No recording of sound on skype

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malecite
Posts: 19
Joined: 27. Feb 2019, 21:06

No recording of sound on skype

Post by malecite »

Hi, I am using Salix for years and so far I didn't have problems. Thanks for great work.
Recently I have bought a new laptop (Lenovo ideapad 330) and so far managing all the glitches on my own. However, I have encountered a problem with skype that I don't know how to resolve. I will have a job interview via skype in the next couple of days and I had to install it, even though normally I don't use it. And the problem is that internal microphone which in the sound settings appears as working and has proper volume, creates only static when used on skype.
In configuration, sound works only with "Analog Stereo Duplex". I have set the input device to be Built-in Audio Analog Stereo, and I have selected that on skype too. I can't explain why the microphone records only static and absolutely no sound whatsoever.

I know skype is not popular among linux users, and I don't like it myself, but I really need it in the next couple of days.
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gapan
Salix Wizard
Posts: 6238
Joined: 6. Jun 2009, 17:40

Re: No recording of sound on skype

Post by gapan »

I'm not sure about the skype app, I haven't used it for years and I can't install it right now to try it.

But, maybe the solution is to use the web version now? I've read it works fine, it's at https://web.skype.com
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malecite
Posts: 19
Joined: 27. Feb 2019, 21:06

Re: No recording of sound on skype

Post by malecite »

Hi Gapan. thanks. I have just tried the web version, but the call options (both sound and video) are not available. Maybe because I am using Firefox? The advertisement recommends Edge and Chrome, but that's not an option for me.

Is it clear what can make microphones produce only static instead of recording sound? Wrong drivers?
djemos
Salix Warrior
Posts: 1433
Joined: 29. Dec 2009, 13:45
Location: Greece

Re: No recording of sound on skype

Post by djemos »

I do not also use skype anymore but after your message in this forum, i tested it and i had the same problem. So i rebuild skype in latest version. I restart pulseaudio. So mic is working now.
So, be sure you have the latest version. If not download latest version from here and install it.
I deleted the folder ~/.config/skypeforlinux just to be sure to have a new configuration.
restart pulseaudio

Code: Select all

sudo service restart pulseaudio
run skype and make a test call.
malecite
Posts: 19
Joined: 27. Feb 2019, 21:06

Re: No recording of sound on skype

Post by malecite »

hi djemos. thank you. however, it didn't work.
i deleted the .config/skypeforlinux folder
i downloaded the package from the link. sourcery didn't have the latest version, so i used the file you suggested. i installed it with spkg.
and then i have restarted pusleaudio.
the program was listed as "skype preview" in the menu.
i made the test call, but the mic created static again.
i have uninstalled it. deleted the .config folder again. this time i restarted pulseaudio before installation and then again after installation. and it's still not working.
what did i do wrong?
spkg returned a message during installation: Directory already exists *behind the symlink* on filesystem. This may break upgrade/remove if you change that symlink in the future.

is there hope? i assume there was something i didn't do.
thanks again for all the effort.
djemos
Salix Warrior
Posts: 1433
Joined: 29. Dec 2009, 13:45
Location: Greece

Re: No recording of sound on skype

Post by djemos »

The message it is because /usr/share/doc exists and has nothing to do with the problem of mic.
Did you tried to record using audacity for example? Maybe it is a hardware problem of mic itself.
malecite
Posts: 19
Joined: 27. Feb 2019, 21:06

Re: No recording of sound on skype

Post by malecite »

yes. i tried audacity and the mic worked with audacity.
djemos
Salix Warrior
Posts: 1433
Joined: 29. Dec 2009, 13:45
Location: Greece

Re: No recording of sound on skype

Post by djemos »

Since you are running salix-14.2, i upgraded my salix 14.1 mate edition (i had forgotten this. So it was a reason for upgrading :-)) to salix-14.2 mate.
I did a workaround in my salix mate system after reboot.
1. Installed skypeforlinux from slackel repos.
2. alsa, alsa-oss. pulseaudio do not run at system boot
run skype. make a test. sound and mic is working.
3. start alsa then mic is muted and i had to umuted. test skype. sound and mic is working.
4. type cat /etc/asound.conf in my system ( see what is in yours)

Code: Select all

# ALSA system-wide config file
# By default, redirect to PulseAudio:
pcm.default pulse
ctl.default pulse
also check if there is any ~/.asound.state file. If there is then delete it.

also type aplay -l to see your sound card devices.
malecite
Posts: 19
Joined: 27. Feb 2019, 21:06

Re: No recording of sound on skype

Post by malecite »

hi djemos. thank you. sorry for all the trouble. i feel guilty for making you make so many changes in your system.
i am not sure if i understood what you wanted me to do. i have already checked with alsamixer and it showed me that PulseAudio is in control and showed me the mic set on the same level as PulseAudio showed me. i had experience with alsa muting mic as default setting so i checked that from the start. i noticed before that PulseAudio was not selected in the System Services menu as one of the systems enabled when the system starts, so i enabled it while i was trying to figure our what was wrong on my own, but that didn't make any change. are you saying that i should enable alsa and alsa-oss to work when i start the system too?

there was no ~/.asound.state file
/etc/asound.conf was the same as yours

aplay -l :
card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: Generic Analog [Generic Analog]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 3: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

should i reinstall skypeforlinux again? same package you sent me?
djemos
Salix Warrior
Posts: 1433
Joined: 29. Dec 2009, 13:45
Location: Greece

Re: No recording of sound on skype

Post by djemos »

No trouble. don't worry.
There is no need to enable alsa. I even tried skype stopping pulseaudio, alsa, alsa-oss to not running at boot and reboot the system. skype worked. I also tested in salix-14.2 mate. So i do not know what is wrong with your system.
In case of a bad download of the package build it yourself.
download this SLKBUILD copied to a folder e.g. skype.
cd to folder and run fakeroot slkbuild -X to rebuild the package and install it.
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