Calling any Skype users

[Mike_E]

Hi,

trying to get my Skype configured so I can talk to my sisters in the US, but I'm convinced the issue is their end.

I can use MS Office Communicator, and talk to work with video via that, so I'm sure my setup is OK, it would be nice to check with A N Other, before I have to remote to their PC and try and figure out what is wrong.

[MarkJ]

Ah well - I won't dig out my headset then!

Mark

[Neil Wilson]

Ah well - I won't dig out my headset then!

MarkLikewise, maybe another day :)

[Mike_E]

Nice to chat this evening, Mike and now you know your set up is correct.

Thanks Pam,

now to take control of my sisters PC in the US to sort out her problems! Sometimes being an IT Admin can be a pain. all the friends and family, and their friends see you as the local "free" IT help person.

I like it really, so mustn't grumble too much.

[MarkJ]

I used to think like that - I am an IT technician also. Eventually, after fixing the same problems on the same computers for the same people - sometimes more than once a day! - I stopped . Now I will only fix a machine if it is a genuine problem - no virus or spyware removals repeated ad nauseum. The final straw was when one of my "regulars" who used to ring up at least once a week with his issues, made me a gate. I expected to pay for the wood - but when he charged me for labour as well, that was it. Free PC repairs but a fortune to screw a gate together!

Mark

[Neil Wilson]

For Mark and Mike
Seeing that you are both techies, can you explain why my PC can't type?
|jumphappy

[MarkJ]

Of course Neil -
It is Pebkac :D

Mark

[Mutley]

For Mark and Mike
Seeing that you are both techies, can you explain why my PC can't type?


I am not a techie but maybe you need some help with these:

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x257/PoKe7557/051102_fingers_03.jpg

[MarkJ]

Mark, do you not use Skype?

I do indeed have Skype Pam. Not something I use much - I set it up to chat to my daughter at University originally.

Mark

[MarkJ]

Mutley, can I please have at least three of those, and as soon as possible?

Fine for blokes, but imagine the nail varnish bill for you ladies ;)

And it would take me hours to chew my nails!!!

Mark (who is still amazed at the stuff Mutley can discover on the interwebby!)

[Mutley]

I seek them here
I seek them there....

All 'cos I can't find my Elizabeth Smith http://www.smileys4me.com/getsmiley.php?show=1340

Perhaps our jingle should have been "Let your fingers do the walking" and we could have borrowed each others.......

[MarkJ]

Perhaps our jingle should have been "Let your fingers do the walking" and we could have borrowed each others.......

I think a well known telecom directory company already have dibs on that one Mutley :D

Mark

[Mutley]

I think a well known telecom directory company already have dibs on that one Mutley :D

Mark

Mmmmmm........... wished I'd have been that clever. Mine just did not have the same ring somehow.....

[Mike_E]

Of course Neil -
It is Pebkac :D

Mark

See, and there was me thinking it was an "ID Ten T" error.

[MarkJ]

See, and there was me thinking it was an "ID Ten T" error.

Certainly possible Mike! Without further (really expensive) diagnostics, it would be hard to differentiate ;)

Mark

[Browneyes]

A close relative has suggested I use Skype and has offered to send me their old camera. I understand (I think) that it's like making a phone call but being able to see the person talking to you and they can see you too. (Ok you can stop laughing now :cool:). My pc is about four years old but I have XP etc on it - will installing Skype be too much for it; if I do go for it is installation complicated and is it easy to use? I'm on broadband not dial up if that's any help. Thanks.

[MarkJ]

Should be fine Browneyes. How much ram (memory) does the machine have?
You can use Skype without a camera anyway if you get problems with that - the capture and transmitting of images (video) is the heaviest load if you are using that(on both ram and bandwidth). With just voice, it is mostly down to broadband speed. My 512kb "broadband" copes with Skype - without a camera. It is a bit rubbish, but it works. A faster connection and you would be OK.

The Skype recommended spec is -
"For voice and video calls we recommend a computer with at least a 1GHz processor, 256 MB RAM and of course a webcam."

But I would double that at least for smoother use.

Installing is easy. You should find it just works, but if you get stuck, check - a) the mike isn't muted or turned down, b) volume settings in general.

They have a fairly comprehensive "help" list if you do get stuck which is easy to follow.

Mark

[esdel]

Thanks Pam,

now to take control of my sisters PC in the US to sort out her problems! Sometimes being an IT Admin can be a pain. all the friends and family, and their friends see you as the local "free" IT help person.

I like it really, so mustn't grumble too much.

Mike
Here in Uk the powers that be (no doubt on advice of their lawyers) have discontinued "remote control"
Try TightVNC
But as US is ahead of UK it may be "illegal" there by now!
esdel

[Neil Wilson]

Browneyes
I did use Skype on an XP machine before Vista.
It is OK and you don't have to use the camera if you don't want.

Watch your settings, follow the guide and if you need help, click on the green Skype icon on this post and if I am around I will see what I can do, if it is not green then I am off line.

[Nicolina]

I have Skype on my laptop and mobile phone but have stopped using it. Instead I use a budget telephone service which only costs me 1p per minute to call landlines and mobiles.

[Neil Wilson]

I have Skype on my laptop and mobile phone but have stopped using it. Instead I use a budget telephone service which only costs me 1p per minute to call landlines and mobiles.That is OK, but when you have family overseas, calling PC to PC for nothing over the Internet with video for free, no matter which program you use, can not be beaten.

[MarkJ]

Mike
Here in Uk the powers that be (no doubt on advice of their lawyers) have discontinued "remote control"
Try TightVNC
But as US is ahead of UK it may be "illegal" there by now!
esdel

Have they? Not arguing - I have no idea, it just seems a bit strange that I haven't heard anything. Do you mean a specific form of control?
Windows as far as I know, used to include a remote control thing to allow techies to take control of a machine to repair issues remotely (never the best way IMHO as a techie). However, that was XP and I have no idea about Vista (and very little idea about Windows in general to be fair!)
Mike lives in the UK anyway by the way ;)

TightVNC (or indeed any other VNC) is a "remote control" system - I use it daily.

Mark

[Neil Wilson]

Most of the big players in PC repair, whether technical or software help use VNC. Vista is shipped with it.

[MarkJ]

Yeah - the Windows one was called Remote Desktop Connection or something, a modernised version of the old Terminal Services.
VNC - and especially Tight VNC and other optimised variants - are very useful for those of us who need to access computers elsewhere. I even use it in my house to avoid having to walk over to a different machine ;)

Mark

[esdel]

Have they? Not arguing - I have no idea, it just seems a bit strange that I haven't heard anything. Do you mean a specific form of control?
Windows as far as I know, used to include a remote control thing to allow techies to take control of a machine to repair issues remotely (never the best way IMHO as a techie). However, that was XP and I have no idea about Vista (and very little idea about Windows in general to be fair!)
Mike lives in the UK anyway by the way ;)

TightVNC (or indeed any other VNC) is a "remote control" system - I use it daily.

Mark

Used to use Skype remote control every time I needed help.
Was forced to change
I thought the computer Mike wanted to control was in USA
esdel

[Nicolina]

maybe I didn't make myself clear but I use the 1p a minute phone calls to Germany and USA (not to the UK) as not all of my family have PCs or 24 hour access to one.

[Ladkyis]

Esdel, the thing that Mike was doing was in 2007, two years ago. He has either done it or failed and moved on now.

It is sometimes good to check the date of a post - top left of the post, just above the avatar, before commenting as it can be a bit of a waste of your time to answer something that was posted years ago, that isn't FH specific.

[Browneyes]

Thanks for the help :). I have mixed feelings about it at the moment so I'll put it on the back burner for a little while. The lady in question has free calls on her phone anyway so she's happy to ring me...might be a good thing not to use a camera, particularly first thing in the morning!!

All this technology does get confusing sometimes! I tend to use 'chat' facilities if need be.

[Dorset Girl]

Just to confuse you even more - we have had Skype for a couple of years now and swear by it. We bought a proper Skype phone (as we knew we would be using it quite a bit) (hands free) and a package with Skype that was brilliant for us downunder - about $50 for the year and all local and interstate calls are free!!! International calls are .027c a minute - my cousin in Canada has Skype so we can talk for as long as we want free of charge - we have friends in the UK (both over 80) who have invested in a computer and we taught them how to use Slype - now we speak every week for half an hour or so with the webcam on - it makes it feel as though we are all together again. We can't always get to see the grandkids so son sets up the webcam and we can watch them play.
Sorry - wouldn't be without it - the phone bill has reduced dramatically and I just love cheating Telstra out of their massive profit from me!!!!!|biggrin|