Best telephone solution for Skype?

September 20, 2005 8:35 AM

I'm wondering if anyone has experiences using Skype with either a regular phone with an adapter, or with a skype-enabled phone? Any preferences? What works best?
posted by friedapplepie to technology (7 comments total)

I've tried the USB Skype handset (link below) and it seemed to work great. Smashing sound quality the only bad thing was I had to tinker with settings as it being USB sound it thinks its another sound card.

http://net-phones.net/proddetail.php?prod=USBExec-01G

However, im wanting to buy the wireless Skype/phone (dual). But I need to start saving as its £70.
posted by spooksie at 9:39 AM on September 20, 2005

I use my regular phone with the Internet Phone Wizard. It was easy to install and I don't have any problems using it. The really nice thing is that since my regular phone is cordless I can walk around the apartment while I'm on a Skype call. Because I'm lazy I haven't fiddled around with assigning speed dial numbers to my Skype contacts so that I can dial them directly from the phone's handset yet. So what I do is open Skype on my computer, pick up my phone's handset and enter ##, which switches me over to the phone wizard, and then just double click my Skype contact or the SkypeOut number I want to call. Call goes through, easy peasy.
posted by MsMolly at 9:41 AM on September 20, 2005

With that Internet Phone Wisard does it work with SkypeIN?
posted by spooksie at 9:51 AM on September 20, 2005

Good question. I really just use SkypeOut and haven't had anyone call me using Skype, so I'm not sure. This is what it says in one of their FAQs, though:
"Additionally, it’s easy to miss incoming Internet calls when the sound is being channeled through the headset or when you’re scrambling to put a headset on. The Internet Phone Wizard rings and lets you pick up a real phone just like you’re used to."
posted by MsMolly at 10:12 AM on September 20, 2005

A related question: Are there any Skype phones that don't need to be plugged into a computer, but can be plugged directly into the broadband connection?
posted by blue_beetle at 10:16 AM on September 20, 2005

blue_beetle, according to Tom's Networking, the answer is no:

"...there are currently no computer-free Skype options. So while options exist to use regular phones with Skype, all require USB connection to a computer running Skype. There are stand-alone Skype phones that have been announced by Motorola and BenQ, but they rely on a Wi-Fi connection and are smartphone / PDA-based."
posted by bachelor#3 at 1:07 PM on September 20, 2005

Perhaps an answer that isn't an answer...

PCPhoneline(.com)'s VTA1000 really doesn't work all that well. It worked when it worked, but the software was really bugged and often lagged. They also were behind the curve on Skype's new software releases. They have copyprotect their software in a strange way - making it hard to move it from PC to laptop, to work, etc.

Hopefully a FYI that will help you in your answer.
posted by sled at 6:01 PM on September 20, 2005