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[MAQeia] Skype (32 and 64 bits)

PostPosted: Sep 16th, '11, 14:51
by doktor5000
This post provides the Most Asked Questions (and answers) for Mageia Skype users.
It is a summary of all the numerous discussions in the forum.
If you have some suggestions or if you find a mistake please post your suggestions here in the thread.

---

General Note:
The Mageia get-skype package does not contain any program files as the Skype license does
not allow (re-)distribution. By installing this package you will download and install Skype from skype.com.
You must accept the Skype EULA before using it. Please be patient, this is a 23 MB download and may take some time.
Removing this package will uninstall Skype from your system.

Current Skype version for linux as of 04/15/2014: 4.3.0.37
ATTENTION: This version only supports pulseaudio, for more informations on this and related to skype pulseaudio support check
http://blogs.skype.com/2014/06/18/skype-4-3-for-linux/

The lnstructions below should be useable on any version of Mageia, as it simply pulls Skype from Skype website and pulls in all necessary dependencies.

Skype on i586 / 32bit - Skype on x86_64 / 64bit
The installation is the same for both i586 and x86_64, as Skype is not architecture dependent.


Please pay attention that Skype is a 32bit-only package, so you need 32bit libraries
to use it. With the default repositories setup those will be enabled by default, if you have
a pure 64bit system please add at least the 32bit core_release repositories.


Currently you can only install the cauldron package (which in this case makes no difference to a package for Mageia 1) for example with this command:
Code: Select all
urpmi ftp://ftp.nluug.nl/pub/os/Linux/distr/mageia/distrib/cauldron/x86_64/media/nonfree/release/get-skype-4.3.0.37-3.mga5.nonfree.noarch.rpm


Skype has no sound
Please check that libpulseaudio0 (i586 package) is installed.

Skype immediately crashes on startup
There are multiple reasons for this. Either the fact, that the Mageia Skype packages tries to start
Skype with a v4l (Video4Linux) compatibility wrapper, which is needed for many webcams,
so it was made the default. For clarification, when launched via the menu or with /usr/bin/skype
this command is executed:
Code: Select all
LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/libv4l/v4l2convert.so skype

You can try to start Skype directly without this wrapper with this command in a terminal:
Code: Select all
/usr/share/skype/skype

This can also be used to rule out problems with the V4L wrapper, in case you experience high processor usage or other video-related problems.

Also a broken or old user profile could be the reason. Please try the following as user to fix this:
Code: Select all
mv ~/.Skype ~./Skype-old

Then try to start Skype again in a terminal, and see what error it gives.


For one user there is a special Skype feature which made it crash shortly
after startup when this feature was enabled. The feature is called "Skype Access"
and would allow you to signup for some wifi hotspots with your Skype account.
You can disable this feature under Options -> Advanced -> Enable -> Enable Skype Access
(and disable the checkbox to disable Skype access) before you login to your Skype account.

Why shouldn't i install the static Skype package directly
[*]Using the Mageia package registers all the installed files in the package management system correctly, enabling a complete and clean uninstall or update in the future
[*]Updates are handled correctly and automatically
[*]The software is available to all users in a multi-user environment
[*]The software is available in all desktop environments
[*]The download checksum is tested automatically
[*]The software is registered in the main menu system
[*]No need for a static build when most of the required libs are already on your system
[*]No waste of space due to superfluous static libraries being installed
[*]Fewer security holes due to those static libraries, that are partly really ancient
[*]It's easier :)


Skype alternatives
There are countless alternatives to Skype, and there is a seperate thread for this:
viewtopic.php?f=29&t=228

Re: MAQeia Skype (32 and 64 bits)

PostPosted: Sep 16th, '11, 20:48
by zugunder
1. Just a short comment for those who experience Skype 2.2 crashes ONLY after logging in:
As it was mentioned above, you can uncheck Skype Access feature in Options PRIOR to logging in.
I have found a few people running Mageia who solved this particular problem by turning off Skype Access.
This bug is only present in Skype 2.2.x as the earlier versions (2.1.x) do not have this feature.

2. For those having upside-down web cameras:
I was told to preload v4l1compat.so to flip the image, but it looks like the both libraries work fine. To be honest, I have no idea what the difference between them is...
There are actually 2 versions of the libraries in usr/lib and usr/lib64 having slightly different sizes (I guess, for 32 and 64 bit applications?), but on my 64 bit system all of them work identically.
In my case Skype 2.2 uses approx. 2x more CPU when working with video stream compared to 2.1.0.85, so if you are sensitive to your laptop battery level, 2.1 is your choice.

3. In case you still do have inverted image in Skype AND native Linux applications like Kopete, etc, with installed v4l-utils, your webcam is not in the support list supplied with v4l-utils. The best thing you can do is to contact the developer of this tool and ask him to include the support of your webcam into the next version of the package. Of course, he will need some info on your camera. To collect it, run in terminal:
Code: Select all
lsusb > lsusb.log
dmidecode > dmi.log

and send 2 output files to him.
His name is Hans de Goede,
hdegoede@redhat.com
After that you may wait till Mageia includes the new version of the v4l-utils into the repos or install manually the current (possibly unstable) version that you'll receive from the developer to test. In the latter case be advised to remove the installed v4l-utils package before trying a new one.

Re: [MAQeia] Skype (32 and 64 bits)

PostPosted: Nov 7th, '11, 19:25
by wobo
doktor5000 wrote:Skype has no sound
Please check that libpulse0 (i586 package) is installed.

This seems to be a typo. The name of the package is 'libpulseaudio0'
(took me a couple of minutes to find out after I followed this mini-howto :) )

Re: [MAQeia] Skype (32 and 64 bits)

PostPosted: Nov 7th, '11, 19:52
by isadora
wobo wrote:
doktor5000 wrote:Skype has no sound
Please check that libpulse0 (i586 package) is installed.

This seems to be a typo. The name of the package is 'libpulseaudio0'
(took me a couple of minutes to find out after I followed this mini-howto :) )

Have changed this, thanks wobo!!!

Re: [MAQeia] Skype (32 and 64 bits)

PostPosted: Jan 29th, '12, 15:19
by loqo
Thank you Doktor! Skype is a necessary tool for my work and personal lives and your guide got me up and running easily!
(Mageia 1, 64-bit)

Re: [MAQeia] Skype (32 and 64 bits)

PostPosted: Mar 11th, '12, 22:28
by rollercomsolutions
If you're on 32 bit and using the code above you'll get a curl error exit 19 . not to worry just use a different mirror the file is missing on that one. i used this one below and it's all good
Code: Select all
urpmi ftp://mageia.webconquest.com/distrib/cauldron/i586/media/nonfree/release/get-skype-2.2.0.35-18.mga2.nonfree.i586.rpm

Re: [MAQeia] Skype (32 and 64 bits)

PostPosted: Mar 12th, '12, 09:44
by doktor5000
Yes, because Skype package has bee rebuilt with a new release number. I've just updated the links, thanks for the hint.

Re: [MAQeia] Skype (32 and 64 bits)

PostPosted: Mar 12th, '12, 09:48
by bohabork
...but what's wrong with mga1.noarch package from mageia1.ru/mageia1/noarch? :o
Code: Select all
# urpmi get-skype
To satisfy dependencies, the following packages are going to be installed:
   Package                        Version      Release       Arch   
(medium "Core 32bit Release (distrib31)")
  libv4l-wrappers                0.8.3        1.mga1        i586
  libv4l0                        0.8.3        1.mga1        i586
  libxscrnsaver1                 1.2.1        2.mga1        i586
  libxv1                         1.0.6        1.mga1        i586
(medium "mageia1.ru_noarch")
  get-skype                      2.2.0.35     15.mga1       noarch
270KB of additional disk space will be used.
124KB of packages will be retrieved.
Proceed with the installation of the 5 packages? (Y/n)


    $MIRRORLIST: media/../../i586/media/core/release/libv4l0-0.8.3-1.mga1.i586.rpm
    $MIRRORLIST: media/../../i586/media/core/release/libxscrnsaver1-1.2.1-2.mga1.i586.rpm
    $MIRRORLIST: media/../../i586/media/core/release/libv4l-wrappers-0.8.3-1.mga1.i586.rpm
    $MIRRORLIST: media/../../i586/media/core/release/libxv1-1.0.6-1.mga1.i586.rpm
    http://mageia1.ru/mageia1/noarch/get-skype-2.2.0.35-15.mga1.noarch.rpm
installing get-skype-2.2.0.35-15.mga1.noarch.rpm libxscrnsaver1-1.2.1-2.mga1.i586.rpm libv4l0-0.8.3-1.mga1.i586.rpm libxv1-1.0.6-1.mga1.i586.rpm libv4l-wrappers-0.8.3-1.mga1.i586.rpm from /var/cache/urpmi/rpms
Preparing...                     #########################################################################################################
      1/5: libxv1                #########################################################################################################
      2/5: libv4l0               #########################################################################################################
      3/5: libv4l-wrappers       #########################################################################################################
      4/5: libxscrnsaver1        #########################################################################################################
--2012-03-12 07:27:49--  http://download.skype.com/linux/skype-2.2.0.35.tar.bz2
Resolving download.skype.com (download.skype.com)... 213.146.168.247
Connecting to download.skype.com (download.skype.com)|213.146.168.247|:80... connected.
HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 200 OK
Length: 23079739 (22M) [application/octet-stream]
Saving to: `skype-2.2.0.35.tar.bz2'

100%[==================================================================================================>] 23,079,739   312K/s   in 86s

2012-03-12 07:29:16 (262 KB/s) - `skype-2.2.0.35.tar.bz2' saved [23079739/23079739]

      5/5: get-skype             #########################################################################################################

Re: [MAQeia] Skype (32 and 64 bits)

PostPosted: Mar 12th, '12, 09:54
by rollercomsolutions
doktor5000 wrote:Yes, because Skype package has bee rebuilt with a new release number. I've just updated the links, thanks for the hint.

No Problem, Keep On Keepin On You're Doing A Top Notch Job We Appreciate It :D
Mageia For Life!

Re: [MAQeia] Skype (32 and 64 bits)

PostPosted: Mar 12th, '12, 22:41
by doktor5000
bohabork wrote:...but what's wrong with mga1.noarch package from mageia1.ru/mageia1/noarch? :o
Code: Select all
# urpmi get-skype
[...]
2012-03-12 07:29:16 (262 KB/s) - `skype-2.2.0.35.tar.bz2' saved [23079739/23079739]

      5/5: get-skype             #########################################################################################################


Please next time use code tags, not color tags, like you can see in my quotation.

But what's actually wrong, installation looks fine? It's just that i need to give some example links, and ftp://distrib-coffee.ipsl.jussieu.fr is a really reliable mirror, syncs really often (it's also one of our Tier1 mirrors, meaning it syncs directly from rsync.mageia.org, you can see that from http://mirrors.mageia.org/ )
But you can install or download it from any mirror you like.

Re: [MAQeia] Skype (32 and 64 bits)

PostPosted: Mar 13th, '12, 17:08
by bohabork
I though those 'code tags' are used to indicate that all of the following could be used by means of copy-and-paste if whoever needs to execute it on their box. :? It seems very logical to me when a code tag is used this way. And my point was about the use of a 'native' mga1 package for Mageia 1 and not mga2...
Nevermind :|

Re: [MAQeia] Skype (32 and 64 bits)

PostPosted: Mar 13th, '12, 17:28
by doktor5000
Well, the good thing is that such a code box has a fixed height and allows for scrolling, and for longer output
or commands or script excerpts this is really useful. The function to copy&paste the whole box is just a neat side-effect,
and not enabled in all forum setups, but in most ones.

As for the native Mageia 1 package, there's no difference. The package itself does not contain any files,
it's "just" installing some dependencies and some scripting to download Skype and install it properly and in a secure way.
Doesn't matter if you take the Cauldron package for that one.

Re: [MAQeia] Skype (32 and 64 bits)

PostPosted: Mar 13th, '12, 19:09
by bohabork
:mrgreen: got it...

Mic help needed

PostPosted: Mar 23rd, '12, 11:45
by loqo
I've got a mic issue with Skype...

Everything works fine except my sound during calls. Webcam is fine and I can see and hear the other person but they cannot hear me. (libpulse is installed, as mentioned in this thread!) - it's obviously very inconvenient that I can't talk!

I have an internal laptop mic and Audacity is recording it with no problem. Only Skype is affected by this issue.

Any ideas guys?

--------------------------------------
Mageia 1st edition, 64-bit.
Skype 2.2.0.35

Re: [MAQeia] Skype (32 and 64 bits)

PostPosted: Mar 23rd, '12, 20:17
by doktor5000
Does the standard Skype echo call work, can you hear yourself? In Skype -> Options -> Audio devices is automatic sound setup enabled or disabled?
What did you select in Audacity as input device? And in pavucontrol, what is selected as recording device?

Re: [MAQeia] Skype (32 and 64 bits)

PostPosted: Mar 24th, '12, 05:13
by loqo
Thank you for your reply Doktor!

No, the symptoms are the same in skype echo and calls to people. I use echo for testing! :)

Skype options/ sound devices says "PulseAudio Server (local)" and gives no option to change device. It says use system settings to change anything.

Audacity is using ALSA and preferences are set to "pulse". This records fine.

Pavucontrol is using "microphone2", internal analogue, stereo duplex.
It gives me no further information and not many options.

When launching pavucontrol from terminal, it runs fine but I get this message in the terminal:
** (pavucontrol:12938): DEBUG: Failed to initialize device manager extension: No such extension

Re: [MAQeia] Skype (32 and 64 bits)

PostPosted: Mar 24th, '12, 10:28
by doktor5000
When audacity uses "pulse" it doesn't use alsa directly, please don't confuse this. Pulse is actually an abstraction and simplification layer above alsa.

OK, this is weird, if audacity does just fine, that would mean there's already some working input device. OK, so in pavucontrol, the volume meter on the input device
tab, does it move, maybe try to switch between inputs and just watch. And is one of them maybe set to mute? (this is hardly recognizable, the icons are rather badly designed IMHO)
Also one of the input devices should be "set as fallback" which is the green shield icon. Actually this means that it would be selected as primary device, so the description is also misleading. Which one is "set as fallback"?

Also you didn't answer my previous question
In Skype -> Options -> Audio devices is automatic sound setup enabled or disabled?

Re: [MAQeia] Skype (32 and 64 bits)

PostPosted: Mar 24th, '12, 12:01
by loqo
Sorry!

"Allow Skype to automatically adjust my mixer levels" is unchecked. Checking it makes no difference.


*EDIT
Screenshots removed

Re: [MAQeia] Skype (32 and 64 bits)

PostPosted: Mar 25th, '12, 05:58
by doktor5000
The screenshots are unneeded and don't show anything relevant. What about the rest of my previous post?

Re: [MAQeia] Skype (32 and 64 bits)

PostPosted: Mar 25th, '12, 08:35
by loqo
Nothing muted (easy enough to see, as page greys-out on mute).
There is only one sound device.
The Mic2 port (working in Audacity) is set as fallback.

The pavucontrol meters don't move upon sound input. Weird.

I've tried various settings, nothing changes. I have now tried every variation of available settings and still Skype refuses to hear anything.

Re: [MAQeia] Skype (32 and 64 bits)

PostPosted: Mar 25th, '12, 09:58
by loqo
I've made progress on this and half fixed it.

First I installed an updated Skype...

Code: Select all
urpmi ftp://distrib-coffee.ipsl.jussieu.fr/pub/linux/Mageia/distrib/cauldron/x86_64/media/nonfree/release/get-skype-2.2.0.35-19.mga2.nonfree.noarch.rpm


(Maybe we need to update the first post?!)

Then I ran Skype from terminal (foolishly, I was still logged in as root) and it was perfect. It had a GTK skin and behaved correctly.

I could choose sound devices in the Skype sound options. I selected (Hw:0,0) for all dropdowns. Then I called Echo123 and it could hear me fine!

However, if I run Skype as a normal user or from the applications menu, it reverts to an old-looking theme and the sound options are gone. To get it working I have to run as root. This is obviously not good. Can you suggest what I should do next?


(Thanks for your time Doktor! I know you're busy!!)

Re: [MAQeia] Skype (32 and 64 bits)

PostPosted: Mar 25th, '12, 14:24
by doktor5000
No, maybe search a bit via Google, but normally you can't change sound options in Skype when run as normal user.
And i can only recommend to definitely NOT run Skype as root, just think about the fact that this is still a beta, and rather old (nearly 10 months).
Maybe you can just edit the Skype config files directly?

EDIT: Just had a chat with Colin Guthrie, our sound guru, and he says to just do a normal skype (echo) call
and in a terminal do a pacmd ls while the call is happening and post the out put here.
Maybe do the same when you run skype as root to have a comparison.

Re: [MAQeia] Skype (32 and 64 bits)

PostPosted: Mar 25th, '12, 16:46
by colin
Hi,

I'll help you fix this but I need a bit of info first:

Firstly, never, ever run skype (or anything else) as root. The potential for massive problems here is huge.

So, just run skype as normal, make a test call. While your it is recording (e.g. during the echo test part, execute the following command in a terminal: "pacmd ls". Put whatever output that generates in a text file and attach it here.

Please also state clearly which device you'd like to use for both output and input.

Re: [MAQeia] Skype (32 and 64 bits)

PostPosted: Mar 26th, '12, 03:54
by loqo
Thank you guys. (Hi Colin!)

I understand the implications of running as root. Thank you for the warnings!

I've done as you suggested and the output is attached.

"echo-normal.txt" is running as regular user, mic not working.
"echo-root.txt" is running as super user for comparison, mic is working fine.



I wish to use the internal audio stereo duplex, internal mic!

Re: [MAQeia] Skype (32 and 64 bits)

PostPosted: Mar 26th, '12, 10:28
by colin
OK, so two points immediately jump out at me.

1. Your volume is very high on the recoding side. This may be intended but it could lead to distortion.
2. You have Microphone 2 selected. Is the problem still present with Microphone 1 select (this is the default)? To change Mic, open up pavucontrol, on the Input Devices tab choose Microphone 1 from the drop down.