skype [Archive] - AVForums

Seth Gecko

23-05-2005, 12:09 PM

Pretty good chat client (for IM'ing), very fast for file transfers compared to Yahoo and MSN.
In terms of telephony - I've not used it but a friend has and they've said nothing negative about it to me.

Tejstar

23-05-2005, 12:22 PM

The only negative is that you have to talk where your pc is i.e. your pc workstation (unless you have a laptop that is!) :)

Seth Gecko

23-05-2005, 12:29 PM

True Tej - but seen this ? www.neonode.com

Shape of things to come :) Just a bit TOO dear at the moment.

Tejstar

23-05-2005, 1:15 PM

Oooh that looks swish, how much does it cost?

buzlightyear

23-05-2005, 2:03 PM

The father in law has been using Skype and the Firebox VOIP phone £30, does what it says on the tin, need to have a slight tinker with the sound setting within XP to get your normal sound out the Speaker and the voice to come out the phone. The most amusing thing is that randoms can ring you if you allow your name is in the address book. He had a lady ring him up and ask for a chat!!!!!
Think i might set up a litte venture with some nice sounds ladies.. Read it here first.

MarkR

23-05-2005, 2:13 PM

We use Skype in the office and have bought Skype dect phones. This means all Skype to Skype calls are free and any other calls are charged at fraction of the normal UK rates.

Another good thing about using Skype to call out is that it frees up the BT line.

Would recommend this to anyone. (Who has Broadband). :cool:

Seth Gecko

23-05-2005, 2:17 PM

Oooh that looks swish, how much does it cost?
Around £350 ish (inc. 1GB card) but Wifi type calling - useful abroad :)

mrtbag

23-05-2005, 2:23 PM

Me and my brothe have been thinking about this recently. We both have laptops with necessary Headphone/mic sockets and broadband. Can anybody recommend any decent but cheap headsets?

squirrely

23-05-2005, 2:29 PM

well i installed it ok but when i try a test call it sounds awful,there is a thud, thud,thud over everything i say, any ideas what could be causing this?

MarkR

23-05-2005, 5:02 PM

Try doing a calibration test in Messenger (if you have it) as this can be a good way to get the levels correct. This should also give an indication if your mic is at fault.

You can also goto your Control panel and open Sounds and Audio Devices, once open locate the 'Voice' tab where you should be able to find a 'Test hardware' button. From here follow the wizard setup.

Once you have Skype working properly the quality of the voice should be as clear without hiss or interference (Its almost as clear as CD quality).

Good luck!! :cool:

Drd

23-05-2005, 6:14 PM

My eldest went to Uni last September and only had access to a mobile phone,it was costing us a fortune.We switched to using Skype.Brilliant! Yes you've got to sit by the pc,but with a webcam and MSN messenger we can see each other too.One of the best bits of software on my pc!

Mac Man

24-05-2005, 8:45 AM

Just installed it last week to chat to family in Spain and Australia. All I can say is the sound quality is excellent. If you get it to load on PC start up you will always see whether your friends and family are online, and just one click away.

A question for any techies out there...

Can it be used with a suitably equipped 3G mobile. If you were to load it onto a pocket PC compatible device is there enough bandwidth to make it work? Is it even possible? I had this great idea that you could use it for making calls when abroad. When you make calls using SKYPE would it be classed as a data transfer? Am I right in thinking that with 3G phones you only pay for data transfer in downloading email or files from websites and that viewing web pages does not count as part of ddata transfer?

If not then you could be making free calls whilst roaming abroad, or at the most only paying SKYPE's cheap call rates.

Chris

tomson

24-05-2005, 9:17 AM

i've been using Skype recently on my Mac to chat with a work colleague in South Africa - am using a Plantronics headset and it all works beautifully

http://www.dabs.com/uk/productview?quicklinx=3flk

Reiner

24-05-2005, 10:26 AM

Am I right in thinking that with 3G phones you only pay for data transfer in downloading email or files from websites and that viewing web pages does not count as part of ddata transfer?
It would depend on the operator what/how they charge but I am quite sure they include viewing of websites as data transfer since this also requires to download data (the content of the website that is).
Skype would most certainly also be considered data transfer, just like streaming video or similar - and since it's two ways the operator may even charge you for sending of data.

If not then you could be making free calls whilst roaming abroad, or at the most only paying SKYPE's cheap call rates.
Beware, roaming is usually expensive.

Seth Gecko

24-05-2005, 10:28 AM

If not then you could be making free calls whilst roaming abroad, or at the most only paying SKYPE's cheap call rates.

Chris
Look at the neonode site (URL above) - this is a phone using WiFi tech to call to landlines and mobiles (so in essence what you've described)

squirrely

24-05-2005, 12:45 PM

I managed to sort out the sound quality problem i had but does anyone find there is a delay problem when talking to someone? iwas talking to someone who was not using headphones and i could hear myself coming through about 3 secs after i had started talking,i could get used to it but it does spoil the flow of a conversation.

MarkR

24-05-2005, 1:22 PM

I had that problem or at least my mate did, he replaced his mic with a slightly more expensive one and it has been fine.

When your mate is talking to you, can he hear his own voice repeating? If he can't then this means your mates mic will need replacing and yours does not as his mic is picking up your voice through his speakers which of course is coming back to you :cool:

CooperUK

24-05-2005, 4:51 PM

Skype is excellent, especially for use when online gaming with a mate. I manage to keep in voice contact with a couple of people on a more regular basis now too - if only more people I know would sign up and spend a tenner on a headphone set!

SeaneyC

19-06-2005, 1:51 PM

Look at the neonode site (URL above) - this is a phone using WiFi tech to call to landlines and mobiles (so in essence what you've described)

Are we seeing the same phone here? The neonode doesn't even have wifi, let alone the ability to make VOIP calls. I've wanted a neonode since it's initial spec burst onto the scene in 2001, and they have only recently (April) released plans to build the new n2 with wifi included. I think you may be getting confused, currently the n1m is just a bog standard GSM phone, albeit one with a rather nifty optical touchscreen and windows CE underlying OS.

As it uses windows CE as the underlying OS, it WOULD be possible to use a skype type program to make VOIP calls via GPRS, quite how useful this would be is unclear (data costs loads!) Currently there IS a version of Skype for PocketPC, and using a device such as the i-mate jam in conjunction with a wifi SD card, this is probably the only way to get realistic portable VOIP for a while yet.

captainH

23-06-2005, 6:04 AM

I found a 2-3 second delay on skype when using my laptop over wifi but I put this down to the fact that I have all the WEP encryption etc. enabled because when I use the desktop PC it's perfect.

I ended up buying a a Siemens S645 and M45 USB adaptor and can now use skype via the DECT phone from anywhere in the house. It's quite a pricey solution but is excellent and thoroughly recommended if you use skpe a lot.

If I'm working abroad I just get the missus to use skypeout to call my hotel. A huge saving over using my mobile or hotel phones. Call quality is generally perfect (unless I have left my security camera streaming over the broadband connection in which case she sounds like Norman Collier)

dejongj

23-06-2005, 11:31 AM

A little tip for all your guys with sound quality problems...Check your QoS settings on your broadband router if you have any, make certain you give your VoIP services priority and a guaranteed slice of bandwidth when you use it...This should improve your sound quality immensely...That and spending more than a tenner on a headset ;-)

jimbobaggins

25-06-2005, 7:08 PM

I use Skype for both chatting for free and also, through Skypeout, as a replacement for my BT phone, when phoning normal BT phones.

Skypeout cost about 1.2p per minute at any time, anywhere in the UK.

Mobiles are between 10 and 20p a minute depending on the time of day.

The echo of your voice you are getting, is probably due to the sound coming from your receiving callers sound coming through their speakers as feedback. If they had a headset this would disappear.

Skype is actually from the guys who developed Kazaa, so it works by P2P networking rather than typical VoIP, and it is clearer than a normal BT line due to the way the sound is encoded and decoded digitally. Also I have been trying out Skype on my wifi enabled PDA and it is not very good yet. Even when I am sat next to my wireless router, so I wouldn't think a public hotspot would be better (though I have not tested it).

JohnS

28-06-2005, 9:02 AM

Just to add that the sype out call costs are the same in the uk as many places in europe, I have family in Spain and fixed line or mobile costs are the same as phoning my mate round the corner.

Stuart Wright

28-06-2005, 12:43 PM

Me and my brothe have been thinking about this recently. We both have laptops with necessary Headphone/mic sockets and broadband. Can anybody recommend any decent but cheap headsets?
Quality headset (http://www.proaudiosystems.co.uk/acatalog/__Sennheiser___USB_PC_Headsets.html)

cluey

11-01-2007, 11:26 AM

I am dealing with a propriatory VOIP system and am keen to see if I can use my pc spearker to ring but hear the call through my headset.
Does anyone techie know how I might do this with my SoundMax Digital Audio pci card?
Thanks!

Hi/zuum

17-01-2007, 6:42 PM

KeithO

22-01-2007, 2:20 PM

Anyone here using Skype's video calls here? I've just started via my Isight/Imac to my sister's PC. It works a treat! Even making a landline call from skype works out cheaper & better quality than normal methods. Why pay for a landline if you're already paying for broadband?
Yep. We use Skype at lot. Have family in UK, France and USA (we live in Germany) and the Skype video is excellent. I have a landline but only so I can get internet access...actual phone has been disconnected for over a year now