Zoom and Windows 11

[John-at-USQ]

With the latest version installed, I am told that my machine does not support virtual backgrounds. The help page does not list W11 among supported operating systems! Will that be corrected on the W11 release date? 

[John-at-USQ · Accepted solution]

I see that I am in good company! It is interesting that Microsoft Teams has no difficulty with using backgrounds on this machine but Zoom has still not learned how to do it!

Maybe I should move over to Teams for my courses.

Cheers

John

[by6]

Friend has an Asus windows 10 laptop with the 7505 and gets the message saying the specs are not up to it. Which suggests Zoom perhaps do not recognise it, even though it's better than previous gen i3's that they allow ..

 

[GAR]

I am having the same problem, and in my case I believe Zoom is not accepting my processor, AMD Ryzen 3 3250U, 2.60 GHz.  In 

https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/360043484511-Zoom-Virtual-Background-system-requirements

it states:

• AMD
  • 8 logical cores
  • 3.0Ghz or higher

I don't understand why they would have that requirement, when there is no similar requirement for Intel processors.

[nida22]

I am having the same issues and I have the same processor..
So it means we can't use background for now then? :'(

[GAR]

Actually, it seems to be more complicated.  I downgraded to Windows 10 and I am still having the same problem.  And with another computer, a desktop with an Intel processor, Core i7,  4 cores, 3.4 GHz, I am getting the same message, "Your device does not support Video Virtual Backgrounds."  And another laptop, with an Intel Core i5, 4 cores, 2.4 GHz, I have no problems with virtual backgrounds.  Something is wrong with Zoom.

[John-at-USQ]

I suspect that the problem  is the shared video memory. It is interesting that the face recognition features, like party hat and eyebrows, do not seem to need that video memory. Perhaps background recognition will catch up  soon.

Incidentally, last year their were party features like Christmas hats and antlers. I wonder when they will appear!

[GAR]

I think I know why the Core i7, 3.4 GHz is being rejected.  They want 6th generation or higher.  Mine is 3rd generation, while the Core i5, 2.4 GHz that is accepted, is 11th generation.

[John-at-USQ]

I think that they are OK with  i-5 and up. It seems to be that display memory.

Yet I am surprised that the filter gizmos like reindeer antlers can work when backgrounds do not.

There is even something to paint on lipstick! Maybe Zoom could add another filter to insert false teeth!

[GAR]

I just realized that Zoom makes a difference between image (static) backgrounds and video backgrounds.  Of course, the requirements are more strict for video backgrounds.  With a Core i7 - 3rd generation, they allow me to use static backgrounds but not video.

[John-at-USQ]

PS to Zoom:

This site would be easier to use if the user interface is changed slightly:

• Encourage the user to log in BEFORE typing a reply!
• Use the word 'POST' or 'SEND' instead of repeating REPLY after 'preview'.

[John-at-USQ · Accepted solution]

I see that I am in good company! It is interesting that Microsoft Teams has no difficulty with using backgrounds on this machine but Zoom has still not learned how to do it!

Maybe I should move over to Teams for my courses.

Cheers

John

[John-at-USQ]

The avatars are fun, but is nobody listening to the pleas for backgrounds without green screen for W11?

[michealSmith07]

I experienced the same thing,  I anticipate that this will be updated/fixed as soon as possible.

[John-at-USQ]

I do not know when it happened, but at last one of the Zoom updates has given me my backgrounds! 

[ted240]

I just bought a new computer with Windows 11. I do online trainings. Since switching to my new computer I am having problems with zoom. After 30 minutes, voices become chopping. I can't hear my participants. I keep upgrading and that doesn't do anything. Zoom support tell me I need to upgrade and pay at least $50. a month to even get chat support. They said submit a ticket. I did and and received an email that they can't respond at this time and to look through links. So disappointing. I have Teams and going to check that out. 

[GAR]

It may be due to W11 using more memory.  Open Zoom-Settings-Statistics and check what is the memory utilization according to Zoom.  If your Overall utilization is too high, try closing your browsers (and anything else using lots of RAM) and see if that helps.   I assume you have enough bandwidth, but closing the browsers would help with that too.

[John-at-USQ]

My Zoom sessions are also interrupted by bursts of gargling.  But I believe that someone on my internet fibre is paying more for bandwidth than I am.  

Run Resource Monitor to see dips in bandwidth almost to zero. This is followed by a burst of activity as Zoom tries to catch up.

Cheers

John

[GAR]

When advising Zoom users with similar problems, I suggest closing all browsers and using Ethernet rather than WiFi; if WiFi is the only option, make sure that nobody else is using the same WiFi server (that is, other laptops and phones), set all phones to use cellular data instead of WiFi.  But often the problem is not bandwidth but memory availability in the same device.  Closing the browsers helps with that too.

[John-at-USQ]

A helpful suggestion, but not the answer.  This occurs when I am the only active user on that router.  The same bandwidth dips occur away from Zoom, when I am uploading a video recording.  I have FTTH, but of course there will be a shared fibre or process in the system that serves a multitude of clients, one of which might be hogging all the bandwidth in bursts.

My suggestion would be to take screenshots of Resource Monitor during the call, and to give your ISP a hard time.

Cheers

John

[GAR]

Hmmm, I am not sure a dip in the network utilization indicates a bandwidth problem.  Fiber is not shared, the way cable is.  If your network utilization drops it may also indicate that you are running out of another resource, and you are not ready to use the available bandwidth.  I would check your memory and CPU usage at the same points in which you see a drop in network traffic.

[John-at-USQ]

The dips are reak enough, and occur on file uploads as well.  But the ISP tells me that they have made some changes at their end, so I will see.

Missing frames in the linear prediction encoded voice data causes the gargling.  Could the data not be buffered, so that there is a second or two of silence, followed by a catch-up at 1.5 times speed?

Cheers

John

[John-at-USQ]

The forum layout is so badly organised that I cannot find the post that I am trying to reply to.

Maybe there is a setting to show posts in chronological order, but it is far from obvious.

Still 'reply' is being shown instead of 'post to forum'.

Since backgrounds are now working, maybe I should unsubscribe. But there is still the issue of garbled speech during bandwidth dropouts. 

Since it is possible to understand speech when played at 1.5 times, maybe a dropout should cause a pause, followed by the buffered content to be played at 1.5 speed to catch up.

Cheers

John

[GAR]

The dropouts due to bandwidth problems may be in the participant streaming out or in that receiving the stream.  Also, buffering and requesting a resend will cause a huge audio-video sync problem.  I am not sure what I detest more, garbled sound or lack of sync.  I guess it depends on the contents; for a conference garbled sound is the more serious problem, for music streaming bad sync is much worse.

[John-at-USQ · Accepted solution]

The changes made by the ISP seem to have worked. No more dropouts deep enough to cause trouble.

So now I have my backgrounds and can Zoom happily.

Cheers

John

But that button to post it is still labelled 'Reply', not 'Post'.

[ted240]

Glad you found your backgrounds. Zoom quality is way down with Windows 11. I give trainings via Zoom for a living. About 30 minutes in voices become choppy--they come in and out so I can't make out what participants are saying. My trainings are interactive. I attended a workshop yesterday. Same thing happened. What's frustrating is you can't chat with a zoom person unless you pay $50. a month or more. I am already paying. You can't talk to someone or use the live chat feature. You can only submit a ticket. 

Awful!!!