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Kristin Lennox
Flight Attendant
Joined: 30 Apr 2011
Posts: 858
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 Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2017 8:36 am Post subject: Skype update... does it suck as badly as it seems? |
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I had a directed session this morning, so I used Skype, like I always have, to call her cell phone. The call totally dropped about fifteen minutes in, then every time I tried to dial her back, it beeped then hung up.
I had to use a cell phone to finish the session. Fortunately, it was a producer-friend, so she was totally cool with it... but has this happened to anyone else? Is it time to ditch Skype? Should I try to revert back to Old Skype?
If I'm going to switch to something else, it needs to be easy -- there's not much room left in my brain for more tech stuff... {sigh}
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Bruce
Boardmeister
Joined: 06 Jun 2005
Posts: 7977
Location: Portland, OR
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| Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2017 9:21 am Post subject: |
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Skype just forced me to update this morning... wouldn't run the previous version. I'll let you know if it craps out. It has been amazingly stable the past couple of years. I've had as many as four clients call into a session and it's worked well.
B
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I'm not a Zoo, but over the years I've played one on radio/TV. . |
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FinMac
Lucky 700
Joined: 14 Jan 2013
Posts: 707
Location: In a really cool place...Finland!
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| Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2017 9:28 am Post subject: Last week |
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Just Skyped with someone last week. It broke up tons of times so we ended our conversation. He thought it was on his end but I have my doubts.
Will try again next Monday and see if it is any better.
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www.scottsvoiceover.com - An American voice in Finland
"If you want to get to the top, you have to get off your bottom". (Unknown) |
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Eddie Eagle
M&M
Joined: 23 Apr 2008
Posts: 2393
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| Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2017 11:11 am Post subject: |
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If it's just a connection you need Source Connect Now is not a bad alternative.
You have to run it on Chrome though. |
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Kristin Lennox
Flight Attendant
Joined: 30 Apr 2011
Posts: 858
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| Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2017 11:16 am Post subject: |
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| Eddie Eagle wrote: | | If it's just a connection you need Source Connect Now is not a bad alternative. |
I thought of that, and it would be good to connect with someone on their computer. But if I need to call someone's phone number, or call into a conference call, I need something else.
What about Google Hangouts? Would that be a good substitute?
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Always look on the bright side of life.
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Eddie Eagle
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Joined: 23 Apr 2008
Posts: 2393
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| Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2017 12:47 pm Post subject: |
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Never used Hangouts so I'm no good  
WhatsApp may be a good alternative. |
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Art
Contributor III
Joined: 27 Sep 2017
Posts: 78
Location: Atlanta, GA, USA
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| Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2017 12:54 pm Post subject: |
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I used to use Skype to do an hour-long podcast. Sometimes it was so flawless it sounded like the guest was in the same room with me, other times it was a nightmare of calling people back repeatedly after dropped calls and quite embarrassing. The latter case seemed to happen most when someone was using the Skype a on a phone.
Something that improved the frequency of smooth experiences was setting Skype to a high priority in my router. Here's the PC Magazine article where I learned to do this:
https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2400354,00.asp
You may already know about that, but it's what worked for me.
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Kristin Lennox
Flight Attendant
Joined: 30 Apr 2011
Posts: 858
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| Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2017 1:42 pm Post subject: |
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| Art wrote: | | Something that improved the frequency of smooth experiences was setting Skype to a high priority in my router. |
Thanks for that tip! Have you tried it since the upgrade?
Unfortunately I'm reading horror story after horror story of Skype fails after the upgrade, so I fear not much will help it.
Why'd they mess with it??
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Always look on the bright side of life.
Dee doo. Dee doot doot doo dee doo.
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Art
Contributor III
Joined: 27 Sep 2017
Posts: 78
Location: Atlanta, GA, USA
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| Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2017 2:23 pm Post subject: |
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| Kristin Lennox wrote: | | Thanks for that tip! Have you tried it since the upgrade? |
I haven't, but changing the router setting might help a little.
I always hope each update is to keep hackers from eavesdropping, but who knows?
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Deirdre
Czarina Emeritus
Joined: 10 Nov 2004
Posts: 13023
Location: Camp Cooper
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| Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2017 4:43 pm Post subject: |
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This latest "upgrade" has made it nearly impossible to use. Not the connexion per se, but the interface is farking narts.
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Mike Harrison
M&M
Joined: 03 Nov 2007
Posts: 2029
Location: Equidistant from New York City and Philadelphia, along the NJ Shore
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| Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2017 4:50 pm Post subject: |
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Wow. Sounds like quite the nightmare. Who owns Skype?
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Mike
Male Voice Over Talent
I have taken leave of my sensors.
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Kristin Lennox
Flight Attendant
Joined: 30 Apr 2011
Posts: 858
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| Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2017 9:20 pm Post subject: |
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I just don't think I can trust using it anymore... I got lucky that this was a very casual session -- if it were with a new producer/company, I'd be mortified. 
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Always look on the bright side of life.
Dee doo. Dee doot doot doo dee doo.
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Matto
Club 300
Joined: 27 Nov 2007
Posts: 391
Location: Vancouver Island, British Columbia
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| Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2017 10:30 pm Post subject: |
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If it's calling out, I use ipDTL.
I've also had clients call me on Zoom.us (using both phone and computers)
I'm still trying to find a good option for patching in my VOIP office line to my studio. I use the service Ooma, but they currently don't have a way to call from your computer.
My trust in Skype evaporated into a minuscule fizzle of nothingness after they led me through some horrifyingly poor process to try to regain access to my principal (and paid) account. Their customer service department is practically non-existent. The story is so long, it's just not worth it.
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FinMac
Lucky 700
Joined: 14 Jan 2013
Posts: 707
Location: In a really cool place...Finland!
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| Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2017 10:39 pm Post subject: |
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| Mike Harrison wrote: | | Wow. Sounds like quite the nightmare. Who owns Skype? |
It was started in Estonia, but it was bought by Microsoooft 
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www.scottsvoiceover.com - An American voice in Finland
"If you want to get to the top, you have to get off your bottom". (Unknown) |
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Tim Jackson
Joined: 21 Nov 2017
Posts: 23
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
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| Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2017 10:50 pm Post subject: |
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| Kristin Lennox wrote: |
What about Google Hangouts? Would that be a good substitute? |
Sound quality on Hangouts is horrible at all times, not just on a slow connection.
Skype will sound pretty decent and stay pretty stable if both ends are on wired connections or if you use Skype to call a landline. If anyone uses wireless it doesn't work as well (including any connection on a cell phone).
The overall quality of using ipDTL or BodalgoCall or anything that uses the Opus codec are better than Skype, but they still need wired connections for good results. |
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