BS: Skype.....tech

Subject: BS: Skype.....
From: Shanghaiceltic
Date: 27 Mar 05 - 11:17 PM

I have been using Skype for a couple of months now and it is superb, very clear too, the sound quality is better than Paltalk. Might be good to use for a session too.

Any catters using it?

The only down side is that is has to be a broadband connection, but here in China I am lucky as broadband is relatively cheap.

Subject: RE: BS: Skype.....
From: open mike
Date: 27 Mar 05 - 11:44 PM

do tell---more info please.
alas i am on poor, lowly dialup
so may not get to experience it
but someone may....

Subject: RE: BS: Skype.....
From: Shanghaiceltic
Date: 28 Mar 05 - 01:42 AM

Skype is a relatively new VOIP, voice over internet protocol and allows you to talk using a headset or the mic and speakers on your PC as it it were a telephone.

I was a bit dubious but my boss and I tried it so we could save on international phone calls. It works very well and the sound quality is very good too.

Best of all it is dead easy to download and use.

Subject: RE: BS: Skype.....
From: katlaughing
Date: 28 Mar 05 - 02:58 AM

It looks interesting, Shanghaiceltic. I'll take a look at it more when I've the time and energy. Thanks for the info!

Here's a link: www.skype.com

kat

Subject: RE: BS: Skype.....tech
From: GUEST,John Hardly
Date: 28 Mar 05 - 02:06 PM

au contaire!

Broadband is not necessary, though, as with paltalk, the results are better with it.

It's so much clearer than paltalk that the problem that does arise from dial-up is that the delay that you experience with a dial-up is actually echoed back to you on your talking partner's broadband connection. Make sense?

A big plus it that Mac folk can use it (unlike Paltalk).

Another plus/minus -- you don't need to have a stapler close to your Ctrl button to hold it down so you have two hands to play your guitar! --the down side of that though is that, as with cell phones or any other type of speaker phone, any noise that occurs can interrupt the signal for all -- still only one can talk at a time. So having a positive way to make sure that only one person has the "mic" is really not a bad thing after all.

Another minus -- I think the number of folk in a room is limited (that may explain why folks are raving about the sound quality).

Subject: RE: BS: Skype.....tech
From: GUEST,Amos
Date: 28 Mar 05 - 02:48 PM

Now I've got it but no-one to call. How do you define addressees in this thing?

Subject: RE: BS: Skype.....tech
From: GUEST,Amos
Date: 28 Mar 05 - 03:30 PM

Anyone want to share a Skype username to test with? Mine's OldAmos. In a world of millions of users I don't have anyone to use this on! : D

A

Subject: RE: BS: Skype.....tech
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Mar 05 - 04:29 PM

I just had a test session with John H, combing the IM and VOIP features. VERY cool, but a little breakup when using a dialup connection. I heard him play mandolin, though!

A

Subject: RE: BS: Skype.....tech
From: GUEST,Uncle DaveO
Date: 28 Mar 05 - 04:53 PM

John Hardly said:

Another plus/minus -- you don't need to have a stapler close to your Ctrl button to hold it down so you have two hands to play your guitar!

John, you're way out of date! Haven't had to hold down the CTRL key for a LONG time! I think it's maybe a year and half, or even longer.

The current version is at least second generation past CTRL-hold-down. At first it was a matter of clicking on the microphone icon, and it would "stick"; when you were through you'd click again, or hit the CTRL. The current version has an icon at the bottom of the window with a padlock on it. When not on mike, it's green, and the hasp is out of the lock; click when you assume the mike, and it's sort of orangish, and the padlock is closed. To free the mike, either click again on the icon or hit the CTRL. It's green again, and you're off mike.

It must be a long time since you were on Paltalk, John!

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: BS: Skype.....tech
From: GUEST,JohnInKansas
Date: 29 Mar 05 - 04:40 AM

DaveO -

It appears to be a Windows program. You could probably use the Windows "sticky keys" setting to hold your Ctl key for you.

Look in your help file under "accessibility" options. When you set "sticky keys" the Ctl, Alt, etc keys "stick" until you hit them again. - For one finger typists, etc.

Or just get up to date....

John

Subject: RE: BS: Skype.....tech
From: Shanghaiceltic
Date: 29 Mar 05 - 06:47 PM

Hi Amos and any other catters mine duttonf or can be found in search under Frank Dutton

Subject: RE: BS: Skype.....tech
From: sian, west wales
Date: 30 Mar 05 - 05:27 AM

I just signed up. (y_felin) I know a few people who seem to be using it but they're all in the UK ... and I currently get free local and national calls anyway. But the SkypeOut bit might be REALLY useful for phoning home to Canada. Oh - and chatting with you lot, of course.

siân

Subject: RE: BS: Skype.....tech
From: GUEST,Dave the Gnome
Date: 30 Mar 05 - 10:49 AM

Carefull with NTL Broadband - Skype relies heavily on uplink as well as downlink. We had 700K NTL which ran happily at over .5Meg on the down but often had < 100K on the up:-( We are now on 3Meg and Skype is quite happy at the > 200K up.

You can run Skype at lower speeds but you just have to remember to set it as being dialup speeds rather than broadband.

Good test of up and down speeds in the UK can be found at www.adslguide.org.uk

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Skype.....tech
From: momnopp
Date: 30 Mar 05 - 03:56 PM

Of course, my fifteen year old son introduced me to this beast -- or I should say, the only reason I have any idea what this is, is because I live with a teenager. I have not gotten myself set up with it yet, but my son, Dylan's account name is dylorbxilo if anyone would care to look him up. (I gave him fair warning that mudcatters might be contacting him :-)

Now let me get back to posting what I really logged on to post...

Peace and I miss you all,

JudyO/momnopp

Subject: RE: BS: Skype.....tech
From: Dave (the ancient mariner)
Date: 30 Mar 05 - 04:37 PM

I've used it and Paltalk is far superior in my opinion. The sound quality is good, but there are no rooms, and someone has to open a conference call then can invite only known contacts.

Subject: RE: BS: Skype.....tech
From: GUEST,Mingulay at work
Date: 31 Mar 05 - 09:55 AM

Downloaded it and it seems to be OK. Have to check settings for mic etc when I have time. Any one fancies trying a conversation I'm on as "boatmingulay".

Subject: RE: BS: Skype.....tech
From: momnopp
Date: 02 Jul 05 - 01:08 AM

OK, folks - I've officially got this thing loaded and would love to chat with Catters on occassion - I'm   JudyOpp    in Skype.

Come talk to me!

Peace,

JudyO/momnopp/JudyOpp