220-1102 Question 304
Single answerVideoconferencingA remote employee reports that during company videoconference calls, other participants can hear the employee clearly, but the employee cannot hear anyone unless a USB headset is plugged in. The issue occurs in multiple meeting apps. Local video playback and system sounds are also silent through the laptop speakers. The user recently connected the laptop to a docking station and then disconnected it before traveling. Which action should the technician take FIRST to resolve the issue?
- A
Set the laptop's built-in speakers as the default output device in the operating system sound settings
- B
Reinstall the videoconferencing application because its audio codec is likely corrupted
- C
Replace the laptop's internal microphone because the headset works during meetings
- D
Increase the meeting app's video resolution to reduce audio processing delay
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
This question tests practical videoconferencing troubleshooting by requiring the candidate to separate application-specific issues from operating system audio device issues. In real support scenarios, if audio problems occur across multiple conferencing platforms and also affect local media playback, the technician should first check the default playback device in the OS. This is especially common after connecting to or disconnecting from docking stations, external monitors, USB headsets, or Bluetooth audio devices. Standard best practices from Microsoft Windows sound troubleshooting guidance and common enterprise support procedures recommend verifying the selected input/output device before reinstalling apps or replacing hardware. The key clue is that USB headset audio works, which shows the conferencing services are functional and the problem is isolated to the laptop's current speaker output path.
- A. Correct.
Correct. Because the problem affects multiple meeting apps and even local system audio, the issue is most likely the operating system's selected playback device rather than the conferencing software itself. After using a docking station, the laptop may still be trying to send audio to a disconnected HDMI, DisplayPort, USB audio, or dock audio endpoint. Setting the laptop speakers as the default output device is the most appropriate first troubleshooting step.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. A corrupted conferencing app or codec would usually affect one application, not all applications and system-wide audio playback. The scenario specifically states that local video playback and system sounds are also silent, which points away from the conferencing application and toward the OS audio output configuration.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. The employee's microphone is not the problem because other participants can hear the employee clearly. This option confuses input and output devices. The issue is that the user cannot hear others, which is a speaker/playback path problem, not a microphone problem.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Video resolution settings do not resolve complete loss of audio output through laptop speakers. While bandwidth or performance issues can affect call quality, they would not normally cause all system audio to be silent across multiple applications.