Skype for Linux 2.1 Beta out now
I’m excited to announce that after almost two years of silence Skype for Linux team is proud to present a first beta of the new, shiny Skype for Linux desktop 2.1.
What’s new in this release:
- Skype’s SILK codec for outstanding quality with negligible bandwidth usage,
- HQ video support,
- PulseAudio support,
- SMS send support (*Sending SMS requires available Skype Credit),
- Contact groups,
- Contact labels, or tags, for easier contact organization,
- Chat window improvements (typing notification, message editing, s/geeky text/replacement/, new emoticons),
- Nicer contact list with mood messages and video capability icons,
- Nicer tray icon.
More details can be seen on the release notes page. (PLEASE READ ABOUT THE KNOWN ISSUES THERE - will save you some time)
Coupled with this release is an updated action_handler script by our long-time betatester Philipp Kolmann. You can see the details on how to configure your favourite browser here.
Give the version 2.1.0.47 a go and send your feedback to our JIRA, comments to this post and to our forums.
As this is a public beta we are eagerly awaiting your constructive feedback. Enjoy!
- The Linux Team.
@cazmeus Take a few deep breaths friend! That’s even more hysterical than complaining here about problems on Karmic Koala alphas.
This is a beta; expect to meet some issues. If you want to downgrade despite below, there is a skype.com link in prev blog comments – although I’d be surprised if it’s not simple via Download.
You might also have read a thread on re-disabling pulseaudio in the forums. First note Berkus’ next blogpost.
Best wishes
Is there any reason why this isn’t updated in the Skype repository? This one: http://download.skype.com/linux/repos/debian/
Still showing the old version.
Just found this update today and installed it. Really smooth install on Ubuntu 8.10 (amd64) from the package file.
Everything works well and there are some great new features (although I am very jealous of a friend on a Mac who can share his screen – this is very cool!)
My only issue is that when I call someone (or vice versa), the microphone is picking up the sound from the speakers and so they get an echo. The did not happen with the previous version (2.0.0.72) – anyone else having this problem and any ideas on how to fix it?
the debian package doesn’t install for me. this is what i get:
# dpkg -i skype-debian_2.1.0.47-1_i386.deb
(Reading database … 257273 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace skype 2.0.0.72-1 (using skype-debian_2.1.0.47-1_i386.deb) …
Unpacking replacement skype …
dpkg-deb (subprocess): short read in buffer_copy (failed to write to pipe in copy)
dpkg-deb: subprocess paste returned error exit status 2
dpkg: error processing skype-debian_2.1.0.47-1_i386.deb (–install):
short read in buffer_copy (backend dpkg-deb during `./usr/bin/skype’)
Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils …
Errors were encountered while processing:
skype-debian_2.1.0.47-1_i386.deb
well, nevermind… apparently my download got interrupted. i downloaded again and everything worked great.
Hello
First of all, thank you very much for this new release !
Since it’s a beta version, I would like to install this new release without uninstalling my current version that took me time to configure correctly.
is there a way to do it ?
a kind of sandbox for testing compatibility with my system ?
I would like very much to try this new version, but I really don’t want to lose my audio configuration and being on a situation where I can’t call or can’t receveive call
Thanks you very much
FYI: I’m on Ubuntu
Thank you very much for your linux support efforts. I guess I was not easy since the community is quite often angry on Skype for long release periods and lack of some basic features like type notifications, contacts management, etc.
I’m very pleased with new Linux demo version since it addresses all good things I was missing as a Linux only user. Good work and thank you once again.
Sinisa Perovic
Like many others, I’m looking forward to using this, but all 3 of my machines are now running Fedora 11 x86_64 – and the 2.1 beta for Fedora is still just a 32-bit app.
Please, please give us a native 64-bit build for Fedora!
I discovered, by the hard way, that if I let “Allow Skype to automatically adjust my mixer levels” turned on, it freezes skype audio when starts a call. The skype UI keep working, but no sound at all and the only way to close skype and reopen it to get the sound back, is killing the process, sometimes only root can kill it, I don’t know why. But let this option off and all works as expected.
Only one thing! I’m able to pair and connect to my Bluetooth ear-peace using blueman but I can not find a way to tell Skype or Pulseaudio to use it.
What is the secret, guys?
Thanx
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Mandriva 2009.1 (2.6.29.6-desktop-2mnb #1 SMP i686 AMD Athlon(tm) X2 Dual-Core QL-62 GNU/Linux)
pulseaudio-0.9.15-2.0.6mdv2009.1
alsa-utils-1.0.19-1mdv2009.1
bluez-alsa-4.33-3.2mdv2009.1
Here’s a problem you might be able to address before the 2.1 final release …
My webcam, according to lsusb is:
Bus 003 Device 002: ID 046d:08ae Logitech, Inc. QuickCam for Notebooks
In skype 2.1.0.47 the video image I get is gibberish, but in older 2.0 versions of skype I got a fairly good image. In other apps, e.g. ekiga, I get an ok image.
Part of this can probably be blamed on the webcam as even in applications that “work” the bottom few lines in the video is garbled. I ekiga I get warning messages printed to the console like these:
libv4lconvert: Error decompressing JPEG: unknown huffman code: 0000ffff
libv4lconvert: Error decompressing JPEG: unknown huffman code: 0000ffff
libv4lconvert: Error decompressing JPEG: unknown huffman code: 0000fff6
…
So the output from the webcam is not correct, but both ekiga and earlier versions of skype are much better than the skype 2.1 beta in dealing with this problem.
It turned out to be a v4l2 problem … Using v4l1 get me back to the old behaviour:
LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/libv4l/v4l1compat.so skype
Thanks for the new version. I wasn’t looking forward to having to capture with PulseAudio, but in fact it works very well, a great improvement on 2.0.
I have encountered two bugs, one of which is a showstopper unfortunately (which means I am going to have to go back to 2.0):
1. Video on my SPCA 561 device no longer works. I have tried restarting Skype, also rmmodding and modprobing the drivers, but all I get is green garbage. On another application (Cheese) I can still see the video fine. Could this be due to the changes in the SPCA drivers with kernel 2.6.31? This particularly affected my camera in that certain serious bugs were corrected.
2. I sent an SMS yesterday, having previously had my mobile number validated as the “from” number. However the reply that the recipient sent me did not arrive. I would be surprised if this was due to the cellular network since we are both with the same mainstream Belgian service provider and I have not heard of this kind of problem on domestic SMS’s within Belgium.
I report the same problem. Using skype linux 2.1 beta with a Logitech Orbit AF webcam (ie. one of the “official” HQ video cams) on a core 2 duo system in 64 bit mode, I find that after putting in the 640×480 lines to config.xml, the first video stream sent is 320×240, and if I stop and restart it is then sending 640×480. Though not more than 15fps but that may be bandwidth related, though we got faster on windows.
However, there is a problem the other way. The other computer is also sending 640×480, but Skype’s standard window is 320×240, and when I ask to view it double size or full screen, it certainly appears to me that I am seeing a blown up 320×240 video, not a 640×480 video but of course this can be difficult to tell.
Too bad because I have certainly been waiting for HQ video for a while on linux. HQ video is the best thing about Skype and it’s been annoying to have to boot up Windows to get it!
@claumond.bd.mu Just download the tarball version and uncompress it into some directory. Run skype binary from there.
My microphone quit working.
I cannot configure the pulseaudio tool to work properly.
Will someone PLEASE make the old verison available?
-John (pentium 4, ensoniq audio, ubuntu 9.04)
Update: Works now. Uninstalling all the pulse libraries forced Skype back to ALSA.
Thanks to Berkus for clearing things up over at http://blogs.skype.com/sites/linux/
It would be very nice if you could implement an option to not show skype in the notification area. This way an integration with the “messaging menu” on ubuntu could be made very nice (see http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=7530321&postcount=12) for an example). Users controlling skype through i.e pidgin using the api would also benefit from such a feature.
One bug I see with the chat windows:
Sometimes, I’ll write a message to someone, and they will reply, but a new window will appear with their reply. The result is I have 2 chat windows with the same user open at the same time. This was also the case for Skype 2.
Thanks, Skype 2.1 is great!
With the previous skype version for linux, I could search for and chat to new people.
In 2.1 beta I seem unable to chat to anyone new. It usually says something like “Cannot add unauthorised person” even though I am not trying to add anyone. I’ve gone back to the old version twice now just to make new friends.
Congrats for the new version!
hi there,
when removing pulseaudio on ubuntu 9.04, it says that it will remove along with it also the ubuntu-desktop, which i probably need, as im on a desktop machine.
how to procede?
can not use pulseaudio since skype doesnt allow me to select usb headset for voice
regards
Tibor
Tibor, you can simply disable pulseaudio server, there are numerous howto’s and links from forum and posts in this blog also.
I gave the new beta a good run and found cam and voice were well supported in Ububuntu Jaunty. But as I stated in a previous posting, whenever I want to chat to someone new I have to uninstall the beta and go back to the old version because the new one just doesn’t let me message anyone new!!! It is very annoying. If people don’t want to receive messages from people they don’t know they can set that preference in the options. The new linux beta takes that one step further but not even letting you message someone not on your list. Please address this bug.
I have Kubuntu 9.10 and I’m having problems getting my external USB speakers working with Skype. In Phonon, I set up the USB speakers to have precedence over the other audio output options. When I test the USB speakers in Phonon, they work and they work with Amarok too. In Skype, when I look at the options for sound devices, the USB speakers are detected when they are plugged in, but when I test them, there is no sound. Also, even though I have the USB speakers at the highest precedence in Phonon, the sound will come out of the laptop speakers when I choose the default device for the speakers. Is this something that can be configured away, or is this just part of the difficulty with Linux sound? Thank you for any help, and I will happily provide more information if needed.
@natsbar Your description is a bit confusing. Do you have USB speakers selected as output device in Skype? If so, please produce logs and send them to me (how to make logs you can find on our forum).
Hi,
I am on Ubuntu 9.10 AMD64 and Skype 2.1.0. Everything works great with me except one thing: I can’t copy text in the chat windows.
Anyone help, please?
Thanks.
Works great on Ubuntu 9.10 64… Now hopefully, you’ll start working on full screen video and we can move on from windows to Linux…
philippegiguere : Full screen video already supported by skype 2.0 and upwards. To activate it, simply double-click to the video screen and it will become full screen then.
Any further notes on the high quality video questions? To repeat, what seems to be the case with me and others is:
a) When you first send video, it sends 320×240. If you stop and restart video it then sends 640×480
b) In either case, it sends only 15fps, never more.
c) When the other party is sending HQ video (from a windows box) it still displays a 320×240 window, and if you double the size of it, while I can’t be sure, I think it is showing you a doubled 320×240 and not the full 640×480. They are able to send at up to 30fps though.
This is on kubuntu karmic, core 2 duo, logitech Orbit af on my end (one of the official HQ cameras.) I will note that for whatever reasons, I dont seem to get more than 15fps in other linux apps, I don’t know if Skype uses the luvc drivers that seem to have that limit.
But it is bugs a and c that are most annoying. HQ video is Skype’s greatest attractor for me.
I have ubuntu 9.10 and have skype installed though i am not able to use my certified skype usb phone, has anyone any ideas?
I have it setup with a local PulseAudio Server but cant seem to select my usb phone through the menu.
Thanks
Andy
I am using Debian Lenny and everithing goes well but the ringing not working.
I can Talk and listen on video meeting but at calling in wathever way there is not ringing sound.
The problem is when i am out and far of the pc i do not know if somebody is calling to me.
These are the errors i got in the console:
ALSA lib pcm.c:2144:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM null
ALSA lib pcm.c:2144:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM null
Now changing to oss method the errors messages differ a little:
ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:996:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to open slave
ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:996:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to open slave
ALSA lib pcm.c:2144:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM null
ALSA lib pcm.c:2144:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM null
ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:996:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to open slave
…..
ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:996:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to open slave
hope it helps!
It doesn’t work.
ckopnuo@home ~ % skype
skype: symbol lookup error: /usr/lib32/libQtNetwork.so.4: undefined symbol: _ZN14QObjectPrivate15checkWindowRoleEv
ckopnuo@home ~ % ldd /usr/bin/skype
linux-gate.so.1 => (0xf779a000)
libasound.so.2 => /usr/lib32/libasound.so.2 (0xf76ae000)
libXv.so.1 => /usr/lib32/libXv.so.1 (0xf76a9000)
libXss.so.1 => /usr/lib32/libXss.so.1 (0xf76a5000)
librt.so.1 => /lib32/librt.so.1 (0xf769c000)
libQtDBus.so.4 => /usr/lib32/libQtDBus.so.4 (0xf7628000)
libQtGui.so.4 => /usr/lib/eToken/libQtGui.so.4 (0xf6ec8000)
libQtNetwork.so.4 => /usr/lib32/libQtNetwork.so.4 (0xf6db0000)
libQtCore.so.4 => /usr/lib/eToken/libQtCore.so.4 (0xf6c20000)
libpthread.so.0 => /lib32/libpthread.so.0 (0xf6c07000)
libstdc++.so.6 => /usr/lib32/libstdc++.so.6 (0xf6b16000)
libm.so.6 => /lib32/libm.so.6 (0xf6af0000)
libgcc_s.so.1 => /usr/lib32/libgcc_s.so.1 (0xf6ad3000)
libc.so.6 => /lib32/libc.so.6 (0xf698f000)
libdl.so.2 => /lib32/libdl.so.2 (0xf698a000)
libX11.so.6 => /usr/lib32/libX11.so.6 (0xf686e000)
libXext.so.6 => /usr/lib32/libXext.so.6 (0xf6860000)
/lib/ld-linux.so.2 (0xf779b000)
libQtXml.so.4 => /usr/lib/eToken/libQtXml.so.4 (0xf6819000)
libpng12.so.0 => /usr/lib32/libpng12.so.0 (0xf67f5000)
libSM.so.6 => /usr/lib32/libSM.so.6 (0xf67ed000)
libICE.so.6 => /usr/lib32/libICE.so.6 (0xf67d4000)
libz.so.1 => /usr/lib32/libz.so.1 (0xf67bf000)
libgthread-2.0.so.0 => /usr/lib32/libgthread-2.0.so.0 (0xf67ba000)
libglib-2.0.so.0 => /usr/lib32/libglib-2.0.so.0 (0xf6705000)
libXi.so.6 => /usr/lib32/libXi.so.6 (0xf66fc000)
libXrender.so.1 => /usr/lib32/libXrender.so.1 (0xf66f3000)
libXrandr.so.2 => /usr/lib32/libXrandr.so.2 (0xf66eb000)
libXfixes.so.3 => /usr/lib32/libXfixes.so.3 (0xf66e6000)
libXcursor.so.1 => /usr/lib32/libXcursor.so.1 (0xf66dd000)
libXinerama.so.1 => /usr/lib32/libXinerama.so.1 (0xf66da000)
libfreetype.so.6 => /usr/lib32/libfreetype.so.6 (0xf6663000)
libfontconfig.so.1 => /usr/lib32/libfontconfig.so.1 (0xf6637000)
libxcb.so.1 => /usr/lib32/libxcb.so.1 (0xf661e000)
libXau.so.6 => /usr/lib32/libXau.so.6 (0xf661b000)
libuuid.so.1 => /lib32/libuuid.so.1 (0xf6617000)
libpcre.so.3 => /usr/lib32/libpcre.so.3 (0xf65e5000)
libexpat.so.1 => /usr/lib32/libexpat.so.1 (0xf65bf000)
libXdmcp.so.6 => /usr/lib32/libXdmcp.so.6 (0xf65ba000)
@designinfo.ru You’re mixing up wrong Qt libraries:
libQtDBus.so.4 => /usr/lib32/libQtDBus.so.4 (0xf7628000)
libQtGui.so.4 => /usr/lib/___eToken___/libQtGui.so.4 (0xf6ec8000)
libQtNetwork.so.4 => /usr/lib32/libQtNetwork.so.4 (0xf6db0000)
libQtCore.so.4 => /usr/lib/___eToken___/libQtCore.so.4 (0xf6c20000)
When will the stable version be released?
I can hardly wait at all!
Cheer the development team of Skype for Linux!
From beta release of 2.0 (Nov. 7th 2007) to 2.0 final (Mar. 13th 2008) it took about 4 months.
2.1 Beta was out Aug. 26th 2009 (which was already one long, long, long year waiting), so releasing 2.1 before 2010 would feel just right…
2.1 beta is much much better than the Pulse allergic 2.0, but it is not exactly bug free, and 4 months… would feel just right.
@xinoef Pretty close, yes.
I am using Kubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala on an MSI Wind U100+.
Cannot get the microphone working. Can sign in and see address book. Have not yet tested much else.
I have tried:
Skype 2.1.0.47 Ubuntu 8.04
Skype 2.1.0.47 Ubuntu 8.10
Skype 2.1.0.47 Debian Lenny
I cannot locate an earlier 2.0 version anywhere to try.
if your mic dose not work on skype 2.1 for linux try this it worked first time for me.
After installing skype 2.1 in your ubuntu 9.10 you might have seen that there is only one option in skype’s audio properties: “pulse audio server” and Nothing else.
But most of you might had used “HDA Intel hd:0″ option in their previous versions and it was working.
To solve this problem you will just need to install “padevchooser” on your Ubuntu. ‘pavechooser’ will help you configure your Pulseaudio and select the proper Mic input.
Install it via command line or synaptic.
Or get it from here http://packages.ubuntu.com/hardy/sound/padevchooser
Or try installing the skype version 2.0 and select “HD Intel (hw:0)” option.
Download the version 2.0 from http://download.skype.com/linux/skype-debian_2.0.0.72-1_i386.deb
If you have already installed Skype 2.1 you will have to uninstall skype-common via synaptic, as well as skype, or else the Skype 2.0 package will not install via GDebi.
Skype 2.1 32bit (Fedora10+ download)was not able to get a video picture from my camera on my 64bit Fedora 11, however I was able to fix it by making it pull in an extra libary;
Documented it here,
http://www.fedoraguide.info/index.php?title=Main_Page#How_to_install_Skype_with_Video_on_64bit_Fedora
Which basically is — install the _32bit_ version of v4l;
su -c ‘yum -y install libv4l-0.6.3-1.fc11.i586′
The launch skype from command line (or modify your menu to do the equivalent of);
env LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/libv4l/v4l1compat.so skype
Thanks Berkus,
Happy you created a Linux release. But not yet flawless.
Calls run fine but…
Skype crashes when starting my video….
- Can view image without problems in test mode.
- Can view incoming video
This really is a pain. I have surfed all fora. No solution so far.
Looks as if the problem is in Skype, not Linux.
I use Skype 2.1 32bit on Ubuntu 9.1, webcam: quickcam messenger id: 046d:08da
I have used the pre-load command as described above but does not bring anything (my image/video test was already okay).
Issue known?
Any solution available?
Thanks,
Joep
Hi great job
Just 2 remarks:
the “Create minimized chat window” function under the Chat preferences does not work correctly.
could there be an option that when you click the icon, If there is an unreaded chat the chats pop up first.
out of that I repeat my self great work =D
Weird, when doing a test call using my Logitech USB headset, the message I hear back recorded from my mic is very fast (like 2x fast) and tinny, while the sound from the test server is perfect.
I’ve ripped all PulseAudio garbage off of my Ubuntu 9.10 and am running straight ALSA.
Any help appreciated!
Hi, still missing a build for Mandriva 32 and 64… Pity
Can anyone tell me if there is a build for Linux Mint 8 that is workable? I am really missing my Skype and need to figure out how to work around this. Any help is appreciated.
Thanks
John
@john.mcbride39 Grab static tarball?
Where is the OSSv4 version of this beta? Pulseaudio is a piece of crap for pete’s sake. I’m still using the old skype 2.0 beta for oss and I’d like to be on the 2.1 beta for oss, but I don’t see it and there seems to be no reference to OSSv4 in the release notes.
I use the Skype Beta 2.1.0.47. There is a problem with the microphone. It happens when I make a call to a normal phone number. Before the call the microphone is working fine (I can see it by the Sound Preferences of Ubutu 9.10 32bits) but when the call is accomplished the microphone volume changes, decreasing the volume to 0. So, the other part can’t hear anything. But, when the option in Sound Devices is with the “Allow Skype automatically adjust my mixer levels” is not checked, the microphone works fine. I don’t know why, but the adjust made by skype damage the microphone sound and I have unchecked this option before and it returns by itself to checked and I loose my credits making a call that doesn’t have success. I hope in the next release this problem can be fixed.
I trie Skype Linux Beta 2.1.0.81 under Fedora 12.
It crashes/hangs by making voice calls.
I can’t hear my own voice at the testcall-loopback and when I will quit the programm, it hangs.
Any Idea?
In Ubuntu 10.10 / Maverick Meerkat when trying to sign in it crashes with:
Inconsistency detected by ld.so: dl-open.c: 612: _dl_open: Assertion `_dl_debug_initialize (0, args.nsid)->r_state == RT_CONSISTENT’ failed!