[mediacapture-output] Is reverting to different speakers from a background tab a valid use case? (#129)

jan-ivar has just created a new issue for https://github.com/w3c/mediacapture-output:

== Is reverting to different speakers from a background tab a valid use case? ==
The [spec](https://w3c.github.io/mediacapture-output/#algorithms-sink-unavailable) says _"When the audio device ... is no longer available, the user agent must take no action"_. 

@alvestrand wrote in https://github.com/w3c/mediacapture-main/issues/842#issuecomment-1006653409:
> The interesting version of devicechange with backgrounded tabs is if someone unplugs his headset while the tab is backgrounded, and expects sound to automagically switch to speakers without having to foreground the tab first.

JS can't intervene if backgrounded, since enumeration may not work ([enumerateDevices](https://w3c.github.io/mediacapture-main/getusermedia.html#dom-mediadevices-enumeratedevices) _"MAY ... wait ... until ... focus"_), so there's no general solution for this. Even worse, there's a solution in some user agents but not others.

But is this behavior desirable? The VC use case from a private office makes sense. OTOH, someone passively attending from a library worrying audio might start blaring out of their laptop speakers should their headset accidentally disconnect, seems undesirable.

Please view or discuss this issue at https://github.com/w3c/mediacapture-output/issues/129 using your GitHub account


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Received on Tuesday, 25 January 2022 19:09:22 UTC