Skype.com

**Peter R** · 28th December 2004, 07:40 PM

Hope you all had a fun time, folks.
Have any of you heard of Skype .com and what it has to offer.?
Does it function in This country, I was told about it by a Canadian Lady who says she uses it over there.
I believe that it will not work on W 98 so I might be looking for W 2000 or XP Home.
Any help appreciated

Peter R.

**bitingmidge** · 28th December 2004, 07:55 PM

Peter,

Spend some time reading EVERYTHING on http://ozvoip.com/

Specially the comparisons.

Voice over IP is the next big thing, no doubt, but at the moment, for free calls you need someone at the other end with a VOIP connection and there are a number of companies selling handsets which may or may not require them to be your provider!

A few companies are starting to emerge with cheap calls to normal landlines and that looks pretty interesting too.

Once you are an expert, or have drawn some conclusions, how about posting your knowledge here!!

Cheers,

P

**duckman** · 28th December 2004, 08:01 PM

Originally Posted by Peter R

Hope you all had a fun time, folks.
Have any of you heard of Skype .com and what it has to offer.?
Does it function in This country, I was told about it by a Canadian Lady who says she uses it over there.
I believe that it will not work on W 98 so I might be looking for W 2000 or XP Home.
Any help appreciated

Peter R.

G'day Peter,

I've been playing with both Skype and a similar programme Firefly off and on for a couple of months. Both work OK and are independent of the country you are in for calls from computer to computer which is the only way I've used both programmes.

You'll need broadband Internet access to obtain any sort of clarity. A boom microphone and headset is also required. The boom mike is better than a desk mounted one and also the headset so you can turn the speakers you probably have connected to your sound card off. If you don't, then I've found that the echo from the recipients speakers through their mike back to you (me) is very disconcerting.

As to the operating system, I didn't check which O/S's Skype will run on. I've been running Windows NT aka Windows 2000/Windows XP since version 4.0, so that wasn't an issue for me.

FWIW, my broadband ISP uses Skype for all their 'internal' communications with staff members who are scattered up and down the east coast of Oz.

Charles Wright did write up of Skype in his computer column in The Age Green Guide a few months back. It might be possible to read on-line at

http://www.theage.com.au

HTH,

Mark.

**Barry_White** · 29th December 2004, 05:36 PM

I've been using Firefly since June. I posted about it back then. Here is a link to the post.

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...hlight=Firefly

I find it good for STD calls during the day. Also I talk to my daugter and grandson with it over the Net. I am running at 64k on ISDN and don't have any problem. I am using XP Pro and a Logitech USB Head Set.

**Rocker** · 29th December 2004, 05:59 PM

I just use Mirc; I 'talk' for an hour or two every day to people all over America, and even the UK and Europe sometimes; it is not so good for Europe owing to the time difference.

Rocker

**Peter R** · 29th December 2004, 09:45 PM

Thanks Blokes for your help.

It is all about affordability for me on the pension.

I have Bigpond dial up on the disconnect it says running at 14,400bps what is that?

All I want to do with Skype (so far) is talk to a lady in Canada. Yeah! I know, but she is rather nice, I spoke to her on the land line the other night for the first time and I want more.

Peter R

**gatiep** · 30th December 2004, 01:19 AM

Peter, if she stays over there she will always be nice mate..............they all are when they are overseas!

Skype will be ok, don't invest in a webcam...once she has an eye on you, she'll rule you.

Ehm....not really so bad are they?

**Peter R** · 30th December 2004, 05:38 PM

Originally Posted by gatiep

Skype will be ok, don't invest in a webcam...once she has an eye on you, she'll rule you.

OR run like bleeding L, is more like it? At my age you need a lot of the both - advice and getting into situations where you need advice.

Peter R

**Peter R** · 30th December 2004, 07:53 PM

Originally Posted by Barry_White

I've been using Firefly since June. I posted about it back then. Here is a link to the post.

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...hlight=Firefly

I find it good for STD calls during the day. Also I talk to my daugter and grandson with it over the Net. I am running at 64k on ISDN and don't have any problem. I am using XP Pro and a Logitech USB Head Set.

Thank you mate: I looked at your stuff. I think that I am going to have to upgrade to XP Home or Windows 2000 no matter what.

I also noticed that yours is free firefly to firefly so I guess in my case where my Canadian connection is Skype the same would apply. If one was as good as the other I may as well go SKype. The logitech headphones I will look at.
I have a 26% hearing loss and tinitus so a good, if possible volume controlled, head set would be ideal.

Nice place Ballina, not as good as Coffs But.

Peter R

**gatiep** · 30th December 2004, 09:04 PM

Peter R.............. constant nagging works like white noise to obliterate the tinitus motorbike!

I always knew that one day I'll find out something there nagging is good for.

**fxst** · 30th December 2004, 10:21 PM

I have used skype for about a year now and use it to chat to my Brother and also friends in the us for free ...cant get cheaper than that....but I do have broadband as its a better bet, 14.4???

...bugger thats way to slow for voice chat u need 56k modem at least or a better isp if u have a 56k modem
Pete

**Peter R** · 9th January 2005, 08:43 PM

Originally Posted by fxst

I have used skype for about a year now and use it to chat to my Brother and also friends in the us for free ...cant get cheaper than that....but I do have broadband as its a better bet, 14.4???

...bugger thats way to slow for voice chat u need 56k modem at least or a better isp if u have a 56k modem
Pete

I will include the information I have had on the speed of my dial up ISP.

Telstra have checked the phone line three times now and have found nothing untoward.

I have a Banksia, MyModem which is an old modem and it is external.

Telstra also tried to do a speed check on my modem but could not find a code, out of a couple of hundred, to connect with the modem.

I can only say that Telstra have bent over backwards on this one. They phoned me on my mobile and spent the next two hours on the phone trying to do the test. I had to put the mobile on the charger while we talked.

I have signed up for ADSL, which is supposed to work at this address, so here's hoping.

I am also connected to my 'pute by an extension cord of about 10m. I have plans afoot to put in an extra wall connection - DIY. I can get the gear and tools.

When I get set up with ADSL I will then look into skype.

I owe many of you a big thank you for your assistance on this one, and hope that my lessons will help others.

Peter R.

**Peter R** · 11th January 2005, 03:12 PM

I am finally on ADSL, and I can not believe the difference. I had initial troubles but they are now solved.

I did a DYS installation, fairly easy with the CD you are given from Bigpond.

My problem still lies with an extension lead, but I will fix that soon with a DYS hard wire installation.

Next step Skype....Stay tuned.

Peter R

Sorry I sent this before I could put a smiley on it......

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