Skype video - can't see other party. [SOLVED)

[wlan]

I started using Gnome desktop with the 2010 release. I use skype to visit with my son and granddaughters but since the new installation, they can see my video, but i only get the desktop on my screen. Audio is OK.
I fired up skype in root last night and the video test showed me at my desk. I didn't connect to anyone so I'm not 100% whether they can see me, but just making an assumption.
I think maybe this is a permission issue, but don't know where to look. I checked my user and i do belong to the video group.
Any takers?

[Ɗα√ϵς§]

It could be the other person's settings. In fact if your video displays on the Skype setup page, it very likely is. Another possibility is that the connection is not good enough for video. That happens rarely.

[marian]

There are settings in skype: Options >> Video Devices >> Automatically receive video from...

anybody,
only people I have allowed,
nobody,

What is your setting?

[wlan]

I had been using KDE3.5 until 2010 was released and decided to give Gnome a spin. Skype worked perfectly prior to the installation of 2010. I think i was using 2.1.0.47 previously.
My settings are the same as before. allow to see anybody.
My video does not display on the setup page, yet they can see me. all i see is my desktop in the video frame. When i choose to test my video, i get a white screen, the web cam light comes on and stays on.
Skype seems to work fine in root, the video shows up in the test box. That is why i think it may be a permission issue in the user settings.
thanks

[Bald Brick]

Are you running KDE with compositing on?

[wlan]

Using Gnome with compositing on.

[root@localhost rick]#

started skype with the following command:

LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/libv4l/v4l1compat.so /usr/bin/skype

tried in user and root. get the following error when i try to test the web cam. (Microsoft vx2000)


X Error, request 134, minor 18, error code 8 BadMatch (invalid parameter attributes)

[wlan]

Ok. here is what i have found. Skype shows me on the webcam when i use Test Video while logged in as root. When i make a new user, skype shows me on the webcam when i use Test Video.
When i blow away my .Skype folder from my user and restart skype, i go through the new setup routine and check my webcam and i get blank.
It is obviously something in my /home/user folder, but i have no idea what to look for.
Any suggestions?

regards

[cylverbak]

Have you tried plugging your webcam into a different usb port? Seems like a dumb suggestion but it fixed a similar problem on my machine. No idea why.

[Was_Just19]

Ok. here is what i have found. Skype shows me on the webcam when i use Test Video while logged in as root. When i make a new user, skype shows me on the webcam when i use Test Video.
When i blow away my .Skype folder from my user and restart skype, i go through the new setup routine and check my webcam and i get blank.
It is obviously something in my /home/user folder, but i have no idea what to look for.
Any suggestions?

regards

Is there a difference between your user setup and the new user setup with regards to composite or other video settings?

[wlan]

The first thing i tried was to turn off compositing in my user and it didn't seem to make any difference.
I have done the port switcheroo with no difference.
I think i will move all my files from my user to a temporary folder and see what happens. If the video comes on, i can start moving things back one at a time.
I should say that my home folder is on a separate drive and has been used with KDE as well as Gnome. I'm wondering if that may have contributed to my dilemma.

[Bald Brick]

wlan,

Under very special circumstances the webcam screen in Skype has turned blank for me too:

If I run Cairo Dock with OpenGL under KDE4 I get a transparent screen in Skype and some video players. According to the Cairo people this is a QT problem.

As you are running Gnome and also haven't seen this anomalous behaviour in other applications the source of your problem is most probably something else, but if you start Skype with

Code: [Select]

export XLIB_SKIP_ARGB_VISUALS=1 && skypeinstead of plain

Code: [Select]

skypewe'll know for certain.

[wlan]

skype will not start with that command. "export" unkown

[Bald Brick]

What's the exact error message?

[wlan]

Isn't that somethin. last night i got an error message with that command and tonight it started fine. i can even see my bald head when i test the video.
I will talk to the kids tomorrow and see what happens.

regards

All's well on the western front. I talked to my grand-daughters and everything worked fine.

thank-you for all the suggestions. I think it was blackbird's solution that was the winner.

regards