2023-02-06 04:26:00 +00:00
{{define "index"}}
<!DOCTYPE html>
< html lang = "en" >
< head >
< meta charset = "utf-8" >
< meta name = "viewport" content = "width=device-width, initial-scale=1" >
< link rel = "stylesheet" type = "text/css" href = "/static/css/bulma.min.css" >
< link rel = "stylesheet" type = "text/css" href = "/static/css/bulma-prefers-dark.css" >
< link rel = "stylesheet" href = "/static/fontawesome-free-6.1.2-web/css/all.css" >
< link rel = "stylesheet" type = "text/css" href = "/static/css/chat.css?{{.CacheHash}}" >
< title > About BareRTC< / title >
< / head >
< body >
2023-09-26 00:29:44 +00:00
< div class = "container is-fullhd p-2" >
2023-02-13 00:43:35 +00:00
< div class = "content my-5" >
2023-02-06 04:26:00 +00:00
< h1 > About BareRTC< / h1 >
< p >
This chat room software is called < strong > BareRTC< / strong > and this
page contains information about the software and how to use it.
< / p >
< p >
BareRTC is an open source project released under the GNU General Public
License with code available
< a href = "https://git.kirsle.net/apps/BareRTC" target = "_blank" > here< / a > .
< / p >
< h1 > About {{AsHTML .Config.Title}}< / h1 >
< p >
< strong > {{AsHTML .Config.Title}}< / strong > is the name of this particular
BareRTC server. The administrator may have left some links to more
info below:
< / p >
< ul >
< li > < strong > Website:< / strong >
< a href = "{{.Config.WebsiteURL}}" target = "_blank" > {{.Config.WebsiteURL}}< / a >
< / li >
< / ul >
2023-02-13 00:43:35 +00:00
< hr >
2024-10-27 19:29:01 +00:00
< h1 id = "help" >
Help & Support
< a href = "#help" class = "fa fa-paragraph is-size-6" > < / a >
< / h1 >
2023-02-06 21:52:05 +00:00
2023-02-13 00:43:35 +00:00
< ul >
< li > < a href = "#tour" > Tour of the user interface< / a > < / li >
2023-09-26 00:29:44 +00:00
< li > < a href = "#video-sharing" > Video Sharing How-To's< / a > < / li >
< li > < a href = "#features" > Feature Highlights< / a > < / li >
< li > < a href = "#browsers" > Supported Browsers< / a > < / li >
2023-02-13 00:43:35 +00:00
< li > < a href = "#privacy" > Privacy< / a > < / li >
2024-10-18 03:13:08 +00:00
< li > < a href = "#troubleshooting" > Troubleshooting< / a > < / li >
2023-02-13 00:43:35 +00:00
< / ul >
2024-10-27 19:29:01 +00:00
< h1 id = "tour" >
Tour of the user interface
< a href = "#tour" class = "fa fa-paragraph is-size-6" > < / a >
< / h1 >
2023-02-13 00:43:35 +00:00
2023-09-26 00:29:44 +00:00
< div class = "has-text-centered mb-4" >
2024-10-18 03:13:08 +00:00
< img src = "/static/img/screenshot.png" width = "1269" height = "582" alt = "Screenshot of the user interface on desktop" >
2023-02-13 00:43:35 +00:00
< br > < em > Pictured: Screenshot of the user interface on tablet or desktop-sized screens.< / em > < br > < br >
2024-10-18 03:13:08 +00:00
< img src = "/static/img/mobile.png" width = "720" height = "703" alt = "Screenshot of the user interface on mobile" >
2023-02-13 00:43:35 +00:00
< br > < em > Pictured: Screenshot of the mobile interface< / em >
< / div >
< p >
Above are screenshots of how the chat room looks on desktop and mobile displays, respectively.
For a description of some of the features pointed out above:
< / p >
< ul >
< li >
< strong > Your camera controls:< / strong > Clicking on the
< button type = "button" class = "button is-small is-success px-1" >
< i class = "fa fa-video mr-2" > < / i >
Share webcam
< / button >
button will enable your webcam and your video may be watched by other people
in the chat room. While broadcasting, you can Stop your webcam, Mute your
microphone, and see who is currently watching you by clicking on the
< button type = "button" class = "button is-small is-info is-outlined ml-1 px-1" >
< i class = "fa fa-eye mr-2" > < / i >
0
< / button >
button, which will show the number of watchers inside the button itself.
2023-09-26 00:29:44 +00:00
< ul >
{{if .Config.PermitNSFW}}
< li >
The < button type = "button" class = "button is-small is-outlined is-dark px-1" >
< i class = "fa fa-fire has-text-danger mr-1" > < / i > Explicit
< / button >
button will toggle the setting on your camera. If you are going to be
behaving sexually on cam, we ask that you please mark your own camera
as 'Explicit' by using this button. The button will illuminate in red
when active, and look like:
< button type = "button" class = "button is-small is-danger px-1" >
< i class = "fa fa-fire mr-1" > < / i > Explicit
< / button >
< / li >
{{end}}
< li >
You can also see who is Watching your camera by clicking on the "Watching"
tab on the Who's Online list.
< / li >
< / ul >
2023-02-13 00:43:35 +00:00
< / li >
< li >
2023-09-26 00:29:44 +00:00
The < strong > Who Is Online< / strong > list shows all of the people who are currently connected
2023-02-13 00:43:35 +00:00
to the chat room. The Who List is global to the entire chat - it is the same list
of people no matter which Channel you are currently looking at. In the Who List
you may also find buttons to open a Direct Message (DM) or tune in to somebody's
webcam if they are currently broadcasting.
< ul >
< li >
< button type = "button" class = "button is-small px-2 py-1" >
< i class = "fa fa-user" > < / i >
< / button >
2023-09-26 00:29:44 +00:00
This button will open their profile page, if they have one. The icon may
be color-coded for the user's gender, if available: < i class = "fa fa-user has-text-gender-male" > < / i > male,
< i class = "fa fa-user has-text-gender-female" > < / i > female, and
< i class = "fa fa-user has-text-gender-other" > < / i > non-binary/trans/other.
2023-02-13 00:43:35 +00:00
< / li >
< li >
< button type = "button" class = "button is-small px-2 py-1" >
< i class = "fa fa-message" > < / i >
< / button >
This button will open a Direct Message (DM) chat with this person.
< / li >
< li >
< button type = "button" class = "button is-small px-2 py-1 is-info is-outlined" >
< i class = "fa fa-video" > < / i >
< / button >
This button will open the user's webcam, if they are broadcasting.
A < strong class = "has-text-info" > blue< / strong > button means they're live,
a < strong class = "has-text-danger" > red< / strong > means their video feed is
marked < abbr title = "Not Safe For Work" > NSFW< / abbr > or explicit. A greyed
out button means they are < em > not< / em > currently broadcasting their video.
< / li >
< / ul >
< / li >
< li >
The < strong > Channels & DMs< / strong > panel lists the available public chat channels
you may participate in as well as any currently open DMs for private one-on-one chats
2023-09-26 00:29:44 +00:00
with other people. Some channels may have notification counters beside them to indicate
2023-02-13 00:43:35 +00:00
unread messages have appeared.
2023-09-26 00:29:44 +00:00
< ul >
< li >
< strong > Note:< / strong > the Chat Rooms are just public channels that < em > everybody< / em >
is "in" and is designed to organize public conversations into various topics. For example,
one chat room may be a dedicated space for people to share photos on chat so that the
main conversation channels don't get spammed too much with those photos.
< / li >
< / ul >
2023-02-13 00:43:35 +00:00
< / li >
< li >
The < strong > Message entry box< / strong > at the bottom of the screen is how you type a
message and send it to the currently selected Channel or DM conversation.
2023-09-26 00:29:44 +00:00
< ul >
< li >
In public channels you may < strong > send a picture< / strong > by clicking on the picture
button to the left of the message box.
< / li >
< li >
You may < strong > add an emoji< / strong > to your message by clicking on the smile icon
to the right of the message box.
< / li >
< li >
You may < strong > at-mention< / strong > people in chat by typing the "@" symbol, which
should prompt an auto-complete of users currently online. You may hit the Tab key
to insert the currently selected name into your message.
< / li >
< / ul >
2023-02-13 00:43:35 +00:00
< / li >
< li >
2023-09-26 00:29:44 +00:00
In the upper right, the < i class = "fa fa-bars" > < / i > < strong > Menu< / strong > button houses
some options such as the < i class = "fa fa-gears" > < / i > < strong > Chat Settings< / strong > .
Some interesting features in there include:
2023-02-13 00:43:35 +00:00
< ul >
< li >
< strong > Video scaling:< / strong > you can make the webcam videos larger on
your screen to see your chat partners in better detail.
< / li >
< li >
< strong > Sound effects:< / strong > by default it plays a sound when you receive
a new Direct Message but you can also turn on sound effects for public chat
messages and when people join or exit the room. If the chat room is currently
empty, you could set a sound effect when somebody joins so you know there may
be someone to chat with then!
< / li >
< / ul >
< / li >
< / ul >
< p >
On < strong > mobile web browsers< / strong > that don't have large enough screens to show everything
at once, the Chat Room screen is shown by default and buttons appear in the corners to get to
the two side panels (to change channels or manage your DMs, and to see Who Is Online and tune
in to their webcams, respectively).
< / p >
2024-10-18 03:13:08 +00:00
< hr >
2024-10-27 19:29:01 +00:00
< h1 id = "features" >
Feature Highlights
< a href = "#features" class = "fa fa-paragraph is-size-6" > < / a >
< / h1 >
2023-09-26 00:29:44 +00:00
2024-10-27 19:29:01 +00:00
< h3 id = "emoji-reactions" >
Emoji Reactions
< a href = "#emoji-reactions" class = "fa fa-paragraph is-size-6" > < / a >
< / h3 >
2023-09-26 00:29:44 +00:00
< p >
You may add emoji reactions to chat messages by clicking on the
< button type = "button" class = "button is-small has-text-grey is-outlined px-2" >
< i class = "fa fa-plus mr-2" > < / i > < i class = "fa fa-heart" > < / i >
< / button >
button at the bottom right corner.
< / p >
< p >
Reactions added by yourself or others will appear at the bottom of their message. You can
see who reacted by hovering your mouse cursor over the button, or you can 'upvote' their
reaction by clicking on it.
< / p >
2024-10-27 19:29:01 +00:00
< h3 id = "mute" >
Muting spammy users
< a href = "#mute" class = "fa fa-paragraph is-size-6" > < / a >
< / h3 >
2023-09-26 00:29:44 +00:00
< p >
If somebody on chat is bothering you, you may < strong > mute< / strong > their messages by clicking
on the red < i class = "fa fa-comment-slash has-text-danger" > < / i > button on their message.
< / p >
< p >
While they are muted:
< / p >
< ul >
< li > You will no longer see their future messages in public chat rooms.< / li >
< li > You will no longer receive any of their future Direct Messages (DMs).< / li >
< li >
They will not be allowed to watch your webcam if you are sharing. The chat
server will lie and tell them your camera < em > isn't even online< / em > so they
will not know they had been muted.
< / li >
< / ul >
< p >
The mute is < strong > temporary< / strong > and will last for the remainder of your chat
session (until you log off).
< / p >
2024-10-27 19:29:01 +00:00
< h3 id = "markdown" >
Styling Your Messages
< a href = "#markdown" class = "fa fa-paragraph is-size-6" > < / a >
< / h3 >
2023-09-26 00:29:44 +00:00
< p >
BareRTC supports Markdown syntax for your chat messages. You can make text < strong > bold< / strong >
by putting asterisks around part of it, < strong > **like this**< / strong > or make text italic with
< em > *single asterisks*< / em > .
< / p >
< p >
Hyperlinks you paste that begin with https:// will be clickable as-is, or you can create a custom
label for it by typing e.g. < code > [click my link](https://www.wikipedia.org/)< / code > .
< / p >
< p >
To learn more about Markdown, please check out the < a href = "https://www.markdownguide.org" target = "_blank" > Markdown Guide< / a >
website.
< / p >
2024-10-18 03:13:08 +00:00
< hr >
2024-10-27 19:29:01 +00:00
< h1 id = "video-sharing" >
Video Sharing How-To's
< a href = "#video-sharing" class = "fa fa-paragraph is-size-6" > < / a >
< / h1 >
2023-09-26 00:29:44 +00:00
2024-10-27 19:29:01 +00:00
< h3 id = "webcam" >
About webcam sharing
< a href = "#webcam" class = "fa fa-paragraph is-size-6" > < / a >
< / h3 >
2023-09-26 00:29:44 +00:00
< p >
The WebRTC technology used by this chat room allows for direct, < strong > peer to peer< / strong >
connections between you and the other chat members to stream video and audio directly to one
another, without needing a server in the middle to relay all that data. In many cases, WebRTC
should "just work" but you may run into trouble broadcasting if your local network is heavily
firewalled (for example on a corporate or school network).
< / p >
< p >
In many WebRTC video apps (such as Zoom, Jitsi, Google Hangouts, etc.), when one or both parties
are on such difficult networks, a server in the middle is used to transfer the video data between
them. BareRTC does not have any such server, as the bandwidth costs to carry your video could get
expensive! If your video sharing is not working, it's unfortunate but you should still be able to
have text chat conversations as normal.
< / p >
< p >
< strong > Notice:< / strong > because of the peer-to-peer nature of the webcam feature, it is possible
that your chat partner may discover your < a href = "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IP_address" target = "_blank" > IP address< / a >
if they check their local computer's connections. This is true of all WebRTC-based video chat systems.
Also, it is possible that your chat partner may "screen record" your video -- also true of all video
sharing systems. Please inform a moderator if you know somebody is violating your privacy in this
way so that they may be banned from the chat room.
< / p >
2024-10-27 19:29:01 +00:00
< h3 id = "broadcast" >
How do I go on video?
< a href = "#broadcast" class = "fa fa-paragraph is-size-6" > < / a >
< / h3 >
2023-09-26 00:29:44 +00:00
< p >
To share your webcam, click on the green
< button type = "button" class = "button is-small is-success px-1" >
< i class = "fa fa-video mr-2" > < / i >
Share webcam
< / button >
button at the top left of the web page. This will open a modal with some options for
your camera:
< / p >
< ul >
< li >
You may start with your microphone muted by default.
< / li >
{{if .Config.PermitNSFW}}
< li >
You may mark your camera as "Explicit" to begin with. If you are intending immediately to
behave sexually on camera, please mark this box so that your camera will appear 'red' by
default and other people on chat can know what they're getting into when they click to
watch your camera.
< / li >
{{end}}
< li >
You may opt-in to some "mutual webcam settings":
< ul >
< li > You may require your viewers to also be sharing their own camera first before they can open yours.< / li >
< li > You may automatically open your viewer's cameras when they open yours (and they are also broadcasting).< / li >
< / ul >
< / li >
< / ul >
2024-10-27 19:29:01 +00:00
< h3 id = "stop-webcam" >
How do I stop my camera?
< a href = "#stop-webcam" class = "fa fa-paragraph is-size-6" > < / a >
< / h3 >
2023-09-26 00:29:44 +00:00
< p >
When you are broadcasting, the red "< i class = "fa fa-stop" > < / i > Stop" button at the top of the
page will turn your camera off.
< / p >
2024-10-27 19:29:01 +00:00
< h3 id = "mute-microphone" >
How do I mute my camera's microphone?
< a href = "#mute-microphone" class = "fa fa-paragraph is-size-6" > < / a >
< / h3 >
2023-09-26 00:29:44 +00:00
< p >
The button to < i class = "fa fa-mute" > < / i > Mute will be at the top of the page next to the
< i class = "fa fa-stop" > < / i > Stop button. Alternatively, you can click on the microphone inside
your own webcam video preview to toggle the mute that way. Either button works!
< / p >
2024-10-27 19:29:01 +00:00
< h3 id = "watching" >
How do I see who is watching me?
< a href = "#watching" class = "fa fa-paragraph is-size-6" > < / a >
< / h3 >
2023-09-26 00:29:44 +00:00
< p >
You may click on the < button type = "button" class = "button is-small is-info is-outlined ml-1 px-1" >
< i class = "fa fa-eye mr-2" > < / i >
0
< / button > button at the top of the page to see who is watching you. The number inside the
button will be your current number of viewers.
< / p >
< p >
You may also click on the < i class = "fa fa-eye" > < / i > Watching tab in the Who's Online list.
< / p >
2024-10-27 19:29:01 +00:00
< h3 id = "boot" >
How do I stop somebody from watching me?
< a href = "#boot" class = "fa fa-paragraph is-size-6" > < / a >
< / h3 >
2023-09-26 00:29:44 +00:00
< p >
On the Who's Online list, click on the < i class = "fa fa-eye" > < / i > Watching tab to see who
is currently watching your camera.
< / p >
< p >
To 'boot' somebody off your camera, click on the
< button type = "button" class = "button is-small px-2 py-1"
title="Kick this person off your cam">
< i class="fa fa-user-xmark has-text-danger">< / i >
< / button >
button next to their name. This will kick them off your camera and they will not
be allowed to re-open your cam for the remainder of < em > your< / em > chat session.
< / p >
< p >
To people who have been booted from your camera, the chat server will tell them that
your camera < em > isn't even broadcasting< / em > at all! They will see a greyed-out video
button and may think you have simply turned off your camera, and they won't know for
sure that you have booted them!
< / p >
2024-10-27 19:29:01 +00:00
< h3 id = "video-size" >
How do I make videos larger on my screen?
< a href = "#video-size" class = "fa fa-paragraph is-size-6" > < / a >
< / h3 >
< p >
There are a few methods available to change the size of videos on the chat room,
depending on whether your device has a mouse cursor or is a touch screen (such as a tablet).
< / p >
< p >
Options that may work with all devices (with mouse or touch screen):
< / p >
< ul >
< li >
Chat Settings: by clicking on the blue menu button on the top-right corner of the page, the
Display tab has a "Video size" dropdown with some options to change the size of all videos
open on your screen.
< / li >
< li >
On wide screens (such as an iPad in landscape orientation): when you have videos open, look
for the < i class = "fa fa-magnifying-glass-plus" > < / i > < i class = "fa fa-magnifying-glass-minus" > < / i >
buttons in the header just above the video dock. Clicking on these buttons will scale the docked
videos larger or smaller (in similar increments as the Chat Settings dropdown).
< / li >
< / ul >
< p >
If you are on a device with a mouse cursor, such as a desktop or a laptop with a touchpad, there
are a couple of ways to resize individual videos how you see fit:
< / p >
< ul >
< li >
When videos are docked in the top of the page, hover your mouse over the bottom-right corner
of a video. It should show a 'resize' cursor, and you can click and drag from the bottom-right
corner to resize the video.
< / li >
< li >
Videos can also be "popped out" of the dock at the top of the page. The pop-out button appears
on top of videos, next to the mute audio button. When popped out, you can drag videos anywhere
on the page and you can resize them by dragging from any edge except the top.
< / li >
< / ul >
< p >
And finally: you can put a video "full screen" too. In the control buttons at the bottom of each
video (beginning with the mute audio button), the one on the right will toggle the video into a
full screen view.
< / p >
2024-10-18 03:13:08 +00:00
< hr >
2024-10-27 19:29:01 +00:00
< h1 id = "browsers" >
Supported Browsers
< a href = "#browsers" class = "fa fa-paragraph is-size-6" > < / a >
< / h1 >
2023-02-13 00:43:35 +00:00
< p >
2024-05-10 04:24:03 +00:00
All features of the chat room, including webcam sharing, should generally work on all current
web browsers and devices (Firefox, all Chromium browsers including Google Chrome or Microsoft
Edge, Safari, Androids and iPads).
2023-02-13 00:43:35 +00:00
< / p >
2024-10-18 03:13:08 +00:00
< hr >
2024-10-27 19:29:01 +00:00
< h1 id = "privacy" >
Privacy
< a href = "#privacy" class = "fa fa-paragraph is-size-6" > < / a >
< / h1 >
2023-02-13 00:43:35 +00:00
< p >
Some of the privacy considerations with this chat room include:
< / p >
< ul >
< li >
The server does not maintain long-term state of chat history. Messages are pushed out as
2024-05-10 04:24:03 +00:00
soon as they come in, and users are forgotten when they log off.
2023-02-13 00:43:35 +00:00
< / li >
< li >
However, the server does keep temporary < strong > log files< / strong > to help the server admin
troubleshoot issues and check on the health of the server. These logs may include chat
messages sent to public channels. Private chat (DMs) are < em > not< / em > logged by default.
If the server is running in debug mode (which provides a ton of telemetry to diagnose issues),
the contents of DMs may be logged since debug mode will record the low-level chat protocol
messages sent between the server and clients.
< / li >
2024-05-10 04:24:03 +00:00
< li >
If the administrator has enabled it, your < strong > recent direct message< / strong > histories
may be recorded (for your convenience) in a database. Old messages expire off after about 90
days, and you can clear all your DMs history from the Chat Settings -> Misc tab. DMs are only
logged when the associate website logs you in to the chat room, so that only you can access
them to remember where you left off with a chat partner.
< / li >
2023-02-13 00:43:35 +00:00
< li >
Chat moderators < strong > DO NOT< / strong > get to see the contents of your Direct Message
conversations - that feature is not programmed in to this chat room. The server logs which
might capture your conversations are usually not actively monitored. Consider taking your especially
sensitive conversations to a different platform if you are very concerned about it.
< / li >
< li >
Webcam sharing is < strong > peer-to-peer< / strong > so it is possible that your chat partner
could identify your IP address by checking their computer's open connections. But this is
true of basically all WebRTC webcam services and is part of how WebRTC works.
< / li >
< li >
As with all video sharing services, it is always possible that your chat partner may screen
record their computer and thus record a copy of your video. This is a risk inherent with all
video sharing platforms - you can't control what software the other party may be running,
so choose your risk tolerance accordingly.
< / li >
< / ul >
2024-10-18 03:13:08 +00:00
< hr >
2024-10-27 19:29:01 +00:00
< h1 id = "troubleshooting" >
Troubleshooting
< a href = "#troubleshooting" class = "fa fa-paragraph is-size-6" > < / a >
< / h1 >
2024-10-18 03:13:08 +00:00
< p >
This section contains some troubleshooting advice for issues commonly experienced in the chat room.
< / p >
2024-10-27 19:29:01 +00:00
< h2 id = "webcam-troubleshooting" >
Webcam Sharing
< a href = "#webcam-troubleshooting" class = "fa fa-paragraph is-size-6" > < / a >
< / h2 >
2024-10-18 03:13:08 +00:00
2024-10-27 19:29:01 +00:00
< h3 id = "NotAllowedError" >
Permission Denied, or NotAllowedError
< a href = "#NotAllowedError" class = "fa fa-paragraph is-size-6" > < / a >
< / h3 >
2024-10-18 03:13:08 +00:00
< p >
If you see an error message from < strong class = "has-text-danger" > ChatClient< / strong > that says
something like "Webcam error: Permission denied" or a "NotAllowedError," this section is for you.
< / p >
< p >
The reason for this error is that your web browser did not grant access to your Camera and Microphone
for the chat room to use. This may be because you accidentally clicked on the "Deny" button when your
browser asked you for permission, or because your web browser < em > itself< / em > does not have permission for
these devices on your computer.
< / p >
< p >
When you encounter this error, there are two places to look to resolve this:
< / p >
< ol >
< li >
In your web browser's settings (e.g. in Google Chrome or Firefox), make sure that you are granting
permission for your Camera and Microphone to the chat room's website ({{.Hostname}}).
< / li >
< li >
In your operating system's settings, ensure that your web browser itself has permission to use
your Camera and Microphone. < strong > Notice:< / strong > on recent Mac OS and Windows systems, your
web browser might not have permission by default to access these devices!
< / li >
< / ol >
< p >
Please see the following sections for in-depth guidance on where to look.
< / p >
< p >
< strong > Notice:< / strong > webcam sharing will require both your Camera < em > and< / em > your Microphone
permission - if either one is denied, webcam sharing will fail.
< / p >
< h4 > 1. Check your web browser's permissions for {{.Hostname}}< / h4 >
< p >
Go into your web browser's settings, to the "Privacy" or "Permissions" section and verify that
< code > {{.Hostname}}< / code > has permissions to use your Camera < strong > and< / strong > your Microphone.
Or at the very least: make sure that these settings are not set to "Deny" for {{.Hostname}}.
< / p >
< p >
For example, on < i class = "fab fa-chrome" > < / i > < strong > Google Chrome:< / strong >
< / p >
< ul >
< li > Go into your browser Settings -> "Privacy and security"< / li >
< li > Click on "Site settings" < small > ("Controls what information sites can use and show (location, camera, pop-ups, and more")< / small > < / li >
< li > From here you can check the permissions in two ways:
< ul >
< li > Under the "Recent activity" section, look for {{.Hostname}} or click "View permissions and data stored across sites" to look for it there.< / li >
< li > Or: under the "Permissions" section, click into the "Camera" and "Microphone" settings to see the list of sites you've given/denied
permission for, and change {{.Hostname}} to "Allow" or remove {{.Hostname}} from the list of sites.
< / li >
< / ul >
< / li >
< / ul >
< p >
Or for example, on < i class = "fab fa-firefox" > < / i > < strong > Mozilla Firefox:< / strong >
< / p >
< ul >
< li > Go into your browser Settings -> "Privacy & Security"< / li >
< li > Scroll down to the "Permissions" section where you see buttons for Camera and Microphone.< / li >
< li > Click on the "Settings..." button for Camera and Microphone to see the list of websites you've given/denied permission for.< / li >
< li > Find < code > {{.Hostname}}< / code > and remove it from the list.< / li >
< / ul >
< p >
After changing your browser settings, < strong > exit and restart your web browser< / strong > and log on to the chat room.
When going on webcam, hopefully your browser should ask you for permission for your webcam and microphone: be sure to
click on "Allow" when prompted.
< / p >
< p >
If the change in your web browser's settings doesn't resolve the permission error, then check in your operating system's settings.
< / p >
< h4 > 2. Check in your operating system's settings< / h4 >
< p >
For example, < strong > if you are on < i class = "fab fa-apple" > < / i > Mac OS:< / strong >
< / p >
< ul >
< li > Click on the Apple icon in your top menu bar and open "System Settings"< / li >
< li > Click on "Privacy & Security"< / li >
< li > Look for the Camera and Microphone settings and ensure that they are < strong > allowed< / strong > for your web browser.< / li >
< li > For more information, try: < a href = "https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/control-access-to-your-camera-mchlf6d108da/mac" > https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/control-access-to-your-camera-mchlf6d108da/mac< / a > < / li >
< / ul >
< p >
Or for example, < strong > if you are on < i class = "fab fa-windows" > < / i > Windows 10 or Windows 11:< / strong >
< / p >
< ul >
< li > Click on the Start button > Settings > Privacy & Security > Camera, and make sure Camera access is turned < strong > on.< / strong > < / li >
< li > Make sure that "Let apps access your camera" is also turned on.< / li >
< li > Ensure that your web browser (e.g. Google Chrome) has permission to access your camera and microphone.< / li >
< li > For more information, try: < a href = "https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/manage-app-permissions-for-your-camera-in-windows-87ebc757-1f87-7bbf-84b5-0686afb6ca6b" > https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/manage-app-permissions-for-your-camera-in-windows-87ebc757-1f87-7bbf-84b5-0686afb6ca6b< / a > < / li >
< / ul >
2024-10-27 19:29:01 +00:00
< h3 id = "other-webcam-errors" >
Other Webcam Errors
< a href = "#other-webcam-errors" class = "fa fa-paragraph is-size-6" > < / a >
< / h3 >
2024-10-18 03:13:08 +00:00
< p >
The most common error is a Permission Error as described above, but there are some less common
error messages you may experience. Here is a short list of some of them:
< / p >
< ul >
< li >
< strong > AbortError:< / strong > e.g. "Starting videoinput failed"
< br > < br >
A common cause for this error may be that your webcam device is already in use by a different program,
so that your web browser was not able to open it. Please make sure that you are not running another video
chat program (such as Skype or Zoom) which has your camera active, and try again.
< / li >
< li >
< strong > NotFoundError< / strong > or < strong > NotReadableError< / strong >
< br > < br >
This error may indicate that your camera device was not available to your web browser. For example, your
webcam might not be plugged in to USB or you may be missing hardware drivers for it. To begin diagnosing
this problem, check whether < other > other< / other > websites or apps are able to use your camera: if none of
them can either, it heavily points toward a hardware or driver error.
< / li >
< / ul >
< p >
Other possible errors should be uncommon. If this troubleshooting guide has not been helpful, try copying
the error message into a search engine and find information online: all of the text following "Webcam error:"
will be coming from your web browser, so relevant results may be found online. A possible place to start may
be the < a href = "https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/MediaDevices/getUserMedia" > Mozilla documentation for getUserMedia.< / a >
< / p >
2024-10-27 19:29:01 +00:00
< h3 id = "webcam-not-loading" >
Other peoples' webcams don't load
< a href = "#webcam-not-loading" class = "fa fa-paragraph is-size-6" > < / a >
< / h3 >
2024-10-18 03:13:08 +00:00
< p >
It may sometimes happen that you clicked to watch somebody else's webcam on chat, and their video doesn't
load. If it only happens with < em > some< / em > cameras (but other cameras load correctly), then the problem is
most likely on < em > that person's< / em > side and not your own: their camera likely doesn't work for anybody
else who is trying to watch it, either.
< / p >
< p >
Webcam sharing on the chat room works by "peer to peer" direct connections between chatters. Usually, this
tends to "just work" for most people, but sometimes your network connection or firewall can get in the way
and prevent a connection from being established.
< / p >
< p >
The most common kinds of network conditions that cause problems connecting to webcams include:
< / p >
< ul >
< li >
If you are on a heavily firewalled network, such as in a school or workplace.
< / li >
< li >
If you are on a cellular network, e.g. from a smartphone or tablet. Some cell phone carriers
add firewalls to their network to prevent direct peer-to-peer connections with mobile devices.
< / li >
< li >
If you are using a Virtual Private Network, or VPN: some VPN providers don't forward the kind
of network messages that are needed to establish a peer-to-peer connection.
< / li >
< / ul >
< p >
For some specific advice:
< / p >
< ul >
< li >
If you can not connect to < strong > any< / strong > webcam at all (e.g. many people are on webcam but you
can not get < strong > any< / strong > of them to work): most likely it is because you are on a firewalled
network, like those listed above. If you are on a cell network, try switching to WiFi; or if you are
using a VPN, try turning off your VPN.
< / li >
< li >
If < strong > only one or two webcams< / strong > won't open for you, but others on the chat room are working:
the problem is likely not on your end! It is likely that the people whose cameras are not working are
on a firewalled network, and they are likely having worse problems than you are!
< / li >
< li >
If somebody's webcam button has a slash \ through it, like < i class = "fa fa-video-slash has-text-info" > < / i >
then it < em > probably< / em > means that this person requires < strong > you< / strong > to share your webcam first
before you can open theirs. You can click on their camera button to see an exact reason why their camera
has the \ slash through it.
< / li >
< / ul >
2023-02-06 04:26:00 +00:00
< / div >
< / div >
< / body >
< / html >
2023-09-26 00:29:44 +00:00
{{end}}
