I picked a USB headset from Logitech (ClearChat Comfort USB), and downloaded the newest Skype Beta (2.1 - Sept. 2009) For Ubuntu 8.10+, 32 bit (I'm running a 32 bit Ubunty, a 64 bit Fedora).
I could not seem to get skype to send sound out to the USB headset, so after some stumbling around forums and various suggestions, here's what worked for me.
As per the Troubleshooting Skype section on ubuntu.com/community/skype, I followed the suggestion (for Intrepid/8.10 there) to remove pulseaudio and install esound.
killall pulseaudio
sudo aptitude remove pulseaudio
sudo aptitude install esound
sudo rm /etc/X11/Xsession.d/70pulseaudioThis seemed to work at first - I got menu choices in the skype options->sound devices page, and was able to get sound out of the headset, but getting recording to work (and trying all the device options) was not working.
I'd checked the volume control to make sure the record levels were set and not muted for the Logitech USB headset. I set System->Preferences->Sound to Sound Capture from the Logitech USB Headset (ALSA) - I left the rest of the device settings at Autodetect. I decided to try the gnome-sound-recorder (applications->sound & video->sound recorder), and that pointed me to which of the Logitech listed devices worked. I tried this in skype (no luck). I then tried recording with Audacity, and that gave me the needed hint: First, I had just one device (the same one) set for both playback and record in Audacity, yet it failed to record. Changing the settings from stereo to mono fixed that. The hint being - same device, same channel in skype - and that did the trick.
I made a test call, and then a test call to a "real" phone - report of sound was "better than any other phone in my home". Ok. Skype, here I come.
2 comments:
Your posting was very timely. I just this week inherited a one-off AMD64 box running Intrepid. I could not get Skype to work until I followed your 4 steps. I still have one problem, however: when my Logitech headset is plugged in, the only device for which ringing works is the headset; sound is not produced by any other available sound device. If I unplug the headphones, I can of course hear the ringing, but then Skype "forgets" that the headset is available, so when I plug it back in, sound continues to comes through the speakers.
Any suggestions?
I think this worked for me: I set the "normal" output (audio to my stereo) speaker output in the menu:
System => Preferences => Sound
Here I have Music set to ALSA (not Autodetect this time around, although before I think it was), sound events to autodetect, and audio conferencing to ALSA for playback, and logitech / ALSA for sound capture.
When I first had this working, I had the speakers and mic set in the Skype app's options / Sound Devices.
Right now, I'm only showing PulseAudio server as options in that menu (which makes no sense, as I've removed and not have that daemon started....
In any case, with this latest update glitch, I have it all working - maybe after yet another reboot (I've been rebooting with each attempt today, so I'm at reboot burnout at this point), this will clean up.
But it all seems to work over the last 2 boots.
Let me know how it goes for you.
Post a Comment