Stupid Skype / Pulseaudio Fix

[KillerKiwi]

Ok this is tested on hardy with standard pulse audio setup, its a bit clunky but I prefer it over dmix hacks.

Create a script

gedit ~/bin/pause_pulse


#!/bin/sh
# temporarily pause pulseaudio so I can use Skype or whatever
pasuspender -- /usr/bin/zenity --info --text "Click OK to resume Pulseaudio"


Make it executable
chmod +x ~/bin/pause_pulse

Ok now setup skype


Fire up skype goto options
Goto notifications tab
Click the advanced view button
Select Incoming ring call
check the "execute script" checkbox
paste in ~/bin/pause_pulse (this might require the full path)
click apply
Select Outgoing ring call
check the "execute script" checkbox
paste in ~/bin/pause_pulse (this might require the full path)
click apply


That's it.. when a call starts you that will trigger pasuspender.. just click the button to start pulse sound again

It not perfect but I can at least use skype again...

EDIT: Also useful is to make a panel icon that runs the script.. gives you a bit more control

[psyke83]

Hi there,

Your solution works, but there are disadvantages. PulseAudio will be blocked from using the sound card while your script is active (unless your card supports hardware mixing, perhaps).

It seems Debian have recently fixed some bugs in the "pulse_pcm" driver for ALSA, meaning that Skype can now work correctly with PulseAudio (providing your system is configured correctly). The latest version of Skype is also available in OSS form, meaning that the "padsp" wrapper is an option; both of these solutions work better than using "pasuspender", as Skype will no longer hog the sound card, even during a call.

See my HOWTO (Step A, C and General Tips is probably what you need to follow) here: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=4928900

[simplyw00x]

I'm on Fedora 9 and this is absolutely brilliant! It might be worth pointing out that you'll probably have to change the devices in Skype's audio settings from 'default' to use this script though. And psyke83, wonderful, but I would assume rawhide's packages are newer than Debian's, and it's still not working for me. Also, the padsp/skype OSS solution results in unusably-stuttering sound.

[KillerKiwi]

Hi there,

Your solution works, but there are disadvantages. PulseAudio will be blocked from using the sound card while your script is active (unless your card supports hardware mixing, perhaps).

It seems Debian have recently fixed some bugs in the "pulse_pcm" driver for ALSA, meaning that Skype can now work correctly with PulseAudio (providing your system is configured correctly). The latest version of Skype is also available in OSS form, meaning that the "padsp" wrapper is an option; both of these solutions work better than using "pasuspender", as Skype will no longer hog the sound card, even during a call.

See my HOWTO (Step A, C and General Tips is probably what you need to follow) here: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=4928900

I know it stops other sounds... but that is actually what I want when I'm on the phone ;) I'm hoping pulse will have a way of doing this semi-automatic in the future.. no idea how you would UI it though

Good to see a fix is on its way

I tried the OSS version, the sound quality was terrible, lots of pops and crackles

[mikelito]

I had unbearably cracky sound with OSS version. Just wanted to suggest a slight improvement to the workaround: if one uses

pasuspender -- /usr/bin/zenity --notification --text "Resume Pulseaudio"

zenity produces a less intrusive notification area icon, which reenables pulseaudio when clicked. one can also give a --window-icon=XXX.png option to select the icon to be used.

I think the workaround is OK, until the skype developers decide to make it pulseaudio-compatible, or I get pissed off and start using Ekiga ;-)

thanks for the idea.

[psyke83]

I'm on Fedora 9 and this is absolutely brilliant! It might be worth pointing out that you'll probably have to change the devices in Skype's audio settings from 'default' to use this script though. And psyke83, wonderful, but I would assume rawhide's packages are newer than Debian's, and it's still not working for me. Also, the padsp/skype OSS solution results in unusably-stuttering sound.

I have Fedora 9 installed as well, and it doesn't work because the required configuration is not set by default. See this bug: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/pulseaudio/+bug/198453 (yes, it applies to Fedora as much as Ubuntu).

[athianos]

I love you. Truly.

Worked a treat!

[nidelius]

I have tried with a lot of different ways to get it working but banshee seems to lock up the driver and skype tells me the audiodriver is uavailable..

the terminal gives me the following output:

ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:874:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to open slave
ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:874:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to open slave
ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:874:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to open slave

[psyke83]

I have tried with a lot of different ways to get it working but banshee seems to lock up the driver and skype tells me the audiodriver is uavailable..

the terminal gives me the following output:

ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:874:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to open slave
ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:874:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to open slave
ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:874:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to open slave


This guide uses a poor workaround - it suspends the PulseAudio server while Skype is running. That means that either Skype or PulseAudio applications can play audio, but not both.

Look at this instead (with emphasis on the note for Skype in Appendix B): http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=789578