Using SKYPE

[Guest]

I have been asked to put up info about SKYPE.

I have been using it for about 3 years.

This you NEED.

1 Broadband ( speeds of 500k or more )

2 Microphone and headset, but as long as you have speakers that is as good.

3 Down load SKYPE for http://www.skype.com

The cost of downloading and using SKYPE is free for a Skype to Skype calls AND you can have conferance calls between 10 Skype users all at once.

It also has a webcam to webcam with voice. One of the best systems I have seen so far.

You can add money to your account to call any telephone number anywhere in the world. The cost of calls are normally a lot cheaper that normal landline.

All SKYPE users have to create a free account with a user name and password.

This is very easy to set up and use.

If anyone wants to download and try it my SKYPE name is paul-ncsl You can search for me using that name, then either call me using the green call button in Skype.

If you can not find me then go to any of my websites and a Skype Me button will be there. Just click on it to call me.

If you need more help then just ask.

Good luck and look forward to speaking to more of you.

[jillR]

thanks paul :-D

jill

[Guest]

Just to add my support for Skype as an excellent means of communication. How else could I make high quality video calls to a friend in Canada and it not cost me a penny? Great stuff Skype.

My only bit of advice would be to load it at start up, otherwise people never remember to turn it on!

[Guest Tarmacsoftee]

The other advantages of Skype are the low cost charges to landlines, something like 0.01p per minute, this does involve purchasing credit usually in £10 units, but a tenner lasts ages! Also, calls to mobiles are also reduced, but not nearly as much as landlines.

I no longer have landline at my house and use Skype all the time to call family and friends!

You can also text from your PC!

Theres also the ability to purchase a Skype phone number, I think its something like £25 a year and the benefit here is that people can call you from a landline (as long as you are on-line) and they too benefit from the same 0.01p per minute call costs!

Nige

[jillR]

right thats it im convinced sounds brill to me, let me at it. : : : :-D

my BT bill arrived today incomming calls only from now on with bt

jill

p.s well i clicked the link and downloaded skype set up an account :-D i have speekers so i presume all i need now is a mic

scarry stuff for a ludite. thanks for the help folks

[Brian]

mmm something ive never looked into.

can it run on more than one pc at the same time ?

[Guest Tarmacsoftee]

p.s well i clicked the link and downloaded skype set up an account :-D i have speekers so i presume all i need now is a mic scarry stuff for a ludite. thanks for the help folks

Jill, one piece of sound advice, and theres no pun intended. Skype and speakers and mic don`t work well together, unless the mic is placed far enough from the speakers you`ll get feed-back, also the person calling you will become annoyed at listening to their own voice! Much better to use headphones/mic which elimainate all this and they can be had for a little under tenner!

Nige.

[Guest]

mmm something ive never looked into.

can it run on more than one pc at the same time ?

The answer to that is YES . You can either use the same login which means which ever PC you are on you can pick up the call or have two separate logins ie Brian-laptop and Brian-PC

I have the same login on the office PC and the Laptop in doors.

If you find you use it a lot like Nige then you can even buy a Network phone that plugs into the router and you do not even need the PC to be switched on.

Good luck Jill will look forward to speaking to you..

[jillR]

hi paul

are there an specs i need to watch for when buying a mic or skype phone?

jill

[Guest]

With the right amount of fiddling it is possible to get speakers and mic to work together. The best combination is to get a very uni-directional mic and place it some distance in front of the speakers when you are using it. That way the sound from speakers will be coming from completely the wrong direction for the mic. If you also ensure that the mic pick up levels are not very high, and that you speak clearly into the mic from a distance of about 1-1.5ft away then you should have no problem. I sometimes forget that not everyone is as used to using mics and working with sound equipment as I am.

With regard to multiple logins then yes, no problem. You only need one username and it can log in on as many computers as you like - just make sure, when you set it up, that you supply the same username and password. I do know one person who has opted to create several accounts, one for his laptop and one for his office computer. The trouble with doing that is that you have to locate and contact everyone you want as a contact twice over, once for each account. They also have to accept you twice and you'll appear on their contact list twice as two different contacts. I can't think of any advantages of doing it that way.

[Edit to add: sorry Jill, forget to add, Logitech mics are generally fairly cheap and safe in terms of quality. Plantronics are more rugged but come with a higher price tag]

[Guest]

My mic is near my speakers

Ive just spoken with farther about this if those with more knowledge of skype could answer please.

1. one which skype phone should i get to use in the house.

2. how much would it cost to ring other house phone which don't use skype will it still be 1p.

4.how much would if cost to ring mobiles information lines ect ect or is there just a set price for everything?

Nige added you to my skype

[Guest]

Agree with Simon, I use a Logitec desk Mic with the speakers on my main PC at the rear of the mic. A small bit of feedback but nothing to worry about.

I think I paid about £4.99 from Tescos !

Jonny if you check on the skype home age the cost of call is on there.

As for skype phones try Maplins and ask if they will exchange it it unsuitable. Good luck.

[Guest]

Thanks Paul

[Guest]

I no longer have landline at my house and use Skype all the time to call family and friends!

Okay Nige, I've been meaning to ask - if you don't have a landline, how are you getting your broadband?

[Guest]

Simon

I do not need a phone line to get B/Band as I get it via Cable Network Virgin - AKA NTL !

[Guest]

So do you not have a phone line provided by Virgin Media then? I was under the impression that most Virgin connected households automatically got a phone line as part of the package but I haven't actually lived in a cable area for donkeys so I'm not that up to date. I was wondering if Nige might have a wireless service of some description.

[Guest]

Simon I have NTL Phone but it is not required if you have Cable TV as I do.

My connection comes direct through the TV cable network.

I have found it to have a faster connection ( up to 10Mb / sec) and always on.

No dialing ( like B/B or dialup ) just click on IE or Firefox and it is live all the time.

[Guest]

Virgin are advertising 20Mb and 50Mb broadband speeds now. These are delivered, like yours, via the coax cable line in for TV services. I just thought the phone line came as part of the package anyway, so you don't actually save any money but not having it - or so I thought.

Dial broadband? Not me! That's only for people with frogs.

[Guest Tarmacsoftee]

Okay Nige, I've been meaning to ask - if you don't have a landline, how are you getting your broadband?

Simon, many, many moons ago, when broadband was in its infancy, some bright muppet (BT) decided that Wirksworth where I live should be left out of any kind of coverage, until an enterprising local bloke set up a wireless boadband company call Zycom, they stuck a cricket bat shaped aerial thingy on my chimney that picks up invisible wibblely, wobbley wavey dodahs from a pole in a field on a hill! And so, broadband in Wirksworth was born.

Been with them ever since! No reason to change, don`t need any of the frilly bits most of the other types of provider put about!

Nige.

[Julz]

Hi Nige, we are still antiquated here on the Heage side of Belper, no Cable installed for the area and totally lacking in freeview coverage or any good anologue coverage without signal amplifiers and boosters

We have bought all the right gear ready for Digital, but until they build a new mast for coverage, we are scraping along using a transmitor from over 50 miles away, which result in pictures with quite a bit of Ghosting, so skype probably wouldnt work for us either

My Dad is out at Hulland though, and he can pick up digital Tv and good broadband via his Tv ariel and land line without any problems

Julz

[pks1702]

Zycomm are good at locking me out of the car Nige, its either there or the Police Headquarters but the RAC man reckons one of these 'interferes' with my cars immobiliser as it thinks someone is hacking into it - result I can't get into it

[Guest]

If I have doen this correct then both SKYPE call me should be working. Just click and that should call me if I,m on line.

Also the link to one of my web sites should also work.

We will see

[Brian]

Looks Good and link works, but i havent got Skype to test it

[Guest]

There is a new update to SKYPE now available.

It can be downloaded from www.skype.com or current users can do it by going to HELP then Check For Updates.

[newf]

Paul as you know I am a new skype user (your fault) but did I read somewhere on the website that Skype should not be used as a substitute for a landline as it cannot be used for emergency calls or am I dreaming

Colin

Edit

Can you make emergency calls with this phone?

No. Skype itself is not a replacement for a phone and can not be used for emergency calling