[kwlug-disc] question about Webcam, Mic, Headphone for Skype video calls

[Khalid Baheyeldin]

You are using a Linux distro for this, I assume?

Which one? Which version?

I can tell you what I use.

I have Kubuntu 14.04 on a 2009 Toshiba laptop.
The webcam is built in. This is what lsusb -v reports on it

  idVendor 0x04f2 Chicony Electronics Co., Ltd
  idProduct 0xb070
  iManufacturer 2 Chicony Electronics Co., Ltd.
  iProduct 1 CNF7051

It works fine with Skype. I did not need to do anything special to configure it.

For audio, the built in audio works fine. Again I did not need to do
anything for it to work.

It is identified in lspci -n 8086:293e (Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9
Family) HD Audio Controller)

Skype was installed from the Ubuntu partner repository. Just uncomment
do an update and you can install it.

One thing I found out was if you are running a 64 bit Linux, you need
to enable multiarch, since Skype is built as i386 not amd64.

The solution is silly simple, use apt-get instead of aptitude

http://kwlug.org/pipermail/kwlug-disc_kwlug.org/2013-September/010950.html

(Look down in the thread)

For the headphones, a cheap no-name headphones that I had for years
(probably on special from Staples) works fine.

One thing I found was sometimes, when I start talking using the built
in mic and speakers, then  plug in the headphones, the mic will go
mute or very low volume, and I have to invoke alsamixer from a
terminal to get it back to a sane level (by adjusting the "Mic Boost"
and "Internal Mic Boost").

However, when I fiddled with Skype's settings, it seems this no longer
happens (i.e. plugging in a headphone does not mute the mic).

This was done by going to Options -> Sound Devices -> Allow Skype to
automatically adjust mixer levels, and unchecking that setting.

On Wed, Oct 29, 2014 at 11:04 AM, William Park <opengeometry at yahoo.ca> wrote:
> I am not AV guy, so I don't have webcam, mic, or headset.  But, I need
> to get those for Skype video interview.  Anything probably will work.
> So, I'll ask the other way.
>
>     - Which brand/model should I avoid?
>     - Do you recommend integrated mic (into webcam or headset) or
>       standalone mic?
> --
> William
>
>
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> kwlug-disc at kwlug.org
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Khalid M. Baheyeldin
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