Enhancing Stream Video SDK: Distinguishing Audio & Video Mutes

Hey folks! 👋 Let's dive into a cool feature enhancement for the Stream Video SDK. We're talking about making it super clear when a user gets muted, specifically whether it's their audio (mic) or video (camera) that's been silenced. This improvement allows for more tailored and informative messaging within your video calls. It's all about making the user experience smoother and more intuitive.

The Core Idea: Adding TrackMuteType

So, the main thing we're aiming for here is to get a new attribute called trackMuteType added to the CallUserMutedEvent. This event pops up whenever a user is muted in a call. Currently, the event doesn't specify what got muted – audio or video. This makes it tricky to customize the messages you show to the muted users. With trackMuteType, we'll know if it's the mic, the camera, or both! This gives us the power to craft messages like "Your microphone was muted" or "Your camera has been turned off" instead of just a generic "You were muted." This level of detail boosts clarity and helps users understand what's happening during the call. 💡

Why This Matters

Why is this even important, right? Well, think about it from the user's perspective. Being told "You were muted" is okay, but it doesn't give them a clue about what's going on. They might wonder if their mic is broken or if their camera is off. With the trackMuteType, you can tell them exactly what's up, cutting down on confusion and frustration. This is especially helpful for admins and moderators who need to manage calls and provide clear instructions. It's all about making your video calls more user-friendly and professional. 🚀

The Problem We're Solving

Currently, when an admin or moderator mutes a user's audio or video, we receive a general call.user_muted event. This event doesn't differentiate between audio and video mutes. This is the core problem! Imagine you're building a video conferencing app and want to give users specific feedback when they're muted. Without knowing if it was the mic or the camera, you're stuck with a vague message. This lack of specificity makes it hard to create a truly polished user experience. 😫

The Current Limitations

Right now, when you listen for the call.user_muted event, you get a generic notification. You can't tailor the user experience based on what got muted. This limits your ability to provide clear, actionable feedback to users. It's like trying to diagnose a car problem without knowing if it's the engine or the tires. You can't provide specific instructions or help users troubleshoot effectively. The current setup makes it harder to provide users with a good understanding of what is happening during the call, leading to a less intuitive experience. This proposed change aims to provide developers with the necessary information to create a better user experience.

Proposed Solution: The TrackMuteType Attribute

We're suggesting adding a new attribute: trackMuteType: TrackMuteType. This will be part of the returned CallUserMutedEvent object. This attribute will describe the source that was actually muted. The TrackMuteType could have values like audio or video, giving you the exact info you need. This enhancement will bring a significant improvement in user experience by enabling specific messaging based on the mute action.

How It Works

Once the trackMuteType is implemented, when a user is muted, the event will include this new attribute. Based on the value of trackMuteType, you can then display a custom message. For example:

• If trackMuteType is audio, display "Your microphone has been muted."
• If trackMuteType is video, display "Your camera has been turned off."

This simple addition allows for a much more detailed and user-friendly experience. It makes the app more informative and helps users understand the state of their audio and video. It provides the developers the tools needed to make user interactions smoother. 👍

Alternatives Considered

Before landing on this solution, we thought about other ways to solve this problem. One alternative could involve creating separate events for audio and video mutes. However, this approach could potentially make the event handling more complex. It could lead to redundant code and might not be as clean or flexible as adding the trackMuteType attribute. Adding this attribute keeps things simple and efficient by providing all the necessary information within a single event. 🧐

Why TrackMuteType is Best

The trackMuteType approach is preferred because it's clean and easy to integrate. It doesn't require overhauling the existing event structure. It provides all the relevant information in one place, making the event handling simpler. It allows developers to quickly and easily implement the specific messaging needed to improve the user experience. This design decision prioritizes ease of use and efficiency, making it the best option for both developers and end-users. This offers a more straightforward and maintainable solution. 🎉

Benefits of the Enhancement

Implementing this feature brings a bunch of cool benefits to the table!

• Improved User Experience: Clearer messages mean less confusion and frustration for users. They'll instantly understand what's happening with their audio and video. This leads to a more positive and engaging call experience.
• Enhanced Customization: Developers gain the ability to create highly tailored user interfaces. This level of customization allows apps to be more user-friendly.
• Better Moderation Tools: Admins and moderators will have more control and can communicate more effectively. Being able to specify if the mic or camera was muted helps moderators to manage calls effectively.
• Simplified Troubleshooting: When users understand if it's their mic or camera, they can troubleshoot issues more easily. This reduces support requests and improves user satisfaction.

User-Centric Design

This enhancement is a prime example of user-centric design. It focuses on solving a specific pain point and improving the overall usability of the platform. By giving users more context, we're making the app easier to use and more enjoyable. It means happier users and a more successful product. 💖

Conclusion

Adding the trackMuteType attribute to the CallUserMutedEvent is a small change with a big impact. It enhances user experience, simplifies development, and provides better control for moderators. This enhancement is a win-win for everyone involved, making the platform more user-friendly, informative, and effective. We believe this update will significantly improve the quality of video calls for everyone! So, let's get this implemented and make those video calls even better! 🙌