Why does Windows 8.1 IGNORE call / communications settings when using Metro music apps?

[Guest Azurren]

As per the topic title is this an intended "feature" or a bug / oversight in Windows 8?

 

 

Joining or starting a call using any major voice application (Skype Desktop, Steam, Google Hangouts via the Chrome browser) will cause windows to vastly decrease the volume of Metro Apps.

 

Ending the call causes the apps to return to there original volumes

 

 

Things I have tried:

 

1. Right-click on the Speaker icon located in the notification tray (located at the end of your taskbar)
   
2. Select Playback devices
   
3. Select the Communications tab
   
4. Select Do nothing
   
5. Select Apply
   
6. Select OK
   

 

Result: Works perfectly for desktop apps as it did in Windows 7. Completely Ignored for Metro Apps.

 

 

"Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device" - Disabled.

 

 

I've even tried the "Steam Fix":

 

1. Go to Steam > Settings > Voice tab and check the "Use a push-to-talk key to transmit voice".
   
2. Restart Steam and Audio app and you're done!
   

 

Result: As expected, it did nothing..

 

 

So.. Bug, "Feature" or Oversight? Or am I missing something obvious here? Like a setting in the Metro Control Panel or perhaps a gesture which involves three hands and a banana? But in all seriousness this is frustrating the **** out of me :(

 

 

Also.. Formatting is lost when posting from the Google Chrome browser. Had to reformat this again using Internet Explorer >:(

 

As I'm sure no one wants to read a massive block of text

 

Continue reading...