Regards.

 

[semmelbroesel]

Quick update:
I found out that this issue doesn't happen on Windows start - it happens on PROGRAM start!
If I shut down just the 3CX program and then restart it, the speaker setting is changed.
Best part is that it does NOT change in the .INI file!!! Only in the actual Preferences screen and during actual calls!
So it has nothing to do with Windows (just for once)...
I'll try installing the update next.

 

[semmelbroesel]

... and it still does it in the current version.
Since it doesn't seem to care what the .INI file says, I won't even bother trying to write protect it...

So, am I the only one who has this issue?

Any thoughts on how I could fix this?

Here is the list of Speaker devices from the Preferences:
1. Speakers (2-High Definition Audio Device)
2. Primary Sound Driver
3. Speakers (High Definition Audio Device)
4. Digital Audio (S/PDIF) (High Definition Audio Device)
5. Digital Audio (HDMI) (High Definition Audio Device)
6. Speakers (Logitech USB Headset)

It is supposed to stay on 6, but whenever I restart the program it goes back to 5 (which I don't even use).
Hm, maybe I'll try disabling the other audio outputs that I don't use completely...

 

[semmelbroesel]

OK, that at least helped a little bit.
It still does the same, but now at least the item directly above the USB headset in the list is my actual speaker system, so even if the program messes up and I forget to adjust, I'll be able to hear.

Still hoping for a real solution at some point...

 

[semmelbroesel]

I just emailed 3CX again - haven't heard back from them after my original bug report. Being a programmer myself, I'd prefer to receive actual usage reports and useful information from users to make my product better, so I can only hope that my report is being forwarded.

So, any more ideas on this issue?
Software update didn't help unfortunately, I can't lock the .INI file since the .INI file does not get changed by this bug, we know it has nothing to do with Windows startup since it happens every time the PROGRAM is restarted...

Thanks!

 

[semmelbroesel]

Another note: It doesn't seem to be related to my USB headset at all - if I set it to "Speakers (High Definition Audio Device)" and quit the program, the next time I run it it again goes up the list to "Primary Sound Driver"...

 

[jerry0503222]

Have you tried manually starting the phone after giving the PC enough time to detect the USB headset? If that works, then 3CX starting before the PC knows that the headset exists.

 

[semmelbroesel]

Yes - as I stated, the issue happens every time the program is started - whether it is started manually or with Windows.

But now here is the newest bit:
Yesterday when using the phone software, I was told that the other person on the line could only hear static. My USB headset was producing it, so I unplugged it and plugged it back in which fixed the static. The phone software recognized something like "device changed", and when I checked the preferences, everything looked good.

This morning, the program started with Windows, and all the preferences were as they should be - it has NOT switched away from my default speaker this time...

So as of right now, I might be OK - I guess I'll find out for sure within the next few days.

I was contacted by one of the developers about this, so I'll pass that information on to him as well.