Overview

World Stream features a toolbar designed to help users address common streaming issues. This toolbar is located at the top of your browser window.

When your World Stream session is conducted in-browser, the World Stream toolbar will persist at the top of your screen. In full-screen mode, the World Stream toolbar will retract, and can be called back by hovering your cursor near the top center edge.

World Stream toolbar tour

Each side of the toolbar contains different functions. Before we delve into more deeply into specific topics, here is a brief overview.

Copying and pasting

AWS runs Breakroom on a remote machine with its own clipboard, so copying and pasting text into your session is a slightly more complex process. The World Stream toolbar gives you the ability to copy and paste text between the Breakroom stream and your own computer.

Copying text from World Stream

To copy text from a World Stream session, follow these steps.

1. Highlight the text you want to copy within your Breakroom World Stream Session, and press Ctrl + C on your keyboard.

2. Hover your cursor over the Clipboard button in the World Stream toolbar. A drop-down menu will appear. Click the "Copy to local device" option.

3. A pop-up window will appear containing your highlighted text. Highlight the text again, and press Ctrl + C a second time to copy the text to your local computer clipboard. You can then paste it wherever you like.

Pasting text into World Stream

To paste text into a Breakroom World Stream session, follow these steps.

1. Highlight the text on your local computer and press Ctrl + C to copy it.

2. Hover your cursor over the Clipboard button in the World Stream toolbar. A drop-down menu will appear. Click the "Paste to remote session" option.

3. A pop-up window will appear. Click on the blank text field, and press Ctrl + V to paste the text to the remote machine clipboard.

4. Once the text is entered, you can press Ctrl + V to paste the text anywhere you like in-world, including local text chat fields.

World Stream settings

Hovering your cursor over the Settings button will reveal a drop-down menu. Several key stream settings are available here, including streaming mode and screen resolution, streaming metrics, and regional and language settings.

Streaming mode

Clicking on the "Streaming mode" option will call up the Streaming Mode window. Here you can select whether you would like to run Breakroom under "Best responsiveness" or "Best quality" settings by clicking the radio button next to your preferred option.

You can also use this window to track streaming metrics in real time. To access streaming metrics, click the V arrow located next to Show Streaming Metrics. The window can be moved around your screen to a more convenient location if necessary.

Screen resolution

To change your World Stream session screen resolution, follow these steps.

1. Hover your cursor over the Settings button in the World Stream toolbar. A drop-down menu will appear.

2. Hover your cursor over the "Screen resolution" option. A pop-up window will appear. Click on the resolution option you would like to use.

Regional settings

Clicking on the "Regional settings" option will call up the Regional Settings window. Here you can customize your time zone and location.

If you are using a Chinese, Japanese, or Korean keyboard, you can also specify your keyboard language in this window. To do so, follow the steps below.

1. Hover your cursor over the Settings button in the World Stream toolbar. A drop-down menu will appear.

2. Hover your cursor over the "Regional Settings" option. A pop-up window will appear.

3. Using the Input method drop-down menu, select the keyboard language you would like to use.

4. Click the Save button.

Function shortcuts

Clicking the Fn shortcuts button in the World Stream toolbar will open a virtual on-screen keyboard that you can click with your mouse cursor or finger. For a cheat sheet of Breakroom keyboard shortcuts, please see this page.

Screen sharing instructions for macOS 10.14 or 10.15 (Catalina)

Due to increased security restrictions on macOS, you will need to explicitly grant permission for World Stream to access your microphone, camera, and computer screen. These permissions are necessary for the proper functioning of Breakroom's conferencing system features.

Voice and video permissions

To grant microphone and video permissions, click the OK button when each permission prompt appears.

Screen sharing permissions

When you share your screen for the first time, a pop-up will appear asking for permission to record your screen. Click the Open System Preferences button, which will take you to the corresponding settings panel. Then navigate to System Preferences > Security and Privacy > Privacy > Screen Recording.

Click the padlock to unlock your privacy settings and make changes. Enter your system password when prompted, and then check the box next to your browser to enable screen sharing.

Sound input and output

Here is a typical sound setup for a Mac. You can find this information under System Preferences > Sound. Here we are most concerned with the Output and Input tabs.

Key for the Sound Output tab:

1. The Output tab allows you to make adjustments to your output device (headphones are recommended).

2. The device identification window allows you to select your output device if you have multiple devices connected, or to identify your current device if you are uncertain which you may be using.

3. The balance control allows you to adjust sound output between your left and right headphone speakers. Adjusting the balance can also help with audio feedback issues.

4. The output volume control allows you to adjust your headphone volume independent of your speaker or master volume. You can also mute your headphones directly from this window.

5. Check the "Show volume in menu bar" option to monitor and control your headphone volume from your computer's menu bar.

Key for the Sound Input tab:

1. The Input tab allows you to make adjustments to your microphone.

2. The device identification window allows you to select your input device if you have multiple devices connected, or to identify your current device if you are uncertain which you may be using.

3. The input volume slider allows you to control the volume of your input device. Lowering the volume can assist with problems such as pitchiness or peaking, but may make it harder for others to hear you.

4. The input volume control allows you to adjust your microphone volume independent of your headphone volume or master volume. You can also mute your speaker directly from this window.

5. Check the "Show volume in menu bar" option to monitor and control your headphone volume from your computer's menu bar.

Overview

World Stream is an innovative cloud-based solution for enterprise and educational users who might not have access to advanced graphics processing hardware. World Stream renders your Breakroom world in our cloud servers, and then streams a dynamic, interactive live video of that world to each user's device.

This offers many benefits, including:

1. Users don't need to download or install anything. No plugins, no standalone apps.

2. Users don't need to have the latest and greatest computer hardware. As long as they can run one of our supported internet browsers and have access to an internet connection, they are ready to stream.

World Stream is currently supported on , , and . For the best possible experience, we recommend using Chrome. Please see for our current technical specifications.

World Stream service provider

AWS is our streaming service provider. Upon logging in, World Stream users will automatically be assigned to an available, low-latency AWS instance close to their physical location.

World Stream server types

Breakroom offers two types of server access—Ultra Servers and Lite Servers. Ultra Servers are recommended for high , while Lite Servers are an economical choice for smaller events. You can find more details in our and documentation.

World Credits

When users log in through your dedicated , there are no additional access fees above the cost of their . World Stream access, on the other hand, must be purchased on a per user/per time basis using a digital currency known as World Credits.

Partial hours and World Credit consumption

This means that users cannot consume partial hours while logged in to World Stream. For example, if a user logs in for 20 minutes, the cost of one hour of access (60 minutes) will be deducted from the World Credits available on the account.

Launching World Stream

World Stream can be accessed just like any other site on the internet. When you purchase a Breakroom subscription, you will be provided with a dedicated World Stream URL. You can copy this URL in order to share it with your users.

Several of the buttons in these headers can be used to launch World Stream or access the World Stream URL. Here is a brief overview of their functionality.

Your World Stream URL can be shared just like any other internet link. When you click on a World Stream URL, your browser may request permission to use your microphone or camera by presenting you with a small pop-up message. Here's an example of the type of pop-up you might see in Microsoft Edge:

Logging in to World Stream

There will be a brief wait while your Breakroom application is installed on our cloud servers. During the login process, you may see a large circular "Play" button appear in the middle of the screen. You do not need to click this button to proceed.

Switching World Stream user accounts

If you close the World Stream viewer and attempt to start it again a short time later, you will see an account confirmation dialog box appear during the login process. If you want to log in under the account you previously used, click Continue. If you want to log in with another user account, click Switch Account.

Important notes

Cross-platform voice capabilities

Users who log in via the same method can communicate freely. Therefore, we strongly suggest that you take this into consideration when planning your events, and require all guests to use either World Stream or the desktop app.

We apologize for the inconvenience, and hope to provide a solution soon.

Browser auto-play

Overview

When users log in through your dedicated Breakroom desktop app, there are no additional access fees above the cost of their seat. World Stream access, on the other hand, must be purchased on a per user/per time basis using a digital currency known as World Credits.

World Owners and World Admins can purchase, track, and manage World Credits at any time using the Dashboard. Unused World Credits never expire, even if your Breakroom subscription lapses.

Purchasing World Credits

To purchase World Credits, follow the steps below.

1. Navigate to your Dashboard.

2. Click the Add Credits button located in the purple site header bar.

3. In the pop-up that appears, enter the number of World Credits you would like to purchase. Please note that World Credits must be purchased in increments of 1000 Credits.

4. Click the Next button, and complete your payment information.

5. When you are satisfied, click the Confirm button to finalize your purchase.

Tracking your World Credits

World Credit Balance widget

The World Credit Balance widget on the Dashboard landing page allows you to quickly check your World Credit balance and most recent account activity. If you need additional World Credits fast, the Add Credits link is also available.

World Credits tab

Alternatively, you can access a detailed breakdown of your World Credit purchases, refunds, and analytics by clicking the World Credits tab on your Dashboard.

In addition to information about your World Credit transactions, the World Credits tab contains a number of important tools. Here is a brief guide to key parts of the UI.

Generating World Credit transaction and usage reports

Transaction reports

You can download your World Credit transaction history at any time by following these steps.

1. Navigate to your Dashboard.

2. Click on the World Credits tab.

3. Scroll down to the Transaction History panel.

4. Use the search field or the date pickers to filter the transactions list, if necessary.

5. Click the Download CSV link located above the date pickers to download a spreadsheet containing your selected transaction data.

Usage reports

World Stream access and activity can also be tracked using the Transaction History panel on the World Credits tab.

1. Navigate to your Dashboard.

2. Click on the World Credits tab.

3. Scroll down to the Transaction History panel.

4. Enter the term "usage" into the search field, and press the Enter key on your keyboard. Usernames are identified in the Items column.

5. Click the Download CSV link located above the date pickers to download a spreadsheet containing your selected transaction data.

Managing World Credit usage

Partial hours and World Credit consumption

Due to the way AWS structures its billing, World Stream usage is currently calculated in hourly increments (i.e., multiples of 60 minutes). This hourly calculation policy also extends to pre-allocation campaigns and user session time limits.

This means that users cannot consume partial hours while logged in to World Stream. For example, if a single user logs in for 20 minutes, the cost of one hour of access (60 minutes) will be deducted from the World Credits available on the account.

For this reason, Breakroom gives Owners and Administrators tools to limit World Stream user session times and World Credit consumption. World Owners can also place a cap on the number of World Credits that can be purchased each month.

Setting World Credit purchase limits

To limit the amount of World Credits that can be purchased on your Breakroom account each month, follow these steps.

1. Navigate to your Dashboard.

2. Click on the World Credits tab.

3. Scroll to the My Balance panel. You will see your current Monthly Purchase Limit listed there.

4. To change the monthly limit, click the Pencil icon located to the right of the sum. A pop-up will appear. Enter the new purchase limit in the field, and click the Save button.

Choosing your World Stream server type

Another way that world Owners and Admins can manage costs is to select an appropriate World Stream server type. An updated list of server type features, prices, and regional availability can be found on the Dashboard, but in general, our Lite Servers offer acceptable performance for smaller events at a reduced cost.

To change your World Stream server type for all users, follow these steps.

1. Navigate to your Dashboard.

2. Click on the World Credits tab.

3. Scroll to the Your World Stream server type panel.

1. On the left side of the panel, you will see your current World Stream server type listed. To change it, click the Change my World Stream server type link located on the right side.

2. A pop-up will appear. Click on the server type you prefer.

Setting World Stream usage limits

To help you get the most out of your World Credits, there are three types of usage limits you can impose:

1. Maximum session time per user, which sets a cap on how much time an individual user can spend in a single World Stream session.

2. Monthly usage quota per user, which sets a cap on how much time an individual user can spend in World Stream per month.

3. Monthly usage quota for World, which limits how many minutes all of your users can collectively spend in World Stream each month.

To enable any of these usage limits, follow the steps below.

1. Navigate to your Dashboard.

2. Click on the World Stream tab.

3. Scroll down to the Manage World Stream Usage panel (pictured above).

4. Locate the usage cap you want to enable. Click the Edit link located to the right of the usage cap name.

5. Enter your preferred number of minutes or click the Unlimited button.

6. Click the Save button when you are finished.

Overview

In order to provide users with our World Stream service, Breakroom makes use of "virtual machines" that process and stream your content. The number of on-demand World Stream machines is limited to a maximum of 100 per world. This means that at any given time, you can host up to 100 concurrent World Stream users without any special accommodations.

However, for events where you anticipate hosting more than 100 World Stream users, you must request pre-allocation. This will reserve the number of virtual machines required for your special event, ensuring that everything goes off without a hitch.

Important notes

• When pre-allocating virtual machines for your event, the baseline maximum of 100 users should not be taken into account while planning. Instead, please be careful to specify the exact number of users who will be attending your event. For example, if 101 people RSVP to your event, you would request pre-allocation for 101 users.

• The maximum number of users World Stream can accommodate at this time is 1000. The system will not permit you to book an event for more than 1000 users.

• Please note that each reservation must be made for a minimum of one hour.

• When a live event consumes all pre-allocated World Credits due to longer than expected event duration or higher than expected user count, a notification will be sent to the world Owner and Administrators. World Credits will then be automatically deducted from the account to cover login time, provided the Breakroom account has World Credits available.

• Please keep in mind that World Stream use is calculated in 60-minute increments. If a user is logged in for 20 minutes, they will still consume one 60-minute block of World Stream time.

• When making your reservation, please book for the maximum number of users for the longest duration required.

• All reservations must be submitted a minimum of 48 hours prior to the event.

• Please contact our Customer Success Team if you have any questions about requesting a reservation.

Cancellation and refund policies

Whether a pre-allocation campaign can be canceled or advance payment refunded depends on several factors, including when cancelation is requested and whether the submitted event has been approved by staff.

Requesting pre-allocation

To submit a pre-allocation request, please follow the steps below.

1. Navigate to your Dashboard.

2. Click on the World Stream tab.

3. Scroll down to the Pre-allocation panel and click the Book Pre-Allocation button. This will expand the panel.

4. First, select your preferred World Stream server type by clicking the relevant Select button.

5. Then, select either a One-time Reservation or a Recurring Reservation.

   1. For a one-time reservation, select your event date using the calendar.

   2. For a recurring reservation, select both your Start Date and End Date. Once you specify these dates, the weekday buttons will become active. Click on the days for which you are requesting pre-allocation. (E.g. Every Saturday over the specified time period.)

6. After you have selected your event day(s), use the Start time and End time drop-down menus to specify the time duration for your event. (Note: Reservations must be a minimum of one hour in length.)

7. Enter the number of users who will be accessing your event in the Number of users field.

8. Review the pricing breakdown. Remember: Pre-allocation campaigns require advance payment in the form of World Credits. The specified number of World Credits will be deducted from your balance after you confirm the booking.

9. When you are satisfied with your choices, click the Request Pre-Allocation button.

After you submit your request, our Customer Success Team will review the details and get in touch to let you know if it has been approved or declined.

Overview

In order to help troubleshoot audio and video connectivity issues, Breakroom provides users with a dedicated AV diagnostics panel. You can learn more about how to access this service on our general troubleshooting page, as well as how to change devices from within the World Stream platform itself.

However, some connectivity issues may require changing your browser settings. The instructions on this page are written specifically to assist users who may encounter issues while running World Stream on the Chrome browser.

Basic World Stream functionality

World Stream access is provided by AWS, which uses a variety of locations for delivery. In order for World Stream to be delivered, you will need to whitelist the following domains:

*.breakroom.tech

*.amazonappstream.com

*.appstream2.eu-central-1.aws.amazon.com

*.appstream2.eu-west-1.aws.amazon.com

*.appstream2.eu-west-2.aws.amazon.com

*.appstream2.eu-east-1.aws.amazon.com

*.furioos.com

Additionally, please enable outbound UDP and TCP traffic on ports 443, 8433, and 53.

You can learn more about AWS allowed domains by visiting this page.

If you encounter problems with WebRTC, you can perform a WebRTC test at https://test.webrtc.org/.

Video Services

No Devices Detected / Wrong Device

If you encounter one of the following issues while running a general AV troubleshooting test, you may need to adjust your device settings using your browser.

If the video section reads "Permission Denied," and the video device is listed as "No Device / Unauthorized," see the "No Devices" section below for instructions on how to grant access to the camera.

If the listed video device is incorrect (meaning that the device selected is missing, or wrong), you will need to change the default camera. See the section regarding changing Chrome's default devices below.

Audio Services

No Devices Detected / Wrong Device

If the audio section reads "Permission Denied," and audio device is listed as "No Device / Unauthorized," you may have accidentally blocked access to your microphone, or your System Administrator may have blocked microphone access within your browser.

To fix this problem, you may be able to manually grant permissions by following these steps.

1. Click the camera icon located on the right-hand side of the address bar.

2. Check the "Always allow [Breakroom] to access your camera" option.

3. Click the Done button.

4. Refresh your browser tab by pressing the F5 key or by clicking the browser refresh button.

If this does not fix the issue, contact your System Administrator for further assistance.

Important notes

Cross-platform voice capabilities

Voice capabilities are currently restricted by login method. This means that if one user is logged in via World Stream and another user is logged in via Breakroom's desktop app, they will not be able to hear each other over voice chat, even if they are standing in the same region.

Users who log in via the same method can communicate freely. Therefore, we strongly suggest that you take this into consideration when planning your events, and require all guests to use either World Stream or the desktop app.

We apologize for the inconvenience, and hope to provide a solution soon.

Browser auto-play

Some browsers come equipped with "auto-play policies" that automatically block websites from playing audio and video until you interact with the content. In addition to granting media permissions to World Stream, you may also need to click on the page or otherwise interact with the streaming content in order to enable audio. You will need to repeat this action if you refresh the page.

Changing the default devices

To change the default devices in Chrome, first open the Chrome settings menu by clicking the vertical ellipsis icon in the address bar. Then click on Settings.

Once the Settings page is open, use the search field to search for "Site Settings." Click on the highlighted Site Settings link that appears.

Scroll down to the section titled Permissions. Click on either the Camera or Microphone settings, depending on what you would like to change.

The Camera and Microphone settings page are largely similar. On both, you can use the device selection drop-down menu located near the top to choose your preferred input devices.

After you've selected your new default devices, refresh the World Stream page and your changes will take effect.