Webcam freezing with Skype
 

We use Skype with a webcam to keep in touch with the folks at home, but after a varying length of time, and with monotonous regularity, our webcam freezes up. We can still see and hear the other side, and they can hear us, but we appear frozen.

Now I know the broadband here is not yet exactly greased lightning, but even so this is bloody irritating.

Does anyone else out there recognise these symptoms and even better, do you have any suggestions?:confused:

Thanks in advance for any help.

Re: Webcam freezing with Skype
 

Hi,

Sorry to hear about your problems. I am an IT engineer currently working for the NHS and hoping to emmigrate to NZ soon :)

Have you done a defrag on your pc? Also, clear out all your windows/temp folder and also your local settings/temp folder. Trying updating your device drivers or even rollback to earlier drivers.

Have you installed anything else recently?

Hope this helps.

Iain

Re: Webcam freezing with Skype
 

It's worth a try as it has fixed this issue for us in the past, but make sure you have the same version of skype installed. When you click on skype, select help and then check for updates... as i say fixed ours with my parents...

Re: Webcam freezing with Skype
 

Standard upload speed 128 is not good for webcam, upgrade your broadband and it should be fine. Speed is not the only issue you have delay ,jitter which all effect performance. Also there are many hops to the UK. If Skype is bad try MSN as it is probably routed differently.

Re: Webcam freezing with Skype
 

Even yahoo messenger offers webcam support. What happens when you try another usb port? If you disconnect from skype and just run locally - do you get a picture from your webcam?
:)

Re: Webcam freezing with Skype
 

Thanks Iain. With Vista I didn't think defragging was still necessary but I'll give it a go. Windows/Temp has just 2 files in it and I can't find a local settings/temp folder. I got a feeling Norton looks after the Temp folders but again I could be wrong. I'll check it out.

Hi Welly Wife. You mean make sure I've got the same version as they have. Interesting. I'll check that out too. I've just updated ours to 3.8.0.188. I'll make sure the other end has the same version.

Thanks McCuddy. Ironically, we already have max upload speed with Orcon specifically for Skype-ing. However the other things you mention are all interesting. I have thought about MSN and Windows Live Messenger.

Hadn't thought about using another USB port, although on this machine they're all USB2. When using the webcam locally the quality seems excellent. It's a Phillips SPC1000NC. Not the most expensive but not a cheapey either. Interestingly when used locally with WLM the quality was almost like TV. Clearly I've got some experimenting to do.

Thanks all for your interest and helpful suggestions. I'll let you know how I get on.

Re: Webcam freezing with Skype
 

Same thing happens to us. Mom sees the same static image. Though it wasn't always like that. I know that we have echo on the line with my sister, and skype says that is some sort of hardware issue.