[arch-general] skype - problem with audio playback when initiating call

[Mauro Santos]

On 30-06-2012 06:49, David C. Rankin wrote:
> On 06/29/2012 04:46 PM, Mauro Santos wrote:
>> Most probably something else is grabbing either the playback or the
>> capture device, at least I have only seen that error when that's the
>> case. If you don't want pulse to "manage" your sound devices you should
>> look into setting up an asound.conf with explicit entries for dmix and
>> dsnoop to avoid one program hogging the sound device.
>>
>> That said, the latest skype has been working just fine here with xfce+pulse.
>>
> 
> I suspect there is a soundcard fight going on. Incoming calls work with:
> 
> Speakers: Intel ICH6, Intel ICH6 - IEC958 (hw:0,4)
> Ringing: Intel ICH6, Intel ICH6 - IEC958 (hw:0,4)
> 
> It's just the dialout that is messed up. I have also noticed that with
> pulse/Intel configs I get a delay when testing skype sound (push test button and
> 10 seconds later the audio file plays).
> 
> To test, I fired up gnome (stuck in fallback with my Nvidia 8800 - sigh), but
> skype sound worked fine.
> 
> I have no beef with pulse, alsa, whatever as long as it works. Since this is my
> first time messing with skype -- I'm just happy to identify the issue.
> 
> Kudos to the folks who put the skype wiki together. Setting up a separate user
> to run skype with and preventing it from snooping is just plain smart. Simple
> solution, well written up.
> 
> Thanks for your help and explanation!
> 

I'd say that you should try to use what you are using for everything
else, and you should make that explicit.

You mention running skype with another user, as a start I would run it
as your user, if I'm not wrong these days access to the sound devices is
granted dynamically by consolekit (or whatever *kit) based on the
current active session. The alternate user for skype might not register
as having an active session thus causing some problem.

You should also state which DE you are planning to use as some other
users may have stumbled upon similar a problem. My experience is with
XFCE and mostly with pulse, I have also done a short stint with only
alsa so I don't have as much experience with that.

-- 
Mauro Santos