Skype 4.1 no microphone input (again)

[Frank616]

(sigh)

I've been battling with Skype on Linux for years, and I thought that I finally had it beat when I bought an external USB Logitech camera/mic. Now I can't even get that to work.

The machine that I am working with at the moment is my Asus X202e which has a lid camera. I thought I had Skype working at one point on this machine, but when I went to use it tonight, no sound. (Kubuntu 12.04 64 bit and Skype 4.1.0.20)

The other machine is a Dell M6600 without a lid camera, but I tried the Logitech USB camera/mic on that. Same issue. No pickup from the mic. (Kubuntu 12.04 32 bit and Skype 4.1xxx somethingorother just downloaded tonight).

I came across a link here on how to kill pulse, and force Skype to use Alsa. I followed the instructions, and it did indeed allow me to select some hardware directly in Skype instead of allowing ONLY PulseAudio server for input/output. However now there are so MANY devices to choose from that I'm lost, and in addition, Skype hangs. I do get some crackling sound on the Skype test call now, but not the wonderful sound of my own voice.

So, where to go from here? I get SO tired of banging my head on this same issue for, oh, how many years now?

Frank.

[marco07]

Amongst so many devices listed, try to select and test the ones with USB, which should not be many,to see which is the right one.
Hope this helps!

[Frank616]

marco07:

Did that. This is when I get the scratching sound -- nothing more.

Thing is, it should work with the lid camera and built-in microphones, and it should work with pulse audio. I shouldn't have to kill pulse to force ALSA. IIUC, others get it working with Pulse.

Linux sound is an unholy mess.

Frank.

[marco07]

Frank:
My suggestion was what I did to solve a similar issue with skype when I initially installed it.
You probably should also check and play with Mixer's settings as well.

With pulse audio, as I learned later, you need to go to:
system Settings>Multimedia>Phonon
Under Device Preference Tab, in the left panel, select Communication. On the right panel select your camera, and then Apply.
See if this will resolve the issue.

[Frank616]

marco07:

OK, got it to work. I had two issues on this netbook. Only one on the Dell laptop.

My Asus X202e does not have built in microphones. No wonder I couldn't make them work.

Phonon was indeed the key to getting the USB camera/mic combo to work. When I have the USB camera/mic plugged in, it will show up in the Device Preference tab of Phonon in Audio Recording | Communication, Audio Recording | Recording, and Audio Recording | Control. What I didn't realize is the way that Phonon works. Though I would select a device, that is not what Phonon is expecting. One needs to PROMOTE that device to the top of the list, then apply it so it 'sticks'. I did this in all 3 of the above settings, promoting my Quick Cam Pro to the top of the list under all three categories under Audio Recording. I don't know if this was necessary in all of these places, but it now works.

My next step (one of these days) will be to see if I can use the lid cam on this Asus machine (which does work with Skype) and then plug in a headset to supply the mic. If I do that, I suspect that it will work that way as well.

In any case, the Logitech USB camera is much superior to the low-res lid camera anyway, so I may never bother even trying it. I have the USB camera, so why not use it?

Thanks for getting me thinking.

Frank.

[marco07]

I am glad to have been of help to you.
BTW, i thought the promotion to the top of the list in phonon was something obvious and did not bother to cause any confusion for you. Anyhow it is good that you got it working now.

[Frank616]

marco07

BTW, i thought the promotion to the top of the list in phonon was something obvious and did not bother to cause any confusion for you.

It appears that you gave me too much credit. I can be amazingly dense sometimes.

However, I may not be the only one. I just responded to someone in the Ubuntu forum about how I solved the issue. I suspect they may be facing the same thing.

Frank.