A workable way to install skype 4.3 in puppy

[watchdog]

I'm not using skype in these days. I wonder if the mic cut-off problem depends on the apulse skype and if the pulseaudio skype is affected too.

[OscarTalks]

This is a bit of a puzzle and I am not sure how to approach it to be honest. Although I have put together some packages I have never encountered this problem but the truth is I hardly ever use Skype myself.

A few posts earlier, drblock2 mentioned that he/she had been able to skype-call for 2 hours without problems using the exact same software and hardware combination so from that I suspected that this may be some sort of network problem or an issue with the skype servers or nodes or whatever system it is they use. If it is unpredictable and intermittent this could still be the explanation.

Otherwise, anyone experiencing this problem needs to specify which skype package they are using. Is it one that I uploaded or someone else's or one that they have put together themselves?

Could this be a bug in apulse? I still have some of the slightly earlier packages with pulseaudio instead of apulse so maybe try one of those and see if the problem still persists.

[peebee]

Otherwise, anyone experiencing this problem needs to specify which skype package they are using. Is it one that I uploaded or someone else's or one that they have put together themselves?

Could this be a bug in apulse? I still have some of the slightly earlier packages with pulseaudio instead of apulse so maybe try one of those and see if the problem still persists.

I am using:
http://smokey01.com/OscarTalks/skype-4. ... ko14.0.sfs dated 09/may/2015

but on a Slacko6Beta2 derivative which = Slackware14.1...........

from pkgs.org there is:
http://pkgs.org/slackware-14.1/slackonl ... k.txz.html

which sounds quite recent - 25/may/2015 so maybe that is worth trying??

Cheers
peebee

[OscarTalks]

Looking at the apulse page on github I see that there were no commits after Jan 03rd until a load of frantic commit activity on May 25th so it may be that something came to the author's attention and he has tried to fix it. Might not be that at all though of course.

What I might do is compile the latest snapshot and see if that fixes it. This could be why the Slackware one shows that date.

If it is a bug in the apulse source code then I would presume that the Skype with pulseaudio will not have this problem so if anyone can try that it would be an interesting test (or if anyone is running the pulseaudio version and has experienced the problem perhaps they could chime in and let us know).

[drblock2]

I am using the same package as peebee, skype-4.3.0.37-apulse-slacko14.0.sfs with Slacko 5.7 k3.4.82 on an Acer Aspire One.

[OscarTalks]

Well I have now compiled the latest snapshot of apulse in 4 different Pups and these have been substituted in all the packages (lucid, precise, slacko14.0 and wheezy).

These now carry "apulse3" in the name because they are my third build of apulse. You can distinguish them from older packages this way. No guarantee that this has fixed the problem of course, but please try them out and report back.

All uploaded as .pet and .sfs to:-
http://smokey01.com/OscarTalks

[mcewanw]

Just confirming that, using Skype 4.3.0.37 in DebianDog-openbox-wheezy and the apulse from DebianDog repository mic also cuts off after some limited time (I can't remember how long before cuts off). I also suspect apulse but haven't had time/opportunity to try pulseaudio alternative.

William

[peebee]

@OscarTalks

Using skype-4.3.0.37-apulse3-slacko14.0.sfs
on LxPup-15.06
i.e. Slackware 14.1 base

Have run tests making a Skype video and mic call between 2 accounts, one on my desktop and one on my laptop.......mic on desktop fed by sound from speakers on desktop

No mic dropouts experienced with new apulse3 version, but my desktop did crash after about 30 mins - but that may have been because my sound source was an internet radio station.....

Fingers crossed so far!!
Cheers & thanks
peebee

[OscarTalks]

Hello William,

Not sure if I am looking at the same apulse in the DebianDog repo but it looks like that one was compiled some time ago so I would suggest that whoever maintains that (Toni?) should perhaps try compiling the latest apulse master snapshot or latest release and substituting that in the repo.

Some of those commits on May 25th do look as though they may be attempting to fix the sort of problem that people are describing, but this is something that may take a little time for results to filter through.

It seems unlikely that the bug is in the skype program itself as this would have surely been more widely reported. Most larger linux distros do contain pulseaudio. It is only the likes of Puppy in which we have had to use apulse as a workaround. Also let's not forget that apulse is fairly new and developed by just one guy. It is possible that the bug is in apulse and still remains despite his latest commits but we will have to see.

The last time I used skype for any length of time was a few months ago and I don't remember this problem happening, but when I looked at the version I was using it was in Slacko 5.7 and was with pulseaudio. If we were to get any confirmed reports of this fault happening with pulseaudio then that would of course change the focus of this "investigation".

[d4rkn1ght]

Puppy Lucid 2.2.8

Using: skype-4.3.0.37-apulse3-lucid.pet

Mic doesn't work at all.

[OscarTalks]

@peebee
Thanks for testing and reporting. Was it just the skype program that crashed? Sometimes it doesn't like sharing a soundcard with other programs such as media players so as you say that could have been the cause. Hopefully folks will continue to test things out and let's see where it goes.

Puppy Lucid 2.2.8
Using: skype-4.3.0.37-apulse3-lucid.pet
Mic doesn't work at all

This is a different issue and probably needs you to set your mixer and/or soundcards settings correctly. Otherwise you need to give more information about what you are doing and eg did a previous version of skype in Lucid 5.2.8 (I presume this is what you mean) work?

[d4rkn1ght]

@peebee
Thanks for testing and reporting. Was it just the skype program that crashed? Sometimes it doesn't like sharing a soundcard with other programs such as media players so as you say that could have been the cause. Hopefully folks will continue to test things out and let's see where it goes.

Puppy Lucid 2.2.8
Using: skype-4.3.0.37-apulse3-lucid.pet
Mic doesn't work at all

This is a different issue and probably needs you to set your mixer and/or soundcards settings correctly. Otherwise you need to give more information about what you are doing and eg did a previous version of skype in Lucid 5.2.8 (I presume this is what you mean) work?

The only way I can get Skype to fully work again is by installing the skype-4.2.0.13-lucid.pet over this version.

[OscarTalks]

The only way I can get Skype to fully work again is by installing the skype-4.2.0.13-lucid.pet over this version

So you mean you have previously taken steps to install a workaround in order to be able to use the earlier skype? (Otherwise those earlier skypes don't work any more). I would suggest you remove all traces of that before starting again with the current skype.

I don't normally run Lucid but I did boot into it to do a test of this skype just now and it was all working for me. As I said, you need to check mixer (especially capture) settings. Then soundcard selection (if using a USB mic for example) is done by editing the /usr/bin/skype file (it can not be done via the options GUI as it was in the older skypes).

[peebee]

Was it just the skype program that crashed?

Sadly not - it was the complete pc that crashed needing a power off button pushed to "recover"........but as I mentioned I was hammering the internet with both Skype video and internet radio through Chromium............

[d4rkn1ght]

I would suggest you remove all traces of that before starting again with the current skype.

I've always been cautious about uninstalling things in Linux. Uninstalling sometimes take functionality from other apps. But I did what you said, and it's working perfect now.

Thanks!

[drblock2]

Finally, had a chance to test skype-4.3.0.37-apulse3-slacko14.0.sfs . Unfortunately, microphone dropped out after a minute or so with both my Acer Aspire one and my Lenovo ThinkPad R400, in both cases running under Slacko 5.9.3.

[OscarTalks]

Finally, had a chance to test skype-4.3.0.37-apulse3-slacko14.0.sfs . Unfortunately, microphone dropped out after a minute or so with both my Acer Aspire one and my Lenovo ThinkPad R400, in both cases running under Slacko 5.9.3.

Oh dear, that's not good news is it? Slacko 5.9.3 is Slackware 14.1 rather than 14.0 of course but I don't think that should be a problem.

In a way it is useful that the fault is presenting itself after only a minute or so. It would be really helpful if you could try the pulseaudio version.

[peebee]

It would be really helpful if you could try the pulseaudio version.

Hi OscarTalks

Tried the slacko-14.0-pulseaudio version on a slacko-5.9.3 derivative - no sound at all - the options settings did not give the "Your using pulseaudio" info message.

The apulse3 version is definitely an improvement for me - the mic continues to work for longer although it does still drop out after a time.

Thanks
peebee

[watchdog]

It would be really helpful if you could try the pulseaudio version.

Tried the slacko-14.0-pulseaudio version on a slacko-5.9.3 derivative - no sound at all - the options settings did not give the "Your using pulseaudio" info message.

I have downloaded slacko-5.9.3 testing versione of 22 June. Skype working in a live with pulseaudio. I have installed the pulseaudio of the following post:

http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 340#789340

Using qt-4.8.2-stripped.sfs. Before launching pulseaudio open /usr/etc/pulse/default.pa and change the following lines to match:

Code: Select all

load-module module-alsa-sink device=dmix
load-module module-alsa-source device=dsnoop

I think that:

Code: Select all

load-module module-alsa-sink device=dmix
load-module module-alsa-source device=hw:0,0

should generally work, too. I launch skype by the following script:

Code: Select all

#!/bin/sh
pulseaudio --start
sleep 3
export QT_PLUGIN_PATH=/usr/plugins
exec /usr/share/skype/skype "$@"
pulseaudio --kill

[baszek]

For me skype apulse3 version does not work either - sound cuts off after some time. Ohhh I am considering to buy hard drive and install some windows shit --- all I need at my old dell d420 is skype and camera