The new beta version, just scroll down.  I assume the xandros version would be the best bet.

Did you install the 2.0 beta?  Is there no video in the client, or just on the eee?

Woot!  I'm in settings, under video devices, and it sees my camera, and test video is working!!!!!

none of my contacts are online so i can't test in a real call yet.

edit:  my step son just came online with his imac and we can see each other.  very cool.

edit2: i did use the xandros package, found it file file manager, right click -> install, and that was it.  the easy mode skype icon launched the beta ver2 without any other tweaking, my acct info was pulled over too.

Last edited by tulsa_sr5 (2007-11-07 2:22:48 pm)

Woohoo! The value of my EeePC just went up $100.  One of the main reasons I bought this thing was to make Skype calls, and now I can in video!

When you open the Xandros-version Skype download file (.deb format) with File Manager (or with debian-view if you're running advanced mode), and install it, be prepared to wait a full minute or so before you get told it's done installing.

I put the command to turn on the webcam into a script in my /home/user folder and made it executable. 

Now, to call some video-equipped friends!

tulsa_sr5 wrote:

OK, there is one extra thing, skype doesn't turn the cam on by itself, so before it'll work you have to
sudo echo 1 > /proc/acpi/asus/camera

I thought first, that maybe enabling camera in BIOS would do the trick, but it seems to be windows-only option or something.

Also, making this little change will make your skype experience even better:
1. Open up terminal
1.5. sudo su
2. cd /usr/bin
3. mv skype skype-bin
4. pico skype
5. Enter the following text into editor and save, quit
#!/bin/sh
echo 1 > /proc/acpi/asus/camera
/usr/bin/skype-bin
echo 0 > /proc/acpi/asus/camera
6. chmod +x skype

Now if you click on skype icon, it will enable camera first, then run skype. When you quit skype it will power the camera off, so you don't waste any battery.

I'm going to add this to the asus package of skype, so you won't have to type it in and it will magically work.

Last edited by berkus (2007-11-07 4:43:50 pm)

berkus wrote:

Also, making this little change will make your skype experience even better:
1. Open up terminal
1.5. sudo su
2. cd /usr/bin
3. mv skype skype-bin
4. pico skype
5. Enter the following text into editor and save, quit
#!/bin/sh
echo 1 > /proc/acpi/asus/camera
/usr/bin/skype-bin
echo 0 > /proc/acpi/asus/camera
6. chmod +x skype

Now if you click on skype icon, it will enable camera first, then run skype. When you quit skype it will power the camera off, so you don't waste any battery.

I'm going to add this to the asus package of skype, so you won't have to type it in and it will magically work.

amazing!  I don't understand about how you will add it to the asus package of skype so we won't have to type it.  how do we get that package?
many thanks!

berkus wrote:

ohyes wrote:

I don't understand about how you will add it to the asus package of skype so we won't have to type it.  how do we get that package?
many thanks!

That's pretty simple. I'm skype developer and just now making them skype packages for eee
So in a bit you will be just able to update it using eee's software installation manager.

Thanks berkus, pretty cool that a skype developer has an eee

That's great!  Good things come to those who wait...

Now if only Adobe would hurry up with a Flash version which supports webcams, all would be beautiful.

ohyes wrote:

Aha!  So you have a black belt in Skype!

Do you recommend that we wait to be able to upgrade via the eee software upgrade function?

many thanks, berkus

FWIW, the beta has been great for me - chatted with folks on mac and windows pc's, no crashes or any other bad behavior - but IANASD (I am not a skype dev :-D  )

tulsa_sr5 wrote:

Don't have a screenshot, but my wife has a new macbook and we tested it out between us.  She obviously has a bigger screen, but fullscreen on both the quality was pretty close.  Audio is as clear as ever, and I'm really impressed with how good it is.

I've seen what an iSight looks like in Skype, so that helps a lot -- thanks! It's also good to know you can go fullscreen and get good results.

ConstyXIV wrote:

I know this is still "in progress", but wouldn't it save even more battery to write code into Skype itself to only turn on the camera while in a videocall?  One might have Skype running in the background all the time, and leaving the camera on while idle is a waste of energy.

Since there's a simple command line syntax to do it, might it also be possible to make a simple tray widget that acts as a toggle and turns the webcam on and off? Maybe even lights up when the webcam is on?