Since Joingy’s official launch in 2018, we’ve analyzed video section matches.
Unfortunately, it’s seen a progressive amount of failed connections. In fact, this caused the dreaded ‘blank screen’ instead of webcams.
Joingy has overhauled its video chat servers and debuted a v2.0.0 update.
- We restructured the code
- Made performance improvements
- And established better connection compatibility
Let’s discuss the problem and solutions.
Fixing Blank Screens
Joingy uses a peer-to-peer technology called WebRTC.
It’s the most modern video chat solution for pairing people together. In the past, apps used Flash, but that has seen security issues and is being phased out.
WebRTC tech advances fast, especially during the last year. – To support webcam streams, we used a library called PeerJS, which is discontinued now.
So this caused our live video streams to progressively have unsuccessful connections. You’re probably familiar with it if you’ve seen ‘blank screens’ while using our webcam roulette.
That’s why our development team rebuilt the backend to cut out the library. – Without going into the details, we made a custom solution that doesn’t have dependencies. Furthermore, it’s set up in a way that’ll easily let us maintain support as the tech innovates.
Results of Improvements
Awesome! Now you understand the cause of these issues.
Here’s what users will experience…
Higher amounts of webcams.
You’ll get way less ‘blank screens’ instead of real people’s live video streams.
More users in the video section.
Since you can view webcams, this correlates with users staying longer.
Partners on mobile devices.
While phones and tablets have always worked, these devices saw the most issues. Mobile users will have a better experience since they’re able to match more often.
Still can’t connect? – Common Problems
Okay, so Joingy’s main roadblock is fixed. – What about those who still can’t match with people in our video section?
A variety of things can cause unsuccessful pairing. – And Joingy goes over a few troubleshooting options in our frequently asked questions.
But here are the difficult problems…
1. ISP Incompatibility
If you’re using mobile internet via a cell tower, sometimes it may result in a failed connection. With millions of these worldwide, who knows what’s causing it.
Additionally, maybe your internet service provider is blocking WebRTC for their own reasons. Or a router/modem doesn’t particularly like Joingy’s matching system.
2. Internet Connections
If you’re using a connection that’s flickering, you won’t have much success establishing partners. This is due to WebRTC needing to maintain the video streams.
So try using Wi-Fi on your mobile device or plugging in ethernet for PCs and laptops. Also, we detect spotty connections, then let users know when chats drop due to this.
3. Android & iOS Matching
Currently, WebRTC technology doesn’t let us pair Android to iOS devices.
But we may implement a feature to auto-skip these or block them from matching. Hopefully, they’ll fix it soon so people on Android and iPhone/Mac can video chat!
4. Outdated Devices
Keeping your browser and device up-to-date is a key factor for using Joingy’s webcam roulette.
They’re actively developing WebRTC compatibility. So we’ll add features when updates come out! Then as soon as Apple or Google fix bugs to match devices, you’ll be able to automatically pair with them.
