Skype on iBurst

[ic]

IC there is a interesting website.

www.testyourvoip.com

I usually get between 3 - 4 on both iburst and isdn, which is rated between a crummy cell phone (3) and a good cell phone (4). which is kinda how i would describe it.
Run it and let us know what you score.

Thanks Dave, I will give it a try a bit later & post the results here .

 

[Gatecrasher]

Nice link, Dave. Going to try that tonight.

I've been dying to use Skype seriously, but still having troubling convincing distant relatives/friends to install and use it.

And there's only so many times you can phone that bird in Estonia.

 

[Daveogg]

Welcome to skype testing site................... Jeez i know it off by heart

 

[Crash]

Me 3... Skype for Linux works 100%. Easy to install.

 

[Amber]

I installed Skype today and it's lovely. Works very well with iBurst.

 

[Gatecrasher]

Hmmm, well here are my results:

Boston 2.3
Helsinki 2.6
London 3.3
Montreal 2.6
San Jose 2.5
Sydney 2.1

Not too hot, really. I also tried the Estonian lass again, and the voice and playback broke up a few times. Its always been perfect before. Maybe this is all symptomatic of the current Iburst bandwidth saga.

 

[ic]

Please feed my thread iBursters...

I actually forgot all about running that test - I will go do so shortly, inbetwixt I would like to draw your collective VoIP attentionings to:

After 2 months of VoIP being legal in SA, methinks we should find out just how many of us forumites are regularly using Skype & VoIP in general - perhaps we need to have a polling thread with a bunch of multiple choice type options - like the current iBurst polling thread I'm advertising in my signature this month...

I have just created a thread in the O/T forum, please feed my thread by posting your VoIP survey ideas in it:

[post=187786]Your ideas about VoIP in a survey / polling thread...[/post]

Thanks .

 

[markslingsby]

THere are some nice new facilities skype has just released. Voicemail & SkypeIn. So you can purchase a number in the US. And people can leave voicemail for you if you are not in.

 

[seburn]

Skype & Latency

This for ppl that might know how Skype works.

My question is:
Is Skype latency dependent -- This would be my initial thought
ie will a ping to local server (forget about international) influence the effective delays in a conversation. EG (isdn =ave 40 max 43/my iburst -ave 112 rare occation max 3150).

I do realise with being able to sent and recieve more data at one time they might work around large delays- does Skype do this?

Thx

 

[Daveogg]

Seburn
Voip in general is pretty latency dependant. There are basically two issues with latency, firstly the latency itself and secondly the variation in latency (jitter). Humans can not effectively "hear" latency of less than 250ms, so if you have a latency of 250 or less you will not notice any "lag". Speech is quite acceptible up to 500ms and with a bit of practice and someone you know quite well you can have a conversation up to 1000ms. Past that and you will be talking over each other.

Jitter is another problem on its own. Obviously the voice packets do not arrive at the same time, your voip protocol has a build in buffer usually 40-50ms worth of buffer, this obviously adds to the "lag" but allows the packets to be reassembled in the correct order. If a packet arrives outside its buffer period it will be discarded, you will then get breakup - similar to a cell phone in poor coverage area.

So to sumarise low latency low jitter = perfect voip
high latency low jitter = acceptable with some lag
high latency high jitter=forget it
Wrt skype if you are using skypeout the the quality of the pstn gateway that you will be using is also critical. For example skypeout to new zealand very acceptable skypeout in australia can be quite dodgy. I think that the exponential growth in skype has put some strain on their gateways with some more overloaded than they should be.

Their is an interesting site. www.testyourvoip.com which will test your connection and give you a score out of 5 as well as some info on your latency and jitter etc.
On IB i average about 3 which results in quite acceptable conversations. On isdn (storm) i can get up to 4.
Hope that helps. Dave

 

[LandyMan]

Their is an interesting site. www.testyourvoip.com which will test your connection and give you a score out of 5 as well as some info on your latency and jitter etc.
On IB i average about 3 which results in quite acceptable conversations. On isdn (storm) i can get up to 4.
Hope that helps. Dave

I've run this test a few times, and never get over 2 score. That being said, I still use Skype every day to Sweden and Holland, without any glitches. I do pick up some echo when I use it to someone in SA, but he is on a SLOW ADSL 512K

 

[Skypephones]

Is there a Skype Telephone directory out there for people who have Skype phones ? If not it might be good idea to get one going .

Hi GuRu,

One step ahead - to answer you proposed question: We are currently developing a phone-user, directory service (security and privacy policy in place), that will be included in our website, http://www.skypephones.co.za. We will keep you posted and let you know as soon as it becomes available.

Until then, happy Skyping!
The Skypephones Team

 

[fergus]

Ummm, out of interest who has Skype installed on Linux?

I'm using it on Linux. Works fine. I've also used it capped again without problems but that was on Windows.

 

[mbjohanl]

IC i have skype running on linux,

I also have a dual skype phone and it works like a charm.

Dylan

is it DUALphone the one from www.dualphone.net that you're using?
how does it works on linux since the software is only windows compatible?
i‘m. very interested in the cordless dualphone but i’m. not shore it will work under linux.

 

[TrueTenacity]

i can hear over iburst... but not talk... HELP???

 

[GuRu]

I have noticed that if both parties do not have the same version there can be problems with the audio. After a update usually sorts it out.

 

[TrueTenacity]

i'm using Skype for pc and they're using Skype for mac, i can hear them perfectly, but i can't send anything... just makes sound effects on the other side... any ideas?

 

[LandyMan]

Today is a free SkypeOut day

Go and claim your minutes now!

 

[Caleb]

Sentech

Yeah...sad but true, i tried to run skype over sentech.
That was just plain...sad.
Funny though is that I get a 4/5 when I ran the testyourvoip to San Jose.

Could be that sentech relays first to oversees, before making a desent call
to South Africa.

 

[laubscherc]

Skype

I have a skype box about R380.00 connected to my siemens DECT cordless, it even displays the skype username on an incoming call. I speak regularly o my brother in NY.