OpenSUSE :: Skype Alternative - Client With Good Video And Voice Quality
Jun 16, 2010
I am looking for a good alternative to Skype. I would like to have video and voice calls with a family member who uses MS XP but would like to avoid Skype if possible. Does anyone know of a good client with good video and voice quality that will work on both platforms. I'd like it to use open standards so at least we can use different OS specific clients if one is not available for both platforms. Googling hasn't yielded much and some of the results refer to really old (~2006) articles or apps. I hope I'm not doomed to using Skype. I've resisted so long with using SIP clients for voice but am stumped now that I want to include video.
I know that we can use xvidcap or istanbul etc to record our screen casts.. but is there any software in linux which can record incoming gmail/skype voice calls??. maybe incoming gmail/skype video calls with sound also?. I dont need to record my input sound, but the incoming sound?
Last two days I am trying to find alternative to skype. So I decided to find solution for my family, friends to chat, call (audio, video) using opensource product on linux. I have tried the following: (using same clients and gtalk accounts on both test machines)
1. Kopete 1.0.80 Firstly, I like it because it is native in opensuse KDE system. Secondly, it has optional jungle support for gtalk, which is ok for me. The only problem, I cannot turn on jingle support, because there should be talk.google.com server , but the right server is gmail.com. Only with gmail.com server I can connect to my gtalk. I was managed to do it right, but my friends do not have jingle settings (libjingle installed). What should we do? Will we be able to talk when we activate it?
2. Pidgin 2.7.10 (libpurple 2.7.10) Video calling, audio calling doesn't work at all. We using same version of pidgin on two computers, there is mention that it is calling but no progress after, nothing. Even camera turns on (no image though) but after doesn't turn off (camera light).
3. PSI 0.14 patched Psimedia installed, doesn't call at all. Says that the client reject me or busy.
4. Empathy 2.32.2 No options for video and audio hardware, nothing to change at all). Call from menu doesn't work, nothing happens after I press "call". Call from chat window impossible because buttons are grey, are not active. Now error "could not sync the state of the new nicesrc with its parent"
5. Gajim Even after writing down stun server stun.ekiga.net call buttons for video and audio call were inactive, unable to make call.
6. Ekiga Using pctel.ru. Works ok, sometimes problems with intiating video, but still something. I am not very happy because it is not XMPP.
7. Twinkle works like a charm. The only one client using which I haven't had any problems at all. The only thing to tailor is audio codec (also encryption if you like).
I hope to make a call one day and to be sure that I haven't used any closed program for it!
Does anybody know a good option for a Skype based solution that works on Linux? I have a real problem with the current Linux version as it is a crappy, buggy and downgraded version of the Windows equivalent.
Anyone using Skype as an IM client? I only use very basic functionality in IM, and I like Skype's interface, but can't find any info how to set it up, import contacts etc.. I got my copy from skype website, installed fine and easy...I am using kopete atm, don't like it. I have used pidgin before, didn't like that (I am a KDE user) either. On windows I have used Trillian, liked previous versions, but they keep upgrading and making it "better" or as I think, "worse"
I was wondering if there exists a software that can change your voice over Skype (acting as a virtual sound driver in order to change the sound in real time). It would be nice because I really want one of these.
I am trying to get Skype set up for voice chat. I tested my laptop's built-in mic by messaging echo123...
The test where I called the bot worked fine. However, when I had the bot call me, the playback was silent. What could be the cause of this? I have searched extensively and cannot find a solution.
Well, I enjoy the show Stargate SG-1, and I was wondering if there was any way I could get my voice to sound like that of a Goa'uld or Tok'ra while I am talking on Skype.
I have worked the whole day to get an multimedia player that plays all format's. After trying vlc, realplayerGold, Xine, Kaffeine, Rhythmbox and Totem, I ended up at kaffeine.
I virtually installed al gstreamer-plugins,, like: Code: Dependencies Resolved Package Arch Version Repository Size Installing: gstreamer-plugins-bad i586 0.10.13-7.fc11 rpmfusion-free-updates 1.1 M gstreamer-plugins-bad-devel i586 0.10.13-7.fc11 rpmfusion-free-update 15 k gstreamer-plugins-bad-devel-docs i586 0.10.13-7.fc11 rpmfusion free-updates 163 k gstreamer-plugins-bad-extras i586 0.10.13-7.fc11 rpmfusion-free-updates 69 k .....
Transaction Summary Install 1 Package(s) Upgrade 0 Package(s) Total download size: 167 k Is this ok [y/N]: y
It seems I can play at least an mpeg movie, and mp3. But I find the quality of sound of the mp3 in kaffeine very poor. Yes, it plays, but some mp3's are struggling the first 10 seconds or so,, eg, Shivers - Armin van Buuren. When I play the same mp3 in xmms, it plays like a charm. That's not what I want, I want an all-round multimedia player. Xine does the job very well,, like xmms,, and plays also the mpeg, but unfortunately, xine shows an error message about a segmentation fault, upon exiting xine. Any hint to play mp3 files in kaffeine like xmms does?
I have installed Skype 2.1 (Beta) in linuxmint Julia, now when I am communicating with anyone or video conferencing, I am able to hear the other person but the other person is unable to hear my voice, I talked with someone else who is facing the same problem in Ubuntu.
I have an ASUS eec901 Linux version with Jolicloud installed. When I dial Skype contacts I can hear and see them but THEY just get static with no picture or audible voice. Skype informs me that I must change my settings from Pulse audio to ALSA using a program called pavucontrol. I must delete Pulse audio, but although i have tried I can see no way to do this.Pavu control does not seem to install either.
I'm running Ubuntu Maverick on an Intel H55 mobo. I have the sound configured to output through speakers on my monitor, via HDMI. That has been working fine. Last night I installed Skype (2.1.0.81) in order to chat to someone back in UK. When I go to the sound devices configuration in Skype, each of the devices (Microphone, Speakers and Ringing) only have a single choice: 'PulseAudio server (local)'.
In order to get my usb-connected phone handset working with Skype I have had to go to the main sound preferences and alter both input and output to '9980 Analog'. This works fine - I can make a Skype test call and playback my own voice. However, all my system sounds now go out on the usb phone handset - also the Skype ring goes to the handset, which is pretty useless because it can't be heard from more than a couple of feet away.
How can I make Skype use the 9980 device for voice in and out, and use the system speakers 'Internal Audio Digital (HDMI)' for the ringing, while leaving all the system sounds to go out on the HDMI output too? I'm sure that I managed to make Skype work much better on an older system (using Gutsy, or Intrepid???). It seems, to me that there is a lack of fine audio control in my system.
Been playing around with the new Ubuntu 11.4 and really don't like it. The previous versions were much better. How long will Ubuntu 10.10 be supported and what would be a good alternative to eventually switch to?
I'm running Ubuntu 10.04 on a Dell Dimension 4600 and the sound quality isn't very good. I loaded VirtualBox and installed WinXP on it. If I play the same ..... video on Ubuntu and then on the Vbox WinXP machine the difference is startling. It sounds beautiful on the WinXP machine. Is there any way to improve the sound quality on Ubuntu? When I play the video (any video) on Ubuntu there is a lot of static noise to contend with.
Ubuntu 10.4, Sound card works great when recording and doing playback with Ubuntu. Skype v. 2.1 beta. In Windows XP, same system, I dual boot. When I use Skype (latest), and I try to call to a landline in the US, everything works fine. Everyone can hear me fine and there's no problems. The problem: When I use Ubuntu, and Skype, there's crackling, dropped off sound, and the overall quality is bad.
EDIT: The biggest issue here is dropping parts of the call. Why does it do that?
I have a strange problem with my skype beta (latest) and Pidgin (gmail account) the problem is when i make voice call, it works fine for 1 or 2 mins then the voice drops and it connects after 20,30 secs.
I have a logitech usb webcam on Opensuse 11.4/Gnome, and problems with skype. I managed to put the sound, but the video is not working. It is working although on Kopete (I installed it for the test).
Does anyone notice a degradation in sound quality with skype and pulseaudio? It seems that when I use pulseaudio there are bugs in the sound quality in skype. I also notice a lag when talking to someone with the VoIP feature.
I have a fresh install of openSUSE 11.4 with KDE. This includes ALSA and Pulseaudio.
I have a mic and speakers and a webcam. As far as I can see microphone and sound reproduction work, the webcam also works: - I can arecord and aplay - KMix works - amixer and alsamixer work (I am using microphone boost) - test sounds play - the webcam works in "Personal Settings (Configure Desktop)": Hardware > Multimedia > Phonon (test camera) - Pidgin and Empathy work with sound and video. (had to set this: gconftool-2 --set --type=string /system/gstreamer/0.10/default/audiosrc pulsesrc, without this setting it was set to alsasrc by default and Pidgin and Empathy didn't work).
I installed Skype 2.2 (also tried 2.1) and tested the video camera in Skype. Result: doesn't work. I made a test call: I hear the voice of the lady answering the call, but my own voice is not recorded. In Skype everything is set to use Pulseaudio.
I am at a total loss to understand what is going wrong here. Why does Skype not work, when everything else does??
I made this observation: When an application records something, a "Capture stream" shows up in the KMix "Capture Streams" tab. For example, when I use arecord, "ALSA capture" shows up, while I record. When I make a call on Empathy, a capture stream shows up in the said tab.
When I make a Skype call, NO capture stream shows up, so obviously Skype is not capturing anything.
I'm fairly new to the Ubuntu community, having dl'ed Ubuntu 11.04 little more than a couple of weeks ago, deleting my Windows completely. I'm sure this has been said before, but I'm trying to find a good VoIP I can use to call my Windows using girlfriend who is currently very far away. Skype for Linux just crashes for me after a minute or two, Ekiga only allows me to make a call to any contact ONCE, then I can never do it again, tried Faceflow and couldn't even see or hear her. I'm running out of options, it seems. Will I really have to go back to windows just to see her?
Given the recent dealings between Skype and Microsoft (here), one can guess that Linux support will be dropped. It wasn't amazing, but it ran. Moreover, security of transmitted data, in my own opinion, will be more questionable as of this acquisition.
What are the alternatives? If there are no full solutions - I propose the unification of several partial solutions into a merged FOSS project. I recommend a secure chat/video client with SIP capabilities and native ports for Linux Console, X, and FreeDos.
Right now in order to do some recording I use Skype and Skype Call Recorder, but Skype only does audio at 16Khz. Is there some other similar program that could be used that could also be recorded at a higher quality?
anyone of you know some good skype alternatives for ubuntu 10.04 ?by alternatives i don't mean something like gtalk where i can only use google account.some alternative where i can log in with my skype account like amsn, emesene, pidgin can log in using my msn account..
I just installed ubuntu 10.04 on my laptop. Everything works well, but I have problem with sound. Output is OK as I can hear any sound from the computer; but there is no input sound from the mic. I am unable to record any voice or talk in voice chat.
