Skype 2.0 beta for Linux: the Great Revolution
A great time is upon us. A time of change. A time of revolution.
In the past, we have struggled in a world of glass panes and fruits. Forbidden from seeing the world around us. Denied the possibility of showing who we are. But today, our eyes open. We’re not afraid to see, and we’re not afraid to show ourselves.
This is a time of excitement. And a time to share our happiness, our sadness, our anger and our love. For video has arrived to Skype for Linux.
This release is not just a revolution for us in Linux, but a revolution for the Skype world at large. No longer are we, the people of Linux, prevented from socialising in the same way as our peers.
So join us. By downloading Skype 2.0 beta for Linux today.
Read on developer.skype.com for more technical information about this release.
I think after stabilizing everything, i think you should support PulseAudio, this really the audio future of linux and a great solution for everyone, no need for devs to support differently usb handsets, alsa, oss bla bla and makes users desktop life easier too. Anyway I have said many times, that I really like your work, ty again
Hi folks. I am super excited at the prospect of video in Skype for linux.
I’m running Ubuntu 7.10 on a Dell D630. Installed Skype from Medibuntu and all the dependencies but when I run skype from the command line I get the following:
skype: symbol lookup error: /usr/lib/libQtDBus.so.4: undefined symbol: _ZN14QObjectPrivate15checkWindowRoleEv
I’ve Googled for over an hour to find a solution but no success… since I don’t speak Hungarian!
Any ideas/suggestions?
Thanks,
J.
Another one here hoping to see compatibility with compiz – for anyone looking this up – switch to default windows manager and video works – type
“kwin –replace” in console w/ root priveledges
once done w/ video type
“compiz –replace” to return to compiz interface
Any news about the stable version coming out? What features can we await for the next release? I’d like to suggest implementing the feature that tells you when somebody is typing a message in a chat window. Thanks a lot and keep up the good work!
Hey , you guys still alive ?
Give us a sign so that we know you are all right .
Best Regards , looking forward to the stable release .
A number of people have mentioned problems with one or another camera/distribution. So I thought I’d mention: Fedora 7 (2.6.23.8-34.fc7) with a Logitech QuickCam 4000 Pro USB webcam appears to be working flawlessly/seemlessly for me.
It’s nice to have my laptop no longer playing second-skype-citizen to the kids’ Apple.
My only “real” (and that’s quoted because it is quite minor) problem has been remembering to shift sound input/output devices between my laptop’s built-in hardware or my headset or (for input only, obviously) my webcam. A “nice to have” feature would be some “search list” analog or perhaps some “shortcut” mechanism that would permit easy switching between multiple user-predefined configurations.
Thanks.
Great news and great skype version!
However, to send SMS, the only viable solution is tu use Openwengo.
(And it is cheaper than Skype!)
I have some problems with video call on linux.. (Ubuntu), I can see my video.. my friends can see me.. but I can’t see my friends video!
Is there anybody can help me??
Thanx
Matteo
Sure
1) Check if Your camera does work with camorama
2) Check if Skype detects Your camera
3) Use metacity instead of compiz
BTW. When there will be option for skype to use X11 instead of Xv ? So it will work with compiz ?
mashuuk, check out the latest beta update (2.0.0.43) which is available from here. This version features support for X11 instead of Xv.
Black screen problem solved !
Distro: Debian Unstable,
Graphic card: Radeon X1300 (with non-GLP’d driver)
Skype: 2.0.0.43, Logitech QuickCam Notebook Pro (046d:08b1)
My problem was “Black preview window on the test pannel of Skype with a webcam working nicely with other linux applications such as ekiga.
I got ‘no adaptor …’ with a command ‘xvinfo’, and realized my problem might be about video overlay.
After putting options (such as “VideoOverlay” “on” and “TexturedVideo” “on”) to xorg.conf (see http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/ATI_Mobility_Radeon_X1400), I was able to enjoy video call with my family.
Good luck.
hyo
My problem is also a “Black preview window”. The webcam working nicely with other linux applications such as ekiga, xawtv, camorama, …
Distro: ubuntu 7.10, Gutsy, linux-headers 2.6.22-14
Notebook: Fujitsu Amilo Pro V3515
Graphic card: VIA Technologies, Inc. Chrome9 HC IGP
Skype: 2.0.0.43 and 2.0.0.43-1
Cam: Creative Live!CAM Notebook
under vesa skype finds no Xv ports available and with compiled openchrome i get a problem about video overlay:
Skype Xv: Xv ports available: 1
Skype XShm: XShm support enabled
Skype Xv: Using Xv port 60
Skype Xv: No suitable overlay format found
i tried xorg.conf options “VideoOverlay” and “TexturedVideo” but no luck so far.
Maybe anyone here had any luck with a similar configuration?
Thanks in advance,)
Hi all, a 64 bit version would be nice however I got it working on Ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy) by using the “force-architecture” command when installing from the command line. Also Automatix has Skype in its install list for those who are uncomfortable with the command line. I haven’t tried this yet but am about to on another AMD 64 machine I will keep you informed. I haven’t got my camera(s) (I have several different brands) working yet even with other app’s but I plan to buy one of the recommended Skype cameras. So haven’t been too tenacious with it yet.
SMS is the thing that is annoying me the most at the moment. I could live with it if this feature was provided. I am confident i can fix the camera.
Hope this helps some of you.
When is the next release expected ? I use Skype more than my phone and have come to depend on it. It is annoying to have to go into Windoze just to send an SMS.
Keep up the good work guys after the release of Vista I think Linux (and especially Ubuntu) will become even more popular.
cheers Tony
Oh another thing, how can you check witch beta version you are running ? and how easy will it be to upgrade ? Will you have to do a complete reinstall ?
Tony
I had skype 2.0.0.63 and I thought everything was great on Ubuntu 8.04 (Hardy).
I upgraded to 2.0.0.68 and now i only get 30 seconds of video before it becomes garbled.
Where are the descriptions of the updates done from 2.0.0.63 to 2.0.0.68 ????
and where can i get 2.0.0.63 from ???
Thanks,
Tamim
Hi
Many, many thanks! I was wondering what to do when my Asus EeePC finally arrives. Now, it’ll be my best friend! You’ve made it totally complete.
Kindest regards, Andy, Oulu, Finland
I have Skype 2.0.0.68 installed on an ASUS F3Jr notebook computer with Kubuntu 8.04 64bit installed and a Logitech Ultra Vision Webcam. I was able to use it successfully for a short time in a conversation between Australia and the UK. The recipient in the UK commented that the image quality was poor compared with when I used it on Windows XP. I could not increase the received image size. If I went full screen, the image was in the center surrounded by black. At the start of the Skype session there were several breaks in the connection but after this was over the line continued for about 10 minutes and then the camera light went off and no picture was being sent. I then finished the conversation using Windows. I am very pleased to see the advances of Skype for Linux and I look forward to the day when it works as well as on Windows as this is the main reason I retain Windows.
סקייפ
Hi, I just got 2.0.0.68 installed. The audio for my webcam works, but the video is garbled. I have a DLink web cam that uses the ov51x driver. I have an Athlon X2 system with a new low-end Nvidia video card. I’m running Ubuntu 8.04 with Compiz.
Keep up the good work, I look forward to getting video soon.
I am using Mandriva 64bit and a Logitech NotebookPro camera. I still get no video. Skype doesn’t detect my camera, even though other programs like Ekiga do.
Plase, try to fix this issue ASAP.
Thanks
need skype for 64bits! please
Everything works fine… except that I see my video and the person I’m in a video call with IN THE SAME TINY WINDOW, which is supposed to show me, instead of the other person. The whole area intended for the person you’re calling is totally blue.
Anyone ran into the same problem? I’m on minBuntu 8.04 LTS on an HP mini-note 2133. Strange because I’ve installed skype before and I’m on the same setup I had before I reinstalled minBuntu. THanks!
thanks guys!!!, video support for linux is great news.
Still, 64 bit version is dearly needed. It took me a while to run skype under my 64 bit box (Slamd64). I can’t make it to use alsa, it only works with oss compatibility which causes problems with other apps.
For Ubuntu is old package, today is 20.11.2008 and packege 7.11. 2007, my webcam MSI going on Ubuntu, not work in Skype. Please compile new version.
Thanks
COME ON GUYS!! which revolution! this 2.0 version sucks! pidgin looks better and works better.
nothing works flawlessly in this version, sound is crap, video too, all the time something to tune to make it at least work. this thing is about 2 or more years old. in windows version 4 and for linux this nightmare?? come on, you have tons of money and are not capable of producing a decent linux version?
yeah, excuses are always good, they just don’t bite
Please release an improved version of Skype for Linux…
Well, I’m going to switch to Ekiga on Ubuntu, but that leaves out the girl I’m dating, who uses OSX. Blast, how I wish the pidgin devs would get on top of voice and video chat already. Perhaps empathy will progress faster on that front..
Skype for Linux. update version. unusable unstable security hazard. where are developers? where are revisions? where is newer versions updated to par with windows versions?
it is hazardous to let development happen out of sync for multiplatform.
a tiny company like Bungie software back in the day before microsoft bought them managed simultaneous releases of their game Myth for Mac and PC. go look it up. and get your act straight.
I have skype 2.0.0.72 in ubuntu 8.04. I can’t see the video button in chat window.
Any help?
I’ve got problems from when I passed to kde 4
I’m running gentoo 64bit on kde 4.2.1 and all it’s works except video!!
if I start video get a blank window andif I test I can’t seen nothing but a black window
has someone solved this problem?
I had been using skype for windows for several years now. I’ve switched to Linux. I’m quite surprised that there is no option to send SMS using the Linux version of Skype. This is a big minus for the company!
As for today I presume the revolution has stopped… We have two years without meaningful updates!! My wife uses version 4.x (Windows) while we (Linux) are pushed to use that old and ugly 2.x
Some spokesperson from skype said they were willing to open the code so that Linux developers are able to push the code further. Today we have no news whatsoever.
I liked Skype at some point and even respected the way they offered a Linux based version (Qt libraries and C++ code made this possible as those components are quite platform agnostic). I even brought some friends, colleagues and clients. But, today (2010), started to hope Kopete, pidjin, and another Linux centric software get better support for Jabber video conference (ie. gtalk) and other SIP services to get out of Skype once and for all, pushing my “base” to “follow me” and all Linux users.
Can some one help me out with the skype installation on my gentoo
Linux gentoo 2.6.30-gentoo-r4 #2 SMP Wed Sep 16 17:20:44 IST 2009 x86_64 AMD Phenom(tm) 8650 Triple-Core Processor AuthenticAMD GNU/Linux
This are they alerts when i do an emerge
emerge -av skype
* IMPORTANT: 3 news items need reading for repository ‘gentoo’.
* Use eselect news to read news items.
These are the packages that would be merged, in order:
Calculating dependencies… done!
[ebuild N ] app-emulation/emul-linux-x86-xlibs-20080810 USE=”opengl” 19,813 kB
[ebuild N ] app-emulation/emul-linux-x86-medialibs-20071114 0 kB
[ebuild N ] app-emulation/emul-linux-x86-soundlibs-20080418 USE=”alsa arts esd” 3,951 kB
[ebuild N ] app-emulation/emul-linux-x86-sdl-20080316 1,262 kB
[ebuild N ] net-im/skype-2.0.0.72 USE=”(qt-static)” 0 kB
Total: 5 packages (5 new), Size of downloads: 25,025 kB
Would you like to merge these packages? [Yes/No] no
Can come one help me out with the exact installtion steps just started to use gentoo.
-Alexa
What is this linux thing..? I have a toshiba satellite L510 System unit (mac) It has a built in webcamera but isn’t working on skype..? Apparently i need to download new webcam software as i need a newer version..? IS this right and how do i get it..?
I’m using Ubuntu 10.04 but can’t get the video to work on Skype 2.1.0.81 Beta. When I run the video test I get ZILCH. It’s either Skype is a dud or Ubuntu “still” haven’t got their act together as far as webcams are concerned. It’s probably Ubuntu that’s not fully developed yet, they wonder why they can’t keep people from returning to Micro$oft’s bug infested operating systems.
i have a logitech quckpro 9000 webcam and am using ubuntu 10.04. skype sees the video, but doesn’t give me an option to use the webcam as a microphone. it works fine with ekiga. any chance skype can actually get basic functionality working with linux? maybe 640×480 video also. i mean, cmon, you’ve got skype working on a mac, iphone, ipad touch, ipad, and droid, and they’re all linux. i think you’re intentionally making skype not work with linux. well, i guess i’ll just have to keep getting my family and friends and their friends to install ekiga on all their machines since i’m in charge of several of my family’s computers.
I can confirm the issue the timcredible2 has reported with regard to a Logitech QuickPro 9000 webcam. The video is found but there is no option to use the built-in microphone.
Debian 5.0 Lenny – I wouldn’t ask for more…
As soon I got skype for Linux downloaded.
1. Installed QT 4.4.* from debian pakage manager.
2. D-Bus installed.
3. LibSound installed.
4. Alsa was already running. No need for anything else!
4. Installed skype!
Logitech webcam pro 9000
Just needed the firmware – Updated UVC Driver..
new kernel already has UVC driver (which supports lots of webcams)
just updated to new version….
Steps if anyone has problems running video cam…
NOTE: After all necessary firmware (QT4,D-Bus,LibSound,Skype,UVC driver)
1. Plug in web cam
$dmesg
should list your web cam
2. $lusb
show your camera specific model
3. $lsmod | grep uvc
uvcvideo 48644 0 compat_ioctl32 2304 1 uvcvideovideodev 29312 1 uvcvideov4l1_compat 15364 2 uvcvideo,videodevv4l2_common 18432 2 uvcvideo,videodevusbcore 138632 10 snd_usb_audio,uvcvideo…etc etc
(all required to work properly)
4.for built in microphone, should be detected and work!
$cat /proc/asound/cards
5. Time for testing!
$luvcview -L
6. $luvcview -w -s 960×720 (aspect ratio if camera supports from $luvcview -L list)
and configure skype options after signing in.
and what you know… next I was doing video calls without any problems at all…
thank you for this been waiting for ages now i can get rid of windows when chatting haha
Skype works fine on Ubuntu 10.04. Download and install in the package manager. I’m using a Logitech quickcam and was able to get the audio with a simple fix. Click on the sound icon and go to Sound Preferences->Goto the input tab and select the appropriate microphone. (mine was Quickcam Ultra Vision Analog Mono)
Works great!
And 3 years later we are still on the same version. Bravissimo, skype! You rule!
just got my new Logitech C200 webcam setup yesterday & tried the Skype beta skype-debian_2.1.0.81-1_i386 on my Debian Lenny box. GREAT WORK! great picture, no sound, but I think that is an issue with me & my sound cards.. the picture quality is excellent, but there is no resize capability. It shows Move, Minimize & close. The box is only about 3″X3″.
other than that, great work , thanks!
I am not able to use the webcam on skype. My laptop (HP Pavilion dv 2000) has integrated web cam (1.3MP).The video options does not allow me to choose the web cam.Please advice.
OS:Ubuntu 9.10
Thanks
Well- it is now 2011 (~four years since this thread started the “revolution”. I am using Ubuntu 11.04 (64 bits), Creative Labs PD1110, and the same revolutionary Skype Beta 2.2.0.35. The webcam works fine with camorama, cheese or VLC, but not with Skype. Isn’t this pathetic?
End of 2011 and skype messed something up with video, Couple or several months ago my Creative Live! Cam Video IM VF0305 worked just fine, I could send my live video to others, but not anymore after the skype made some updates on current version. Now others can’t see my video, but only black screen. I don’t want to buy a new webcam, because mine works just fine (except skype). I am not really happy about this and the thing is, that I can’t find any info specifically on this issue with those cameras.
For all of you having problems with microphones not working with logitech webcams, try this:
The problem is that the microphone is using the wrong sound rate in pulse audio. As a user do the following:
sudo gedit (or nano or vim, whatever your text editor of choice is) $HOME/.pulse/daemon.conf
and put the following line on the file:
default-sample-rate = 16000
save it, and then restart pulseaudio with the following command
pulseaudio –kill && pulseaudio –start
This should solve the problem.