After many tries, I finally succeeded using Skype. My major problem was serious choppyness. I tried every kernel around, OSS native and ALSA with OSS emulation. Zero success.

To explain, I have always used the statically linked version, where QT support was compiled in by the Skype team.

The resolution finally was to re-create the QT libraries from scratch with threading enabled and using the .dynamically linked version of Skype. This ultimately was the solution for me. The statically linked Skype version seems to be compiled without threading.

Other than QT 3.3.2, I am running kernel 2.6.26 with ALSA 1.0.5 - all compiled here, ie. not an orginal linux distribution setup anymore (it once was a Redhat 9, but over time I have changed and re-compiled everything to my needs and processor - who needs these 386 binaries anymore?)

Hi, I tried both, the statically and the dynamically linked Skype versions. In both cases I get the choppy sound.

My QT-Libs are compiled with threading enabled. I'm using kernel 2.6.7 with alsa.

Btw. where did you get kernel 2.6.26 from ??

I have Gentoo with 2.6.8.1 kernel, and dynamically linked Qt. I don't have any choppiness. This was just to let you know that it works okay for me. Out of curiousity, what hardware do you have?

Has

Thats got it! Excellent! Changing to the version with dynamically linked QT help lots, and my qt libs are threaded. Presviously I was using the version with static QT libs.

I knew it must be a software problem (not drivers, CPU limit or hardware). I had the windows client going fine at work under VMware (Mandrake Linux 9.2 host, WIndows XP guest). WIndows talks directly to /dev/dsp and things worked fine, so I was guessing my problem was with the application, not the linux audio drivers.

To summarise:

skype_ver-0_92_0_2.tar.bz2
gentoo linux
Linux portnoy.phuq.co.uk 2.6.6 #2 SMP Sat Jul 31 15:35:02 BST 2004 i686 Pentium III (Katmai) GenuineIntel GNU/Linux
plantronics DSP3000 headset
alsa usb-audio modules with OSS support