You'll still love it even if you set your privacy settings up to the highest!
Skype 4.0 for Windows delivers truer video, sound
Summary
Skype's free desktop VoIP communicator brings some key enhancements with video and audio bandwidth, though it leaves behind some of the extra adornments of version 3.8. Read CNET's review.
Topics
Skype 4.0 became available for free on Tuesday to Windows users. The free desktop VoIP communicator is a worthy final version that brings some key enhancements with video and audio bandwidth, though it leaves behind some of the extra adornments of version 3.8, the last stable build.
Those who have been following the triple release of betas since the summer won't see more than a few changes. If 4.0 is new to you, however, the developments are more notable.
Skype concentrates on video size, quality, and performance in this version. From version 3.8 to version 4.0, every design change has been made to draw video and IM to the forefront, and for the most part it works. The video window has expanded and calls are easier to start. The classic two-pane interface has consolidated into one, though you can still split them apart if you'd prefer.
As the culmination of the beta series, Skype 4.0 gets a pumped-up video and a completely new audio engine. Compared to other codecs out there, the new audio engine, named Silk, is touted to give Skype super wide-band audio (which operates like broadband), but uses half the bandwidth. Fewer bandwidth demands gives Skypers with dial-up connections (like a lot of people in India and Brazil) a bigger boost, keeping calls from being dropped or mangled beyond recognition.
I'll attest to the great call quality during my interview with Skype's London-based product manager. It was clear and the vocal timbre sounded true. Keep in mind that I dialed in from a newish, memory-loaded Asus computer with full broadband support and a set of top-tier. Quality will still depend on your Internet connection and hardware configuration. Using headphones that support ultra-wide band audio will help.
The video stream was similarly good. Though far from the perfection of TV, I noticed many fewer jumps and blips and sound syncing that was very close to real-time. Problems that have beset Skype's video calls in the past--a frozen or choppy image and packetized audio--were largely absent during test calls. Skype says that's thanks to a new back-end addition that sticks a finger in the air of network conditions. As available bandwidth drops, the bandwidth manager tries to salvage audio first.
In choppy conditions, it helps steady the video, too, by lowering the rate of frames per second and by compressing images more heavily. Your friend on the other end may become blocky and the image delayed, but faces should also break up less than in previous versions.
Other new features include abuse reporting if you receive an invite from an unauthorized Skyper, and a light stub installer that pulls down the rest of the app.
Skype, it seems, has also been pulled into a toolbar partnership. Now when you install, you'll see that an optional toolbar comes bundled with Skype 4.0. The free Browser Highlighter includes the 'Compare on eBay' tool for Firefox and Internet Explorer. Considering that eBay owns Skype, it's not a surprising addition, but one I'll nonetheless pass on every time.
What's missing
There are two skins in version 4.0, the default light gray and blue combo called Skype 'Chrome,' and the classic hue. Skype hinted at more skin support in later versions coming out this year. There aren't plans at the moment to support third-party skins, but customization, I've been assured, will get more attention.
Along these lines are absent customizations that had not been making beta testers happy. If you've been holding your breath for greater IM treatment in this release, or birthday reminders, you might not let it out again until the next launch.
Those of you shouting about the cessation of public chats will be glad to know that Skype 4.0 for Windows will support those you've already got, but it will keep you from adding new ones. Skype told us they're still playing around with ideas of how to become more Web-oriented. It could as easily look like a reshaped version of chats as it could go in a different direction.
That brings us to Skypecasts, another source of some users' lamentations. Skypecasts was pulled last September because it just couldn't grab the hoped-for attention. A similar(-ish) feature will probably be rolled into whatever public chats becomes in future releases.
For now, Skype has retreated to its bread and butter position of providing good, clean voice, video, and text chatting. If worldwide Windows users notice consistently improved audio and video quality, that's not a bad place to be.
The original review, Skype 4.0 for Windows delivers truer video, sound by Jessica Dolcourt was originally posted on CNET News.com.
Talkback Most Recent of 16 Talkback(s)
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If you love Skype...
...you must love sex chatters.
You'll still love it even if you set your privacy settings up to the highest! 
Grayson Peddie3rd Feb 2009 -
Huh?
Not calling you a liar, but you need to make yourself a bit more clear. I've been running 'Skype', as well as many of my friends and family have, for years and I/we have not experienced the 'sex chatters' you are referring to. Is this on a cell phone, psp, blackberry device, computer, laptop...running which browser?
Again, I believe that you believe you know what you are talking about...I just don't want to miss out on the free sex chat.
(\(\
(='.')
(_")")? ? ? Evil sex chat bunny...
crwsnst@...3rd Feb 2009 -
You don't know how to set up your Skype!
If you are getting a lot of "sex" chatters, then you don't know how to set up your Skype privacy options. As an experiment, I opened up my profile for all to see, and within days, I had no less than five "sex-bunny" invitations, among about a dozen "want to chat?" invites...
I closed up my privacy options, and voila - no more bothersome crank chats.
If you want every Tom, Dick and Harriette IM'ing you, go to MSN or one of the other many IM boards. As for Skype, it does exactly as advertised, and that is all I need it for.
Edouin3rd Feb 2009 -
phones or phone adapters
What are the best phones that support skype or phone adapters that allow you to hook up a normal phone to the PC (and use skype)?
A lot of the choices I've seen are expensive and some are very old.
I know about the 'shop' section on skype's homepage that shows you hardware that is available. Just looking for personal experience and suggestions on which are the best from people that have used them.
Thanks,
nstuff3rd Feb 2009 -
I have a phone adapter that I don't use. It costed me $15.
I hope I can find one.Grayson Peddie3rd Feb 2009 -
Not impressed
When they upgrade it to work on Macs (real Macs, not Intel "Macs") and Linux, then I will be interested. For now: Useless!
Master Dave3rd Feb 2009 -
Someone's in denial
(real Macs, not Intel "Macs")
mmm-KAAAY!
tikigawd4th Feb 2009 -
RE: Skype 4.0 for Windows delivers truer video, sound
I would like to see a review of Skype Out vs other voip services, such as as VoipRaider, VoipStunt, and many others that give "free" calls where skype charges a few cents per minute. My experience is that they have slightly lower voice quality.
cmpenchina23rd Feb 2009 -
i use voipstunt
i called my father while i was on holiday and he asked me if i was already home because the call quality was so good, he said it was better than a neighbour calling him from his street.
if you can play around and get your settings right then voipstunt is a clear winner. free calls to 30 countries inc mobiles in USA, Thailand, Hong Kong. you really can't go wrong with that.
jan bLinQue4th Feb 2009 -
????
Skype 2.0 on Linux... Skype 2.7 on Mac... but Windows
already has a 4.0? Typical... so many programmers not
learning how to do anything but the MS world.
doh1234th Feb 2009 -
Dear ignorant troublemaker
From the Skype website:
By My status Peter Parkes on January 13, 2009 in Skype for Mac.
It?s always great to see so much feedback on new releases of Skype, and I?m particularly excited to see your comments about the two big new features in Skype 2.8 Beta for Mac, Skype Access and screen sharing.
These are two features not available to windows users.
For Linux, which you probably don't use either...Here's a link to the official 'Skype' blog: http://share.skype.com/sites/linux/
crwsnst@...4th Feb 2009 -
Consistency...
Half the people I talk to, and all the people I video chat with use Mac, I also have an iMac at home, which is what I use for video chat, because it has a built in camera.
At work I use v4 on my XP machine, just IM. At home my Vista machine is just for IM - no microphone, no camera. Why would I want to buy an extra camera and microphone, when the Mac sitting next to it has them both built in?
To use Skype by the sound of it...
The new features sound great, but until they are available on all platforms, and all of my contacts upgrade - a couple of the Windows users are still using very old versions - the updates are pretty irrelevant.
pico_D5th Feb 2009 -
Selfish individuals
Me, me, me! Mine, mine, mine! Gimme, gimme, gimme! Get, get, get!
What part of free does not register in your ever- unsatisfied mind?
You just admitted to using an iMac at home for video chat, so why would anyone care if the Windows machine sitting next to it can perform the same functions?
This is one of the stupidest posts I have read in a long time, and since it is about something obtained at no cost...completely irrelevant.crwsnst@...6th Feb 2009 -
Software to force HQ/HD video in Skype
Here a simple software to enable/force/configure Skype 4.0 to send high quality video even if you didn't bought an expensive webcam and a dual-core CPU.
You may also send higher resolution than Skype's HQ : the unofficial Skype HD !!!
Here is the link
http://www.nodewave.com/software/ForceSkypeHQVideo
suomynona6th Feb 2009 -
RE: Skype 4.0 for Windows delivers truer video, sound
Hello:
If I buy an iPHone, and I have unlimited internet access, can I use the iphone to talk via Skype, using camara, micro and iphone speaker?
Best regards: Alejandro Anaya
anayagonz19th Feb 2009
Talkback - Tell Us What You Think
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