220-1102 Question 812
Single answerVideoconferencing softwareA remote employee reports that their videoconferencing application works for audio, but other participants can only see a black screen where the employee's video should appear. The user says the built-in webcam worked earlier in the day in another program. As a technician, you need to resolve the issue with the least disruptive first step. Which action should you take FIRST?
- A
Verify that the videoconferencing app is set to use the correct camera and that no other application is currently using the webcam
- B
Reinstall the videoconferencing application and delete the user's profile data
- C
Replace the built-in webcam because the hardware has likely failed
- D
Disable the laptop's microphone array so the videoconferencing software can reinitialize all AV devices
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The best first step is to confirm the videoconferencing software is pointed to the correct camera and that the webcam is not being held by another application. In real-world support, black-screen video issues are often caused by camera selection problems, privacy settings, or device contention rather than immediate hardware failure. CompTIA A+ Core 2 emphasizes following a structured troubleshooting approach: identify the problem, establish a theory, test the simplest solution first, and avoid unnecessary disruption. This aligns with common vendor guidance from videoconferencing platforms and operating system documentation, which typically recommends checking selected AV devices, camera permissions, and whether another program is already using the camera before reinstalling software or replacing hardware.
- A. Correct.
This is correct. A black video feed in a videoconferencing app, especially when the camera worked in another program earlier, commonly indicates that the wrong camera is selected or that another application still has control of the webcam. In A+ troubleshooting, the least invasive and most likely fix should be tried first. Many videoconferencing platforms allow users to choose among multiple imaging devices, including virtual cameras, privacy filters, or dock-connected cameras.
- B. Incorrect.
This is incorrect. Reinstalling the application is a more disruptive step and is not the best first action when the symptoms suggest a device-selection or camera-access issue. It may eventually be appropriate if settings are corrupted, but it is not the most efficient initial troubleshooting step.
- C. Incorrect.
This is incorrect. The webcam is less likely to have failed if it worked earlier in another application. Hardware replacement should come only after confirming software settings, camera permissions, device conflicts, and driver status. Choosing this option reflects the misconception that a black video window automatically means hardware failure.
- D. Incorrect.
This is incorrect. The microphone array is unrelated to a black camera image. Audio is already working, so disabling the microphone would not address the video path. This distractor targets confusion between audio and video device troubleshooting in unified communications applications.