USB microphone on remote desktop doesn't appear/record (but video does)

Question

I have the following scenario:

• an USB Microsoft LifeCam webcam with working audio/sound
• Target Windows 10 PC where the webcam is plugged in (target/local)
• Source Windows 10 PC from where I am remote desktop-ing (source/remote)

Now, the issue is the following: The webcam, which does appear in device manager, whichever way I connect to the remote computer, is not able to be used as recording device, unless I turn off entirely (both input and output) the audio redirection.

So, we have these cases:

1. Complete audio redirection:

   • Remote audio playback: Play on this computer
   • Remote audio recording: Record from this computer
   • Result: doesn't use any of the remote's input/output devices, but webcam video stream still works.

2. Just audio playback redirection:

   • Remote audio playback: Play on this computer
   • Remote audio recording: Do not record
   • Result: no microphone/recording capability, but playing sounds from target PC on the local PC works; webcam video stream still works
   • I can only play sound from the remote PC, but I cannot do any kind of recording from the microphone:

2. No audio redirection:
   • Remote audio playback: Play on remote computer
   • Remote audio recording: Do not record
   • Result: uses just the remote audio streams, so nothing is able to be heard through the remote connection; webcam video stream still works
   • I can fully see all the recording devices, just like I'd be on the PC itself:

So, my issue is with case #2, I want to hear the remote sounds through he remote connection, but the microphone should be the one that comes with the webcam, for some reason it's not listed, even though the webcam itself still works in any of the cases.

Answer 1

“Remote audio recording: Record from this computer.”

Meaning, transmit my microphone to the remote host for recording. Not, transmit the remote host’s microphone to me for recording.

The opposite of Remote audio playback: Play on this computer.

Meaning, send the remote host’s audio to me for playback. Not, send my audio to the remote host for playback.

You’re misunderstanding what the feature does. A scenario where you would use audio redirection for playback and recording would be if Skype, for instance, was installed on the remote PC. You would be able to connect to it, and start a full Skype session from your own PC.