Skype problems again

[Eireann]

This is really weird.

I just tried to make a phone call over Skype, and it was answered in a very strange way, as if I'd called the wrong number. I hung up and called again; this time, I know I had the right number. However, the person on the other end of the line couldn't hear me.

I tried again, and once more, the other person couldn't hear me. So, I called someone else on my Skype phone number list, and the person who answered didn't sound like anyone I know at that number.

I got that little message saying that my microphone might be muted, but it isn't. What's wrong here?

EDITED TO ADD: I thought it might be the microphone on my headset, but I realized it isn't, because I can hear myself talking into it. So it's Skype, and what do I do?

[PepperElf]

that is weird... are you calling from a skype handset or from the computer program itself

[Eireann]

From the program itself. I just have a regular headset that I got at some cheapo store, and for some reason, it threw a hissy last night. I tried recording myself - no recording. I called Skype 123 - no dice.

Funny thing is, I'd been reading about EVP earlier in the day. Maybe I should set the thing to record, then just leave the headset off and see what happens.

[MrSmiley]

From the program itself. I just have a regular headset that I got at some cheapo store, and for some reason, it threw a hissy last night. I tried recording myself - no recording. I called Skype 123 - no dice.

Funny thing is, I'd been reading about EVP earlier in the day. Maybe I should set the thing to record, then just leave the headset off and see what happens.

Skype123 (aka the Test Call user) is the closest thing to a 'full test' and is usually the gatekeeper troubleshooting step to whether you can make a Skype call or not. There are some settings in windows that can result in the user hearing their own microphone, but it not being transmitted/recording properly. So if the test call is failing there are some additional troubleshooting steps you can try:

• Start Menu > Run > C:\WINDOWS\\System32\sndrec32.exe opens the windows sound recorder. Use it to try recording and playing back
• The Windows Volume Controls have always been a little bit tricky. They hold settings for both "Playback" and "Recording" and if the later isn't setup right it can start acting funny.
• Full Duplex Mode on headsets/soundcards is *supposed* to allow playback and recording at the same time. But every once in awhile... because of the driver or the hardware's just picky... it just doesn't work properly. Try turning this on or off on the driver settings or sound card advanced tab (or settings for your headset if it has custom ones)
• Make sure you're plugging it into the MICROPHONE port and not the LINE IN port on the soundcard of course. However having said that, if after doing all other troubleshooting you can't get it to work... you *can* sometimes plug it into the LINE IN port instead, modify system settings to use that input, and be able to chat with it. Be warned however that most programs expect you to be using the Microphone Port.
• Go USB. It's a different interface and half the time the drivers for the device bypass a lot of the stuff that gets it mixed up in windows
• Try exchanging the headset for another one. Sometimes it's simple manufacturing cheapness that not all of these things work. I've come across a few boxes out of a big shipment of headsets that don't work... on various projects. Heck, right now I'm having to return a packaged Xbox360 headset, where everything else in the box worked.

/I've had all kinds of Skype problems myself but it wasn't due to audio. It was due to the program suddenly shutting down for no discernible reason. On at least 3 computers.