What's in this post...
Last Updated on July 27, 2020 by GrahamWalsh
Rolling out across the Microsoft Store, is the new MTR App version 4.5.35.0. So, what’s inside the app? Well the official releases are here. The highlighted features are listed below and I’ll take you through each one in more detail.
- Join Cisco WebEx meetings from Teams Rooms with direct guest join
- Teams Admin Center enablement and auto-enrolment
- Windows 10 1909 release support
- Switch to video gallery layout even when content is present
- Virtual raise hands support for attendee and controls for presenter
- Adjustable default volume setting for conferencing and default speaker
- Search and call federated users (tenant) from Teams Room
Join Cisco Webex Meetings
Well since this is such a huge topic, I have a dedicated post to this here. There is also a video overview below.
Teams Admin Center
Again, another big topic and feature for the MTRS and I have a dedicated post on this here. It allows you to manage Microsoft Teams App from the Teams Admin Center. There is also a video overview of the Teams Admin Center from my friend Michael Tressler at Microsoft.
Windows 10 1909 release support
Currently, the MTRs are allowed to run Windows build 1903. Now that Microsoft has validated the 1909 build with the MTR app, it has unlocked 1909 build. The list of support OS versions is detailed here. The install of Windows 1909 is not a 3-4 hour job process like the Windows 1903 update was.
If you get the MTR update, you can see in the event logs that you will not get 1909 straight away. It will be scheduled for a time in the future. In my event log, I can see this entry and that during the nightly reboot on the 7th August, it should get the 1909 update. I’ll update the blog post in a week.
Switch to video gallery layout even when content is present
This feature only appears when you are sending or receiving content and is for single display setups. It allows you to switch the layout of the Front of Room (FoR) display. Let’s look at type of setup to see the behaviour.
Single Screen – Out of a Call
Single Screen – In a call
Single Screen Layout Choices
Single Screen with Content – Presentation View
Single Screen with Content – Combined View
Single Screen with Content – Gallery View
Dual Display – Out of a call
Dual Display – In a call
Dual Display – With Content
As you can see, the layout option does not appear for systems with two displays connected.
Virtual raise hands support for attendee and controls for presenter
With the Desktop client, you have been able to raise and lower hands. This has now arrived on the Centre of Room (CoR) console. If you are the within the same tenant or organiser, you see the Lower All button. You also get a notification on the CoR console and also on the FoR Display as a banner at the top as seen below.
From the end that raised their hand you can see in the bottom rail that the Hand Icon is shaded purple to show you that you’ve raised your hand.
Adjustable default volume setting for conferencing and default speaker
This has been a popular request from end users. They like the room at a certain volume. In the past, the room would default to 50% volume after each call. When you click on … More, you can see the volume settings. This is just for the current call. If you change this level and then finish your call, it will default back to 50%. You must head into the settings as per below to set your default levels.
Search and call federated users (tenant) from Teams Room
I am now able to call people external from the MTR in my tenant to another user who is in Teams only mode on another tenant
Hopefully that gives you rundown of each of the new features in this release. Lots more to come throughout the next few months. Feel free to ask any questions below.