Monterey "Orange Dot" Security Alert Makes Live Performance Apps Unusable

Question

Mr. Fantatsic OP

Created Dec ’21

Replies 3

Boosts 4

Views 1.4k

Participants 2

Dear Apple,

When any audio is being captured, there is a new security feature in MacOS Monterey that shows and orange dot to alert the user; in of itself this is no big deal. But, this orange dot is rendered on top of any video output sent to a video projector. This happens not just in my app Isadora, but in numerous others including such notable softwares as QLab, Touch Designer, Resolume, and ZoomOSC. (There are dozens more.)

This security "enhancement" renders MacOS Monterey unusable for anyone using apps like those listed above to present video to a live audience – you can't just have a random orange dot appearing in a video projection behind a bunch of opera singers because you also happen to be capturing audio on the same machine.

This security feature must be made optional. Otherwise, the tens of thousands of users will have spent a lot of money on Apple hardware that will be rendered worthless for live-performance work.

Apple, you made a mistake on this one. Please pay attention to this and fix it.

Sincerely, Mark Coniglio Creator of Isdora

(and all users who use macOS software to do live projections.)

Boost

Answer 1

Claude31 OP

Dec ’21

There were similar requests already(h t t p s : / / discussions.apple.com/thread/253308716). See also Apple support answer: h t t p s : / / twitter.com/AppleSupport/status/1471138659684519940. Did you post a bug report ?

0

Answer 2

Mr. Fantatsic OP

Dec ’21

I have mobilized the user community of my software Isadora here ( https://community.troikatronix.com/topic/7723/ ) by asking users to send their comments via the macOS Feedback page.

I am also spreading the word to other related software communities. One of the users of QLab has already formulated a petition to send to Apple in this discussion in this discussion https://groups.google.com/g/qlab/c/QEm4OERFw_s -- their suggestion reads as follows:

The Microphone in use indicator on displays that don't have the menu bar visible is undermining the viability of many pieces of software used for video display in the live events, conference and theatre industries.

Whilst I have no objection to the orange dot appearing in a menu bar, professionals using Macintosh Computers for video playback must have complete control over what appears on output screens that are visible to audiences, which sometimes may include millions of people for a single event.

The orange dot is as offensive and unacceptable to these users as it would have been if you had chosen to overlay a watermark on all display screens with an Apple Logo.

Please provide the means of turning it off as a matter of urgency.

0

Answer 3

Mr. Fantatsic OP

Dec ’21

So that any Apple representatives will see this is a widespread issue:

Please take a look at this discussion among users of QLab, where someone has formulated a suggested text for their own petition: https://groups.google.com/g/qlab/c/QEm4OERFw_s

Users of different software are having a similar discussion on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/MacOS/comments/qhbt4n/how_to_disable_orange_dot/

2