One of the concerns we hear from more active Skypers is that it is really difficult to get the sound devices in Skype right, especially if you have more than one device connected and keep switching between them. It's not really difficult to switch sound devices in Skype, you just need to go to Tools, Options, Sound Devices and select the devices you want to use. And other software does it the same way so it's what you could call an "industry standard" way to manage the devices.
However, it wasn't good enough and it often destroyed the call experience. Suppose someone calls you and you don’t have your headset plugged in. Now you need to quickly grab your headset, plug it in and click your way through the menus to find the sound settings hopefully before the other party gives up through sheer frustration of not hearing you speaking. Plus there's the uncertainty of if the device switch really works mid-call or will it hang up your call.
This is why we made what we call the Sound Settings Wizard that is now available in the place where it belongs – the call tab itself. So when you get a call, there's no longer the hassle of navigating menus and obscure options. Just click on the little headset picture and the wizard slides open, showing you the active devices and letting you change them through friendly dropdowns.
The wizard also solves another common problem: people speaking too loudly or quietly in regular and conference calls, be they Skype, SkypeIn or SkypeOut. Different people may have very different microphone capture and playback volume levels. Until now, the only way to change them was to go to Windows sound settings and use the Windows Mixer. Which is a fine tool, but again, a hassle to navigate to during a call. So what you can do now is also see the visual indicators for capture and playback, and change the capture and volume levels. To change the levels, just grab the blue blob and drag it in the desired direction.
It may happen that you have a blue blob to set the playback volume, but not for microphone capture level. Where is the blob? To uncover the blob also means to uncover one of remaining large mysteries in Skype options – the great mystery of "What the hell does the "Let Skype adjust my sound device settings" option do???" If you have turned this on in Options, Sound devices, it means that you trust Skype to automatically set the appropriate capture level for your microphone. In most cases, it works just fine, and since it's automatic, there's no need for you to set it. But sometimes it may not work or for some reason you may want a more precise control over your microphone. This is where the capture level control comes in. Turn off the "Let Skype adjust..." setting in sound devices, and the next time you're in a call, you'll get the blue blob to manually adjust your microphone capture level. You should experiment a few times with our call testing service which way works better for you, but most often, it's OK to stay with the default automated setting.
Comments
At last, Thank {insert your chosen deity here} For That.
"No Volume Control" and "Sound devices buried in umpteen layers of menus" has been major major holes in the functionality which have bugged me for years.
Let's hope these features survive it into the release version. Thank-you Skype for all your hard work.
taobill | Wednesday, Nov 8
I'm wondering whether people would appreciate it if there was a button that you could press that would pick up the phone and play a recorded message like "please hang on, I'm plugging in my headset" or "please hang on while I get situated, I'm on my way" or "I'll be with you in 10 seconds, pardon the wait"
Wouldn't that be cool? I would like to pre-record one or two in my own voice and have them readily available. I dislike rushing or feeling rushed.
humblebree | Friday, Nov 10
The improvement is great and it is definitely easier now to access sound settings. However, a much more significant improvement would be the ability to rank the sound devices and have Skype automatically select the highest ranked device that is available.
For example, I have my work headset which is attached to my laptop's docking station. I also have a bluetooth headset which I use when I am mobile but sometimes it is still on at work and sometimes it is turned off and no other external sound device is available.
If I rank the work headset 1, the bluetooth 2 and the Windows default sound device 999 (this should be an implicit rating) then I would not have to deal with all this switching hassle (though I would probably want to see some indicator on what device I am currently).
In the best tradition of minimal configuration, Skype could automatically give better ranking to headsets if it can identify them - sure this will not always work so just let the user deselect the Automatic Sound Device Selection check box.
A real win in UI design is when one can reduce the user interaction rather than just simplifying it. Any interaction is a distraction for the user since it breaks the context the user is currently in.
drorharari | Saturday, Nov 11
Right on, drorharari. I think that would be similar to how Windows or Mac handle their audio devices. However, having the priority list will mean users need to know how to play with it and update it if necessary. For me, I just like the current UI in its simplicity!
enoch_ascalade | Tuesday, Nov 14
Jaanus,
I am in the process of setting up an interface to forward calls via a cell phone base station.
So what I would like to see are 2 or 3 preconfigured boxes so I can decide which option, headset (not plugged in default speakers), USB phone or interface (skybox).
This would be as you noted, per call and would return back to default which in my case would be the interface.
So to make video calls, with a touch of a button you can swithch from private via a headset or public via speakers.
Rgds, David
david.fahey | Wednesday, Nov 29
Jaanus
I have just downloaded Skype but am having trouble progressing to making any calls, as my microphone is not working, in spite of configuring it as advised...
In the Tools - Options - menu I don't have the "Sound Devices" button and so am unable to configure the Audio In and Audio Out..
Please help.
pritha.ray | Thursday, Sep 27
thats all very well and good, but i click on headset on Tools, Options, Sound Devices and on the new wizard, press apply, but the system keeps switching back to the p/c microphone...and i lose the caller!!! very frustrating!!! and yes, i have tried all the volume controls...has anyone else seen this...is this a firewall issue???
campher.cushing | Thursday, Nov 29
Where is the sound settings in skype psp?
I'm trying to connect a microphone in a psp and skype don't bring sound settings, I think any psp skype in the world anyone is working!!!
luisef11 | Wednesday, Feb 27