Skype me

May 18, 2005 2:44 PM

Has anyone around here used Skype? Is it any good? I should mention I'm hoping to use it on a dial-up connection.
posted by feelinglistless to Computers & Internet (17 answers total)

I've used Skype and SkypeOut. Both work well for me, but I've been using them on DSL-type connections, not dialup. (IIRC, Skype documentation says that dialup's OK, too.) Occasionally I get a little bit of echo/distortion, but a reconnect usually cures that.
posted by cgs06 at 2:56 PM on May 18, 2005

Best answer: I've used Skype a lot. Since pc-to-pc is free, I am not complaining too much. Nevertheless, the connection quality varies a lot from call to call. I've had crystal clear connections, i.e. better than any phone line, but also very distorted, echo-y affairs.

It's pretty demanding with respect to bandwith. With a slower connection on either side, expect that the call is not full duplex: if one side speaks, the other is muted. This can result in chaos, especially if you're not using a headphone (echos!). The fan of my laptop can sometimes make a call impossible due to this.

A friend has used SkypeOut and was pretty satisfied with it, no complaints at all.
posted by swordfishtrombones at 3:05 PM on May 18, 2005

Skype and SkypeOut are great but normally only if you have broadband or, I think an ASDL / ISDN type connection. Dialup sucks. Im not sure how it works for internal US calls. My wife and I use both every day for conversations as far afield as Taiwan, S. America and Europe. We have used Skype + SkpeOut whilest travelling and on wireless networks as well.
posted by adamvasco at 3:08 PM on May 18, 2005

Best answer: I've used Skype (freebie computer to computer) both at home and in the office, though both are DSL-speed connections. I've been amazed at the audio quality of the calls (my previous experience with voice chat type things being Yahoo chat a few years back). The first time I used it at home, it had the quality and flow of a regular telephone call (again, this is to/from a DSL user).

I've noticed that the work connection has more latency issues and distortion at times (very minor and usually very brief) which I suspect are due to a firewall issue. The Skype website has instructions for improving audio quality from behind a firewall, but the issues have been so minor that I haven't bothered.
posted by filmgoerjuan at 3:08 PM on May 18, 2005

Headphones a must
posted by adamvasco at 3:09 PM on May 18, 2005

Install it and give me a call.
sean.bamforth is my moniker. I've been dying to try it since installing it.
posted by seanyboy at 3:09 PM on May 18, 2005

I use Skype all the time. It's like a mediocre calling card if you're on broadband - a bit of lag time, occasionally someone will cut out for a bit. I've tried to use it to talk to dialup users - the main limitation has been their upload speeds. They could hear me reasonably well, but almost nothing got through to me. Thus, my guess is dialup-to-dialup or dialup-to-landline will be impracticably bad.
posted by louigi at 3:11 PM on May 18, 2005

I use Skype to keep in touch with my girlfriend, who works in England while I live in Spain. Computer to computer is variable - her machine seems to pick up a lot of noise from somewhere and it can be difficult. SkypeOut - computer to 'phone - is excellent and ridiculously cheap for international calls. SkypeIn - phone to computer - is kinda cute, but I've hardly used it - no-one ever calls me! :: sniff ::
posted by benzo8 at 3:36 PM on May 18, 2005

I tried to use skype from my dial-up connection to a friend who used DSL. The sound quality was ok, but there was a major lag and it made conversation really tough (we gave up after a couple attempts). Personally I wouldn't recommend it with dialup.
posted by jheiz at 3:43 PM on May 18, 2005

my parents have dial-up, i believe. i have cable. we talk fine with skype.
posted by andrew cooke at 3:58 PM on May 18, 2005

Ditto headphones a must. However, other than that caveat, skype is great. Use it for gaming, and the only time I've ever noticed any problems is someone using a mic/speaker combo rather than headphones. Appears to be okay on dialup connections, based on the one person I know who's still on 56K ;-)
posted by WolfDaddy at 4:02 PM on May 18, 2005

I use it cable -> cable with my parents all the time (we are both cheap), and I find that the voice quality is better than what I get with my cordless home phone (900GHz Panasonic yada yada...). I use a cheapo (duh) headset that came free with Encarta or something. I have no direct evidence regarding use on a dialup connection.
posted by misterbrandt at 4:30 PM on May 18, 2005

I use Skype regularly to speak with a co-worker in Thailand. We are both using laptops with the bult in speaker and mic over broadband, and it works great.
posted by gregariousrecluse at 4:43 PM on May 18, 2005

I use both Skype and Skype Out.

Both parties on broadband is a long-distance relationship gift from the heavens.

Skype out to cell phone with free minutes is the second best option, with pretty good audio quality and connection.

Skype with one party on dial-up and the other on broadband is an echo-y, disconnecting, time-lagging exercise in frustration.

I never would have known about Skype at all except for AskMefi - I'm sure if you check you'll find previous threads on this subject in the archives.

Good luck!
posted by Space Kitty at 4:46 PM on May 18, 2005

Skype, Skype Out and Skype In with broadband are great in almost all cases. I use it for all my long distance calls. Nobody has ever complained about how I sound.

I know some people who were able to use it with satisfactory reliability over dial-up and others who almost never got it to work. It must depend on your ISP and the real throughput of your connection.

Just try it and see.
posted by Geo at 8:16 PM on May 18, 2005

I use Skype and SkyeOut for calling between Africa and the US or Europe. Mostly its fine, but I'm on ADSL. The main problem with SkypeOut seems to be when calling a number that has a private switchboard, such as businesses and hotels, then its usually impossible to use. Skype(ADSL) to Skype(cable) between Africa and Belgium works great! I'm on a headphone, the inlaws are using a telephone-like handset we bought them.
posted by Goofyy at 7:23 AM on May 19, 2005

Love skype. It can work well with out headsets. I use the speakers in my laptop and the mic built in to my Logitech QuickCam Orbit and it is better than the long distance I get thru my Telco.
posted by Mitheral at 1:05 PM on May 25, 2005