Over the past week I have been experimenting with two relatively new features that build out the Skype video experience:

• HD video using the recently released FREETALK® TALK-7140 HD webcam and Skype for Windows 4.2
• Skype Group calling using the beta release of Skype for Windows 5.0

FREETALK^® TALK-7140 HD Webcam

At a price point that makes it attractive even for Skype High Quality Video calls (VGA resolution @ 30 fps), the FREETALK^® TALK-7140 HD Webcam:

• Enhances the video image quality to HD’s 720p resolution at frame rates up to 22 fps, provided the Sender has sufficient Internet upload bandwidth (>1.2 Mbps).
• Requires 30 seconds to four minutes at the beginning of a call to come up to HD resolution; after some initial “network negotiation” by the connecting software the aspect ratio changes from 4: 3 to HD’s 16:9.
• Works with Skype’s High Quality Video calling where end point conditions do not provide sufficient bandwidth for HD calling.
• Falls back to lower resolutions when network conditions degrade as a result of Skype’s network bandwidth adaptation feature that adjusts video resolution to network conditions. But the image will self-restore to the maximum resolution if the network conditions recover and return to improved quality.
• Is Skype certified for HD Video and High Quality Video calling.
• Is recognized as a webcam by MacBooks and iMacs; however, currently will only operate on MacBooks at up to VGA resolution at up to 30 fps until Skype releases a new version of Skype for Mac that supports HD video calling.

The image to the right comes from a half hour, two-way HD call with TechCraver’s Jason Harris who had an upload speed in excess of 4Mbps while I was supported by a network upload speed of 1.8Mbps using Rogers recently introduced DOCSIS 3.0 Ultimate service (50 Mbps download, 2 Mbps upload). Expanding the image to a full screen display (22” in my case) gives a close-to-Telepresence experience.

Note that if only one Sender on a one-to-one video call has the upload speed to support sending HD video, the recipient, if also using Skype for Windows 4.2 or later, will be able to receive and view the full 720p HD image provided his/her download speed is above 1.2 Mbps – well below the download bandwidth maximum for most broadband Internet services.

So this brings up the issue of upload bandwidth speeds available to consumers. Om Malik had something to say on this subject in a recent post, Faster Upstream Speeds for Cable Broadband:

U.S. cable companies expect that by 2015, nearly 100 million of the nation’s homes will be able to send data upstream at speeds of around 20 Mbps. This will eventually be followed by further upgrades to 50 Mbps, by way of enhancements to DOCSIS 3.0 tech. That compares to current upstream speeds of 6-28 Mbps (shared).

So we don’t need to wait for Fibre-to-the-Home if you’re on cable. As mentioned above, Rogers now offers a 50Mbps download/2 Mbps upload DOCSIS 3.0 service for which they recently reduced the price by 1/3 to under $100 per month with a 175 GB/month cap. Bell Canada is introducing a 25/7 fibre-to-the-home service for $54 per month but with only a 75 GB cap; their current issue is coverage. Whereas it’s available in central Toronto, there is only limited availability around the suburban Toronto area. In the U.S., where available, Comcast is offering DOCSIS 3.0 services with up to 10 Mbps upload speeds but have services at 2 and 3 Mbps upload as well; also Verizon offers its FIOS Fibre-to-the-Home service. This scenario recalls the era ten years ago when broadband Internet services were rolling out sporadically over a three to four year period.

I’m still experimenting with the HD webcam and will have a more complete report once I have experience with a wider range of user endpoint conditions. The TALK-7140 HD webcam is available at the Skype Store.

Skype Multi-Party Video Chat (beta!)

In a separate post I’ll deal with Skype Multi-Party Video Calling; in the meantime check out Phil Wolff’s posts on this subject at Skype Journal and Andy Abramson begin_of_the_skype_highlighting     end_of_the_skype_highlighting’s Skype Multi Party Video Makes Others A Thing of The Past at VoIP Watch. As shown in one of Phil’s posts, I participated in a five party call for about fifteen minutes simply to ensure I had a configuration where it would work.

Caveat: Skype for Windows 5.0 is still beta software and needs user feedback and some work prior to any final release; it’s not suitable for ongoing production use at this time.

Bottom line: we’re seeing how far video calling can be pushed with respect to video resolution and multi-party video chat sessions; it’s still early days. For full realization of the potential of video calling we need implementation of faster Internet services for both consumers and SMB’s with reasonable pricing. Also we need more experience and development of the underlying video calling software and hardware, especially when it comes to the User Interface. In the meantime VGA resolution video calling (High Quality Video) remains a quite acceptable user experience – especially when it’s free.

Full disclosure: In Store Solutions, producer of the FREETALK line of Skype hardware, has become a client of Denali InterConneXions, publisher of Voice On The Web, building on the author’s previous business development experience with establishing partnerships that can assist with the promotion of a primary vendor’s offerings. A more complete statement will follow shortly.

Some posts from the High Quality Video launch in late 2007:

• Installing a Logitech High Quality Video Camera: The Experience.
• High Quality Video: What’s the Benchmark?
• High Quality Video: Definitely a Winner for Skype
• Click here for more…

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The DECT 6.0-compliant RTX 3088 Dualphone allows North American consumers to continue to use their legacy PSTN phone service while seamlessly incorporating Skype into their routine “home phone” activities. And it’s one reason why you will see those Skype Mood Messages that say “Using Skype without my computer”.

Last fall In Store Solutions released a North American version¹ of the popular RTX Dualphone 3088, available on the U.S. Skype Shop. Its uniqueness results from its ability to work concurrently with both a PSTN line and a Skype account. Since then a few U.S.-based bloggers have taken the North American version of the Dualphone for a road test and provided some reviews.

First, a couple of general comments:

The DualPhone allows you to use Skype without a computer. This opens up new use cases that may require you to think about how you want to configure its use. In particular you may want to consider using a different Skype account from your primary Skype account for two reasons:

• If it’s to be a “home” phone, you probably do not want to have your “business” Skype calls going to every phone handset in the house
• It’s limited to handling 200 contacts on a buddylist. As pointed out by Stuart Henshall, if you have over 200 contacts in your primary Skype account, you want to think about whom you want to have in the Skype Contact list associated with use of the Dualphone. In my home phone deployment case, we use a separate account which only has about 25 contacts whom we call frequently. (Apparently the average number of Contacts per Skype Account is somewhat below 25.)

The Dualphone is limited to voice calling (over either Skype or the PSTN) and Skype presence information; it supports both a Skype Online number and SkypeOut services. However, as Stuart points out, there are situations where this suffices:

Who’s the DualPhone for?

I think you purchase it when….

• You want your wife/home to have an always on Skype connection when you travel a lot and they never became really Skype savvy. That also covers the use case where there isn’t an always-on Skype enabled PC.
• Small business perhaps? May make sense to dedicate another account to this phone and call forward your own Skype account (s) to it. This “shared” option could be useful but there’s no way to transfer from the phone to someone else. So don’t expect to make it a PBX.
• You want your parents to be on Skype but they are barely computer literate and again won’t have it on all the time. It’s a good way to keep them connected globally. The device is familiar and the technology disappears.
• You just love Skype to death, and cannot do without a traditional handset for yacking. This may be the best motivation for many, although the motivation to buy this handset is also tied into saving money and cheap calls. We’ll come to cost and investment later.
• You want to make Skype your landline equivalent (no 911) and get an account with SkypeOut and SkypeIn. Now your telephony is based on Skype costs and not the old style costs of the PSTN. The phone would payout in six months for most people. Unfortunately, landline numbers don’t seem to be portable or transferable. A variation on this. You could use Ribbit for your SkypeIn number and get addtional benefits and functionality while also staying in touch with your Skype buddies.

Jason Harris in his TechCraver review, mentions:

From a usability point of view, the Dualphone is pretty easy.  Techies will handle it just fine and I think most non-technical people can use it without issue as well.  Screen options allow you to add Skype contacts, adjust your online status and other routine Skype functions.

As for the static-y background sound quality issue raised by Jason, PhoneBoy says:

At home, I have this set up both with my landline and my personal Skype account. Calls to my landline and calls to my Skype account are set up with different rings (yes, you can do that). I have used it both for Skype and for PSTN calls and the sound quality is excellent. The connection between the base and the handset is DECT, making it both secure and WiFi friendly.

And Dameon (PhoneBoy) goes on to conclude:

If you’re looking for a way to make calls on Skype without using a computer and tie into your normal landline, this is a great device. It does exactly what it says on the tin. The pricing, though, presents a challenge: $170 for the base unit and handset, another $100 each extra handset. At half the price, it would almost be a no-brainer.

My own personal experience, using the Philips VoIP841 dualphone (same firmware as RTX model but no longer available), is (i) no issue with sound quality, (ii) the speakerphone is really handy for “family-participation” calls, (iii) having four handsets that are wirelessly connected removed the need to fix some phone line wiring when hit by a lightning strike last year – one RJ-11 jack for connection to the base station suffices and (iv) it’s “just worked” since I installed it almost two years ago.

Bottom line: When I see Skype mood messages that say “Using Skype without a PC”, it usually means they are using a dual phone; the RTX 3088 solves this issue. It’s probably targeted best at the home phone or home office market. The use cases, as quoted above, are definitely different from using Skype on your PC (or a mobile phone, for that matter).

And for the future: an ideal future Skype dual phone would incorporate the SILK codec (for crisp audio on Skype-to-Skype calls), a WiFi network connection, limited text messaging and a mute button. Is there a hardware vendor up to the challenge?

Note 1: What is meant by “North American” version? An appropriate power plug as well as support for the North American standard for a DECT 6.0 rf band.

Note 2: The RTX 3088 base station includes support for up to four DECT-connected cordless handsets; additional handsets are now also available at the U.S. Skype Shop.

Full disclosure: In Store Solutions has become a client of Denali InterConneXions, publisher of Voice On The Web, building on the author’s previous business development experience with establishing partnerships that can assist with the promotion of a primary vendor’s offerings. A more complete statement will follow shortly.

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In my post, “FREETALK^® Everyman for Skype: Not “Just Another Headset”!, outlining the background leading to the production of this headset, I mentioned that the most important feature of any headset is the user experience. But reporting on the user experience has to rely on feedback from a cross section of independent evaluators who can try it out under different conditions on both Windows and Mac PC’s.

My major criteria for inclusion in this post is that there have been an actual reported user experience; posts that simply repeat the specifications do not qualify.

The first full review came from Tom Keating at TMCnet who reports on its “fold flat” feature, apparent durability and of course his Skype calling experience; Tom concludes with:

I made some test Skype calls and the audio quality was excellent. I also connected my iPhone using the 3.5mm jack and was able to play music using the iPod application on the iPhone. Slightly better bass response than my iPhone ear buds due to the larger speakers. All in all, a pretty good Skype headset.

Neil Thompson at Spoken Like a Geek provides a brief history of his experience with previous Skype phone handsets and then gets into his feedback:

The call quality was excellent both for me and the other party who commented on how much better it was than usual. The headset makes use of what Skype calls super wideband audio which is included in v4 and improves call quality even at low bandwidth. Having your ears covered means that there is no distraction from external noise which obviously also makes things better.

Neil likes the fold flat feature; he then went out and bought a pencil case for storing it in his laptop bag; he concludes with: “So, to summarise, the Freetalk headset is a recommended device, particularly for those on the move who want good quality combined with portability.”

TechCraver.com’s Jason Harris, in The Everyman Headset for Skype: Killer Audio, Sweet Price, outlines “a few things that set it apart from the rest of the pack” and tried three different calling tests:

In all three cases, I was absolutely blown away by the Everyman.  If the manufacturer of this headset was looking to make a reasonably priced headset that sounds perfect and was comfortable to wear, they absolutely nailed it.  After about 2 hours of wearing the Everyman, I was impressed with it’s comfort and how it felt on my head.

Jason goes on to describe his experience listening to his iPod and points out  that “it’s great for those who talk into your computer for creating training videos or video-conferencing”.

Ken Camp at Stardust Global Ventures,  in “The headset for Everyman, woman and child – FREETALK Everyman USB Headset”, starts out with “I’ve been using Skype since the beginning.I can’t count the number of different headsets I’ve used. This one is the only one that’s made me step back and say wow.”

He then goes on to discuss the comfort level, the benefits of supporting Skype’s SILK codec and why road warriors should like the “fold flat” feature. Ken concludes with:

Gadgets are sometimes a dime a dozen. Headsets aren’t often something to get excited about. The FREETALK Everyman headset is absolutely different. It’s worth every penny of the $22.88 price in the online Skype store. Go check it out and order yours here. It’s an investment you’ll get more than full value from.

In a comment on Voice On The Web “Skype In Your Business” Public Chat, Hudson Barton, whose Borderless Communicator tracks Skype statistics, stated:

I can confirm that this is a nice piece of hardware.  One thing that I have not seen pointed out elsewhere is the fact that the “Everyman” headset is light and comfortable.   I had given up on my former headset for this reason because I want to have it on whenever I’m at my computer, and that can be for hours at a time. (You can quote me on that if you wish.)

Dameon (PhoneBoy) Welch-Abernathy, in Every Man, Woman or Child on Skype Needs an Everyman Headset, provides a brief background on the evolution of audio support on PC’s and outlines why FREETALK Everyman is different. He concludes with:

When you consider the price: under $23 shipped to your door, purchasing this headset is absolutely a no-brainer. It will be one of the best investments you can make to improve your calling experience with Skype.

Joel Evans, producer of the Geek.com podcasts, appears to have been frustrated with microphones and the quality of his recordings. So he gave the FREETALK Everyman a trial:

For my tests I used the FREETALK Everyman Headset in Skype, Quicktime and iChat. In all tests it performed perfectly and even my chat partners commented on how clear I sounded. The design of the headset allows for adjusting the boom and even the position of the microphone, so it did take a bit of fine tuning, which I did while recording tests in Quicktime. Once it was adjusted, though, it sounded great and I’ve been using it for voice chats, and even used it to record the Podcast that will be going live tomorrow.

Bottom line: the reviews speak for themselves. I’ll add more reviews to this post as they become available.

Full disclosure: In Store Solutions has become a client of Denali InterConneXions, publisher of Voice On The Web, building on the author’s previous business development experience with establishing partnerships that can assist with the promotion of a primary vendor’s offerings. A more complete statement will follow shortly.

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