Skype video calls

[PaphosAL]

Our Daughter is moving to southern France soon. Phoning her on her landline won't be any problem with my voipstunt account.

But she has suggested we both use Skype as well, for video calls. I've looked into this on the Skype website, and skype to skype calls appear to be free of charge, with no catches that I can see.

Do any of you guys use this service? Are there any catches? Is it just a case of d/l and install their software, and get a webcam with mike? How do you know when each other are online and available to call?

Any opinions, hints 'n tips etc welcomed!! Cheers- AL

[alcaholjunkie]

Skype to Skype is completely free as both people will need an internet connection. ^_^ (same with any other app that can do video+audio convos like windows live messenger and whatnot)

As far as I know Skype themselves make their money mostly from Voip <--> phone connections. Plus people would go to other services if they charged for calls between Skype Users themselves as there are many other apps which will do the job really (for PC to PC calls). ^_^

EDIT: I'm not sure what skype is like at the moment but I remember that for Skype users who can recieving incoming connections they end up being hubs to route calls for people who can't recieve incoming connections. (drematically increasing bandwidth used). This is the single reason I don't use it myself as it's a major bandwidth hog and when I last checked you couldn't limit the upload bandwidth used within skype itself. (not sure if there is an option for it with current builds of skype though)

[LraiZer]

Originally Posted by PaphosAL

How do you know when each other are online and available to call?

you could phone each other and say "IM ONLINE"

[alcaholjunkie]

Originally Posted by PaphosAL

How do you know when each other are online and available to call?

Didn't see that bit earlier, but the interface is like any other Instant Messaging client where you have a friends list, which will show if they're online or not. ^_^ (unless they've set themselves to hidden, lol)

[mike557]

Originally Posted by PaphosAL

and get a webcam with mike?

And why would I want a webcam with you

SIP also supports video and with newer versions of eyebeam you can webcam/voice to each other.

I would say use skype for your daughter, there is no point wasting your voip credit.

Just use voip for your normal calls, not worth using skype for outgoing / incoming unless it is to another skype user.

[PaphosAL]

Thanks, Mike! I've taken the plunge and bought this webcam from FleaBay. This means no beer this weekend...

[lincsat]

You can certainly use MSN (windows live messenger) for video chat, the app also tells you when your friends are online and you can send a text message first to make sure everyone is decent

[PaphosAL]

Thought I'd update you all on this, not least of all to raise a chuckle on the trials and tribulations of running my State of the Ark Athlon 1.4 Ghz destop lump that I built back in September 2001...

The £6-19 Webcam arrived from Hong Kong (free P&P!), but my XP-Pro system failed to install it. The penny soon dropped. My Gigabyte GA-7VTX mobo is the old USB 1.0 spec, whereas the webcam is USB 2.0

Time for an upgrade, then. Back onto fleaBay, and bought a 6 port PCI USB 2.0 NEC Controller card for £5-99 from California, again on Free P&P. When this arrived, I temporarily connected the old MS PS2 keyboard so I could access cmos setup, where I disabled the existing 2 front and 2 x 2 rear USB ports.

XP found and installed the new PCI card no problems. But I missed not having the USB access on the front of the system unit, for USB Stick drives, digital cameras, etc.

Back onto fleabay, and Hong Kong (again). Found a 7 port mains adaptor powered USB 2.0 desktop Hub, for the princely sum of £3-46 (Free P&P), including the UK Mains Adaptor! This arrived yesterday morning, but I found the special USB cable supplied to link the hub to the system unit was way too short to allow me to site the hub where I wanted it.

Back onto fleabay, where I found a 1.8m USB 2.0 Extender cable, Male 'A' to Female 'A', for 99p with Free P&P (Royal Mail, 2nd Class post). Bought and paid for at 12.40pm yesterday- arrived 11am this morning!! All systems are now fully operational.

Skype has been tested, and both ends are amazed at the Video and Audio quality. I'm well happy, for a total outlay of under £17!! I dread to think what that little lot would have set me back at Maplins, LMAO!!

Cheers- AL