Hello Members, i'm a total novice to Ubuntu, but am slowly learning my way around, but i've encountered a bit of a problem with the Dell and the audio setup for Skype.

The Dell model is an Inspiron 1720, mine has the built in webcam and mic, i did a lot of Skype-ing when i used Windows Vista, i use Skype as one of my main telephone numbers, and do a lot of video calling, so i downloaded the Skype Ubuntu version form the Skype website and installed it.

The problem i'm getting is the settings on the Audio side of things, double clicking on the volume icon opens the sound controls, but no matter how i set things i can not un-mute any of the capture controls, so i have no sound capturing, and on the Audio sound side of things, i'm using headphones but the sound is not balanced equally, more audio is coming out of the left than on the right.

Do any members, who have a Dell know the way to correct the setup?

I'm very much still 'green' on Ubuntu, so if there is any advice, could you explain in anything simpleton terms,and any help would be very grateful.

regards

This post has been edited by liviococcia: Thu Oct 16 2008, 20:24

Hello,

I'm using at the moment kubuntu on a dell D520 notebook.

I hope I can help you a bit.

1st you have to know that skype for linux is very different (as you may already have noticed) then skype for windows.
2) the sound system is a bit tricky

you have to configure your sound system properly so you may use it

* check if you can play music
* read a bit about the linux sound system

recently there is something called pulse audio which is not working properly with skype all the time

the ubuntu version you are using, is not mature enough - try 8.04. It's more stable.

in the mixer I have an option to switch between external internal mic. Did you check this.

post this information if you can, if not I'll try to help you how to find it out, but you have to be patient.

regards

Hi,

I was having similar issues with Skype on my new Inspiron Mini 910 which I just received. Finally, a tech at Ubuntu helped me by having me go to Terminal and entering: sudo alsamixer. That brings up another version of the sound controller, and you have administrator privileges. Navigate to the input devicess with the right/left arrows, and adjust the settings with the up/down arrows on your keypad.

Also, I discovered that I still could not get the sound input to work unless I plugged in an external microphone (I used a small, cheap one that I bought years ago for just a few dollars and had tucked away in a drawer of electronic goodies). The same held true for the other audio applications such as Dell Video Chat (their version of the multi-platform SightSpeed which works like Skype).

Hope this helps,

--Steve

Hello Members, i'm a total novice to Ubuntu, but am slowly learning my way around, but i've encountered a bit of a problem with the Dell and the audio setup for Skype.

The Dell model is an Inspiron 1720, mine has the built in webcam and mic...

The problem i'm getting is the settings on the Audio side of things, double clicking on the volume icon opens the sound controls, but no matter how i set things i can not un-mute any of the capture controls, so i have no sound capturing, and on the Audio sound side of things, i'm using headphones but the sound is not balanced equally, more audio is coming out of the left than on the right.

Hi
I have a similar setup and wrote up how to configure it here:

http://www.practicalweb.co.uk/blog/08/06/2...n-1525-ubuntu-8

Thanks for all your help, i'm really grateful, i did do all of the things you all suggested, and finally recording is seen by Skype.....but.....using Skype's echo test feature.....

..I now have another problem, the first is that i'm only getting sound out of the left headphone, the right is completely mute, is it possible that skype on Ubuntu is only in Mono, which leads me to my next problem.

Capture playback is so low, even if i control the recording level myself in the Skype settings, and even though the sliders are to the max in the settings for Alsa Mixer, or KMix control panel, could it also be that the mic is only capturing in mono also.

I seem to remember when i had my Eee 900pc, it was running Xandros, and using the echo test feature produced the same result, but when i actually used Skype to talk to a friend, they could hear me ok..., i think! can't quite remember though.

Again thanks to you all, if anyone has found a way to rectify this i'd appreciate it

regards

Hi,
skype on Ubuntu works fine for me - sound from both headphones - the volume is fine for me and people I talk to (and on echo test)

It was just a case of getting the input levels right for me.

Ubuntu has just done more downloading and installation of updates, and i noticed there were a lot of PulseAudio updates, after it had finished, i thought i'd give Skype another go, but first i changed the sound out option to Pulse, guess what! i've now got sound out of both headphone speakers, i did try the same for the sound in, with no luck.

I think the Mic's (built in type) recording level may have improved very slightly (can't be sure), but it's still so low and with loads of background hiss, is anyone running Ubuntu on this Dell model, how have they managed to get the Mic working properly?

regards

This post has been edited by liviococcia: Mon Oct 20 2008, 22:05

Hello
I've managed with all Skype problems on notebook. Maybe it can helps you:

Set input device on first intel's device (I don't remember proper name, something like HWintel(xx,0)).
Set output and ringin device on "pulse".

After this I can talk via skype, and sound is stereo (It was mono at first step ).

Regards
Peter

Hello pkurdyla, i've managed to sort the mono problem in the same way, this rectified itself after 'Pulse Audio' packages were updated a few days ago, but i'm still not able to sort the very low recording level through the built in laptop microphone in Ubuntu (now 8.10), i can hear my 'Echo test' call, but it's very low.

I also don't have, as some have explained a setting called +20db mic boost, this is not my edit/prefernces list under the volume device settings under HDM Intel (alsa mixer)

So, at the moment i am unable to use Skype in Ubuntu, although everything else in Skype works well (video).

regards

This is being discussed on Ubuntu forums as well. Might check there for more detailed discussions.

The short fix is to select "pulse" from the "sound devices" configuration menu.

Default used to work.. but with some recent revisions in Ubuntu and other distributions the Default doesn't work. Stay tuned..

The "pulse" option for recording (input) doesn't work - contrary to japan laywer man. The test call will succeed, but if you make a real call, you'll notice a lag that gets progressively worse as the length of your call increases.

SpinState is correct.

On my X41 thinkpad the audio capture will work by selecting the Intel ICH6 (hw:ICH6,0) device and leaving the ring and playback on pulse. note that each of hte numbers after your device name eg. the "0" in ICH6,0 are different functions of your audio hardware. You may have to fiddle and test each of hte available before finding the one that's your input. Also note that selecting the plughw: rather than the hw: didn't work for me..

Off topic of the the audio issues, I've had many PAM related issues with 8.10 and think if you don't have a unix administration background and feel comfortable fiddling with with your /etc/ directory wait a while to upgrade from 8.04.