[Solved] Can anyone help with Skype?

[xendistar]

I have installed Skype but I am unable to get the microphone to work.  I am using a Logitech C920 webcam with a built in microphone, any suggestions?

[seppalta]

Install pavucontrol.  Use it to configure your webcam.   http://lxlinux.com/#15

[xendistar]

I have it installed, webcam microphone is enabled but all I here on the skype test audio test playback is a lot of fizzy noise, no indication that it has even picked up my voice.

[py-thon]

1. Check whether the mic works with other programs (some type of voice recording for example)
2. Check whether you have pulseaudio installed. Current skype versions don't work without pulseaudio anymore. pavucontrol can help to find the correct settings but it is not necessary to run skype.
3. Check your standard volume settings to see whether mic is switched off.
4. Start alsamixer (by typing alsamixer in your terminal) to check whether the levels are set correctly and mic is switched on. Note that there can be different settings for front mic and back mic if there are sockets front and back.

[xendistar]

To answer py-thon

1) Will have to find something in Debian to test the microphone but I know the webcam works perfectly as it works in windows

2) Pulseaudio 5.0.13 is installed

3)  I have checked audio mixer, listed the webcam in the the sound card and both front and rear microphones are live

4)  I have run Alsa Mixer, only one microphone listed and that is enabled

[pavroo]

As an addition, check it and show us the output:

Code Select Expand

arecord -l
If it found a device, try to record your voice:

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arecord test1
Then play it:

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aplay test1
Check also the Debian known problem with skype and pulse:
https://wiki.debian.org/PulseAudio#Various_problems_with_Skype_and_Wine

[xendistar]

To first answer Py-thon first questions, I used guvcview to record video and audio via the web cam and play it back without issue

To answer Pavroo post, I was able to record and play back audio, will go and check the wiki page you suggest

[Wombat]

I installed Skype following Pavroo's guide http://sparkylinux.org/skype-installer/ the only extra I needed was to install 'pavucontrol' via synaptic as seppalta suggested.
You then need to go into Sound and video - select Pulse Audio Volume Control  and select your cam mic in input devices - Skype needs this even if the mic worked ok before in guvcview- you need 'pavucontrol'!!!!! Pulse Audio Volume Control.
Since you have some sound it may be trying to input from another source - so try above.

Edit: This may be due to the sound input  thru the USB Logtech Web Cam which we both share.

[py-thon]

you need 'pavucontrol'!!!!!

Skype works fine on my system without pavucontrol installed.

[pavroo]

Skype works fine on my machine without pavucontrol too.
But it doesn't mean that it works on any system/machine out of the box.
The problem is with different devices and configurations we have.

So I will add an option to the Skype on-line installer to let people know that they probably need pavucontrol and can install it via one click.

[seppalta]

Try launching skype with the command:   exec=env PULSE_LATENCY_MSEC=30 skype %U .    Normally, MSEC=60 is used, but I have sometimes had success in the past with 30.    If pulse latency isn't correct for your system, then you will get a rapid, or muffled, or no sound.    http://lxlinux.com/#10

[xendistar]

Good news is that Skype is now working

I had tried to use sparky skype-installer but it kept bombing out at about 93% so I simply downloaded then skype deb from the skype site.

It seemed as though it installed a few other extra files as well at the same time (if somebody tells me where to look I will work out what). So I don't know if that was what made it work.

Thanks for all your help guys, appreciated.

[pavroo]

The skype on-line installer installs the same version of skype you downloaded from the project page.
The on-line installer installs all the dependencies requires by skype as well so you've seen so many packages been installed.

Anyway if it works now it's fine.

[xendistar]

That is the strange bit, I had installed the Skype software I downloaded from Skype web site using gdebi and I don't remember it installing any dependencies, so why when I installed  skype via the sparky installer did it download dependencies?? They should of been there right from when I installed Skype myself. I used the sparky Skype installer to remove Skype but would it have taken dependencies??

Maybe I should stop worrying, it works now and life is to short..................

[pavroo]

If you installed skype using my online installer all the dependencies have been installed too.
If you removed skype only without removing dependencies, and then installed the skype package downloaded manually from the skype website, you did not need to install all the dependencies again, because they have been installed before.