branhoff
commented
1 month ago I drafted a question to the r/discordapp subreddit. I don't have a Reddit account, so I couldn't post it and I have to wait a few days it seems:
I'm running a Discord server dedicated to helping people study, and I've run into an issue that I'm hoping the community can help me solve.
The Setup
- We have a bot that tracks study time when users join an "Accountability" voice channel.
- The bot increments a streak for users based on their time in this channel.
- Many of our users like to listen to music while studying.
- Users are always muted in the Accountability voice channel.
The Problem
- When users join the voice channel using AirPods (and possibly other headphones), Discord defaults to the hands-free audio setting.
- This results in significantly lower quality audio, which is especially noticeable when streaming music.
- Manually changing to the high-quality setting doesn't solve the issue, as Discord notifications disrupt the audio and it never recovers.
Current Pros and Cons
Pros of using a voice channel:
- It's easy to see who has joined the study session.
- There's a clear sense of community and presence.
Cons:
- The audio quality issues for AirPods users.
- Potential disruption to users' music listening experience.
We've considered using a text channel instead, but:
- It's not obvious how long users have been present.
- It lacks the clear sense of community that a voice channel provides.
Technical Background
From what I understand:
- Headphones Profile: Provides high-quality stereo audio for media playback.
- Headset Profile: Optimized for voice calls but at the expense of audio quality.
- Discord seems to force the Headset profile for voice channels, preventing high-fidelity stereo audio.
The Questions
Is there a way to have the advantages of a voice channel (visibility, sense of community) without any of the voice abilities? Essentially, can we create a "silent" voice channel that doesn't interfere with audio settings?
I'm open to any suggestions.
korynelson
ISSUE:
This is what gpt told me about the voice defaults:
You generally cannot use the Headphones (AirPods Pro - Find My Stereo) profile and the Headset (AirPods Pro - Find My Hands-Free AG Audio) profile simultaneously. Here's why:
Headphones Profile: Provides high-quality stereo audio for media playback. Headset Profile: Optimized for voice calls and communication, typically at the expense of stereo audio quality. If you're in a Discord voice chat room, your AirPods will likely switch to the Headset profile to handle the voice communication. This means that while you're on a call or voice chat, you might not be able to enjoy the high-fidelity stereo audio that the headphones profile offers.
However, you can still listen to other media with high-quality audio when you're not using the headset profile for voice communication. You might need to switch between profiles depending on your activity.