FC6 Skype Howto?

[Tim]

On Tue, 2007-04-17 at 14:30 +0100, Joe Desbonnet wrote:
> Update on this: I downloaded audacity and randomly flipped options on
> that until I finally could see an input in the level meter and was
> able to record/playback some voice.
> 
> I went back to skype (configured to use ALSA) and it works now. Even
> after a reboot. So this is down to sound settings.

Yes, though the random twiddle approach doesn't really help you work out
why, and how to repeat it.

> I cannot see any visible difference in the settings in  Preferences ->
> Volume Control  applet (gnome-volume-control)  since it started to
> work. So I'm guessing there is a whole lot more to sound configuration
> that is covered in gnome-volume-control (?).

Probably, and the volume control panel will only show what you've
configured it to show.  It would be possible to adjust sound parameters
that *it* doesn't show, using something else.  You may want to play more
with its preferences to display more doodahs to fiddle with, though I'd
go for the obvious things, not the wierd sounding ones.

> However what I do have is an output from "amixer" from before and
> after if someone would be kind enough to look at those (there are
> differences).

Somebody probably can, so do post it.

> My observation: The gnome-volume-control is broken. It's either
> buggy/not complete/too complex/not documented property.  I don't
> understand most of the options in the sound config tool -- nor would
> most people. Eg what does "InMux" mean?. 

I tend to agree.  Coming from an electronics background, I'd guess that
might mean input multiplexer, but that's a wild guess.  It'd help if
they'd not abbreviate things.

> It's should have test button (play a tone for outputs, level meter for
> inputs).

I think we could do with an extra real audio mixer with level
indicators.  The existing one's probably fine for those that want to
listen to an ogg or CD, but you want something that prevents you from
clipping or under recording, if you're recording through your sound
card.  There might as well be a standard interface for that all audio
programs could make use of.  I can see the value of being able to output
a test signal, too.  I've come across more than a few sound cards where
it's not readily apparent which is the output socket, and sometimes you
are fumbling around the back of the PC where you can't see them.

> Gnome help on this tool is (as always) useless.

That almost goes without saying, unfortunately.  :-(

-- 
(This box runs FC6, my others run FC4 & FC5, in case that's
 important to the thread.)

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