No audio using skype

[Rick Stevens]

On 07/07/2015 05:06 PM, jd1008 wrote:
>
>
> On 07/07/2015 05:37 PM, Rick Stevens wrote:
>> On 07/07/2015 02:06 PM, jd1008 wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>> On 07/07/2015 01:13 PM, Rick Stevens wrote:
>>>> On 07/07/2015 10:47 AM, jd1008 wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On 07/07/2015 11:09 AM, Rick Stevens wrote:
>>>>>> On 07/06/2015 06:48 PM, jd1008 wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On 07/06/2015 06:23 PM, Rick Stevens wrote:
>>>>>>>> On 07/06/2015 03:40 PM, jd1008 wrote:
>>>>>>>>> skype-4.3.0.37
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Tried several test calls.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> No audio!
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Looked at options-> Audio device.
>>>>>>>>> It only shows virtual device, and no drop down menu for any other
>>>>>>>>> device.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Make sure Skype is using PulseAudio server (local) for all three of
>>>>>>>> options (mic, speakers, ringing). Click on the "Open PulseAudio
>>>>>>>> Volume
>>>>>>>> Control".
>>>>>>> There is no such clickable button.
>>>>>>> For all 3 mic speakers and ring, it simply shows Virtual Audio.
>>>>>>> For each, the drop-down menu shows no alternatives.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> While that's open, click "Make a test sound" on Skype and while
>>>>>>>> the VU
>>>>>>>> meter associated with Skype's sounds displays in the PulseAudio
>>>>>>>> window,
>>>>>>>> select the correct output sink device. You have to be quick
>>>>>>>> (it's one
>>>>>>>> thing I hate about Pulse--chasing transient sounds like this).
>>>>>>> There is no such tab or button.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Are you sue you are referring to version skype-4.3.0.37 ??
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [rick at prophead ~]$ skype --version
>>>>>> Skype 4.3.0.37
>>>>>> © 2014 Skype and/or Microsoft
>>>>>>
>>>>>> So, yes. I am using the Xfce desktop on F21, more or less fully
>>>>>> updated.
>>>>>> I also have this Pulse stuff installed:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [root at prophead ~]# rpm -qa | grep pulse
>>>>>> pulseaudio-6.0-4.fc21.x86_64
>>>>>> pulseaudio-libs-6.0-4.fc21.i686
>>>>>> pulseaudio-libs-devel-6.0-4.fc21.x86_64
>>>>>> pulseaudio-libs-glib2-6.0-4.fc21.x86_64
>>>>>> pulseaudio-libs-6.0-4.fc21.x86_64
>>>>>> alsa-plugins-pulseaudio-1.0.28-3.fc21.x86_64
>>>>>> pulseaudio-utils-6.0-4.fc21.x86_64
>>>>>> pulseaudio-module-x11-6.0-4.fc21.x86_64
>>>>>> pulseaudio-module-bluetooth-6.0-4.fc21.x86_64
>>>>>> alsa-plugins-pulseaudio-1.0.28-3.fc21.i686
>>>>>>
>>>>>> You may need the alsa-plugins-pulseaudio for 32-bit installed
>>>>>> (Skype is
>>>>>> a 32-bit app).
>>>>> Installed alsa-plugins-pulseaudio and it works now.
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanx!
>>>>
>>>> You're quite welcome! Glad you got it sorted out.
>>> I just wish that installing it should have also installed the dependency
>>> on alsa-plugins-pulseaudio.
>>
>> Well, it is listed as a dependency in the Skype RPM:
>>
>>     [root at prophead ~]# rpm -qa --requires skype | grep alsa
>>     alsa-plugins-pulseaudio(x86-32)
>>
>> The size looks odd (normally, 32-bit stuff have nothing at the end,
>> 64-bit requirements are denoted by "(64bit)") so maybe that throws
>> it off (it is an F16 RPM after all), but I'd expect dnf or yum or rpm to
>> complain that alsa-plugins-pulseaudio wasn't installed and ask you if
>> you wanted to install it. The source RPM for Skype isn't available (of
>> course), so it's hard to see what their spec file's "Requires:"
>> sections look like.
>>
>> I think the alsa-plugins-pulseaudio stuff is only needed if you're
>> running Pulse. If you're running a pure ALSA platform then you don't
>> need it. That'd be rare, I agree, but it's possible and that may explain
>> why it wasn't installed.
> Everything I have read about pulseaudio, and about Alsa, tells me
> that pulseaudio is a mistake and it should be thrown out.
>
> But I do not claim to be an audio expert. Just the views I have
> read about the technical things about both implementations.

Pulse is a powerful thing. It allows multiple audio streams (sources)
to be handled and sent to multiple output mechanisms (sinks). ALSA
doesn't handle multiple streams well at all. But like all powerful
things, Pulse can be tricky to configure optimally and there's a lot
of tools missing to make it easier (like having to catch a transient
source via the volume control and change its sink on the fly). The idea
is excellent...the execution is bloody awful. But it has much more
capability than ALSA had.

Do I like Pulse? Yes, once you've got it set up the way you want it,
it's great. Do I like setting it up? It's only slightly less painful
than having a root canal without anesthesia.
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- Rick Stevens, Systems Engineer, AllDigital    ricks at alldigital.com -
- AIM/Skype: therps2        ICQ: 226437340           Yahoo: origrps2 -
-                                                                    -
- If at first you don't succeed, quit. No sense being a damned fool! -
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