Voice and Video Calls

Sable supports voice and video calls through Element Call integration, providing a seamless calling experience directly within your Matrix rooms.

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Element Call Integration

Element Call is a group calling solution built on Matrix that enables:

• Voice and video calls in any room
• Screen sharing
• Multiple participants
• End-to-end encryption
• Spatial audio for natural conversations

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Configuration

Element Call integration is configured in your Sable config:

• elementCallUrl: Set to your Element Call instance URL
• If set to null, the default Element Call service is used
• Self-hosted Element Call instances are supported

Your homeserver administrator can provide the appropriate Element Call URL for your deployment.

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Starting Calls

There are several ways to start a call in Sable:

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Start a Call in a Room

1. Navigate to any room
2. Click the Call button in the room header (phone or video icon)
3. Choose between:
   • Voice call: Audio only
   • Video call: Audio and video
4. The call starts and other room members can join

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Starting a Call in a DM

1. Open a direct message conversation
2. Click the call button in the DM header
3. The other person receives a call notification
4. They can answer to join the call

DM calls work similarly to traditional phone calls with ringing and answer mechanisms.

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Join an Ongoing Call

When a call is active in a room:

1. You’ll see a call indicator in the room
2. Click the Join Call button
3. Choose your audio/video settings
4. Join the ongoing conversation

Multiple people can join and leave calls freely without ending the call for others.

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Call Rooms

Call rooms are special rooms optimized for persistent calling:

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What are Call Rooms?

Call rooms are Matrix rooms configured specifically for Element Call:

• Permanent call presence
• Dedicated space for voice/video communication
• Chat alongside the call
• Ideal for always-on team spaces or voice hangouts

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Creating a Call Room

To create a call room:

1. Create a new room or configure an existing room
2. Enable Element Call integration in room settings
3. The room becomes a call room with persistent call features

Call rooms show a call interface prominently and make it easy for members to hop in and out.

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Call Room Features

• Persistent calls: The call space is always available
• Chat integration: Text chat alongside voice/video
• Participant list: See who’s in the call at a glance
• Screen sharing: Share your screen with call participants

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Call Controls

While in a call, you have access to various controls:

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Audio Controls

• Mute/Unmute: Toggle your microphone
• Volume: Adjust speaker volume
• Audio settings: Choose microphone and speaker devices

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Video Controls

• Camera on/off: Toggle your video feed
• Video settings: Select camera device
• Video quality: Adjust resolution and bandwidth

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Screen Sharing

1. Click the Share Screen button while in a call
2. Select which screen or window to share
3. Participants can see your shared screen
4. Click Stop Sharing to end

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Call Layout

• Grid view: See all participants in a grid
• Spotlight view: Focus on the active speaker
• Sidebar: Participant list with video thumbnails

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Call Participants

Manage who’s in the call:

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Viewing Participants

• See all call participants in the call interface
• View video feeds from participants with cameras on
• Audio indicators show who’s speaking

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Participant Actions

• View participant profiles
• See participant connection quality
• Moderators can manage participants (if permissions allow)

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Call Quality

Element Call adapts to your network conditions:

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Network Quality

• Automatic quality adjustment based on bandwidth
• Connection quality indicators for you and participants
• Reconnection handling if network drops

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Improving Call Quality

• Use headphones to prevent echo
• Ensure good lighting for video
• Close unnecessary browser tabs
• Check your internet connection speed

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Call Notifications

Stay informed about call activity:

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Incoming Calls

• Desktop notifications when someone starts a call
• Ringing sound for DM calls (if enabled)
• Visual indicators in the room list

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Active Calls

• Badge or indicator showing ongoing calls in rooms
• Number of participants visible
• Join calls with one click from notifications

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Privacy and Security

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Encryption

Element Call supports end-to-end encryption:

• Voice and video streams are encrypted
• Only call participants can access the media
• Encryption keys are managed automatically

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Permissions

Room permissions control call features:

• Who can start calls
• Who can join calls
• Call moderation capabilities

Configure these in room settings under permissions.

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Troubleshooting

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Camera or Microphone Not Working

1. Check browser permissions - allow camera/microphone access
2. Verify your device is selected in call settings
3. Test your devices in browser settings
4. Check if other applications are using your camera/mic

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Cannot Join Call

• Ensure you have permission to join calls in the room
• Check your network connection
• Try refreshing the page
• Verify Element Call is properly configured

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Poor Call Quality

• Check your internet connection speed
• Reduce video quality in call settings
• Close other bandwidth-intensive applications
• Try using audio-only mode

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Call Settings

Customize your calling experience:

• Default audio/video: Choose whether calls start with camera on
• Notification sounds: Enable/disable call ringing
• Device selection: Set preferred microphone, camera, and speakers
• Quality preferences: Adjust default video quality

Access call settings from Sable’s main settings menu.

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Differences from Other Call Solutions

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Element Call vs. Jitsi

Some Matrix clients use Jitsi for calls. Element Call offers:

• Better Matrix integration
• Built-in encryption
• Spatial audio features
• More modern interface
• Improved performance

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Element Call vs. Traditional VoIP

Unlike traditional phone calls:

• Calls happen in Matrix rooms
• Multiple participants can join/leave freely
• Integrated with room chat and history
• Works across different homeservers
• No phone numbers required