Get Skype on your TV: Samsung joins the team
At CES in January we announced partnerships with Panasonic and LG to bring Skype to some of their Internet-connected HDTVs.
Many of you asked if we were working with other manufacturers to do the same, and so today we’re very happy to announce a third member of the club. All Samsung LED 7000 and 8000 models will have Skype built in. Even better, they’re available in South Korea today, and will be coming to the rest of the world in the first half of this year.
If you buy a Samsung LED 7000 or 8000 TV and connect it to the Internet, all you’ll need to do is attach a FREETALK TV Camera for Samsung, which will be available soon in the Skype Shop.
Once you’ve done that, you’ll be able to make voice calls and High Quality Video calls. Voice calls will use Skype’s SILK audio codec for the best possible calling experience.
I see no Freetalk TV Camera anywhere in the Skype shop. The link just shows the front page.
Are these not available in Europe ?
When the FREETALK HD webcams were announced at CES, there was a March, 2010 availability date provided.
That’s when you’ll see it in the Skype Store. (Not to mention these supported TV sets also need to become available in countries other than Korea … that will take time…)
Skype on my TV? How about Skype over 3G on my iPhone.
Still waiting…
With Samsung TV models will support skype?
Only Series 7 & 8 or also series 6 with Internet@TV?
I know that Skype on Samsung has been announced for the Series 7 2010 model.
But will it be available on a series 7 2009 model? Is the software downloaded to the TV, in the firmware, or already pre-installed?
I am looking to buy a UN55B7000 (2009 model). If this model does not support it, I would gladly go for a UN55C7000 (2010). Please advise.
Will other 2010 Samsung TVs with Samsung Web Apps support Skype?
i bought the Samsung UE40B8000 model 20 days ago,so please let me know if there will be an update with skype included too.
i can’t afford buying a C7000 so i’d be more than happy to know that my LED TV will support skype too :/
waiting for your reply, thank you
How about Philips 8000 (and 9000) models?
Would those or any other models from Philips get Skype? I believe it’s possible to add it into those existing models – they have network connectivity, USB and firmware is updatable…
This is excellent news, however I too would like to know if existing 7000 & 8000 Series owners will be able to get this functionality as a software update (I have a 2009 7000 Series model bought in October)
Many thanks,
Stephen.
I purchased a LG tv that was listed as Skype-ready. However, I only see a camera for Samsung TVs in the Skype shop. When will this feature be available? Thanks.
Hey, this is cool. I have a Samsung UE40B8000. It’s on the Internet, do I just plug in the webcam above? Where dies the software come from? I installed all the firmware updates etc, but don’t see any options for skype. Does the software come with the camera? Will skype work with any webcam plugged into the tv? Has anyone had this working yet?
@greg.ewing you should see Skype in the internet@TV section – and yes, all you have to do is plug in the camera
Is there a technical reason why other internet connected Samsung TVs could not have this capability? If not, then Samsung should be ashamed of themselves for not making this available on 2009 TVs and 2010 plasmas.
So I bought Freedom talk for my 2010 Samsung 7000 TV and it doesn’t work…I have heard that the other person has to be using Skype 4.2 for Windows. if they are using Beta 5.x, mac, linux it will not work!! This means anyone using a skype video phone like ASUS or using a Mac computer you will not be able to see them!! If I’m wrong can someone please tell me if there is a work around for this!! Skype & Samsung have not been helpful…I invested all this money into a TV, Freedom talk, and an ASUS phone to just find out that this is an issue…. samsung and skype never mentioned it at all! Can someone please help??
@greg.ewing and @Peter Parkes.
I too have the UE40 B8000 but it looks like only C7000 and C8000 support SKYPE.
no firmware update from samsung on the B model since February.
A
@Peter Parkes: Your answer suggests that older models (i.e. the B series) will have Skype support as well. I find that hard to believe for the reason abenmadid gave. But if you know differently, please share! I’ll happily use Skype on my TV to talk with the folks overseas
Addition: the web shop (at least the Dutch and Swedish web shops) say only the C7000 and C8000 are supported. Bummer.
You can get it from here as well http://freetalk.me/en/products/29-freetalk-samsung-hd
Hi,
I have a Samsung TV and have the Freetalk camera. It works really well with the TV. Superb. One thing I would like to see is that when I make a call, if it is say a conference call with work, I can’t bring up a keyboard option to punch in conference call participant numbers. I would like to suggest that in the next version this be included.
Thanks.
Hi Delaney,
I have a Samsung C7000 and bought the FreeTalk Camera from the Skype shop. When I connected the Freetalk to the USB port of the TV, I did not get any pop up message acknowledging a media camera device is connected to the TV. I did not get any video image. I can see the blue light on the camera indicating that it is connected. Can you help? Did you just connect your Freetalk to the TV and the camera just work , showing video image on the TV?? There is no tech support from Skype or Samsung.
Just an update. Last night I managed to egt my Samsung C7000 to log on the internet(WIFI). Once login, I activated internetTV on the TV remote and it went on to install the Skype Apps and a 10 other apps. Once the Apps were installed (took about 20mins) I clicked on the Skype App and up she went. Having signed on my Skype account I managed to skype my wife, but I had to update my wife Skype to ver4.2 for window. I also manged to skype my son’s skype acct, on his MAc book. , but could only get audio, no video support. Hensce to get Skype TV to work, you must first get login to internet, the TV will download the Skype App via internetTV, then you are away.
@delaney.alan: Please can you tell us the TV that you have, the model number?
Given the history in this Blog and others, I would be surprised and disappointed if Skype calling does not become available for the B-series TVs. Perhaps I would be more sympathetic if I could understand the reasoning… ?
@Peter Parkes: Do you have this working on a B-Series TV? Is there a way of checking if Skype will work with my TV without having to purchase a camera first, some item that shows up under Internet@TV, or in the Menu somewher?
Thanks All, fascinating topic, I have my fingers crossed this functionality will be available for my TV soon.
I bought the FREETALK for Samsung TV to work with the Skype. It works!
However, I noticed two problems;
1) There is no way to zoom the camera. Is this correct, or am I missing something?
2) The activity light stays on even after I go back to watch TV. It even stays on if I “turn off the video” in the Skype app. The only times the light go off is when I turn off the TV. This is not good!
Can anyone help me?
@marcweissman. Please can you tell us the model of your TV
Will any USB webcam work? Is there a list somewhere with cams confirmed to work? thanks
@osmophilia you’ll need a webcam built specifically for the TV.
I just got my freetalk camera equipped with my samsung LED 55c7000, and it’s working well. Just only that I prefer to put the camera under TV, because I hang my tv up, and there’s no software to flip video up side down. One more issue, when someone call, I can’t hear anything that someone’s calling except the visual alert popping up. I hope that skype program on Samsung will be improved soon. It’s also great to share screen and it also shows on TV too.
Ok SO I just purchased the 6500 series, which has internet TV. The lady at the store assured me I would be able to use Skype. Well my Internet TV does nothave the skype, but has all the other apps available wiith the other higher model, which I did not want. The very polite ( NOT) lady at Samsung customer servoce tells me my tv is not compatable, The geek at Best buys tells me it is. Just to download skype to a thumb drive and then put it in my tv, and upload it from the menu list. Well how do you download something to a thumb drive?? Has anyone done this and made it work on the 6500? Please help. I just want to be able to skype with my husband as the lady at the store told me I could!
Hey kellie_sanford, skype only work on C7000 or C8000 2010 model no other model will work, you have 6500 which won’t work, Skype app are download directly from TV Apps.
Return the TV, tell the geek at Best Buys he give you wrong info and get C7000.
HI,
I’ve just bought my Samsung UE40C7000 and Freetalk Camera from Skype Shop.
I have connected to USB plug, put above TV, turn Skype on and …… and I saw mayself in the TV … but very law quality. Firstly I thought maybe it like that because the other PC will see much better. So I called myself on other PC and quality was the same. So it does not matter if you make a call or just see yourself in TV with Skype turned on. Bandwith is OK (min. 1000/250). Resolution seems to be good but the picture looks as a Cubistic Painter made a Piece of Art.
If somebody wants to see that, please go to http://www.netcom.opole.pl/Snapshot.png
I published what I captured.
I also put that subject to Skype Support and they do work on that.
PLease HELP if you had similar issue – I do not expect HD, but normal state and quality.
Thanx in advance.
When attempting to RUN the app ,received File Integrity Error,system then attempts to download another file but says cannot connect to network although all other APps connect perfectly.
Panel is a Samsung 7000.
Performed a system reset but error persists!
Any comments appreciated,free talk camera not installed at this stage.
Hi Tonybluetooth, I have the same problem like you ” File Integrity error ” and when it tries to download it gives a error saying no internet connection but there is, and I spoke to samsung and they no help and I emailed skype and they just said it comes preinstalled so I must ask samsung. If you get it working please let me know what you did.
Vishal@saphire.co.za
I find this situation rather ridiculous, why embed the functionality in a tv?? Embed it in a camera/microphone/wireless box so it can be used on any tv.
Do you confirm that Skype + FreeTalk TV Camera for Samsung work with LED UE40B8000XW (http://goo.gl/Fif75)?
Hi all,
I like many others have a Series 7 2009 Samsung. I know SKYPE is compatible with the 2010 series. Is there backward compatibility for the 2009 series in Australia? Is there an answer from Skype at all?
@antogargi The page you link to does not mention skype, therefore I would assume, as other posters in this thread have mentioned, that Skype is not supported on that TV. I have the same TV and have not tried the FreeTalk Camera, but would be very interested to know your results, if you do try the camera on the TV. However I am not confident that it will work.
I am interested to find out if skype will be embedded in the 2011 samsung plasmas? can’t seem to find anything out..
@greg.ewing this announcement says: “ll Samsung LED 7000 and 8000 models will have Skype built in” Does it mean that Led series B8000 (UE40B8000XW http://goo.gl/Fif75) will have Skype? Who knows! I’ve installed firmware’s lastest version but there no trace of Skype. @Peter Parkes please clarify our doubts.
Just purchased a 7000 LED Samsung TV AND the FREETALK Cam. I’m highly disappointed in the camera and that SKYPE even carries this terrible product.
PROS: Great idea, easy install, easily sits on top of the flat tv.
CONS: Poor picture quality especially for a $150 webcam, colors are faded, picture is not clear, picture is fuzzy, picture is flat, mic goes silent if touched while TV is on, cam not adjustable to point down or up,
VERDICT: Very disappointed. This camera performs poorly like a $20 webcam. If there were choices out there, it would be returned in the mail today!
For the price of $150, this camera should have specifications similar to the Logitech TV Cam.
I recently purchased a Samsung LED C7000 TV along with the Freetalk TV camera to enable Skype video conferencing from my TV.
Unfortunately, video does not work out to the internet – it only works within my local home network. I’ve confirmed that the external users I am testing with are running with at least the Skype 4.2 windows client.
Voice calls do work both internally and externally.
I’m running a simple Dlink DSL-G604T router that is performing PAT for any connectioned out to the internet, not blocking any traffic or anything pretty much default setup.
Anyone had any experience with this type of issue?
Any suggestions as to what the problem could be?
Anyone done any sort of logging / debugging on skype itself?
Any help appreciated…
Cheers….
I’ve also recently purchased Samsung UE46C8000 just to find out, that only way to use Skype on it is to purchase this over-priced, rubbish spec camera! It can not even be used without video, by just plugging in microphone. Again this is a great example of misleading potential buyer :/
Hi Delaney,
I have a Samsung UE32C8700XSXXN, Version SQ01 and bought the FreeTalk Camera from the Skype shop. When I connected the Freetalk to the USB port of the TV, I did not get any pop up message acknowledging a media camera device is connected to the TV. I did not get any video image. I can see the blue light on the camera indicating that it is connected. Further I could not find the skype app in internet@tv menu Did you just connect your Freetalk to the TV and the camera just work , showing video image on the TV?? There is no tech support from Skype or Samsung. I have installed firmware 3007.1 and I have wired internet connection(which is working). Can you or somebody help?