Skype vs Googletalk

marco

Expert Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2006
Messages
2,902
Reaction score
124
Location
UK
I was using Skype to talk to my daughter in London and had NetMeter on. We changed to GoogleTalk and switched Skype off. What a difference. About 30% less on the Upload/Download. With Skype the NetMeter graph was high and solid. With GoogleTalk it was lower and spiked. Sound was just as good.
Just thought I will share this with you.
 
On skype I used 35MB for 35 minutes. I have not yet checked Google for the same but I am sure it will be much less if I look at the netmeter.
 
I've found Googletalk's connectivity to be much more of a hassle - frequent disconnects etc whilst Skype's more reliable...

I use Skype/Google more for text messaging than voice...
 
If you use a bandwidth limiting program you can push it down to like 3 kBytes/sec one way, or 6 kByte/sec total
 
I used used google talk and it was about less than a mega bit per minute. i was not happy with the quality of the call.
 
Yes, GoogleTalk does use a codec that uses less bandwidth and therefore a decrease in quality compared to Skype. I think for Gtalk, the VOIP is just a nice to have where as in Skype where it is the main feature you have the video as a nice to have - making it come first in the VOIP category.
 
I only use it once every 2 weeks, so will post a new thread next time and do a comparison as to MB/Hr.
Sound on my side was very good but on her side was slightly poorer.
 
Yes, GoogleTalk does use a codec that uses less bandwidth and therefore a decrease in quality compared to Skype. I think for Gtalk, the VOIP is just a nice to have where as in Skype where it is the main feature you have the video as a nice to have - making it come first in the VOIP category.
Apart from there being no Mac google talk client (afaik) Skype has one other feature that I love and that is the ability to have it running simultaneously on numerous machines so I can just answer the machine closest to me :)
 
I found an application for my N70. it allows you to make VOIP call from your phone. you also talk to people on gtalk and skype. Cool
 
Just check carefully...netmeter scales the usages to the graph so its deceptive.
 
We changed to GoogleTalk and switched Skype off. What a difference. About 30% less on the Upload/Download. With Skype the NetMeter graph was high and solid. With GoogleTalk it was lower and spiked.
Don't forget if you have a public IP address Skype uses you connection to route calls between firewalled Skype users.
So even if just have Skype open it may be eating your bytes.
 
Thanks. I realize this. I closed Skype and switched to Google Talk before the graph resized. So I had both next to each other. GT was 30% less.
Using a webcam must surely increase the MB/ min. into mega bucks per minute.
 
Apart from there being no Mac google talk client (afaik) Skype has one other feature that I love and that is the ability to have it running simultaneously on numerous machines so I can just answer the machine closest to me :)

Same here.

Also you can run the linux client in multiple instances, great for having one skype for business, and the other one for personal use.
 
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X