LinuxMCE Forums
General => Feature requests & roadmap => Topic started by: teddydov on May 31, 2008, 11:04:23 pm
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I know that skype works on Kubuntu as is - but I wanted to know if it would make sense to integrate it into the UI, as part of the phone system. The Video option in Skype alone makes it worth while, as well as the skype out that allows you to make calls to regular numbers.
This is especially good for users who have multiple MCs and multiple cameras - meaning they would potentially be able to move around the house and continue the conversation via video.
Just an idea, that surprisingly has not been brought up as far as I can see.
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Personally I think we should stay as far away from closed source/standard, proprietary systems (and drivers) as we possibly can.
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Are there any open source alternatives that might integrate well into the phone system options in lmce?
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I could be wrong but I think there were a few posts on the forum of people looking into video telephony using the voip software (can't think of the name just now, but it's in the source tree) already used on the MDs. If I recall correctly its support for video calls was still experimental.
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I think WengoPhone (www.openwengo.org) is a good open source alternative for Skype. It would be nice if this could be integrated in LMCE.
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if we have source code, a DCE device can be made to be controlled by the Telecom Plugin.
-Thom
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I do know that Gizmo5 (Formally Known As 'The Gizmo Project') supports Asterisk.
They have a write-up on it here: http://support.gizmoproject.com/index.php?_m=knowledgebase&_a=viewarticle&kbarticleid=190 (http://support.gizmoproject.com/index.php?_m=knowledgebase&_a=viewarticle&kbarticleid=190)
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Hi,
currently there are already audio phones embedded in MDs... Embedded phone device is based on linphone library, that is a part of open source project Linphone - http://www.linphone.org/index.php/eng (http://www.linphone.org/index.php/eng).
Currently only audio is supported under LMCE and I think the most efficient way would be to enhance support for video calls too. Linphone is SIP compliant and that is just the real standard way of doing VOIP communications...
hth,
regards,
Bulek.
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I know the push is to use open source as much as possible, but for those familiar with SIP does Skype's addition of this feature make it any more LMCE friendly?
http://blog.wired.com/business/2009/03/skype-means-bus.html
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What about using Skype APIs https://developer.skype.com/Docs?
I did not read all legal info (http://www.skype.com/intl/en/legal/terms/api/), but there are may be a limitations of how it could be used.
As end user I like idea of Skype, or equivalent, be integrated with LinuxMCE.
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Hi,
I remembe reading about beta test of Skype Asterisk integration (via special channel). I guess this will be the easiest way to connect to Skype...
HTH,
regards,
Bulek.
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And iirc Skype for Asterisk won't be open source either, but I agree, that it might be the easiest and most direct route to take.
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H.323 would provide open support for video calls and interface to most video systems that use this open standard such as: Ekiga (formally gnome meeting http://www.gnomemeeting.org), netmeeting and dedicated conference systems from dlink DVC-1000 (http://www.dlink.com/products/?model=DVC-1000) up to systems from Polycom and Tandberg.
One big problem is that H.323 is not firewall friendly (opens lots of ports in a large range) so either the core would need to expose an interface to the internet (not good) or you need a gateway such as GNUGK.
Skype users can even call in to a H.323 endpoint with this cheap add on. (http://www.rsdevs.com/psgw.shtml)
Dave.
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Hi,
I think that Skype-Asterisk integration will be the right thing (there you can access skype from all telephony devices under LMCE).
Regarding video phone :
- I think the proper way would be to enhance linphone integration to video level, but we would also need the things to be prepared on Orbiter's side (screen or set of screens for video phone)
- currently you could also use Mythphone. I haven't used it for a long time, but worked at time of my testing - it's SIP compliant video phone.
http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/MythPhone (http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/MythPhone)
Main integration problem would be cause in current state of Mythtv integration AFAIK it can only be used for outgoing calls. To answer incoming calls it should run in background all the time and I'm not sure if that is possible.
Question for MYTHTV & LMCE gurus: Do we have any newer solution to this problem ?
- Currently you can use other Video phones in LMCE system normally, cause Asterisk supports video calls - but you have to have both endpoints capable of video telephony...
HTH,
regards,
Bulek.
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The integration of a sip-to-Skype bridge I think would provide the full functionality we are looking for with out a mess of having to change anything drastically. I don't really like the idea of introducing a whole new code base to LinuxMCE. However, a pipe or proxy to Skype seems cleaner. Completing the video functionality in LinuxMCE should be a higher priority.
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I know that skype works on Kubuntu as is - but I wanted to know if it would make sense to integrate it into the UI, as part of the phone system. The Video option in Skype alone makes it worth while, as well as the skype out that allows you to make calls to regular numbers.
This is especially good for users who have multiple MCs and multiple cameras - meaning they would potentially be able to move around the house and continue the conversation via video.
Just an idea, that surprisingly has not been brought up as far as I can see.
This is not quite what you were after... but its still interesting...
OpenSky is a free service provided by Gizmo5 which allows any mobile phone, web browser or IP aware phone network (SIP, asterisk, etc) to communicate with Skype users. OpenSky supports sending text messages and voice calls.
http://www.gizmo5.com/pc/opensky/ (http://www.gizmo5.com/pc/opensky/)
All the best
Andrew
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I've searched the forums and was wondering if anyone has anything else to add regarding Skype integration with linuxmce. It seems skype is more popular than ever and everyone I regularly converse with is now on skype. Heck, even my parents and in-laws are now using skype to keep in touch with the family. We initially tried iChat but this was unreliable in comparison. I know skype is a closed protocol and not free, but I'd certainly be interested in being able to use the media director in my living room for voice/video calls from the couch.
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grawil,
look at the Skype API, and see if you can provide a solution to remotely execute calls with Skype, and be remotely informed of incoming Skype calls. . If you can, you are halfway thru to an integration of Skype into the system. If you just want Skype calling capabilities, check with Digium regarding a licenced Skype channel.
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I'm sure I read somewhere that Skype was now supporting SIP connections. Not sure if it is still free, but if the option is there, it should be possible to set it up. (I don't use telephony component (yet), so can't help with doing this at the moment, sorry).
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IMHO the easiest and the most efficient way to integrate Skype into LinuxMCE to make phone calls is using Asterisk. There are two ways to do it. The first one is using Skype For Asterisk (http://www.digium.com/en/products/software/skypeforasterisk.php). You don't need to run Skype on your server and will use it as trunk. Hoverer, it costs about $66 per channel. The second solution is based on FreeSwitch (http://wiki.freeswitch.org/wiki/Skypiax) and needs just your time and not money ;)
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I'm sure I read somewhere that Skype was now supporting SIP connections.
Skype for SIP is helpful for incoming Skype connectivity, but does not allow outgoing traffic via the regular Skype network, only to call out to regular phone lines, but not to Skype contacts.
IMHO the easiest and the most efficient way to integrate Skype into LinuxMCE to make phone calls is using Asterisk.
Asterisk together with Skype is a neat idea, and maybe someone could implement an addition to our setup using the mentioned options. However, one thing that Skype via Asterisk does not support is video calling, afaik.
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Thanks, Pos!
Good to know, although with my impending move to the US, being able to give my family and friends a Skype ID to call that rings the home phone would be handy....
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Getting skype audio integration into Asterisk doesn't seem to be a problem and probably worth the cost of the commercial solution if that's all you want. In my case, I want video-enabled skype-to-skype calling from a media center. Looking at the skype API for linux (https://developer.skype.com/Docs/ApiDoc/Skype_API_on_Linux), it still seems that GET / SET VIDEO_IN interface is still missing. Looks like this needs to wait until the API is more complete which is inevitable when the open-source the client.
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grawil,
maybe you should start playing with it. Once the video API comes on board, it is a matter of adding the API calls.
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As idea Skype can be run from Computing screen. In that case we'll run Skype inside Orbiter the same way as under Kubuntu I guess.
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nope, because skype will not keep running after you leave the computing area. The app server will kill it.
-Thom
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nope, because skype will not keep running after you leave the computing area. The app server will kill it.
-Thom
Why we need to leave the computing area? We can run Skype inside it, similar way it's done for Firefox, and make a call. I don't know much about system and especially computing are. So, it's just a guessing.
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what if somebody tries to call you on skype?
-Thom
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Agree, but with that limitation we can live ;) Sure it'll be much better to have proper integration using Skype API. But as temporary solution IMHO using Skype inside computing is ok.
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Agree, but with that limitation we can live ;) Sure it'll be much better to have proper integration using Skype API. But as temporary solution IMHO using Skype inside computing is ok.
But then you'd be better off with Asterisk integration as that would exploit all of the existing telecom features correctly.
Andrew
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Getting skype audio integration into Asterisk doesn't seem to be a problem and probably worth the cost of the commercial solution if that's all you want. In my case, I want video-enabled skype-to-skype calling from a media center. Looking at the skype API for linux (https://developer.skype.com/Docs/ApiDoc/Skype_API_on_Linux), it still seems that GET / SET VIDEO_IN interface is still missing. Looks like this needs to wait until the API is more complete which is inevitable when the open-source the client.
In the time spent waiting for the video interface, you could get the audio and contacts interfaces working for you... I'm guessing there is probably quite a bit of work in those areas to begin with...
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Isn't Telepathy/Empathy (http://telepathy.freedesktop.org/wiki/) the right solution for voip, voice, chat and video?
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Guys, are you just not getting that DCE is a messaging system?
You can convert one message, to another.
You can use DCE to control and signal pieces that form the overall solution.
THIS IS NOT ROCKET SCIENCE.
DCE devices can be written to talk to any messaging system, or stack, and to interact with them, and to send the results back, to be placed in datagrids, arrays, and variables, to present to the user interface.
Come on guys,
THINK.
-Thom
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Skype has apparently release an open SDK.
http://techcrunch.com/2010/06/22/skype-skypekit-sdk/