Output Sound to USB Headset

[Rikev]

I have a USB headset that was working fine in 12.04 and now it refuses to. Skype just crashes at whim and no sound comes out of them. I can test the headset fine in Phonon but in Skype, even if I set it to use the headset as the first preferred device, it still came out the speakers. Same with my web browser.

Any ideas? This problem has just repeatedly interrupted and finally killed a conference call tonight.

[SteveRiley]

Veromix, an alternative to KMix, allows you to reassign applications to specific audio devices. You might try that.

[vinnywright]

you could allso try pulseaudio volume control or pavucontrol as it's listed in your package manager .

open it wile you have the headset pluged in and skype open and start playing with the devices and controls.

VINNY

[kdeputer]

I have a USB headset that was working fine in 12.04 and now it refuses to. Skype just crashes at whim and no sound comes out of them. I can test the headset fine in Phonon but in Skype, even if I set it to use the headset as the first preferred device, it still came out the speakers. Same with my web browser.

Any ideas? This problem has just repeatedly interrupted and finally killed a conference call tonight.

I just recently tried Skype with various debian-based distros. I have never seen it crash, though. I honestly think something is fishy about your install. Or about your system in general.

I have had my troubles on one particular distro with sound. The others, I ran into troubles but solved them for the most part.

I have read that you don't need pulseaudio but for skype, I think it's generally recommended. The Skype website even mentions that.

But, I think you can get sound working with just ALSA installed. So, you have made sure the preferences are set to the USB headset and the output is Analog Stereo, right? Input for the mic should be Analog Mono.

[Rikev]

Thanks for the help guys, it seems like it was user error though! >.<

The Phonon audio devices screen has a load of categories down the side such as Playback with a number of uses (Communication, Games, etc) underneath. I set the uses to prefer the headset but it turns out the category isn't just a header to group the uses in a logical order, but a config entry in it's own right! Setting Playback to prefer the headset made it work.

Bit of a confusing UI on Phonon I have to admit!