Hack25.Test Your Sound System


Hack 25. Test Your Sound System

Sound is perhaps the number-one problem for Skype users. Some quick-and-dirty tests should help you isolate sound problems: is it your sound system or Skype?

Works with: Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X versions of Skype.

Before attacking a problem, you must isolate the problem. Just as for a rabid dog, it helps to have the thing cornered before you kill it!

If you experience sound problems when using Skype, the first thing to determine is whether the problem lies with your sound system or with Skype. By testing your sound system independently of Skype, you'll have a better chance of isolating the problem. These simple tests should help:


Windows


General

Skype uses the sound devices installed and configured under Windows. If you have set up Skype to use the Windows default device (Skype Tools Options… Sound Devices), which is also the default for a new Skype installation, and you subsequently add new sound devicesfor example, by plugging in a USB speaker systemyour Windows default device and that used by Skype may now be the newly installed device and not the phone device you want. To avoid sound device selection issues, its always best to specify explicitly the audio-in and audio-out devices within Skype. Skype provides a user guide specifically for Windows XP sound setup, at http://www.skype.com/help/guides/soundsetup_xp.html.


Sound-out

Open Windows' Sound Recorder application (Start All Programs Accessories Entertainment Sound Recorder). Within Sound Recorder, select File Open and then navigate to .wav file you find there and click the Play button. If you hear a sound, the sound-out component of your sound system is working.


Sound-in

In Windows' Sound Recorder, click on the Record button and speak into your sound-in device for a few seconds. Click the Stop button and then click Play. If you hear your voice played back, the sound-in component of your sound system is working.


Sound-in and sound-out

An alternative method for checking your voice input and output devices in a single test is to use the Windows Sound Hardware Test Wizard (Start Control Panel Sounds and Audio Devices Voice Test hardware…).


Linux


General

Skype works with the Open Sound System (OSS) on Linux, for which its sound input and output are associated with the device /dev/dsp. Skype also works with the Advanced Linux Sound Architecture (ALSA) on Linux, but only using ALSA's OSS emulation layer. Check that your Linux system supports one of these two sound standards and, if you have ALSA, that the OSS emulation layer is installed and enabled. Also check that Skype is set up to use /dev/dsp as its audio device for calls (Skype Tools Options… Hand/Headsets). Skype provides a user guide specifically for Linux sound setup; see http://www.skype.com/help/guides/soundsetup_linux.html.


Sound-out

On Linux, there are usually several audio playback applications (see http://linux-sound.org/ for a complete list of Linux sound software). In your favorite file browser, search for some sound files to play. Try looking for audio files with these extensions: .mp3, .wav, .ra,. aiff, or .m4a. Once you have found some sound files click on one of them and it should play in the default player for that extension. If you can hear a sound, the sound-out component of your sound system is working.


Sound-in

Use your favorite sound recording utility (mine is krecord, which is part of the KDE desktop) to record your voice. While using the same utility, play back your voice recording to yourself. If you can hear your own voice, the sound-in component of your sound system is working.


Mac OS X


General

Mac OS X sound, like most of Mac OS X, is so well thought out that sound is comparatively problem free on the Mac. This statement is supported by the fact that Skype has no user guide dedicated to sound setup for Mac OS X. Even so, it is always a good idea to specify explicitly the sound devices to be used by Skype (Skype Preferences… Audio).


Sound-out

Start the Apple QuickTime application and navigate to a folder that has some sound files (QuickTime Player File Open File…, and then navigate to Sound-in

Start the Apple iMovie HD application and create an arbitrarily named movie filesay, test_sound_in. Click on the Audio button. Above the Audio button will appear a Microphone label, a horizontal sound level meter, and a round record button with a red dot in the middle. Click on the record button and speak into your sound-in device. While you speak, you should see some response from the sound meter. After a few seconds, click on the record button again to stop recording. Now, drag the scrollbar at the bottom of the iMovie window all the way over to the left, and then click on your recording, which will be labeled something like Voice 01. Click on the Play button and you should hear your own voice played back to you. If you do, your sound-in device is working.

If you can hear sounds when an audio file is played or when your voice recording is played back to you, but not at the level you desire, go to the sound control panel (select Start Control Panel Control Panel Sounds and Audio Devices on Windows, System Preferences Sound on Mac OS X, and whatever is your preferred sound hardware configuration tool on Linux) and make any necessary adjustments.

If your sound system works properly independently of Skype and you are experiencing sound problems when using Skype, it's a good bet that your sound problem is caused by Skype.




Skype Hacks
Skype Hacks: Tips & Tools for Cheap, Fun, Innovative Phone Service
ISBN: 0596101899
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2005
Pages: 168

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