SKYPE question

[WindRose1]

Cruising the Bahamas and using skype: Can the computer with camera be used to communicate with someone in Florida face to face? Or is Skype used only for voice phone calls and texts?

[boatman61]

Computor to Computor but of course...

[noelex 77]

Welcome to forum WindRose.

Skype is great. As Boatman61 says computer computer video is possible. The only limitation is needs a reasonable Internet speed. 3G or HSPA+ via the phone system ( which is how we get our Internet, because we are at anchor) sometimes struggles unless the signal is good one.

[hpeer]

I have been using Skype to hold a weekly video conference from PA to Texas. I use a iPad and the other party an Apple PC. Works a charm. WiFi connection on my end to a my local router and a DSL connection.

[Sailmonkey]

The biggest hurdle to overcome with Skype is a few isp's block VoIP programs to conserve limited bandwidth. We only ran into this once in Belize. But I have heard of others having this problem.

[S/V_Surya]

I was just videoing with my son in Ecuador on Sunday. Great connection clear as a bell. You can also use skype video on smart phones of course.

[svWindfall]

Skype is great, but it's the signal strength that really counts to lower your frustration(s). We use Skype for computer to computer, and for computer to phone (for just pennies via Skype).

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by WindRose1

Cruising the Bahamas and using skype: Can the computer with camera be used to communicate with someone in Florida face to face? Or is Skype used only for voice phone calls and texts?

Depends on the bandwidth. Many providers discourage the use of Skype. It's hit and miss in the Bahamas. Like I've said before the Bahamas covers a lot of territory. But video with Skype is possible. You just need a good connection, and those aren't too easy to find.

[s/vPainkiller]

The problem we ran into in the Bahamas 2 years ago is that bandwidth is limited in many (ok most) places. We had trouble with video calls, so we found voice-only Skype calls were more reliable. That's not to say you can't find places with enough bandwidth, but we didn't have much luck with it. Forget streaming movies or TV shows.

Scott

[WindRose1]

Thank you all for your input.
Would a WiFI antenna and maybe some kind of booster help?
I skype in Florida to family. Do I need to purchase minutes from SKYPE to do this from Bahamas to Florida (even though I am not using my iphone)?

[Connemara]

As many have said, it's a question of bandwidth. If you have a better antenna but you connect to a slow Internet provider, you gain nothing. It's the speed of the Internet connection that matters, not how well you bring it in.

To call a landline, you need to buy time on Skype, which you can do by turning on the program and finding the appropriate icon (usually called something like "buy minutes"). It's not expensive... $10 will last you forever.

Comp-to-comp is free (aside from your Internet charges).

Connemara

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by WindRose1

Thank you all for your input.
Would a WiFI antenna and maybe some kind of booster help?
I skype in Florida to family. Do I need to purchase minutes from SKYPE to do this from Bahamas to Florida (even though I am not using my iphone)?

I used too have an antenna I hauled up on a halyard. Many folks have POE boosters. My antenna rusted out. I did not replace it. I use a small booster antenna, an EnGenius, about $40. Does me.

[SaucySailoress]

Originally Posted by WindRose1

I skype in Florida to family. Do I need to purchase minutes from SKYPE to do this from Bahamas to Florida (even though I am not using my iphone)?

No. All Skype computer to computer services are free, including voice calls, video calls, messaging etc.

With phone calls, you can add in others to the conversation. I am in Kuwait, and have had conference calls with relatives in UK and Andorra! Same goes for messaging.

All you need to buy credit for is calls to landlines and mobiles etc - basically to folks who are not signed into Skype at the other end!

[KDH]

Originally Posted by WindRose1

Thank you all for your input.
Would a WiFI antenna and maybe some kind of booster help?
I skype in Florida to family. Do I need to purchase minutes from SKYPE to do this from Bahamas to Florida (even though I am not using my iphone)?

We could not get Skype to work on the 3G subscription we had in the BVIs and we have had only limited success in Morocco using the marina wifi. Works about a third of the time. It did work in Portugal in Lisbon but we lost the call every time the timed login expired. We got around that by making it a conference call so that as soon as one of us was cut off we could reconnect to the wifi and skype would automatically put us back into the call. We purchased a yearly unlimited calls (not good for instant messages) subscription to the US for around $15 I think. We have never been able to get a decent video call to go through except in the US.

[Tingum]

We are in the Bahamas and skype is our only phone. Works great unless there are alot of people using alot of bandwidth.