Watermark settings (for admins)

Enabling the watermark across a workspace means that while a user is transcribing, an indicator showing transcription is in progress appears on their camera image. There are three pieces of work: enabling the prerequisite automatic chat notice, enabling the feature for the workspace, and installing the camera on each machine.

Enterprise plan

#1. Enable at least one automatic chat notice (required)

To begin watermark setup, at least one of the automatic chat notices (Google Meet, Zoom or Microsoft Teams) must be enabled for the workspace.

This prerequisite exists because of what happens when a user turns their camera off partway through a meeting. Pulse can only continue transcribing where notice has already been given in that meeting — that is, where the automatic chat notice has been sent, or the watermark was displayed earlier in the meeting. Using the automatic chat notice alongside it reduces the cases where transcription stops for a user who has turned their camera off.

#2. Enable it for the workspace

1. In the Pulse desktop app, open Settings > Workspace > General > Transparency > Watermark for teams.
2. “Set up”, follow the prompts, and click “Apply to all users”.

Once enabled, a one-off setup screen appears for each user the next time they open Pulse. After setup, transcription may stop until they switch their meeting app's camera to the watermarked one. Users cannot turn the feature off in their own preferences.

#3. Install the camera on each machine

Users can install it themselves, but they will be asked for administrator rights or a password. Pre-approving it through MDM removes that prompt. The examples below are a starting point; how you actually distribute depends on your MDM product. For help with a particular MDM, contact tharada@the-unchain.com.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
    <key>PayloadContent</key>
    <array>
        <dict>
            <key>AllowedSystemExtensions</key>
            <dict>
                <key>〔team ID〕</key>
                <array>
                    <string>〔camera extension bundle ID〕</string>
                </array>
            </dict>
            <key>PayloadDescription</key>
            <string>Pre-approves the system extension for the watermark camera.</string>
            <key>PayloadDisplayName</key>
            <string>System Extensions</string>
            <key>PayloadIdentifier</key>
            <string>jp.example.allow-watermark-system-extension.system-extension-policy</string>
            <key>PayloadOrganization</key>
            <string>〔organisation name〕</string>
            <key>PayloadType</key>
            <string>com.apple.system-extension-policy</string>
            <key>PayloadUUID</key>
            <string>168c05f4-cd15-48e7-88be-65bbbfb4c275</string>
            <key>PayloadVersion</key>
            <integer>1</integer>
        </dict>
    </array>
    <key>PayloadDescription</key>
    <string>Pre-approves the system extension for the watermark camera.</string>
    <key>PayloadDisplayName</key>
    <string>Allow watermark camera system extension</string>
    <key>PayloadIdentifier</key>
    <string>jp.example.allow-watermark-system-extension</string>
    <key>PayloadOrganization</key>
    <string>〔organisation name〕</string>
    <key>PayloadScope</key>
    <string>System</string>
    <key>PayloadType</key>
    <string>Configuration</string>
    <key>PayloadUUID</key>
    <string>3b87b9e6-056c-4caa-bb09-63e684c5ae8d</string>
    <key>PayloadVersion</key>
    <integer>1</integer>
</dict>
</plist>

# Registers the COM server for the watermark camera.
#
# Writes the CLSID InprocServer32 entry to HKLM so the Frame Server can find the DLL.
# Must be run as Administrator.

$ErrorActionPreference = "Stop"

# Check for administrator rights
$isAdmin = ([Security.Principal.WindowsPrincipal] [Security.Principal.WindowsIdentity]::GetCurrent()).IsInRole(
    [Security.Principal.WindowsBuiltInRole]::Administrator)
if (-not $isAdmin) {
    Write-Host "Error: This script requires Administrator privileges."
    exit 1
}

$ClsidKey = "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{〔CLSID〕}"
$InprocKey = "$ClsidKey\InprocServer32"
$DllPath = Join-Path $env:PROGRAMDATA "〔install folder name〕\VirtualCamera\VirtualCameraMediaSource.dll"

# Create the CLSID key
New-Item -Path $ClsidKey -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $ClsidKey -Name "(Default)" -Value "VirtualCameraMediaSource"

# Create the InprocServer32 subkey
New-Item -Path $InprocKey -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $InprocKey -Name "(Default)" -Value $DllPath
Set-ItemProperty -Path $InprocKey -Name "ThreadingModel" -Value "Both"

# Verify the registration
if (-not (Test-Path $InprocKey)) {
    Write-Host "Error: COM registration verification failed."
    exit 1
}

Write-Host "COM server registered successfully."
Write-Host "  DLL: $DllPath"
exit 0

#What users have to do, and what to tell them

Enabling the watermark for a workspace creates two tasks for users.

1. work through the one-off setup in Pulse to install the camera.
2. select the watermarked camera in each meeting app they use. This is needed in every meeting app — Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams and so on. Most apps remember the camera chosen, so it is a one-off step per app.

Before enabling or mandating it, also tell people the following.

• The watermark appears only while transcription is running. Video is not recorded throughout the meeting.
• Supported environments are macOS 14.0 or later and Windows 11.
• Transcription may stop until the meeting app's camera has been switched over.
• Where it is mandated for the workspace, it cannot be turned off in individual settings.
• If a user turns their camera off partway through a meeting, transcription can continue provided notice has already been given in that meeting (the automatic chat notice has been sent, or the watermark was displayed earlier).

An announcement template for the watermark rollout, and answers to the questions users most often raise, are collected in Enabling the transparency features for your organisation (for admins). The points to note as monitoring of employees are there too.

The steps and troubleshooting for users are collected in Watermark settings (for individuals). Include that page with your rollout announcement. It also covers the per-app settings for when someone reports that the indicator is cut off on other participants' screens.

#Related articles

If that does not resolve it, contact tharada@the-unchain.com.