Peppermint OS3 Skype install - limited usage

Linux Support
1

Hi there,
I’ve installed Peppermint OS3 and have Skype 4.1.0.20 but it appears very limited and there is no video.
I am guessing I have to install drivers for the internal camera on my Acer Aspire One Netbook and that I also need a higher version of Skype. (I have tried to install versions from Skype.com, but it says the installed copy is a higher version!)

My question is - What do I need to do to get a normal looking version of Skype and working video?

Has anyone else needed to do this before?
Thanks,
Neil

2

Hi nerobert, and welcome to the forum.

I’m not understanding your problem with Skype ???
(I’m trying to get a handle on whether this is a user, hardware, or software problem … as it works perfectly on both my AA1’s)

Fire up Skype … login to Skype … then a little Skype icon should appear down by your system clock, if you right-click that and select Options … then in the left hand column of the widow that appears select Video Devices

Is Enable Skype Video ticked ? … and can you see your webcam image ?

Can you mention what model of Acer Aspire One you have … Example = AOA110L

3

HI you have the newest version of Skype for Linux.

Have you tested your video is working using the software that is installed in Peppermint.

I have no problems and I am using a 12 year old laptop.

4

Thanks for the posts, very useful.
It looks fixed. I did a bit more research and the problem is Skype knowing about the camera.

After a few false starts I did this:
$ sudo gedit /usr/local/bin/skype
Then put this into the new file:
#!/bin/bash
LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/libv41/v4llcompat.so /usr/bin/skype
Then saved the file and made it an executable with
$ sudo chmod a+x /usr/local/bin/skype

After running it, skype now has access to the video camera and works to send and receive video calls.

Thanks for the ideas, this a brilliant forum and has given my machine a new lease of life.
Now … a more difficult problem … getting my daughter off the machine. She loves it!

Thanks everyone.
Neil

5

Glad to hear you solved it … and thanks for taking the time to post the solution :slight_smile:

6

hey guys, mind my asking how you all went about installing skype into your peppermintOS in the first place? i’ve never used skype previously…

7

Go to menu>Preferences>Software Sources

Click the “Other Software” tab

Make sure “Canonical Partners” is ticked.

click “Close”.

Open a terminal and run:

sudo apt-get update

then

sudo apt-get install skype

You’ll then find it at:-

menu>Internet>Skype

8

iI did all that and get “E: Unable to locate package skype”

Any suggestions?

Mike

9

First see here:-
http://linuxforums.org.uk/index.php?topic=10313.msg84154#msg84154

If that still doesn’t work … post the contents of:

gedit /etc/apt/sources.list
10

This is actually on P4, but I’m trying to use Skype, and my girlfriend complains of too much background noise. If I turn down capture in alsamixer, she says she can’t hear me, but if I turn it up, there’s too much noise.

I don’t THINK this is a problem with Skype on Linux, cause I had it working in P3 (but I remember I had to do a lot of tweaks to get it working right.)

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

11

Have you tried the same instructions as for Peppermint 3 ? … see here:
http://linuxforums.org.uk/index.php?topic=10313.msg76522#msg76522

12

Oh! Lol! HERE’S where that link is I was talking about :slight_smile:

13

Heh … just posted to the other topic :slight_smile: