Skype

[bobbie-dazzler]

Here comes thicko again asking for help, so please bear with me lol

I have downloaded skype and can use the msg bit okay, but am struggling with the calls from PC to PC.

When I tried a call it says I have to have a card or a mike for the sound, I have a desk top PC dell, and a dell studio hybrid.
I dont know if there is built in sound to be able to talk on the skype, I dont think there is cause a window appeared saying I need a soundcard or mike.
Anyway, my friend lent me her mike so I can plug it in the back of the hybrid, but there is only one hole left, I plugged it in there and nothing happens, what is suppose to happen, or what do I do to get the mike to work through skype?

[kellys_eye]

You may have up to THREE round sockets on your PC (laptops also may have them) and they are nearly always colour-coded:

pink = mono microphone input
blue = stereo line input (from an MP3 player or such-like)
green = speaker (or headphones) output

Put the microphone in the pink socket and headphones in the green (or speakers).

Open START - SETTINGS - CONTROL PANEL and then open SOUND AND AUDIO DEVICES.

There are a selection of 'tabs' to chose between input and output devices and you can do 'ttests' on them as well. Have a play around to ensure you can actually USE the microphone as you're meant to.

Report back if you still have trouble.

[bobbie-dazzler]

Kelly, thankyou for your reply, but I dont think it will help
My friend has given me this little mike thing on a yellow coated plug in, that is it, so I plugged the yellow plug thing into the only hole I can see it fits and nothing happens.
My speakers are seperate and are attached to the PC through another plug in, and I havent got headphones either.
Infact she removed the mik from her tower to give to me, so I know it worked in hers

If it helps i will take a pic of the mike thing and post it, so you at least know what I am on about

[BillyGoat]

Heya!

You might have the mic plugged into the correct socket, but Skype is configured to look at the wrong input.

Connect the mic to your computer. If it's colour coded, it's *usually* a salmon/pink colour. Open Skype, click on Call > Audio Settings, as per the picture below.

skype1.jpg (71.27 KiB) Viewed 2564 times

Once you've done that, click the drop-down next to Microphone and see what you have. It's normal to have 3/4 sometimes, try choosing one, and speaking. If it's the right choice the green lights will light to indicate sound.

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Once you have the right one, click Save. Now try calling someone. :)

[bobbie-dazzler]

Right Billy, will have a go, tried uploading a pic of it, but pic too big, and forget how to resize the bloody thing, but the actual plug is yellow if that makes any difference.

[BillyGoat]

Doesn't matter to be honest about colours. Yellow was common from yeaaaaaaaaars ago, but the manufacturererers use whatever they like. It's up to them, as the PC99 colour scheme is only a guide to make it easier!

If you get mega stuck with it all, I can help via remote control if you like, do it all the time (kindof part of my job). It's a screen SHARE with you being able to stop it at any time (also unable to see any of your files, etc).

An option open to you :)

[bobbie-dazzler]

Well..... Billy, what can I say, you are a star, thankyou for your fantastic explaination and it works.
Thankyou also kelly for your help

[BillyGoat]

Sweet!!!! I Love Skype - saves me a fortune for landline calls, as I don't have a house phone! 10 quid of credit lasts about 5 months!! :D

Now, can you help me find my digital camera? I know it's around here somewhere.....

[bobbie-dazzler]

Now your puzzling me, why do u pay for calls if skype from PC to PC is free?

[BillyGoat]

BD,

PC - PC are free
PC - Skype on mobiles (Like an iPhone on wifi) is free
PC - Landlines/mobiles costs, but is MUCH cheaper than a traditional landline.

Say you want to call the US from your land line, that would be classed as an international call.

If you done it over Skype, it routes the call over the Internet and out through a LOCAL exchange making the call a local rate call (or less).

You can also get a local number in any country for people to ring you. For example, your family lived in Australia. You get an Australian number, they call it local rate and its' routed over the net to your PC :)

Check this page out for country rate. You might not even need it, but worth knowing about!!!

http://www.skype.com/intl/en-us/feature ... d-mobiles/

[bobbie-dazzler]

Greta info there, I did notice thier prices to the states were 2.6 a min I think, but I use something else and it costs 1p a min to the states, dont know about other countries, but i have the link if its any good to you, and you can see what it charges for the other countries.

[BillyGoat]

Share away :) I'm always open to new sites/services.

To be fair, 90% of my calls are Europe for work and paid for by work so rarely pay. I use the Skype credit for customer service lines when I want to whine about stuff - costs a fraction of what my mobile tarrif costs.

If you intend to do a lot of calls on Skype, I highly recommend a decent headset. You mic sounds like a cheapie, which means the call quality on the other side is normally not so pleasent on the ear and will pick up background noise from your speakers.

You don't need to spend a lot, there are lots of bargains to be had out there. Just a thought.

[bobbie-dazzler]

here you go

http://www.dialtosave.co.uk/internation ... calls/usa/

[bobbie-dazzler]

Billy as you know a bit about skype, how do I look at someones profile? I have clicked on thier name, but dont get any info up, is there a way of doing this

[BillyGoat]

Yo!

If they are in your friends list, right click their name and choose View Profile. If you are finding them in a directory, they may have restricted who can view it.

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