Test audio

The HP Dimension with Google Beam audio test is part of the setup process and can also be used to test and troubleshoot audio issues throughout the device's lifecycle. The audio quality can be affected by the room's environment, stand setup, display attachment, and the connection and orientation of table mics and speakers.

Environmental conditions

To ensure an optimal audio experience, the room environment must comply with these specifications from "Environmental Conditions" in the HP Dimension with Google Beam Room and Deployment Readiness Guide:

• Room size
• HVAC location
• Flooring
• Wall type

Before you start

• The HP Dimension hardware must be assembled and tightened to specification.
• The device must be enrolled in the Google Admin console.
• Verify that both table microphones are connected. If either LED is off, troubleshoot the microphone connections before proceeding with the test.

LED color	Description
Off	The table mic is not connected. If the light doesn't turn on within 30 seconds, check that all table mic connectors are properly connected: the green Phoenix connector at the bypass board and all connectors inside the table mics.
White	The table mic is connected and microphones are in standby.
Green	The table mic is connected and the system is actively recording.
Red	The table mic is connected and system mics are muted. The table mic doesn't enter this state during the Audio Checks. Tap the Mute icon in the middle of the table mic to unmute.

Run the audio test

You can run the audio test after the conference system is set up. The test can take up to 2.5 minutes to complete, and you can't stop the test before it finishes. The test is sensitive to background noise and environmental conditions, so control them as much as possible during the test.

Note: The audio test automatically deletes all recordings when testing completes.

You can access the tool from the Station Utilities Menu (SUM) on the touchscreen. This might require entering a room password or passcode. For instructions on viewing the password, go to Manage device password.

When the test completes, the touchscreen shows the result and timestamp. If a check is unsuccessful and the retry is also unsuccessful, the test sequence exits and shows detailed results for the failed test.

What the audio test checks

The audio test runs a series of dependent checks. The loudspeaker check requires the microphones to pass, and the rub and buzz check requires both the microphones and loudspeakers to pass.

If a check doesn't pass, the audio card resets and retries it once. If either try passes, testing continues. If the retry also doesn't pass, the test reports a failure and shows the results on the touchscreen.

1. Microphone check: Verifies that all microphone arrays and table microphones are working correctly. If the check fails, review the mic arrays and table mic results. An "inter" failure can suggest uneven room noise, such as HVAC noise or sound from a nearby room.
2. Loudspeaker check: Verifies that all loudspeakers are working correctly. Background noise can affect the results. If the check fails, review the loudspeaker results. Individual results are shown for the left tweeter, left woofer, right tweeter, and right woofer.
3. Rub and buzz check: Verifies that the system doesn't produce abnormal buzzing or rattling sounds. If the check fails, review the result displayed below the loudspeaker results. Background noise, room activity, or system vibration can cause the check to fail.

Audio test results

There are 3 possible results for the audio test:

• PASS: All three individual checks returned pass results.
• FAIL: An individual check returned a fail result.
• ERROR: A script error prevented the check from completing. This is rare and isn't considered an audio test failure. Rerunning the audio test should resolve it. If the error persists, visit the site shown on the touchscreen display.

Checks that don't run because of a preceding failure are marked as Not-run.

Troubleshoot audio test issues

The audio checks are sensitive to noise and environmental conditions. These factors can cause a test to fail for reasons other than those the test is intended to check. For this reason, it's extremely important to remain quiet and keep environmental conditions static during the audio test.

The individual tests run a second time when the first attempt fails. An external transient noise might not be present during the second attempt. However, if this happens, rerun the Audio test. The following table lists potential causes and recommended actions.

Microphone issues

Issue	Potential cause	Action or solution
Mic arrays: Any combination of left, center, right, and/or inter	Excessive noise during the test that is not affecting the mic arrays evenly Something is blocking the sound path to the mic arrays	Check that nothing is sitting on the top bezel of the HP Dimension display, where the mic array ports are located.
Table mics: Left and right and inter	Table mics aren't connected	If the table mic lights are off: Make sure Phoenix audio connector is properly connected to the display pass-through board. Make sure the left table mic cable input and cable output are properly connected. Make sure the right table mic cable output is properly connected.
	Excessive noise during test	Fix excessive noise or wait for it to end.
Table mics: Left and inter	Excessive noise during the test, affecting left table mic	Fix excessive noise or wait for it to end.
	Something blocking sound to the left table mic	Make sure the table is clear around the table mics, including moving the touchscreen.
Table mics: Right and inter	Right table mic is not connected	If the right table mic light is off: Make sure the cable input is properly connected on the left table mic. Make sure the cable output is properly connected on the right table mic.
	Excessive noise during the test, affecting right table mic	Fix excessive noise or wait for it to end.
Table mics: Left or right or inter	Excessive noise during the test, affecting right table mic	Fix excessive noise or wait for it to end.

Loudspeaker issues

Issue	Potential cause	Action or solution
Over-ambient and Volume: Left tweeter and Left woofer or Right tweeter and Right woofer	Speaker cables not plugged in	Make sure that the speaker cables on the mid-wall are connected to the speaker ports on the front of the display
	Something blocking sound on affected side of the system	Make sure nothing is on the table directly in front of the mid-wall loudspeakers Make sure nothing is sitting on top of the display
Over-ambient Left tweeter or Left woofer or Right tweeter or Right woofer	Excessive noise during the ambient recording	Determine if something is causing excess noise in the room and rectify the issue
	HVAC is causing excessive noise	Turn off HVAC blowers or wait for them to reduce noise level
	Noise contamination from outside the room	Close the door if open Wait for the noise event to end

Rub and buzz issues

The rub and buzz check provides a single PASS or FAIL result. Pay attention to the room environment and listen for external noises during the test to determine if a FAIL result is a true issue or a false positive. Here are a few examples of noises that could cause a false positive:

• HVAC supply directly over the display
• Ambient noise levels above the specified level of 45 dBA
• Moving around during a test
• The touchscreen location
• A window or the room settling, causing an audible creak
• The door to another room closing
• Voices coming through a wall or the door

If the issue isn't caused by noticeable external noise or environmental conditions, then it's likely caused by loose hardware on the device, which your integrator can check. Using auditory cues or touch, try to localize the source of the event.

Next steps

If the audio test doesn't pass and you've exhausted all troubleshooting steps, contact your integrator for support and provide them with the results and timestamp.