System-wide/background push-to-talk (PTT) voice chat without registration or having to run my own server (to replace Discord)?

Jitsi Meet and Matrix are missing system-wide/background push-to-talk (PTT) (to replace Discord).

Tell Jitsi -> github.com/jitsi/jitsi-meet-electron/issues/210
Tell Matrix -> github.com/element-hq/element-web/issues/15284
Tell Element Call -> call.element.io (Settings > Feedback)
Tell SimpleX -> github.com/simplex-chat/simplex-chat/issues/2398

Alternatives (obviously must be cross-platform end-to-end encrypted libre software)?

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37 comments

Instead of system wide PTT per-app you may consider some software that mutes your mic for all apps as PTT, then just leave the mic "active" per-app.
I don't know if a tool that will do this but on my mouse I have configured a mic mute toggle. So I push to start and stop. However technically I don't think there is any restriction to setting up PTT via this mechanism.
- I found https://github.com/cyrinux/push2talk implements this idea for proper PTT on all apps.
- Many games ban always open mic, so this would create double push-to-talk, forcing me to hold two keys together to talk in-game.
  If I do, how do others on Windows and macOS copy me? I want to spread my way and get them off Discord.
  
  Yeah, the nice thing about per-app is that you can configure it for each app separately. But I'll be honest that isn't something that I regularly do. If I am voice chatting with friends that will usually be a superset of what I want to send to a game's voice chat.
  
  I may try this for now, thank you. I am still looking for more simple solutions, so others can copy me easily.
  
  so this would create double push-to-talk, forcing me to hold two keys together to talk in-game.
  Why not use the same key for the game and the local mic control? I used to have a single key to mute myself in mumble and talk in Overwatch, and it worked well. Does your OS prevent it?
  
  Those in both the call and game at the same time will hear everything, either from the call or game, as the mic is never mute everywhere.
  
  I think you've misunderstood again.
  In my call, I left the mic open by default, and configured a key as push-to-mute.
  In the game, I left the mic muted by default, and configured the same key as push-to-talk.
  This way, I could speak on the call or in the game, but never both at once, and the my was not open by default in the game.
  Edit: Oh, I think I figured out what your first sentence was supposed to mean. I think you want not only to choose between two voice chats (a game and a call) when talking, but also be muted in both by default so other sounds in the room won't be heard by anyone. Yes?
  
  Yes, with no key(s) held, the mic should be mute everywhere. Edited for clarity.
- This is what I do, works wonderfully, and most DEs have a readily configurable mute mic keyboard shortcut you can just put on whatever convenient macro key you want. Plus it doesn't even show you as muted in Zoom since it's done externally and it just knows it's getting silence.

37 comments