Hello all,

I've posted the following on ubuntuforums.org in hopes of a solution. However, nothing encouraging has turned up there. So, I'm posting here in hopes of some direction that I can take on my part to better resolve the issue.

Here's the original post:

Recently upgraded to Ibex (8.10) with no significant problems.

I have, however, run into an issue with Skype (2.0.0.72). For some--as yet unidentified reason--I'm getting significant audio delays of up to 15 seconds. Interestingly, receiving (incoming) audio is not delayed, only transmitting (outgoing) audio. In all cases, video appears to fine (<@2 second lag).

As for configuration, the webcam I'm using is a Logitech Quickcam Communicate Deluxe (id 046d:0992), and works fine with other applications.

I've read that there have been ongoing issues with Skype and PulseAudio. To that end, I've tried using Skype 2.0.0.72 static and OSS static builds, but with no success.

Has anyone come across a solution for this problem?

Are there any further diagnostics that I can perform to help further troubleshoot the issue?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

Use one of the plughw or hw devices for your Sound In in Skype Preferences. I've experienced the audio lag when using PulseAudio (device pulse or default) for Sound In.

Use one of the plughw or hw devices for your Sound In in Skype Preferences. I've experienced the audio lag when using PulseAudio (device pulse or default) for Sound In.

Well, that was painless .

Change my audio device to plughw, and that seems to have solved the problem.

As much as I hope PulseAudio matures into an audio standard, it definitely isn't there yet.

Thanks much.

Well, that was painless .

Change my audio device to plughw, and that seems to have solved the problem.

As much as I hope PulseAudio matures into an audio standard, it definitely isn't there yet.

Thanks much.

Actually in this aspect, PulseAudio is pretty awesome already, if the application access it natively. The problem here is the PulseAudio plugin for ALSA. It still requires some work, especially for applications like Skype, which only uses ALSA. That adds one extra layer between the application and the sound card (instead of app->pulse->alsa-driver->sound card, it becomes app->alsa->pulse->alsa-driver->sound card).

I suspect the added latency is from the ALSA plugin, because PulseAudio Volume Meter shows no lag.

What if the only audio output that works for me is pulse?

I use pulse and I get a growing delay in audio and out of synch video. The delay I experience gets longer as the call goes on, while the audio I receive is real time.

If I switch to another audio out then it will go back to real time, but none of those audio outs work (some will give me no audio out or audio in).

I am using Ubuntu. Is this clear?



This post has been edited by Tsultrim: Tue Mar 17 2009, 23:31

I'm with the same problem. I'm using 'pulse' for sound in, out and rigging. The person to whom I talk says the sound is unrecognizable and also delays like 20s+.

Same issue here. Used to be fine before, but now huge audio lag, even when no video is on.

Hi all,

Well I wont add much at this point other than to say I have had so many problems with Pulseaudio I wouldnt be suprised if the problem does lie here - or as mentioned above the Alsa > PulseAudio Bridge.

I will assume you guys/girls are all uber techy people and as a result will have checked this already but how is your round trip time to the person you are calling? This can sometimes cause lags (although not normally video desync). If you havent or what I am saying sounds like double dutch then please go in options >> Advanced >> advanced settings and put a tick in the box "Display technical info during calls"

then call someone and hover over the call icon and you should get some details with things like "Round Trip Time" if its long or your connection type is "relayed_TCP" or "Relayed_UDP" check your routers ports has the port for skype open.

(apologies for any step errors I am currently on my M$ machine, i know its a sin, and will check out this post later to make sure I have posted the right steps).

Thanks

I didn't check the advanced info, but a call to the same person but on a windows machine resulted in no lag for audio video.

Also skype in wine does not have any audio lag (but it also cannot see the camera).

I'm sorry, why is this marked "solved"? I read all the replies, I have the same issue, a friend as well, and we both have to use "pulse" the other options are "HDA Intel (hw;Intel,0)" for me (pulse only for Sound in), but he has to use pulse for all. What can we do since it's "pulse" or nothing right now? (Using Skype for Linux 2.0.0.72 on Ubuntu 9.04 kernel 2.6.30 on a Lenovo T61 Laptop), he's using a desktop box(no-name, all-on-board from Intel, 9.04, 2.6.28-11)

i say let's all drop skype until they make a higher quality linux version. they are not paying attention to the fact that many of us are paying for skype out.

There are so many softfones and voip providers with better prices than skype, and anyway, SIP is the way of the future.

i really tried, but my time is limited. if the skype guys are not interested in linux users, they should not have bothered at all with a linux version. It's basically a crappy, buggy version of the windows version.

No thanks - I'll take my money else where !

I agree, I'll try to find an alternative to skype for Linux..
Did anyone find something that actually works? Pulse audio is a real pain in the ass, but maybe someone nailed it?

Uninstall pulseaudio and use default device... your life will be so much better

sudo apt-get remove pulseaudio

For you apt kids.

Uninstall pulseaudio and use default device... your life will be so much better

sudo apt-get remove pulseaudio

For you apt kids.

PulseAudio's awesome stuff. Given a choice, I'd rather get rid of Skype. But I'd really like for both of them to work well together, though something appears to be wrong between Skype and a 64-bit PulseAudio causing underruns. Flash doesn't appear to have a problem though, so this is something purely Skype.

Not only do I get the delay, but I also get a lot of background noise that I don't get when one of the machines is MS. Sounds like hard disk noise, which is surprising since the netbooks are diskless! The more advanced the version of Linux, it seems the worse Skype gets :-(. I've paid lots of money for Skype-out in the past, but like others I'm now looking for an alternative VoIP solution too.

I've been having the same audio delay problem with no solution.

I switched to Gizmo which works great!

Totaly INSANE !

Skype used to work so well with Fedora Linux and now
out of sudden started to have a huge delay lag on the audio
I used to have pulse selected for all sound options
Now the only audio option that is working is:
INTEL ICH5 (hw:ICH 5,0) for Sound in
Sound quality is not that good but conversation in sync

I think that its about time that linux is seen like any other
commercial OS

The new Skype has native PulseAudio support you know? Your little rant there is a little out of date.

Not true. The Beta 2.1.0.47 still has a horrible problem with PulseAudio microphone delay. The delay is on the outgoing audio but even worse is that the echo cancellation doesn't work because of this.

This needs to be solved in order to use skype

Not true. The Beta 2.1.0.47 still has a horrible problem with PulseAudio microphone delay. The delay is on the outgoing audio but even worse is that the echo cancellation doesn't work because of this.

This needs to be solved in order to use skype

What microphone delay? Are you sure this isn't your network's issue? I have never seen anything of that sort, apart from attempting to use padsp and Skype's OSS support.