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.
Although I have yet to make it work with my Communicate STX, I am genuinely grateful to Skype devs for this release – well done!
Skype Linux 64 bits: How and When?
In its current version Skype seems to be 32 bits only… and 64 bits Linux has been available for over two years now, and is very good!
So could the Skype type, provide with an install file supporting 64 bits too?
Also it seems (according to forum posts) that some have been able to install and run the 32 bits version, on all the “major” 64 bits distros.
If this is the case, could the Skype team provide either the documentation or the RPM/DEB explaining how to achieve this little feast?
A.
A few days ago I had to get a new laptop and since skype didn’t have webcam support for linux, a built-in one didn’t seem to be so high on the list. I’m glad I got one anyways. Skype works like a dream now in Gentoo (on a 64bit AMD X2)!
Thanks!
Skype 32-bit works well (video also) on my 64-bit Ubuntu when run in a 32-bit chroot. More on this in:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=24575
My problems there are links do not open in the right browser (or at all) and I still cannot input Chinese with SCIM in Skype. (On my 32-bit system everything works)
Thank you very much for releasing skype with video for Linux. Never thought that video calling with skype would become a reality so soon. Now one of the main problem with linux (VOIP and video chat support together) is solved. Skype developers we love u.
Still a little bit buggy; I can’t use Video chat more then 30 seconds because it crashes. But I am thrust full that thinks will get better. Thanks, Skype (Linux) Team!
Yahooooo, that is awesome news. Thank you guys. One less reason to use Windows.
Great news for all Linux community! However, I noticed a strange phenomenon: apart from the error reported by honzik.c6 (which is reported to be corrected in the next release), I also noticed that the video session does not start if the webcam is connected via a USB hub. Skype can find it (and the “test” button in the options menu works) but when a call is attempted, it tries to start the video and fails (the audio call goes through, thought).
Running skype 2.0 beta on fedora 7 with a Communicate STX. Everything started well but then skype shut down completely after 30 seconds. Did this twice. Turned video off and skype worked well with only voice. Will try again.
I just bought an Eee PC by ASUS, it’s a Linux PC. I found the Skype built in is version 1.4, the PC can’t support 2.0 so far for lack of dynamic webcam, among maybe some other reasons.
I’d say Skype for Linux is primitive so far comparing with those versions for Windows, especially I’m very much used to sending SMS throught Skype, while Skype for Linux can’t.
Can developers please help, for those Linux supporters?
why do I have “call dropped” after 50 seconds ? is this intentional (beta version)?
> Now if you would only re-enable the groups in contact list, I would be satisfied — michalsc38678
I second this. (or millionth it, if you wish)
I’ll just go back to 1.2 ..
That’s really a great news!
I would really love to say great work; however, it appears as if there is still a lot to do to get this working for all linux distros and hardware platforms.
I am running a gentoo distribution that only works when the product operates correctly. I do not have icons or video yet, but sound appears to work all right.
The portage system belches ominous errors on installation after one jumps over the hardmasked status of the binary indicating something about an executable stack probably being erroneous, which would explain some of the non-functionality of the system.
I would love to see you up there with a really stable Skype interface soon, so that I can use all of these great features everyone is speaking about.
Phil
thank you!
Omg! Thank you some much!
This must be the best christmas present ever
By the way, there is a new beta update – 2.0.0.27 – available now.
Enjoy!
Andy.
Great job, the new beta works reasonably well on my configuration. Just a couple of comments:
1. During a video call, the image (my side) freezes for 10-20 seconds after 2-3 minutes. It does not happen more than once during a call.
2. It is impossible to turn the video on in a conference call; as an example, I was on call(with video on), then added another person, the video turned off the moment I pressed “invite to a conference” and it was impossible to turn it on again.
Could this be made into a native PulseAudio application, before the final release?
Given how every Linux distribution already has or will soon be standardizing on PulseAudio as the sound system, it would be wise to upgrade Skype into a native PulseAudio application now.
As it stands, I’ve tried just about every trick mentioned on every forum to make Skype work with PulseAudio, to no avail: audio playback works (and not too well at that), but microphone capture doesn’t work at all. Besides, directly accessing ALSA is a big no-no for userspace applications. Thus, the only real cure is to upgrade Skype into a native PulseAudio application ASAP.
HI, very nice work this version!! works very well in gutsy. I was just wondering if it could be a solution for get the video working with compiz fusion activated. Now gutsy comes with it and as many other programs (kdenlive) the video does not show with compiz turned on… please take this in count maybe some way to determine wich video output you want to be compatible with compiz… thanks!!! and great work
I get a black window when I test my Logitech Quickcam Pro 5000 (http://www.smolts.org/wiki/usb/046d/08c5/0000/0000) webcam in fedora 8 under skype_static-2.0.0.27. Same webcam works with ekiga with a glitch from time to time. Is there a bugzilla or the like for skype? Didn’t see a link to it on this page.
64 BIT versions needed for LINUX … where to download 64bit versions for Fedora8 + Ubuntu7.10 64bit … THX !!!
Finally !!!! Works great under GNU/Linux Debian (sid) Thanks guys
Does this support pulseaudio? That’s what I need next. Sound.. that works… without weird workarounds and such.
I have ubuntu 64 bit, skype video does not work. Can you guys make a 64 bit version of skype, I’m using Ubuntu Gutsy.
Hi,
Can somebody recommend me a webcam that just works with this 2.0 beta? Thanks for any answer…
Answering gwenn.allemon.moreilles’s question about webcams: I own logitech quick cam 5000 and Logitech Quickcam for Notebooks I was not able to make any of them work. I’m running Ubuntu-feisty fawn, skype 2.0.0.27. The 5000 can get an image only of the top 5% of the screen sound capture works fine.
I’ve recently purchased Quickcam pro 9000 it works out of the box with grate image and very good capture.
Two bugs I’ve experienced using skype with pro9000 for the last two weeks extensively: 1) Once: call dropped 20 seconds after starting video. Closing skype didn’t solve it. Fixed it by killing the process, pulling out the camera from USB plugging back in and restarting skype.
2) Rarely (I think happened twice): video works, I head other party but other party can’t hear me. Fixed by ending the call and calling back.
Hope this helps. I’m very happy with the new version. Some of the features are better then in the win version. E.g, you can send multiple files and accept multiple files easily. I think that delay is much smaller but it might just be better resource management attributed to Ubuntu.
regards,
Ronen.
Ronen,
Thank you very much for this real complete answer that really help. I think I will buy the Quickcam pro 9000 and share the reasult with Ubuntu Gutsy 7.10.
Once again, Thanks a lot Ronen.
Regards,
I have a Logitech QuickCam, the camera works with the Camstream application and gspcav1 driver. But no video in Skype
Same situation here. My camera is Logitech QuickCam and work with everything except Skype. With Skype Image is too dark and my CPU is running on 100%! I made query in skype linux forum – but no any responce from developers. I’m very disappointed.
Happy New 2008 Year!
Hi all,
Logitech Quickcam Communicate STX plus (046d:08d7 Logitech, Inc.) Running driver (videodev 29312 1 gspca) on Ubuntu 7.10 gutsy.
Camera works out of the box with canorama but Skype (2.0.0.27) shows black screen when I click “test” in video preferences. The camera is listed in the drop down list though so it’s promising!
Anyone had any luck getting it working?
Cheers,
Mark
Thanks for all the work. I am using Skype 1.4.0.118 for Linux on a OneLaptopPerChild computer with great success even if the icons display tiny. Please work on Skype 2 for the OLPC project. It is a perfect application for the machine.
Is the maemo (nokia internet tablet) version of skype based on gtk?
If so, WHERE IS THE GTK-SKYPE FOR GNOME ???
Thank you so much for adding the video feature to Skype 4 Linux!!
It doesn’t work for me yet..
Same as above: Logitech QuickCam Notebook Delux works in camstream, shows up in the drop down list in Skype’s video options, but clicking the TEST button or the Start Video button Skype doesn’ work..
Someone work in the Skype with Logitech QuickCam 9000 Pro? After press TEST button in the preferences i see only black image…
THANK YOU SKYPE!
Hello LINUX world! I just bought an ASUS EeePC which has introduced me and my wife…we bought 2 so we can communicate when I’m on the road to Linux.
The EeePC came with linux…WOW! easy, clean and no problems!
Being very new to Linux…Should we download the new SKYPE for Linux that has video capability or should we wait a while?
The Asus EeePC comes with an earlier Skype version and video Cam already installed?
And how do I find the answer to this question? Hopefully it will appear on this blog??
Shanesax
shanesax, you might want to look at http://forum.eeeuser.com/viewtopic.php?id=1500 .
Also, next time ask in the forums. This is hardly the place for this kind of discussion.
Hi! Same problem here: Logitech QuickCam Chat is recognized but the test-screen remains black (ubuntu gutsy gibbon). Hope this will be fixed! Thanks.
I need 64-bit version!
Please pass my thanks on to the Dev team, or if they are reading no need.
Great to hear that you are paying attention to linux users. Now i can finally keep in touch with all my friends from home (who haven’t seen the light ;p) while at uni.
I’ve wished for this day.
I have Skype Beta running on OpenSuse 10.3. I have a Logitech QC Pro5000, and it works with the luvc drivers. I tried to get this working with OpenSuse 10.2, and it just wasn’t happening. Once I upgraded my OS, I thought I’d give this another shot, and it worked from the start. I suspect that there was an improved driver in the new distro.
It isn’t 100% Sometimes when I check my webcam it shows a black screen even though it is recognizing the camera. I’ve found that in some cases it will work if I check my webcam in Kopete or Ekiga, and then restart Skype, and the worst case is that I have to unplug the cam, and plug it back in.
I generally have ekiga open at the same time anyway so that I have some control over my camera while I’m using it in Skype. It would really be nice if the Skype interface included camera controls.
I am having the problem with the qt library that is just showing the top left corner of video, but that isn’t a problem in full screen mode.
I have noticed that the synching of audio and video seems better than the Windoze version, although the incoming video doesn’t look as good.
When I’m in Windoze I never check my camera to make sure it’s working. In Linux I have to check it every time, because half the time I don’t have video without a little intervention.
I’m new to Linux and terribly disappointed that SMS isn’t supported in Skype for Linux, in fact even to the extent that it makes me reconsider switching from Windows. Also confused because I would have thought that for someone who knows what they’re doing surely it’s not massively complicated, plus it’s not a free service, surely it’s of more interest to Skype to include this service than video, which is free. Having to reboot to windows every time I want to SMS is simply not viable!!! PLEASE can we have SMS on Linux PLEASE
For every people having logitech Quickcam, here is the solution:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=3856516#post3856516/
Please please make it work with pulseaudio… I have huge issues with any kind of usb headset without pulseaudio. I have to choose between listening to music or using skype.
Please! Implement support for pulseaudio! Or at least clean up the alsa related code so it works with the alsa wrapper for pulseaudio (which solves all other problems with audio in linux, except for Skype).
And come on! I’m actually paying for this service!
I have the same problem with black screen when i clicked the test button. I’m using generic vimicro 303b with V4L2 (video 4 linux driver) and the chip is ZC0301.
Is there any official article about this issue from Skype yet? Has this problem been solved or is the development team still working on this?
Thank you very much, Skype. You guys rock. Been waiting for quite sometime for video support on linux.
Plugged in my Creative webcam into my Ubuntu machine running 7.10 Gutsy and, lo behold! video. Thanks again. Skype rules. Keep up the good work. And again thanks.
One important feature missing from the Linux version is eBay Alerts.
I know that everyone has a different opinion on what is a priority, but considering eBay is the parent company of Skype this feature should be a priority, IMHO.