This article explains how to join a Playback session after receiving an email invitation.

This content is an excerpt from the Quickstart Guide: Playback Guest User and focuses specifically on the session join experience. For a full overview of Guest features and in-session collaboration tools, refer to the complete quickstart guide. 
 

Receiving a Session Invitation

The first step to joining a Playback session is receiving an email invitation from the session Organizer.

The invitation email includes:

• The session name
• Scheduled date and time
• A Join Session button

If you do not already have a Remoto account, the invitation may also include embedded credentials that allow you to activate an account during the join process.

If you are already a Remoto account holder, you are not required to join from the email invitation and may instead join directly from Playback Desktop.

Accepting the Invitation

Click Join Session in the email invitation to begin the join process. A new browser window opens.

What happens next depends on how the Organizer has configured session access:

• Passwordless access enabled
  You are prompted to enter your first and last name only.

• Passwordless access disabled
  You are prompted to log in with a Remoto account or create one before continuing.

Joining a Session

Joining a Session using Playback Desktop

If Playback Desktop is required and not yet installed, you are prompted to download and install it.

Once Playback Desktop opens:

• If passwordless access is enabled, you see a brief reminder that no password is required.

• You are directed to configure Call and Stream Preferences for the session.

• When you click Join Session, Playback runs a quick Pre-Session Network Test to check download performance and latency while you are waiting to be admitted to the session.

Guests who join using passwordless access are limited to the live session only. After the session ends, you are prompted to log in to access the Dashboard or other areas of the application.

If you logged in earlier in the process, the Dashboard is displayed and an illuminated Join button indicates the session is active.

Joining Using Playback Web

If you select Join via Web:

1. A new browser tab opens, and runs a quick Pre-Session Network Test to check download performance and latency before proceeding
2. You are prompted to configure Call and Stream preferences in your browser
3. You may be asked to grant camera and microphone permissions
4. Click Ask to Join

If the Organizer has already started the session, they receive a join request and can Admit or Decline it.

While waiting, a dialog indicates that approval is required before entering the session.

Once the join request is approved, you are admitted to the session and into the Studio view. 

Joining Without Using the Email Invitation (Desktop Only)

If you are a Remoto account holder, you can join sessions directly from Playback Desktop without using the email invitation.

After logging in:

• Sessions you’ve been invited to appear in the Dashboard
• A highlighted Join button indicates the session is active
• Click Join to configure preferences and enter the session

Configuring Call and Stream Preferences

No matter how you join (Desktop or Web), you are prompted to configure Call and Stream Preferences before entering the session.

Here you can:

• Select and test your camera and microphone
• Choose speaker output
• Enable a Secondary Video Output to send the stream to an external SDI source

On Playback Desktop, stream audio and call audio can be routed independently using Alternate Speakers. For example:

• Call audio through earbuds
• Stream audio through speakers or a multichannel setup

On Playback Web, call and stream audio are always routed together to the same output.

When ready, click Ask to Join.

When you are ready, click “Join Session.”

When you click Join Session, Playback runs a quick Pre-Session Network Test to check download performance and latency before admitting you to the session.

Entering the Session

Once the Organizer has approved your join request, you enter Studio view, where you can view the stream and collaborate with other participants.