Adventures in Skype

Most Linux users are familiar with Skype and just as familiar that Skype shows little to no love for it’s paid subscribers who happen to be Linux users. Our current version of the popular VOIP software has been stuck at 2.0.72 for a couple of years now. Nonetheless many of use use the service regularly and pay our dues like the rest of the users.

Recently I’ve been wanting to get more out of my Skype account, which meant getting a dedicated Skype hardware phone. There are a number of options from a  $12  usb phone, a non-starter for Linux users as it’s not supported, or the pc-less Internet phones which fetch prices above $100. Being the miserly geek I am I started searching for other solutions and came across a two part solution to my problem.

Part 1:

A USB Telbox Phone Adapter, a small silver box powered by usb that interacts between Skype and any old telephone. I tested this with a self powered cordless phone . Less than $20 on Amazon.com

Part 2:

kB2Kskype software which requires usbb2k-api-mod2.8 (both available from the kb2skype site), and kdelibs4c2a (available via apt-get) once installed everything just worked.

I plugged in the phone to the phone port on the Telbox and instantly Skype popped up and I was able to call by double clicking a contact on my Skype list. You can also use speed-dial codes but I have yet to check them out. I also have yet to test call quality, which for some has been an issue if the Telbox isn’t used with a powered usb hub.

##Update -

The sound quality was much better than expected in terms of clarity however whenever you press the pound key during a call, the telbox or skype intiates the dial tone sound, but does not drop the call. Overall I’m very satisfied.

I’m very impressed with such a simple, cost effective solution to a practical problem.

This solution has been tested only with Ubuntu based Cruchbang Linux on an Acer Aspire 6530.