Yes‚ even when using manual override mode, the Noise Meter system needs to detect that it has access to a microphone. Since you can toggle manual override on and off while the activation is live, the system requires confirmation that microphone access is available. When you log into the admin, you'll see an alert in the upper right corner if microphone access hasn't been granted. Click that button to enable microphone permissions, then refresh your screen. This applies whether you're using an external microphone, your laptop's built-in microphone, or planning to use manual override for the entire activation.
