Update for Ubuntu 9.10: With Ubuntu 9.10, based on my experience, sounds work at the same time for multiple devices. If you have Ubuntu 9.10 and Skype 2.1 beta, all you have to do to get the microphone to work is, right click on the volume icon in the top panel next to the date & time, select preferences, click on the input tab, uncheck the mute option next to input volume, if it’s checked. Now talk over the microphone and see if there are any movements in the bars next to input level. If not, click on the connector option and try with other options available there. For me, the default option and Microphone 1 didn’t work. Microphone 2 worked. You’ll see the movement in the vertical bars next to input level. Once you get that working, Skype should work fine.
Warning: It didn’t work for some people. I don’t have instructions to undo this. Use it at your own risk.
After I installed Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron on my new Quad core desktop , I installed Skype . The installation was smooth, but the microphone didn’t work. The output sound was fine. The webcam was detected automatically, but the video loses brightness after 2-3 minutes of use. I wasn’t sure if the microphone problem was due to buggy implementation of Pulse Audio in Ubuntu 8.04 or not. I tried changing the sound preferences and mic preferences, but nothing worked. I finally found a solution to install complete Pulse Audio pack after searching the Ubuntu forums and then for Skype microphone problem.
I followed zman0900’s guide in Ubuntu forums for complete pulse audio setup. Once I set that up, I got the microphone working in Skype. These are the steps I followed to get the Pulse audio setup and microphone to work.
Open a terminal (Application -> Accessories -> terminal)
1. Install additional packages for Pulse Audio by entering the following command in the terminal. Enter your password if prompted.
sudo apt-get install libao-pulse libasound2-plugins
2. Then edit or create your asound.conf file
sudo gedit /etc/asound.conf
and add the following lines. Click save once added.
pcm.pulse {
type pulse
}
ctl.pulse {
type pulse
}
pcm.!default {
type pulse
}
ctl.!default {
type pulse
}
3. Edit libao.conf.
sudo gedit /etc/libao.conf
and add the line below
default_driver=pulse
Now go to System -> Preferences -> Sound. Set under Devices tab the following to PulseAudio Sound Server
Sound Events Sound Playback
Music and Movies Sound Playback
Audio conferencing Sound Playback and Sound Capture
Set the Default Mixer Tracks Device to your sound card. In my case it’s HDA Intel (Alsa Mixer). Check the screenshot below.
After you are done with that, install some additional packages. Enter the following command in the terminal.
sudo apt-get install libflashsupport padevchooser pulseaudio-module-hal pulseaudio-module-x11
sudo apt-get install libsdl1.2debian libsdl1.2debian-alsa
Now add the repositories given below to your sources.list file to install additional packages needed for Pulse Audio.
Open your sources.list by
sudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.list
and add the following lines
## zman0900’s PPA
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/zman0900/ubuntu hardy main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/zman0900/ubuntu hardy main
Save and close. Now enter the following commands one by one in the terminal.
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get install libsdl1.2debian-pulseaudio
If the installation goes fine, then you can move ahead to Device Chooser. If libsdl1.2debian-pulseaudio won’t install, then enter
sudo apt-get install libsdl1.2debian-all
sudo gedit ~/.profile
and add the following two lines. Save and close.
# Make SDL audio work properly with Pulse
# export SDL_AUDIODRIVER=pulse
Now go to PulseAudio Device Chooser under Applications -> Sound & Video. It’ll show an icon in the top right menu bar, next to Tracker search tool or Date area. Click that icon and select preferences. Check the box Start applet on session login under Startup. See the screenshot below.
Restart the computer. You should see the PulseAudion Device Chooser icon to appear once you login. I then changed my input sources by selecting Volume Control under System -> Preferences and selecting the Options tab. I selected Front Mic for all 3 input sources as shown below. This will vary from system to system and you may not see this option in some systems. My microphone was connected to the back of my computer, but it worked after I set it to Front Mic.
I then started Skype , clicked the small Skype icon at the bottom and selected options. I then went to Sound Devices and selected HDA Intel (hw:intel,0) as my sound in, sound out and ringing options as shown below. I then made a test call and everything worked fine.
thank you so much. that worked for me.
This will vary from system to system and you may not see this option in some systems. My microphone was connected to the back of my computer, but it worked after I set it to Front Mic.
Did you try changing the connector as shown in the 1st screenshot in the post?
I’m using Ubuntu 9.10 on a Acer Aspire One netbook, and I can’t for the life of me figure out how to get my Mic to work. The little sound indicator DOES show, but it’s at the very bottom marker. I don’t have any idea how to fix this.
Should I plug in a webcam and see if that works?
stop wasting time configure stupid pulseaudio
just download sky version 2.0.0.72
then you can use the sound
pick ALSA for sound in in skype
[...] crashing every now and then. To fix my problems with sound and microphone while Googling I found this nice Aryn’s Blog post .Here is what worked for me to fix the [...]
Sandor,
I’m not sure about Skype 2.1. When I tried it, the video didn’t work, so I didn’t care for audio. I uninstalled Skype 2.1 and went back to 2. Did your microphone work with 2.0? If it did, then the issue is with 2.1.
Thanks for your quick answer. Skype 2.1 was my first and only trial so I don’t know if v.2 works but I’ll test it.
Hi,
I have Ubuntu 9.04 installed.
I have also Skype 2.1 installed, The sound works fine but I can’t get the microphone working. I tried every possible combination but it’s still no go.
In Skype, option/sound device, showing only Pulse ….. NO options.
Is your advise applicable in my case? Or do you have any idea what to do?
Would be nice to hear your opinion.
Sandor
I had the same problem with exactly the same setup using a Logitech 3500 quick cam.
I removed pulse audio and installed esound.There is a post on the Ubuntu site on how this is done.The newest vertion of skype does not need pulse audio.After doing this you will be able to select the correct mocrophone (USB webcam in my case) in the Skype setup.Skype works fine but the sound recorder that came with Ubunto doesent (it didnt work before I did this either).Now I have to figure out how to get other apps to recognize the USB mic.
I cannot get my microphone to work. Pulse sucks big time. How can I get rid of it?
Tks;
Your help solve my problem !!! tks again
You are welcome!!!
.. Oh i forgot to say that’s it is not necessary to have “HDA intel” or something else different from “Pulse Audio …” marked on skype preferences, i mean it works for me, even if i couldn’t change sound sources (in, out and ringing, following the last screen shot). Thanks again
Ok works fine for me ^^ ! I forgot that alsa mixer was on my desktop panel, as opposite to what tutorial said (i might happen
). Thanks a lot ! Greetings from France : )
Try going to System – Preferences – Keyboard shortcuts and click on volume up, press the right key, click on volume down and press the right key in the laptop. See if that works.
after following the steps, the volume control buttons on my laptop now adjusts the mic volume instead of the speakers. how do i set it back?
Use pulseaudio. Work microphone with new skype 2.1 (in portuguese)
http://arezi.wordpress.com/2009/09/02/microfone-no-ubuntukubuntu-com-pulseaudio/
Did you try this?
Check Skype’s audio setting to make sure the audio in, audio out etc. are set correctly.
Click on the Volume icon in the tray and select volume control – preferences – make sure capture options are selected. If not, select it. Once selected, make sure the capture control is not muted and move the slider all the way to the top. I don’t have Ubuntu system with me right now, so I couldn’t give you the exact path to reach those options. Check Rafael’s comment above your’s.
Hi. I have tried what you have said above. But Pulesaudio device chooser icon did not appera in the “sound and video” and not on the pannekl. and I can’t make calls from skype.
Works perfectly in Jaunty, too!
I’m not sure why. Here are couple of things you can check.
Check Skype’s audio setting to make sure the audio in, audio out etc. are set correctly.
Click on the Volume icon in the tray and select volume control – preferences – make sure capture options are selected. If not, select it. Once selected, make sure the capture control is not muted and move the slider all the way to the top. I don’t have Ubuntu system with me right now, so I couldn’t give you the exact path to reach those options. Check Rafael’s comment above your’s.
Hey Arun, thanks for this…I do not know why, but first time I did what was said in your article, skype worked. Then I restarted my pc, and now when i do the test call, i get the play back, but nothing is being recorded through the mic…Help?
Thanks
Thanks for the update Rafael.
Worked for me. But, one important (although sutil) thing: dont forget to enable capture channel. Ie. on gnome, open your volume control (through volume tray icon) > Preferences > Click on the capture one (enable it to appear on volume control). Then, back to volume control, switch to Recording tab, enable + raise its volume.
That’s it, good luck.
xavier
This worked for my Intrepid installation on my IBM X60s. Cheers.