Communication Desktop's USB Audio Devices

Most USB devices used with CDT contain logically three different devices. These are:

• Sound playback (speaker)
• Sound capture (microphone)
• Human Interface device (HID)

CDT uses any audio device, that is, speakers and microphones, directly via audio services provided by the operating system. In most cases, these devices don’t need any Sinch Contact Pro adaptation module, and, for example, corded USB audio devices work without any adaptation module being installed. Sinch Contact Pro adaptation modules enable the use of HID devices, which provide controls, such as hook switch, mute, open audio path, and close audio path. The Sinch Contact Pro adaption modules for supported devices are available as Windows installer files, for example, terminal_HS_USBHs.msi. For installation instructions of the adaptation modules, see Client Workstation Guide.

Wireless devices usually require that Sinch Contact Pro opens the audio path between the cradle and the device when a call begins and that Sinch Contact Pro closes the audio path when the call ends. The audio path control is done using the HID device and therefore, wireless devices usually require that an appropriate adaptation module is installed.

Call control in the following tables refer to, at a minimum, hook-off and hook-on for answering and terminating calls. When appropriate, it may also include additional functionality, such as open line and close line. This kind of functionality is usually unnoticed by users and perceived as being part to the hook-off or hook-on event. All call control events are not supported by all devices. For example, rejecting an incoming call is in most cases possible only by using controls in CDT.

The compatibility tables list compatible USB devices, their key features, and the adaptation module supporting the logical HID device.

• SDK based adaptation modules are terminal_HS_GNNetcom.msi, terminal_HS_Plantronics / Poly.msi and terminal_HS_Plantronics / PolyV3.msi. See the comment column in the compatibility tables for respective devices.
• Terminal_HS_USBHS.msi based adaptation. This method reads HID descriptors from the device to obtain information about available controls and how to use them.
• You can use more than one of these listed terminal_HS_xxx.msi files. In this case, selection rules are configured in the handset.ini file.

Do not install terminal_HS_xxx.msi files that are not needed.