Chapter 9 Getting the Most out of Skype

Using Skype without Sitting at Your Computer

We have discussed many things that you can do with Skype. Now it is time to discuss how Skype can be used just as you use a regular telephone today. In Chapter 8 we talked about devices such as telephone gateways, telephone adapters, and Skype-enabled phones. In this chapter we discuss how to use these solutions to free yourself, your family, or your employees from sitting in front of a computer while receiving and making Skype calls.

Let’s make it clear: In this chapter we are only talking about Skype voice calls. If you want to make file transfers or chat, you still need to do those tasks the traditional way, sitting at your computer. To make and receive Skype voice calls, on the other hand, you do not need to be sitting at your computer. However, you must have your computer turned on at all times; but you will be free from having to sit at it while you make and receive Skype calls. If you take our recommendations to use a personal firewall software and a DSL/cable router device, you are safe from harm in leaving your computer on all the time. To reduce power consumption, just turn off your monitor.

A Word about REN

REN, which stands for ringer-equivalent number, is a measurement of how much ringing power certain telephone equipment takes. RENs are used in the United States to determine how many telephones you can connect to the same telephone line or device such as an adapter or gateway and still get them ringing properly (a typical telephone line can drive about a three to five REN load).

This is important because we are often asked how many telephones can be hooked up to a Skype gateway or Skype adapter. The answer is one, maybe two per port, and that is it! Anything more than one telephone per port will overload the device and cause quality issues and potentially damage the unit. So make it common practice to connect only one telephone to any device we discuss. If you have any questions, check with the manufacturer for specifications on the device to see if more than one telephone can be connected using a splitter or if it can be used to backhaul your home from the device. If you don’t know what backhaul means, then you don’t want to do it.

For the Home User (Windows Only)

Before we begin, the only currently available devices are for Windows-based computers. There are no Apple/Mac or Linux versions yet, but we expect there will be in the months to come. So for Apple/Mac and Linux users, reading this chapter is still a good idea because it will apply to you when a device or devices become available.

Let’s start by making some assumptions about what the majority of people have for telephones in their homes today. There are basically three configurations people tell us they have spread out throughout their homes:

• One cordless telephone base with an answering machine and multiple extensions
• One cordless telephone base with extensions and some older wired telephones
• One or two separate cordless telephones and older wired telephones

There are three types of devices that you will be able to use in your home that work with your existing telephone setup or that will replace your existing telephone setup. We covered these in Chapter 8, “Gateways, Adapters, and Skype-Enabled Phones.”

If you are like us and other “Skypers,” you have been using Skype for awhile and love it and are reading this book to figure out how to simplify your multiple telephones and integrate Skype. Or you are reading this book and wondering how to update your existing setup to be able to take full advantage of Skype.

Existing Cordless Telephone with Answering Machine

Let’s look at how to make Skype work “simply” with the optimal telephone setup. It will be up to you to figure out how to integrate everything you have into this optimal setup if you go outside what we are about to recommend.

So our first assumptions are:

• You just recently purchased a new cordless base unit with a built-in answering machine and three to four extensions and have retired all the wired telephones in your home.
• You still have your local and long distance telephone service.

Remember, this section is devoted to discussing how to start using Skype away from your computer; the next section discusses how to potentially reduce your telephone costs. The first goal is to get agreement from everyone in your home that using Skype is truly easy and that Skype can be used anywhere in your home, just like a normal telephone, with your existing telephone.

We are not recommending one type of device over another; our example is simply the most common configuration we have been told through e-mail and Web site inquiries that exists out in the real world or is the easiest for users to convert to.

The first step is to relocate your cordless base unit with or without an answering machine next to your computer. So start here and rearrange your telephones.

The second step is to purchase a Skype telephone gateway like the ones we discussed in Chapter 8. I use the VoSky (Actiontec) Internet Phone Wizard in the example and diagrams because it is what I use, but I also like the YapperBox and there are others, so don’t take what I use as an endorsement, since everyone has their own preferences. But if you are looking at purchasing a gateway, review the features, costs, availability, and compatibility in your country and get what you feel is best for your needs. Before we begin, the only currently available devices are for Windows-based computers. There are no Apple/Mac or Linux versions yet, but we expect these to begin appearing in the next few months. So for Apple/Mac and Linux users, reading this chapter is still useful because it will apply to you when such devices become available. A gateway has three connections—one or two for telephones, one for the local telephone service or landline, and a USB jack for connecting it to your computer. An adapter has only one telephone connector and one USB connector for your computer. There is one major reason to use a gateway over an adapter: A Skype telephone gateway allows your existing local/long distance service and Skype to share the same cordless base-station/handsets that you use today.

If you want Skype to remain separate from your local telephone service and you don’t mind potentially having two telephones on your desk, then a telephone adapter may suffice for you, but bear in mind that a gateway is only marginally more expensive than an adapter, a gateway likely uses newer technology, and does everything an adapter can and more. So my recommendation is to purchase a gateway. The final decision, as always, is yours.

Understanding the Basics … Telephone Gateway or Adapter

Unless you are positive you only need a telephone adapter, purchase a Skype telephone gateway like those available from VoSky or YapperNut.

I will assume you have the typical 2.4GHz or 5.8GHz cordless phone unit. If you have an older 900MHz cordless phone, it is time to upgrade. Do not forget the teenager factor! If you have one or more teenagers in your home, I suggest you consider getting two cordless base units—one for the teens to hookup to their computer and the other for main home use. Or you might decide to integrate the Skype gateway for the kids and leave the local telephone service for the adults, and then use one of the kids’ extensions when you want to talk with your Skype contacts or make inexpensive long distance calls.

By now we hope we have you thinking about how to set up your home phones and use Skype, so let’s now see how. We have already told you to relocate your cordless telephone base near your computer—actually within six feet, or two meters, because the USB cable for the telephone gateway is that long. You could purchase a USB extension cable if necessary to extend the reach.

Connecting the gateway is fairly straightforward. First read the instructions to see how to install the software that you need on your computer before connecting the gateway to your computer. Once you install the software that comes with your gateway, connect the gateway to your computer. After it is connected and Windows finds the new hardware, you are ready to take the next step. The following picture shows a typical DSL user’s configuration of a telephone gateway.

The following picture shows a typical cable modem user’s configuration of a telephone gateway:

1. After you install the software, plug the USB connector into an available USB slot on your computer.

2. Plug your telephone line coming from the wall or DSL filter into the jack labeled LINE.

3. Plug your cordless phone base into the PHONE jack and you are done.

The first test is to pick up the cordless phone that is connected to the gateway and make a few normal landline calls exactly as before. No extra digits are required to make normal local or long distance telephone calls as before. Both incoming landline and incoming Skype calls are also answered exactly as you would expect. The only difference is the ring tone, which will change to allow you to recognize the arrival of incoming Internet (Skype) calls.

So let us proceed to the second test, which will be to have someone you know call you Skype-to-Skype. Your gateway-connected cordless should ring distinctively as mentioned. The gateway senses that this is an Internet call and will switch automatically, so you just answer as normal. Hang up as usual to end the call, and if everything has worked as expected, we will are now ready to set up the phone to make outbound Skype calls very easily.

To tell the gateway you wish to make an Internet call, you need to press some extra buttons. In the case of the VoSky Internet Phone Wizard (IPW), it is two ‘pound’ keys (##). This will cause the IPW to switch to the Internet call mode. Any Skype or SkypeOut contact that has been assigned a two-digit speed-dial number (00 thru 99) on the PC can then be called simply by pressing the two digits associated with the Contact list entry. SkypeOut calls can also be dialed manually the same way you would using Skype at the computer, except you dial ‘00’ instead of ‘+’ to start the international dial string (e.g. 00 123 456 7890). This is simple enough that anyone in your home should be able to quickly learn how to use the cordless phone to make Skype or SkypeOut calls.

Since most telephones today have memory-dialing capability, you can optionally program your favorite Skype or SkypeOut speed-dial entries directly into the phone. For example, I have recorded ## pause 01 in the phone’s 01 memory location (and labeled it ‘Dad’s PC) to have it automatically launch a Skype-to-Skype speed-dial call my father’s PC. Similarly, location 02 is programmed with the SkypeOut number that would be used to dial my parents’ home phone (and it is labeled ‘Mom and Dad’).

To call my parents’ PC over the Internet using Skype or their home phone using SkypeOut, all I have to do is pick up my AT&T cordless phone, scroll through the memory-dial list, locate the correct entry visually, and press Talk. That’s all granny would have to learn once it’s all set up!

Most gateways should allow the cordless to be used in a similar fashion. As long as they are Skype-specific even telephone adapters should work out well. But if you are forced to populate a separate phone list on the gateway or adapter, I recommend looking elsewhere, because this should not be required. The device should be able to access and use the preexisting Skype contact list on the PC.

Replacing Your Existing Telephone System

If you want to know what to replace your older telephone setup with to start over, seriously look at a 5.8GHz telephone that can take as many extensions as you need and has a built-in answering machine. Or take a look at a telephone like the Dualphone that has multiple extensions and does both Skype and regular telephone calls. You might need to purchase an answering machine, too, because the Dualphone or any other Skype-enabled telephones do not come with an answering machine. If you still plan to use local and long distance carriers, you will need an answering machine unless you pay for an answering service through your local telephone company. If you are using a VoIP provider, as I do Vonage, which has voice mail, and Skype, which has voice mail, I still recommend buying a cordless device with an answering machine. By using my cordless phone answering machine for both Skype and my local or VoIP service, I can check my messages for both over the Internet using Skype for free. This setup provides you the flexibility of using any or all combinations of voice mail.

Skype Groups

Skype Groups are a way for a family to purchase SkypeOut credits and apply them to individual users to centrally manage the credits and billing. The group administrator can allocate Skype credit, SkypeIn numbers, and Skype voice mail to all members of the group. For information on Skype Groups, visit Skype’s Web site at www.skype.com/products/skypegroups/.

For the Small Business User (Windows Only)

We covered many of the small business possibilities in the “Home User” section; you can apply the same logic to a small business office with only a few telephones. The only exception is that a small business probably needs basic local and long distance service to send faxes because the number is locally recognized. You would not want to inform all your customers or clients of the telephone number change.

You could, however, use Skype the way we used to use the old WATS lines, early MCI calling cards, and other long distance carriers to save money, without having to enter the long access code. By adding Skype to a small business, you could allow access to much cheaper local toll and long distance calling. Think of Skype as a calling card that integrates with your existing equipment.

In the same ways you connect a home system, you could connect an additional cordless phone to a Skype telephone gateway and place an additional cordless phone on each desk for local toll and long distance needs. Keep in mind that the REN or power requirements of many of the multiline office phones might not work with the telephone gateways or adapters we discuss. Check with the manufacturer to see if the telephone system you have is compatible with the device. Keep in mind too that more devices for the small and medium-sized business are coming for applications just like yours.

Another option is to use a USB phone attached to each user’s computer and provide SkypeOut credits for long distances calls or a SkypeIn number to help reduce costs. If you have conference calls with remote employees, you could use Skype, SkypeOut, or SkypeIn for these conference calls. SkypeOut now supports free 800-number calls, so when you use SkypeOut to call a toll-free number, you are not charged SkypeOut credits. Employees could use their laptops from home or a hotel, use SkypeOut to join a conference call, or use SkypeIn to get hold of someone in the office. If you want something to integrate Skype into your company’s PBX, read the “Skype PBX Gateways” section of Chapter 15, “Future Skype-Enabled Devices,” to understand what is coming in this space.

Skype Groups

Skype Groups are a way for a business to purchase SkypeOut credits and apply them as a company to individual users to centrally manage the credits and billing. The group administrator can allocate Skype credit, SkypeIn numbers, and Skype voice mail to all members of the group. For information on Skype Groups, visit Skype’s Web site at www.skype.com/products/skypegroups/.

For the Medium-Sized and
Large Business User (Windows Only)

There is not much difference between the small and medium-sized business as far as Skype goes. You can use devices similar to the ones we discussed in the “Home User” section, to add portability. If you want something to integrate Skype into your company’s PBX, read the “Skype PBX Gateways” section of Chapter 15, “Future Skype-Enabled Devices,” to understand what is coming in this space. You could also have USB phones issued to employees to make their Skype calls look and feel just like a normal telephone call, as well as being less expensive in terms of local toll or long distance calling.

Consider this example. I worked for a bank with a collections department that called all over the state and often outside the state. These collection department employees could have used Skype with USB phones and SkypeOut to significantly reduce the local toll and long distance costs. Many legitimate telemarketing companies do a large amount of local toll and long distance calling that could benefit from SkypeOut calls as well. If you have a large support organization, you could also use Skype or SkypeIn to reduce costs.

If you have conference calls with remote employees, you could use Skype, SkypeOut, and SkypeIn for these calls. SkypeOut now supports free 800-number calls, so when you use SkypeOut to call a toll-free number, you are not charged SkypeOut credits. Employees could use their laptops from home or a hotel, use SkypeOut to join a conference call, or use SkypeIn to get hold of someone in the office.

I do a lot of conference calls, and many companies reimburse employees for a home office telephone every month. With the exception of needing to fax documents, Skype can replace the need for a remote office landline. Also, most of us in the business world have cell phones, so between cell phones and Skype, you might be able to combine the services and save your company communication expenses. The larger the company, the larger the potential telecommunication cost savings using Skype.

If you want to be able to make Skype calls without being at your computer, we cover “Being Mobile with Skype” in Chapter 10. You can also use any of the cordless or wireless options mentioned in Chapter 8. In the medium-sized to large company, the dynamics of the need for telephone service are much more complex, and solutions where Skype may be used might be very tactical in nature—for example, telecommuters only or warehouse workers using WiFi devices. You will have to look at all the factors in deciding what solution to integrate and still be able to support it using your existing Help Desk staff. Take into account larger companies’ network complexities, as we discuss in Chapter 13. Also, many larger companies use corporate IP Phone solutions offered by Cisco, Nortel, and others to connect their companies internally over their existing data network, to carry free voice calls within the corporation. All these details have to be evaluated and the pros and cons weighed to determine how best to add a solution like Skype to a medium-sized or large company. Also take a look at Chapter 12, “Business Uses for Skype,” for more pertinent information.

Using Skype with Your Local and Long Distance Phone Service

This section is mostly targeted to the home user, but it can also apply to small and medium-sized businesses as well. Many people ask us, “Can Skype replace my existing telephone service?” The answer is, “It depends.” We covered some of this subject in a previous chapter, but here is where we give you some ideas for saving money by using Skype with your existing local and long distance telephone carrier or, as in my case, with a VoIP provider like Vonage. The following picture is of my home configuration, with the exception that I also have a fax machine connected in line with my cordless base.

You can read two detailed articles I wrote last year on the cost savings this system provided me on www.SkypeTips.com:

• www.skypetips.internetvisitation.org/articles/Vonage_and_skype.html
• www.skypetips.internetvisitation.org/articles/replacing_local_phone_service_with_Skype.html

The basic idea is that I reduced my telephone bill roughly 60 percent by replacing Ma Bell, as we call it here in the United States, with a combination of Vonage, Skype, SkypeIn, SkypeOut, and, of course, my cell phone, which I use predominantly for business. Even this setup I went to a year ago has allowed me to reduce the minutes of my cell phone plan and save my company money! As we discussed previously, Skype does not have 411 or 911 service, so to use Skype alone will limit some of your capabilities or needs. Not having 911 or the equivalent of an emergency service is also something you need to weigh and that we won’t recommend.

I have a cousin who has only Skype and his cell phone at his home and uses cable as his broadband provider. So there are options for you to consider before you go telling your local phone service to take a hike. British Telecom, for example, is so worried about solutions like Skype and other VoIP providers that it recently reduced its long distance rates to match or beat those of Skype.

In the United States, VoIP providers are required to provide e911 service that will allow emergency services to find your address when you call for help. Skype is not currently required to provide this service, because it is not a true telephone service provider. However, this could change in time as the growth in this area results in people not getting the emergency services they need, which is what led the United States to pass a law making it a requirement of companies like Vonage, Packet8, AT&T CallVantage, and Time Warner Digital phone to provide direct e911 emergency services..

So once you decide what you need as far as 411 information and 911 emergency services, you can then make a decision as to how to best reduce your regular telephone charges.

I use Vonage for three reasons: one, for the e911 service; two, for inbound and outbound faxes; and three, to have a second or third phone line. Now I use the cheaper monthly plan of US$15 per month for 500 minutes, since that is all I need because I have my cell phone, Skype, SkypeOut, and SkypeIn. Other VoIP providers like Time Warner charge US$39.95 for unlimited local and long distance service and have only one plan—all or nothing. Vonage, for example is US$20 per month less and limited to 500 minutes. I have not spent US$50 in long distance charges in almost two years with Skype and SkypeOut, so by adding Vonage and SkypeOut I saved significantly over my local telephone provider and the VoIP offering from my cable provider.

I was recently in Canada on business and had a conversation with a man who had purchased four cell phones with the minimal service of 500 minutes per phone and a family plan for himself, his wife, and their two children, both of whom live in different cities in Canada than he and his wife. He pays roughly $200 Canadian per month for all four phones and unlimited calls between the phones only. This is basically the cheapest plan that he found in Canada for his situation. The added benefit was the family plan for his family and his children, who are away at college, could call each other anytime for free, and he says it paid for itself in six months.

Could Skype replace this setup and save money? Well, yes, at first glance, when you see the $200 per month figure. But the reality is that most of us already have cell phones, so we have already accepted the monthly cost of $30 or so. So now the added cost of the unlimited family plan is only adding $20 per user. This would be hard to replace with Skype or Vonage because we are so mobile these days, but this plan does require that all family members have the exact same cell carrier and the same cell plan, which in this case Dad pays for.

Most of us need to call more than family—in fact, I call friends and colleagues more than I call my family. Besides, I talk with my father mostly on Skype because he has been completely converted, as have his two brothers and their children. We are all Skypers and talk more with Skype than we did before Skype—so hey, I helped the family communicate more. Since there is little chance that everyone you know uses the same cell service and has the option to join these family plans, using Skype can save money if you hook it up so that even the least tech-savvy user can use it.

There is no doubt you can reduce to the minimum or eliminate your long distance calling plan by adding Skype and SkypeOut and thus save money. You could also potentially save money by replacing your local service with a VoIP provider, as I have with Vonage. My suggestion is to add and integrate Skype with your existing telephone system or replace your older system with a Skype-enabled telephone setup like Dualphone and then turn off or reduce your calling plans as you prove that the new setup is saving you money or that you have truly reduced your reliance on your local and long distance plans.

Understanding the Basics … Add Skype first

We recommend you add Skype to your existing plans and ensure it will save you money before you replace your existing services.

Making Video Calls with Skype

This topic of this section is, without a doubt, the nearest and dearest to my heart as far as Skype goes. We have discussed many aspects of Skype, but one that I find most interesting is the use of Skype to make video calls with your family, friends, and colleagues. We refer to video calls that you make with Skype as personal video calls, in contrast with the business solutions that are full-blown videoconferencing solutions that cost more and demand more from network resources.

I use Skype with a couple different add-ons and with MSN Messenger to make great-quality video calls with my six-year-old daughter when I am traveling on business or every other weekend when she is with her mom. I also use Skype to talk with my parents, who live 1,400 miles away in Utah, which includes my daughter participating in video calls with her grandparents and even great-grandparents who now live with my parents.

Video calls are the next big wave that will sweep the Skype community and other IM products as they strive to compete with Skype. Imagine not only being able to talk with your family, friends, and colleagues but also see them in real time via video. There are so many applications for video technology that the list is endless. Some examples are:

• Keeping in touch with your children when you travel on business
• Keeping in touch with family
• Keeping in touch with friends
• Business meetings
• Remote education
• Non-custodial parents with their children
• “Empty nesters” when the children go away to college or move away from home
• Communicating with family in elder care facilities
• Hearing-impaired community

Personal Video Calls

We define personal video calls as video calls that are between two people only. There are solutions that allow more than two people to participate, but for the home broadband space, we recommend only two users until the speed catches up with the technology and the video technology improves to allow higher-quality video sent in a smaller payload to more people. For now we focus on two-person video calls. If you want to try the multiuser solutions and they work for your needs, by all means let us know what you find and what your application is for video calls.

Currently two video add-on solutions are available for Skype as well as a separate product that you can use with Skype to have a great video call. Here are some important things you need to know before you can do video calls:

• Upload speed of your broadband connection
• Webcam selection
• Screen size or screen resolution
• Lighting
• Bandwidth requirements of the video call solution
• Frame rate vs. image quality

We provide an overview of making video calls, since the subject is a book in itself— which is why shortly after this book is released, I will be releasing another book on everything you need to know to make great video calls with your family, friends, and colleagues. Watch our Web sites, www.SkypeTips.com and www.VideoCallTips.com, for the release of the video call book, Making Video Calls: Using Skype, MSN Messenger, SightSpeed, iChatAV with Your Webcam Along with Other Solutions to Make Video Calls.

That book will also cover topics such as cell phone video calls, Pocket PC video calls, specialized hardware to make video calls, and many business videoconferencing solutions— even Web-based conferencing solutions.

Upload Speed

First, video calls require a high-speed broadband Internet connection—the faster, the better. Video is one option that can use up every bite of speed your Internet connection can provide. Most important, the upload speed of the Internet connection is key to making and having good video calls. The minimum upload speed for having a decent video call is 128Kbps, but we recommend your broadband connection have at least:

• 200Kbps upload speed
• 1Mbps Download speed

Of course, if you can get more speed than this for a reasonable cost, by all means, do it! There is a simple rule for video calls: You can never have too much bandwidth. Also keep in mind that both sides of the video call need high-speed connections. Your video call will be only as good as the slowest Internet connection between the users participating in the video call.

Internet Speed Tests

You can go to the following Web sites to run a speed test to find out your Internet speed. Be sure to select a site that will provide you both the upload and download speeds:

• www.dslreports.com/stest
• www.internetfrog.com

Webcam Choice

The first piece of equipment you need to have a video call is a webcam. These are readily available at any computer store, office supply, or any online store. The three big vendors of webcams are Logitech, Creative, and Ezonics, with Logitech the largest, and in my opinion, the best. I use and recommend the high-end Logitech webcams like the Quickcam 4000 and 5000 and Quickcam Pro for notebooks. Two types of webcam sensor make up the bulk of all webcams:

• CCD sensor
• CMOS sensor

The only webcams we recommend you consider are those using CCD sensors. The CCD sensor provides a crisper video and better lighting than the older CMOS sensors. On my www.VideoCallTips.com site you can find the latest updated information about webcams and all the solutions and tips you’ll need to start making great-quality video calls.

Understanding the Basics … Webcam Selection

The better the webcam, the better the image quality. When it comes to webcams, you get what you pay for.

Screen Size or Screen Resolution

When you first start to participate in video calls, you will wonder why the video screen tends to default to the size of a credit card. This is because the video codecs used are 320 × 240 resolution by default. You cannot change this setting. Each provider controls the video codec they use and how big the image will be due to the size of video that can be consistently sent over broadband connections without overwhelming the connection.

Many of the solutions have a full-screen option, and you will notice the picture gets grainy or “pixilated” when it’s viewed full screen. This is the same concept of taking a small photograph and blowing it up to a full page. You will get a grainier picture from increasing the size. Increasing the size of a video call window does not increase the data you send or receive, only the size of the picture you view.

Full-screen video is the reason the resolution of your screen and monitor will be important when you make video calls. The larger resolution your monitor and video card can support, the more pixilated the full-screen video will become. To minimize this issue, you can set your computer’s screen resolution to a lower setting.

• 640 x 480 Optimal for full screen
• 800 x 600 Better in full screen
• 1024 x 768 Good in full screen
• 1280 x 1024 Gets pixilated in full screen
• 1600 x 1280 Will produce a poor image in full screen

Understanding the Basics … Screen Resolution

For the best full screen video call, use the lowest setting your video card and monitor can support and that you are comfortable with.

Lighting

Lighting is important because it can cause a washout if the lighting is too bright or a grainy picture if there is not enough light—or if a light source is behind a user and the camera can see it, there will be a sunspot on your video. Try to illuminate the front of your face for best results.

Understanding the Basics … Lighting for Video Calls

To have a crisp video call, be sure to light the front of your face and turn off all overhead lights and lighting behind you.

Bandwidth Requirements

Each video call application uses a different amount of bandwidth. The amount it uses directly controls the quality or crispness of the video and the frame rate in which the video is sent and received. The general rule of thumb is the more frame rate used, the larger the video data being sent, thus requiring more bandwidth from your broadband connection.

Solutions that use less frame rate versus better image quality will take up less bandwidth. MSN Messenger, for example, has a very crisp picture but a slower frame rate. Many solutions give you the ability to adjust frame rate versus quality to best suit your broadband connection.

Frame Rate versus Image Quality

One of the factors you will notice in selecting a video call solution to use with Skype will be the trade-off between frame rate and image quality. As we just mentioned, the sharper the image, the fewer frames per second or fluid motion you will send and receive. The lower-quality image you send and receive, the faster frame rate or fluid motion you will have. Think of it this way: The better the image, the slower the video movement, and the faster the video movement, the lower the quality of the image. This is all due to the bandwidth limitations of broadband we have at home.

As we see faster broadband connections being offered, we will see better quality and faster frame rates for video calls. For now, you will see a trade-off between image quality and frame rate in the video call solutions, and you have to select what you like best. Regardless, the options for video calls with Skype are pretty good, and the experience you will have will be very good if you have a decent broadband connection.

Video Call Solutions

Here we discuss three applications that work well with Skype. Two of them are direct add-ons that work with Skype; the other is a completely different solution but worth looking at. The three applications are:

• Spontania Video4IM Skype plug-in
• Santa Cruz Networks Festoon Skype plug-in
• MSN Messenger Stand-alone solution for webcam only

NOTE

These video call applications work only with Microsoft Windows. For solutions that work with Windows and Apple, please read my forthcoming book on video calls, mentioned earlier in this chapter.

As we discussed earlier, an important aspect of video calls is the bandwidth required by the application. Will it be choppy over slower DSL or wireless hotspot broadband connections, or is the application designed for these slower connections? The slowest broadband connections you will most likely find are in public hotspots, hotels, or, some cases, your home DSL broadband connection. These applications will work well from home and hotels with good bandwidth and with or without NAT, but you could have issues if you are behind a corporate firewall and need to set a proxy server, as discussed in Chapters 6 and 13.

If you have a slower broadband connection, selecting a video call application that works well over slower connections, as well as over faster connections, will most likely be the best choice for you. Also, the more simple the features, the better for slower connections. Festoon, for example, can handle multiparty video calls. This requires more bandwidth and thus would not be the best choice for video calls in slower broadband situations.

We recommend that you test each application for your environment and decide which one works best for you. We point out some strong points and weaknesses of each of the video call applications to help you make a choice for your video call experience. Or you might decide to use all of them, since different people use different applications. I use three or four different video call applications on a regular basis. As long as they play well together and release the webcam when the application is minimized, you can run multiple plug-ins or applications and be ready for anyone who wants to do a video call with you.

Understanding the Basics … Webcam Released When Minimized

A good video call application releases the webcam when minimized so that other applications can share the webcam when needed. Avoid video call applications that do not release the webcam when minimized, unless you know it is the only application you will ever use.

Getting Started

The first step is to install the webcam driver and application software and make sure your webcam is working with the webcam application before you begin to test any video call applications. This will help ensure that your webcam is not the issue if you run into problems testing various video call applications. Also be sure to use a supported webcam that the vendor supports. If your webcam is older than three years, be sure to check that the vendor supports your webcam. A general rule of thumb is, if the webcam has Windows XP drivers, it should work fine.

The screen shots that are shown in the following section were all taken during the same time of day to give you some perspective on the differences between the products.

Spontania Video4IM

One of the simpler video call plug-ins is Spontania’s Video4IM. This application is still in beta testing but is a simple add-in for Skype that allows you to have good video calls with other Skype users. Let’s look at some advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages

• Simple interface
• Both picture-in-picture and side-by-side video screens
• Full-screen capability with or without picture-in-picture
• Low bandwidth use
• Works in most environments
• Works well over a good WiFi connection

Disadvantages

The full screen is not adjustable.

Where to Get Video4IM

After you have verified that your webcam is installed, you will need to download Spontania Video4IM from www.video4im.com.

Once you install Video4IM, Skype will pop up a screen that asks you if it is OK for Spontania4IM.exe to be allowed to use Skype. Select Allow this program to use Skype, as shown in the following screen:

When Video4Im starts, you will see the following screen. Here you can test your webcam to make sure everything is working.

If your webcam is installed correctly, all you have to do is select the icon or the button to start your webcam. You should see yourself on the screen, similar to the way the following picture shows me:

Here is a full-screen picture from Video4IM.

This full-screen picture has the option of picture-in-picture as well in the lower-right corner so the sender can see him or herself.

Focus your webcam and you are now ready to make a video call with another Skype user who has Video4IM. Just close Video4IM and you should see the icon in the taskbar.

Before you can use Video4IM automatically with a Skype call, you should enable two option settings:

• Start with any video call This option allows you to start a video call with any incoming Skype call or invite users who do not have Video4IM installed. If both users have this option selected, the video call will automatically start when the Skype call is answered. If you’d rather be prompted to start a video call, do not select this item.
• Run with Skype Video4IM will be launched any time Skype starts.

Understanding the Basics … Video4IM Options

We recommend setting Run with Skype as a minimum setting so that Video4IM is always available to you for a video call.

Making a Video Call with Video4IM and Skype

Before you attempt a video call with one of your Skype contacts, you should first be sure you have the Video4IM icon in your taskbar. When you place a Skype call to one of your contacts who has Video4IM, you will see the following screen appear as Video4IM checks to see that the other contact has Video4IM installed.

After the Skype call is established, if you both have Video4IM installed and selected, Video4IM will start a video call automatically. If your other contact does not have selected, you will be presented with the following screen:

If your contact does not have Video4IM installed, you will see a screen similar to this one:

You can invite your contact to use Video4IM with a chat message that looks like the following:

Your contact will then be able to follow the URL in the chat message and download Video4IM to start having Video Calls with you. For more information and details on using Video4IM, please read the forthcoming book, Making Video Calls. We will announce the release on www.SkypeTips.com and www.VideoCallTips.com when it is available.

Santa Cruz Networks Festoon (Formerly VSkype)

Santa Cruz Networks makes VidiTel, a full-featured videoconferencing solution targeted mostly to businesses. Festoon, its latest edition, is a Skype video add-on and has many different options than the other two solutions mentioned. This product, like Video4IM, is still in beta testing, and getting all the bugs worked out. This solution is more targeted toward companies that want multiple users and presentation capabilities, but you could also use it for family fun, with its EyeCandy special effects and multiuser capabilities.

Advantages

• Screen size options
• Full-screen capability for both video screens
• Desktop sharing for remote viewing only
• Special fun features; EyeCandy special effects
• Up to 200 users, with eight displayed
• Low bandwidth use

Disadvantages

• Slow connection time; takes 30–60 seconds to connect
• Slow frame rate
• Long delay in sending video
• Interface not intuitive
• Full screen interferes with sender’s picture
• Has advertising

Where to Get Festoon

After you have verified that your webcam is installed, you will need to download Festoon from www.festooninc.com.

Once you install Festoon, Skype will pop up a screen that asks you if it is OK for Festoon.exe to be allowed to use Skype. Select Allow this program to use Skype, as shown in the following screen:

When Festoon launches, you will see the Festoon icon in the taskbar. You have two ways to launch Festoon for a video call. One is to double-click the icon in the taskbar or the icon that is added to Skype. Or you can access Festoon from the Video menu that is added to Skype as a result of the Festoon installation. Either way, your computer will launch the invitation screen as shown here:

Here you select a contact you want to have a video call with, and click Start Call. The video call will invite the other user to start a call via a chat message or to download Festoon, as the next screen shows:

Once an invitation is accepted, Festoon will start, and you will be in the main program, as the following screen indicates:

Festoon also allows for multiparty calls, as the following screen shows—me and Scooby Doo:

Festoon also enables you to adjust the screens to any size you want by double-clicking any one of the video screens. This will open a new, separate window that you can size and place on your desktop as you want. The following screen shows a full-screen image:

Festoon also has some fun features called EyeCandy that add special effects to the sender’s video. The following screen shows the oh-so-wise video Skyper:

For more information and details on using Festoon, please read the forthcoming book, Making Video Calls. We will announce the release on www.SkypeTips.com and www.VideoCallTips.com when it is available.

Microsoft MSN Messenger

MSN Messenger offers a good example of how and why you might want to use multiple IM applications. MSN Messenger has a good webcam option and just added full-screen capability with version 7.5. Unfortunately, the audio portion is not as good as Skype and is nowhere near as network-friendly, requiring custom configuration in many cases.

So why not use the best of both? I use MSN Messenger and Skype together when doing video calls with my six-year-old daughter. Of course, this means that both sides that want to perform a video call also have MSN Messenger accounts. So start off by getting MSN Messenger up and running for IM. There is nothing you will need to do to Skype to allow MSN Messenger to work. You are basically using two different applications at the same time to have a video call.

Advantages

• Simple interface
• Top-to-bottom video screens
• Full-screen capability with picture-in-picture
• Low bandwidth use
• Works in most environments
• Works well over a good WiFi connection
• Nice video quality

Disadvantages

• Uses two applications and two accounts
• Slower frame rate than other video call solutions (depends on bandwidth)
• Audio is not a good as Skype’s
• Audio does not work under all configurations
• Full screen is not adjustable
• MSN interface has advertising

Where to Get MSN Messenger

After you have verified that your webcam is installed, you will need to download MSN Messenger from http://messenger.msn.com/xp/downloadDefault.aspx.

After you have MSN working on both sides and are able to do IM, you start the video call process by establishing a Skype call with the contact you want to have a video call with. You can do this first or second, it does not matter. Next start a MSN Messenger video call by selecting the icon at the top of the MSN Messenger screen.

Here I have captured a video call with MSN Messenger 7.5 to show you the quality compared with that of the other applications:

To keep MSN Messenger from providing audio feedback, you must mute the MSN Messenger microphone and speaker on one side of the video call. You can mute both sides if you want, but it is not required. You can mute the MSN Messenger mic by selecting the icon on the top right of the sender’s video screen so that the receiving audio is disabled. The icon will then look like . Also select the icon so that the sending audio is also disabled; it will then look like .

Now you can have a good video call using Skype for audio and MSN Messenger for video.

Understanding the Basics … MSN Messenger Audio

Be sure to mute both the speaker and microphone on one side of the MSN Messenger video call to prevent audio feedback between MSN and Skype.

To make MSN Messenger go to full screen, select the icon in the upper-right corner of the receiving video image, and you will see the following screen. Notice that the quality is not as good as it was when the screen was smaller because it pixilated the image as it was enlarged.

For more information and details on using MSN Messenger, please read the forthcoming book, Making Video Calls. We will announce the release on www.SkypeTips.com and www.VideoCallTips.com when it is available.