Status/Control (Softphone)

Compatibility

• Q-SYS Softphone is a VoIP/SIP system that directly supports digital phone systems and direct VoIP calls. To connect to an analog system, you can use an FXO Gateway that has analog POTS inputs, a network output, and can be configured to route incoming analog to the Q-SYS Softphone.
• Q-SYS supports most ITU standard codecs. Refer to the Q-SYS Core Manager Telephony > Softphones topic.

Note: Microsoft Teams and Webex do not natively support third-party SIP devices. For Microsoft Teams, a Session Border Controller (SBC) is required – see the Plan Direct Routing page from Microsoft for more information. Alternatively, we recommend using Q-SYS USB Bridging with these services instead. See the USB Audio Bridge and USB Video Bridge topics for more information.

Configuration

• Use the Q-SYS Core Manager > Telephony > Softphones page to configure registration with IP-PBX systems such as Cisco CUCM, FreeSwitch, etc.
• Refer to the SIP Conferencing Integration topic for guidance on configuration.

Maximum Softphones per Design

Note: Q-SYS Scaling Licenses expand the capabilities of some Q-SYS Core processor models. Refer to the Licensing topic for more information.

A single Softphone consists of the following:

• Status/Control component - This component is the controlling component. It has a numeric keypad, displays the incoming call information, has various controls including Do-not-disturb, Auto Answer, Dial, Hang-up, and displays status information.
• VOIP In component - This component provides and controls the audio input signal from the incoming call.
• VOIP Out component - This component provides the audio output connection and controls the outgoing audio signal level.
• Softphone configuration (Q-SYS Core Manager) - This is where you enter the Softphone parameters. These settings are available once a Softphone is in the Q-SYS design.

Note: Refer to the Telephony > Softphones topic in Core Manager Help to learn how to configure Softphone on the Q-SYS Core processor and to see a list of compatible VoIP providers.

Below is a very simple illustration of how you can set up the Q-SYS Softphone in a design; there are a number of other ways.

To enhance your Q-SYS Softphone implementation, you can add various components from the Schematic Library. Below is another conference-room implementation, using the Q-SYS Acoustic Echo Canceler component. This particular design is available on the QSC Training website.

Softphone Properties

Name

The Name identifies the Softphone component in Q-SYS Designer.

The name must follow standard naming conventions, restricted to the following:

• ASCII characters a - z, A-Z (case insensitive)
• Digits 0 - 9
• Hyphen (cannot be at the beginning or end of the name)
• Underscore (acceptable with a Q-SYS implementation)
• You cannot use any other characters, symbols, punctuation, or blank spaces.

When you have entered the Name, it displays next to the Softphone icon in the Inventory list, and on the component in the Schematic.

Location

The Location is a means by which you can organize your virtual equipment to correspond to your physical equipment. The Softphone has no physical equipment, so you may want to group this with the Core running the related design. Click in the Location property, the "Default Location" highlights. Type the name of the new location. Once you have entered the new Location name, it is available on the pull-down for the Location property, in addition, the Location lists the Softphone.

Tone Output

When 'Yes' is selected, the Ring, Entry, Exit, and DTMF tones are fed to a separate output channel (Tone Output) on the VOIP In component. These tones can now be routed independent of the voice audio.

Graphic Properties

Label

Use the Label property to change the name of the component in the schematic. The Label property defaults to the component name. To learn more about renaming schematic elements, see Organizing Your Design.

Position

The coordinates reference a specific place in the schematic - for example,"100,100" (horizontal, vertical). 0,0 is the upper left corner of the schematic.

Fill

Sets the fill color of the component in the schematic.

Script Access Properties

Code Name

Displays the currently assign name for control access. You can use the auto-assigned name or customize it. Q-SYS will automatically check all Code Names in the design to ensure name is unique.

Script Access

Defines whether the component will be accessible by script and/or externally, or not at all. Choices include All, External, None (default), and Script.

• None (default) - Not accessible by any script, plugin, or by Q-SYS Remote Control Protocol (QRC).
• Script - Can be accessed by scripts, such as Text Controller, Block Controllers, and plugins only.
• External - Can only be accessed by 3rd party controls systems using component commands from the Q-SYS Remote Control Protocol (QRC).
• All - No restrictions, can be accessed by 3rd party control systems via Q-SYS Remote Control Protocol (QRC), or script objects or plugin objects.

Tip: Use Script Programmer Mode to quickly view the Script Access setting directly on the component in the design schematic without the need to disconnect from the Q-SYS Core processor.

The Softphone can be exercised in the Emulation mode from Q-SYS Designer. This can be useful during the design phase to validate scripts or test certain logic without having to deploy the design on an actual core.

To use this feature, add a Softphone to the design and press F6 for Emulation. Open the Softphone dialer. You can place calls and also receive dummy calls.

• To place a call simply enter any number using the Pin-Pad or the Dial String field and click the Connect button. The call will be connected after 5 seconds.
• To receive a call click the "Simulate an Incoming Call" button that displays during Emulation. This button is present only during Emulation and when clicked, will place a call to the Softphone in which you clicked the button. All the relevant control pins will change states to reflect the call being placed or received.

Status/Control

Dialer Tab

Dial String

The number of the phone or device you are calling. This number is a text string entered by either the Keypad, keyboard, or using the Dial String Control Pin.

The "," symbol can be used to insert a 1 second Soft Pause in the dial string. (For example, dial string "729 832 9502 ,,,,, 19327#").

The ";" (semi-colon) symbol can be used to insert a Hard Pause into the dial string, to be used in conjunction with the 'Continue with…' feature described below (For example,dial string "729 832 9502 ; 19327#")

Note: Do not use a comma (,) directly next to a semi-colon (;) or two semi-colons directly next to each other.

Backspace Key

The Backspace key deletes the last character typed, and can continue deleting one character at a time.

Clear Key

The clear key (X) clears the entire Outgoing dial digits field.

Progress

Displays the CID number, the CID name (if available), and the call status of the incoming call. You can display these separately using the corresponding Control pins.

DND (Do Not Disturb) Button

Activating the DnD feature causes Q-SYS to ignore any incoming calls. If connected to an IP-PBX, that system handles the response given to the incoming caller. For example, busy signal, message, and so on.

Disconnect (Hang Up / Ignore) Button

Press this button to disconnect the call.

Connect (Dial / Answer) Button

Enter the Outgoing dial string then press this button to initiate the call. If there is an incoming call, press this button to answer the call.

Off Hook LED

This LED indicates that your call is active. It lights when the call is connected, and goes off when you press the Hang Up key or the line is disconnected.

Ringing LED

LED indicates that there is an incoming call, or there is an outgoing call waiting for the called party to answer.

Call Control Call Connect Time

Digital readout of the time the call has been connected.

Auto Answer Button

Enables and disables the Auto Answer feature. The button illuminates when the feature is active.

After # Rings

This parameter sets the number of rings before the Auto Answer feature answers the call.

Note: This control acts like a knob - click and drag to change, or key in the number of rings.

Keypad

This is a standard 12-key numeric keypad used to key in the Outgoing dial digits, or send DTMF while off hook. For example, you can enter additional numbers to navigate an answering system.

Recent Calls

List of recent calls, up to 100 maximum.

Clear

Clears recent call list.

Continue with ...

The 'Continue with …' control is used to submit pre-defined DTMF digits after an active call triggers a Hard Pause to assist with navigating IVR's and Conference Bridge dial in.

Simulate Incoming Call

Simulates an incoming call in Emulation mode to assist with development of UCI's and third-party integration when Q-SYS hardware or SIP Server is not available.

Status LED

Multi-color LED giving the status of the Softphone.

Status

This is a text field displaying details of the status of the Softphone. The color of this field matches the color of the LED.

Tone Control Tab

Note: Ring Tone files – Q-SYS has a default set of ring tone .wav files in the Ring tones directory. You can access these files through the Q-SYS Core Manager > Files page.

Ring Tone

Enable

Enables the ring tone for incoming calls. This also configures the ring-back tone on outgoing calls. If the far end of the outgoing call provides a ring tone, that tone overrides this configuration.

Gain (dB)

Sets the level of the incoming call ring tone and, for outgoing calls, this sets the level of the ring-back tone.

Filename

Specifies the file to play for the incoming call's ring tone, and outgoing call's ring-back tone.

Entry Tone

Enable

Enables the entry tone for incoming calls. The entry tone indicates that the incoming call has been Auto-answered.

Gain (dB)

Sets the level of the incoming call ring tone and, for outgoing calls, this sets the level of the ring-back tone.

Filename

Specifies the file to play for the incoming call's entry tone.

Exit Tone

Enable

Enables the exit tone for incoming calls. The exit tone indicates that the incoming call has been disconnected (hung up).

Gain (dB)

Sets the level of the incoming call exit tone.

Filename

Specifies the file to play for the incoming call's exit tone.

Keypad Tone

Enable

Enables the playback of the DTMF digits sent from your Core as keypad tones.

Tone Gain

Sets the level of the keypad tones.

Filename

Specifies the file to play keypad tones.

Force Local Ringback

When enabled, the selected Ring Tone file will override the audible tone sent by the remote party. For example, when dialing an international number, the remote party may send an audible tone to be played back to the caller. This may not be desirable. To keep ring tones consistent (regardless of the outgoing number dialed), enable this option.

Note: This option has no effect if Ring Tone is disabled.