Use Solstice with Your Video Conference

These instructions outline steps for meeting hosts to use Solstice Conference to connect their video conference to the Solstice sharing space and room peripherals connected to the Solstice Pod. This capability is only available for Solstice Pods that have Solstice Conference enabled.

You will need to ensure that you have the latest version of the Mersive Solstice app for Windows or macOS and have installed the Solstice Conference drivers. (If not, install them from the Room Camera + Mic tab.) Note that installing Solstice Conference drivers requires elevated permissions. If you do not have elevated permissions, contact your IT administrator for assistance.

Solstice Conference drivers are supported on laptop devices that meet the following requirements.

The ability to connect Solstice to a video conference is not supported on mobile devices. However, in-room users can share content to the Solstice display using either laptops or mobile devices.

Windows

Spec

Recommended

Required

Operating System

Windows 10/11

Windows 10 version 1903 or later

Hardware

Intel i7 quad core processor (8th generation or later) @ 2.4 GHz

16GB memory

Intel i5 quad core processor (6th generation or later) @ 1.6GHz

8GB memory

Support Note

CPU priority management in version 5.5.2 and higher of the Mersive Solstice app for Windows may support Solstice Conference on some devices with less than a quad-core processor and 8 GB of memory. See more details.

To check your Windows laptop specs, open Command Prompt and enter the dxdiag command.

macOS

Spec

Recommended

Required

Operating System

macOS Monterey 12.X

macOS Big Sur 11.0

Hardware

Quad-Core i7 (8th generation or later) @ 2.4 GHz

Intel i5 quad core processor (8th generation or later) @ 1.2 GHz

8GB memory

Support Notes

- Solstice-enhanced video conferencing is not currently supported on macOS Ventura 13.X.

- Support for Mac M1s has been improved in recent versions of the Mersive Solstice app for macOS, but some performance issues may remain. Mersive recommends upgrading M1 Macs that often use Solstice with video conferences to macOS Monterey 12.X for best stability. (Mac M2s not supported.)

- Macbook Air 2021 laptops and newer can be used for Solstice-enhanced video conferences; older Macbook Air laptops are not supported.

Solstice Conference tips for macOS:

  • Turn off the Low Power Mode setting for battery power savings in macOS System Preferences during Solstice-enhanced video conferences for the best meeting experience.
  • If using a 4K laptop, Mersive recommends scaling your screen resolution down to 1080p when connecting Solstice to a video conference.

The table below lists the video conferencing services Mersive recommends, which are regularly tested on Windows and macOS devices. Full support indicates Mersive has validated a good experience with Solstice functionality in the dedicated video conferencing service app. (For best results, check that your video conferencing app is updated to the latest version.) In some cases, the browser-based version of a video conferencing service may offer better functionality.

VTC Service

Windows

macOS 

Notes

ZoomFull supportFull support

 

TeamsFull supportBrowser-based version

Microsoft will fix 3rd-party support.

Google MeetFull supportFull support

 

If your preferred video conference service is not listed:

  1. Try your preferred video conferencing app.

    Many other video conferencing app versions have been found to work with various versions of Solstice.

  2. Try the browser-based version of your preferred video conferencing service.

    Browser-based versions sometimes get around conflicts Windows or macOS apps might encounter with sharing the Solstice display or using room devices connected to the Solstice Pod in the video conference. Past testing has found this for versions of WebEx, Blue Jeans, Chime, RingCentral, and Slack, particularly on macOS.

    Supported web browsers for browser-based video conferencing services are Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Safari.

    In some browser-based video conferencing services, the Solstice display may be labeled as the Solstice Pod name.

CPU Priority Management for Video Conferences with Solstice

Starting in Solstice 5.5.2, The Mersive Solstice app on Windows will manage CPU priority of the app to improve the performance of Solstice-enabled video conferences on lower-end machines. Such machines may previously have experienced audio, video, and other issues, particularly when other applications were running.

When a laptop is detected to be lower-end for Solstice-enabled video conferences, and the Performance Optimization setting is enabled:

  • The Mersive Solstice app for Windows will change the priority of the Mersive Solstice Conference process from Normal to High to improve performance.
  • If the laptop is unplugged and battery levels drop below 25%, the app will change the priority of the Mersive Solstice Conference process back to Normal to preserve battery power. If the computer is plugged in and has at least 5% battery, it will switch back to High priority.

Definitions of lower-end Windows machines for the purposes of Solstice-enabled video conferences will be updated over time.

Start a Video Conference with Solstice Sharing and Room Resources

The Mersive Solstice app was redesigned in version 5.5.1 to make it easier to connect Solstice with a video conference along with Solstice content sharing. The following directions primarily document 5.5.1+ functionality but include notes about where to find similar functionality in previous versions of the app.

  1. Launch the Mersive Solstice app on your laptop.
  2. Start the connection to Solstice by selecting the Solstice display in your meeting space. Displays that can be used for a Solstice-enhanced video conference are marked with a camera icon.
  3. If the Solstice display has a screen key enabled, a screen key entry box will appear:

    1. Enter the 4-digit screen key to connect to Solstice for wireless in-room content sharing and collaboration.
    2. If you are hosting a hybrid meeting with remote participants joining via video conference, also toggle on Connect to room camera and mic. This will make room devices connected to Solstice available to the video conferencing app and allow the Solstice collaboration space to be shared in the video conference.

      If you do not see this feature, or it appears disabled, contact your organization's Solstice administrator for assistance.

    3. Click Connect to start Solstice content sharing and, if selected, Solstice video conferencing resources.
  4. If the Solstice display does not require a screen key, you will be immediately connected to Solstice for wireless content sharing only. (In older app versions, selecting a Solstice display only connected to Solstice in-room content sharing.)
  5. Select Room Camera + Mic in the left navigation bar. From here you can connect to Solstice video conferencing resources after connecting to the Solstice display, see upcoming meetings on your integrated Microsoft 365 calendar, and view resources available to a video conference. (This panel was previously the Conference panel in older app versions and has been updated for clarity and simplicity.)
    1. If there is an upcoming video conference meeting scheduled in your integrated Microsoft 365 calendar, it will appear on the left side of this panel. Click the Launch meeting button to start Solstice video conferencing resources (if needed) and start the video conference from the link in the body of the meeting invite. (Older versions of the app had many different, sometimes confusing, options for starting scheduled video conferences. See the Mersive Solstice app update note for more details.)
    2. If no upcoming video conference is shown, make sure Room Camera and Mic is toggled on (blue) to connect to Solstice video conferencing resources. Then start your video call in your video conferencing application.
  6. Once you are connected to the Solstice display and the Room Camera and Mic toggle is on, Video Conference App Resources appear on the right side of the Room Camera + Mic panel.

    1. See the Select these devices list for available room devices, such as cameras and microphones, plugged into the Solstice Pod. Devices listed here are wirelessly connected to your laptop and can be selected as video and audio sources in your video conferencing application.
    2. Look under Share the following to see the name of the window, usually Screen 2 or Monitor 2, to share to your video conference so remote attendees can see content shared in-room to the Solstice display.

      Mersive does not recommend having additional monitors connected to your laptop while hosting a Solstice-enhanced video conference.

    If the Room Camera + Mic option in the left navbar shows green, Solstice video conference resources are currently available in your video conferencing app.

  7. Once your video conference has been started, select available camera, microphone, and speaker devices as audio and video resources and share the Solstice display (Screen 2 or Monitor 2) in the video conferencing app.
  8. After you have ended your video call and exited the video conferencing app, use one of the options in the End Your Meeting section below to disconnect from the Solstice video conference resources and/or from in-room Solstice content sharing.

Mersive recommends the version of the Mersive Solstice app always match the software version of the Solstice Pod. Some versions of the Mersive Solstice app may require the versions to match exactly to connect Solstice resources to a video conference. Starting in version 5.5.1, users will be warned about mismatching versions but will still be able to share the Solstice display and access room cameras and mics connected to the Solstice Pod.

End Your Meeting and Disconnect from Solstice

As the host, when your meeting is finished you will need to end your video conference and disconnect from Solstice. Below are some ways you can disconnect from Solstice.

To disconnect Solstice from a video conference but continue in-room Solstice wireless content sharing and collaboration (Windows and macOS):

  • From Room Camera + Mic in the left navbar, click to turn the Room Camera and Mic toggle off (gray).

To disconnect from Solstice completely, including from in-room wireless content sharing and Solstice video conferencing resources, you can do one of the following:

  • Click Disconnect in the top right of the Mersive Solstice app window. You will be prompted to confirm that you want to disconnect from the display.
  • Close the Mersive Solstice app window:
    • On a laptop, click the X in the upper right corner to close the main Mersive Solstice app window. You will be asked if you wish to disconnect from the display and stop sharing all content. Click Disconnect.
    • On a mobile device, close the app window and Solstice will automatically disconnect the device from the display.
  • Starting in Solstice version 5.4, when Solstice Location Service is enabled (Settings > Control), auto-disconnect is also available. After learning the location of a Solstice Pod, the Mersive Solstice app can detect your device leaving the meeting area while still connected to the Pod and may prompt you to disconnect (currently supported on Windows, macOS, and Android). When the auto-disconnect prompt appears, you may do one of the following:
    • Click Disconnect to immediately disconnect from the Solstice Pod.
    • Click Cancel to dismiss the auto-disconnect prompt. You will not be prompted to disconnect again for that connection.
    • Allow the 10-second countdown to complete to let Solstice automatically disconnect you.

    Use the menu under the Solstice Location Service setting to turn on auto-disconnect and adjust the sensitivity that location services will use to automatically disconnect the device from the Solstice Pod. Location Services must also be enabled on the Pod to use this functionality.

    Auto-disconnect sensitivity is dependent on the WiFi signal strength in the meeting space. Mersive recommends starting with a value of Low or Normal. If needed, ask your IT department for more information about WiFi strength in your Solstice-enabled meeting space and how it might affect auto-disconnect functionality.

When using Solstice with a video conference, remember to also end your video conference in your conferencing app.

FAQ

Your Mersive Solstice app might be docked to your system tray. To remove this setting and regain controls for the app window, right click the Solstice icon in your system tray and deselect Dock to system tray.

To limit Solstice notifications, open your Solstice desktop app, then go to Settings. Under General > Notifications, select either None or Critical, depending on your notification preferences.

Notification settings also control notifications for Solstice Conference drivers. Selecting None will turn off performance and compatibility notifications related to using Solstice resources for a video conference.

This may be the case if your laptop is configured to have additional virtual desktops. Mersive strongly advises against using additional virtual desktops alongside Solstice Conference.

On macOS, a "hall of mirrors" visual effect may appear when using Solstice Conference if the Conference drivers are not loading correctly. Open Security & Privacy settings and check the make sure you have allowed drivers from Mersive.

When the Solstice virtual monitor for sharing with a video conference (usually appears as Monitor 2) is set as the primary display, a known issue causes a video effect that resembles a hall of mirrors. Once the issue has been triggered, the Solstice Conference drivers often must be uninstalled and reinstalled to resolve it. Mersive strongly recommends not accessing the display settings while using Solstice with a video conference to avoid this issue. For help uninstalling and reinstalling Solstice Conference drivers, contact Mersive Support.

In the Mersive Solstice app on Windows laptops with dual graphics cards, an issue has been reported that manually setting the dedicated graphics card as primary can prevent the app from successfully sharing the user's Desktop and App Windows. In this case, a sharing error may appear in the Mersive Solstice app; Media File sharing may still be successful. This issue can usually be resolved by changing the Windows and/or graphics card settings to allow the graphics processor to be automatically selected.

For Solstice Pods running digital signage feeds that are also used regularly for Solstice-enabled video conferences, a known issue exists that occasionally causes Solstice to become unstable and the Pod to spontaneously reboot. Mersive recommends that Pods experiencing this issue be configured to perform a daily reboot, which should avoid spontaneous restarts. A Solstice admin can enable Daily Reboots in the Solstice Cloud > Advanced settings.

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