Streaming TV with Skype

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Streaming TV with Skype

SkypeSlingboxHow would you like to use your Slingbox with Skype or is it Skype with Slingbox? Anyway... For a few months now I've been playing with using Skype along with a Slingbox, a popular gadget that lets you stream your home TV content, enabling remote viewing of live and pre­-recorded television over the Internet. I've been a huge advocate of streaming live TV across the Internet for years, so figured I'd post my tips on streaming TV utilizing Skype, Slingbox, and TV tuner cards.

Slingbox includes a software player for remote playback of your TV/video content, so you're probably wondering why anyone would want to use Skype instead. Well, the answer is simple. Suppose you're driving out of state and the local radio stations don't carry your favorite sports team. Or suppose you're a Fox News, or BBC junkie and want to be able to listen to live "breaking news" while driving. Well, using a cell phone, Skype, SkypeIn, and a Slingbox you can stream the audio of any TV channel to your mobile phone, a device which you typically carry everywhere. I'll cover remote video streaming later in the article - it's a non-Slingbox solution.

Skype streaming Slingbox's audio


Basically, we need to "tap" into the Slingbox software player's (SlingPlayer) audio stream, which is played out your PC speakers. In order to hear what is being played over your PC's speakers you need to enable Wave Out Mix, also sometimes called "Stereo Mix". Essentially, the sound coming out of your speakers is looped back (via software) into your PC so you can record it or have another software application access the sound stream. You can of course use a 3.5mm to 3.5mm stereo line out/line in stereo jack and connect the sound card's speaker's output to the sound cards' microphone input and do a hardware-based loopback.

First we need to check and see if the Wave Out Mix option is enabled. In Windows XP it is usually on be default. You can check it with these steps:

1. Right-click your volume control in the system tray and choose Volume Control. (you can also access it via the Control Panel)
2. Click Options and then Properties
3. Click the Recording bullet.
4. Make sure Wave Out Mix is checked.
5. Click Ok
6. You should now be back to the main Recording Control screen. From here is where you can select 1 recording device. Choose Wave Out Mix to record the sound coming out of your speakers.
Note: When you want to use your microphone connected to your sound card, make sure to switch it back to Microphone.

Windows XP Recording Control Wave Out Mix

Windows Vista is trickier since it is off by default. To enable it:

1. Right-click the volume control in the System tray and choose Recording Devices or select sound from the Control Panel and then the Recording tab.
3. Right click on the background of the tab and choose "Show Disabled Devices."
4. Right click on Wave Out Mix and click enable.
Vista Wave Out Mix

If you don't see Wave Out (or Stereo Mix, Mono Mix, WAV, Wav Mix, etc) your sound card may not support this feature or it may need a driver update to enable it. Dell PCs with Vista are notorious for NOT supporting Wave Out mix even with the latest driver. I've read rumors that copyright groups (i.e. RIAA) pressured Dell or Microsoft to remove Wave Out since Wave Out recording allows you to record anything on your PC in 100% digital quality, including streaming Internet radio. Apparently music pirates would record Internet radio streams, separate out the individual songs and then upload them to P2P networks. I'm not sure I buy this theory, but I do have one Dell Vista PC that doesn't support Wave Out and it's very annoying.

In any event, once enabled, you simply highlight it and choose Set Default. Now with that all squared away, let's get Skype working with Slingbox.

Configuration:
1. Run your Slingbox player (SlingPlayer) and choose the channel you want. You can do this remotely using VNC or Remote Desktop as well.
2. Make sure Skype is running on your home PC using your SECONDARY Skype account. This account should NOT be your primary Skype account otherwise all your buddies will be able to dial in and listen to your TV channels.
3. Next, in Skype click on Audio Settings and select the audio source that your Slingbox player is sending its sound through. It should be your sound card and not any USB audio devices. (USB audio sources don't support Wave Out Mix)
4. You'll need to turn on auto-answer incoming calls. You can do this by clicking on Calls, Call Settings, Advanced button, and then checking the 'Automatically answer incoming calls' box.
5. You'll need a SkypeIn number for calling your PC from your mobile phone.
6. Done!

Usage:
1. Call your SkypeIn number
2. Skype will auto-answer and start playing whatever TV channed the Slingbox is tuned to. Listen to your favorite TV program wherever you go!

Limitations:
- To change channels you'll need VNC or Remote Desktop, which if you're driving and listening via your mobile phone is kinda hard to do. Could always call home and ask the spouse or roommate to change the channel though.
- You use cell minutes, but if you have an unlimited plan, who cares? (SkypeIn doesn't charge per minute for inbound calls)

Earlier, I mentioned a video streaming non-Slingbox solution. The cool thing about this solution is that you get BOTH audio and video. The only caveat is that this solution will require a PC on both ends for the video to work. If you just want audio you can use a cellphone though.

Skype non-Slingbox streaming TV solution (TV tuner card)


All you really need is a PC TV tuner card and two Skype accounts.  In fact, you don't have to mess with turning on Wave Out mix for this to work.

Here's how you stream audio & video using Skype.

Configuration:
1. Go into the Skype configuration for the Video calling (Tools, Options, Video Settings) and instead of selecting your webcam, select your TV tuner card. You should see the current TV tuner's selected channel in the mini-video preview window.
2. Check the box that says "Start my video automatically when I am in a call".
3. Next, click on Audio Settings and select the audio source that your tuner card is sending its sound through. [again, no need for Wave Out Mix for this]
4. You'll need to turn on auto-answer incoming calls. You can do this by clicking on Calls, Call Settings, Advanced button, and then checking the 'Automatically answer incoming calls' box.
5. Make sure Skype is running on your home PC using your SECONDARY Skype account. This account should NOT be your primary Skype account otherwise all your buddies will be able to dial in and WATCH/LISTEN to your TV channels.

Usage:
1. From your secondary Skype account, call your primary Skype account (home PC). It will auto-answer and auto-start the video which will be your TV tuner card's video. Sweet TV video streaming goodness across the Internet using Skype's amazing compression codecs!
2. To change channels you'll need VNC or Remote Desktop to connect to your home PC. Your TV tuner card came with a software application that lets you change channels.
3. If you just want audio, similar to the Slingbox solution you can call via SkypeIn.

Limitations:
- Pain to have to remote desktop to the home PC to change channels.

Pretty cool eh?

TV for Skype If using remote desktop solutions to change the channel is too much of a pain, there is a Japanese company selling 'TV for Skype' that lets you IM the channel you want to change to, i.e. ##12# to change to channel 12. TV for Skype includes an analog tuner on a USB stick and their software was designed to capture Skype IM messages and change the channel accordingly. Considering the FCC is pulling the plug on analog TV channels, you may want to weigh your options before plopping $85 on this product.

I still like the second solution the best, since it gives you both streaming audio and video and it only requires an inexpensive TV tuner card. Many PCs already have TV tuner cards, so if you don't have a Slingbox, this is the best route if you want to stream TV using Skype.


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