Big issues with breakouts, and webcam usage, in GoToTraining

We're currently evaluating GoToTraining for use in a range of live online training offerings. We are sold on the features but have a number of "deal-breaker" issues and we have to make the final call in the next few days.

These all seem like they shouldn't be an issue in mature software so I'm wondering if we're missing something. We are using the GoToTraining Mac client at the admin end and attendees are using a mix of devices/platforms. Our issues are:

1. Admin has to manually enable attendee webcams every time

Our intention is that all attendees faces will be shown to the trainer, as well as each other. This is possible of course, however it appears that we have to manually and individually allow every attendee to share their webcam before they can go ahead and share it. With 18 attendees, this is an unnecessarily laborious task. Is there really no way to "Allow all"?

2. Breakouts don't work on iOS devices

Those using iOS devices don't appear to be able to join breakouts - they just stay in the main room with no option to join. Are those using iOS devices not able to use breakouts? If so, this renders the whole breakout concept unusable unfortunately. I see this issue was reported 6 months ago in a different post - is there no resolution yet?

3. No webcam option for web users

Web users don't appear to have a "share webcam" option. Is this correct or are we missing something? It's strange, as GoToMeeting web attendees can share their webcam without problem.

4. No webcam option for Android device users

Similarly, Android attendees don't appear to have a "share webcam" option (iOS users do). Is this correct or are we missing something?

5. Webcam needs to be re-enabled when joining/leaving breakouts

If webcams are shared, it seems that attendees have to re-enable them every time they join or leave a breakout. Is this the case?

Again, we wouldn't expect to see any one of these issues in software that appears to be as widely used as this, however to find all 5 issues is... strange.

Are we missing something here, or are these issues all as above? Thanks.

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nzPaulM

Hi Ash,

It sounds like you are requesting the attendee to share their webcam by clicking on their camera icon from your GoToTraining Attendee List, as the only webcam options available are 'Allow' or 'Disallow'.

No, there's an option "Allow sharing webcam" here (and on other Mac clients we've tested). Until that has been selected for EVERY attendee (by the admin/trainer), the attendees cannot share their webcams. This behaviour has been tested on several machines.

See here:

... your web app (Instant Join) attendees using Chrome (Mac or Windows) would have a couple of ways to access their own webcam settings--
[snip]
If this is not an option for your web attendee, could you please confirm the OS, Chrome version, and a snap shot of what the browser window looks like when in the GoToTraining broadcast?

There is no webcam option at all, using Chrome for the Mac. Again, tested on several machines. Here's the version:

Version 69.0.3497.81 (Official Build) (64-bit)

Here's a screenshot of the browser window (note no webcam option):

Again, the webcam works on GoToMeeting sessions without a problem and this has been tested on 4 machines - same result.

And as you can see in the control panel, there is no grayed webcam showing for the web clients either - basically it doesn't think there is a webcam:

Is there any way these issues can be escalated? Our sessions start next week and we'd like to use GoToTraining, but these are significant issues for us.

Thanks heaps.

AshC

@nzPaulM ~

It sounds like you are requesting the attendee to share their webcam by clicking on their camera icon from your GoToTraining Attendee List, as the only webcam options available are 'Allow' or 'Disallow'.

While Android systems are one mobile device that has more feature limitations (like sharing webcams), your web app (Instant Join) attendees using Chrome (Mac or Windows) would have a couple of ways to access their own webcam settings--

To preview your webcam, click the Webcam button: or click the Settings icon: > Webcam tab in the toolbar.

If this is not an option for your web attendee, could you please confirm the OS, Chrome version, and a snap shot of what the browser window looks like when in the GoToTraining broadcast?

nzPaulM

Hi Ash,

Thanks heaps for your prompt reply - really appreciated. Just hoping you could clarify a couple of points:

The default behavior for GoToTraining Organizer control panels is to have webcams disabled for the start of the broadcast for privacy reasons. Once you enable those for all attendees, then they may share their own webcams themselves (desktop, web app, or mobile).

I'm not sure how it's a privacy issue allowing someone to share their webcam (as they still have to choose to share it). But that aside, my question is really whether there some way to "Allow-all" rather than having to manually allow every single attendee. Appreciate they would still need to do the actual sharing, but it's about the laborious task for the admin of individually allowing every attendee to share their webcam before they can.

Breakouts work on many devices, though not every model. If you have an attendee on a supported device who cannot join breakouts, feel freel to have them contact us directly for a support session: https://support.logmeininc.com/gototraining/contactus

Presumably the support session won't actually allow them to share their webcam from either the web (using Chrome on the mac) or Android devices however?

Instant-join Web attendees can easily share their own webcams if they have the ability to share cameras through a supported web browser to start with. It can take 3 clicks to activate / confirm / share a webcam through the browser. Here is a guide for web app attendees: https://support.logmeininc.com/gototraining/help/share-your-webcam-instant-join-app-g2t090010
A webcam test site may be used for web app attendees to test beforehand: https://www.onlinemictest.com/webcam-test/

We've just tested on a couple of different computers and the option for sharing a webcam (or even allowing it to be shared from the Presenter end) isn't there for people using Chrome on a Mac. Can you confirm that webcam sharing doesn't work on Chrome for Mac?

Note that the webcam works perfectly using your test-site above (and using GoToMeeting for that matter).

Thanks

AshC

@nzPaulM

I'd like to address your concerns here:

The default behavior for GoToTraining Organizer control panels is to have webcams disabled for the start of the broadcast for privacy reasons. Once you enable those for all attendees, then they may share their own webcams themselves (desktop, web app, or mobile).
Breakouts work on many devices, though not every model. If you have an attendee on a supported device who cannot join breakouts, feel freel to have them contact us directly for a support session: https://support.logmeininc.com/gototraining/contactus
Instant-join Web attendees can easily share their own webcams if they have the ability to share cameras through a supported web browser to start with. It can take 3 clicks to activate / confirm / share a webcam through the browser. Here is a guide for web app attendees: https://support.logmeininc.com/gototraining/help/share-your-webcam-instant-join-app-g2t090010
1. A webcam test site may be used for web app attendees to test beforehand: https://www.onlinemictest.com/webcam-test/
I apologize for the feature disparity between some systems. Long term, we do plan on making each attendee experience as closely related as possible.
Yes, in some cases Attendees may have to re-enable their webcam if rejoining the main broadcast from a Breakout session. This is the expected behavior, though I understand if it is confusing to some.

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