Skype is to reintroduce an option in its Windows client that allowed users to manually enable high-resolution video without the use of certain Skype-endorsed webcams.
The internet telephony company recently launched, in conjunction with the peripheral manufacturer Logitech, what it called High Quality (HQ) video-calling. Using one of three premium Logitech cameras, users of HQ video can achieve a frame rate of 30fps rather than Skype's usual 15fps, and VGA (640x480 pixels) resolution rather than QVGA (320x240 pixels) resolution.
However, after ZDNet.co.uk published a story covering this launch, several readers added comments noting that, before Skype upgraded to its HQ-supporting version 3.6, the application had already included an option to manually activate VGA resolution — a function that had been removed in the new version.
"It is surprising that Skype has decided to relegate the majority of their existing users who own webcams to 'second class status', apparently only because of a marketing agreement with Logitech," wrote J.A Watson, while a1gjv opined that "Skype and Logitech are now not only in the web camera and VoIP business but also in the business of telling us what we can and cannot use on our PCs".
"This [agreement between Skype and Logitech] is all very well but why should we be told by both Skype and Logitech that HQ video will only work with their products?" added a1gjv. "By doing this they have potentially alienated millions of paying customers and in my mind that is not good business practice."
Skype issued a statement on the matter on Wednesday, claiming that the configuration option had been geared towards "tech-savvy users with webcams that could handle it", and confirmed it had been removed in Skype 3.6.
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"While it's true that the configuration option (which was essentially a garage hack) did offer better-than-average video, the quality was very unreliable. It worked for some users while frustrating others," the statement read. "Any benefits of the removed option pale in comparison with High Quality Video, which was our focus in Skype 3.6 for Windows. High Quality Video has moved the video-quality bar significantly higher. That's because, together with Logitech, we worked on all aspects of the video system — from optics to drivers to the video codec — to achieve reliable High Quality Video performance."
"Very few people used the previous video configuration option, so we were surprised at the reaction of some of these users when the option was removed," Skype's statement continued. "We'll therefore happily re-introduce the option very soon. However, we'd like to remind users that the restored configuration option will not provide the High Quality Video experience. In order to get that, users will need a combination of certified Logitech hardware and optimised Skype software."
Two years ago, e-commerce giant eBay paid £1.3bn for Skype in a deal seen by many as overvaluing the VoIP company. Many analysts and industry observers are still wondering how Skype — best known for offering a free service — will make an acceptable return on that investment.
Talkback
It will indeed be good news if Skype restores the ability to have higher resolution video with cameras other than the three chosen Logitech models. However, there is a good deal of "revisionist history" and covering of tracks in their statement. The first public beta 3.6 release came on out October 10th, and the discussion in the Skype User Forum of the higher quality video started the same day. That discussion went on for six weeks, and several Skype Staff members were involved. It became steadily more heated as it became obvious that the users pleas for Skype not to take this capability away were not going to be heeded. For Skype to now say "we were surprised at the reaction of some of these users when the option was removed" is disingenuous at best. It is also misleading for them to say "the quality was unreliable"; as they note, some people could get better resolution and some could not, but when it worked it worked very well, and very consistently. Most importantly, though, they repeat their elitist attitude with the statement "Any benefits of the removed option pale in comparison with High Quality Video". There was never any argument about this in the Skype User Forums. I personally said on numerous occasions, the High Definition Video is obviously better, but why does that mean that those who are not blessed with one of the "anointed" Logitech webcams and a dual-core CPU are not allowed to get the most that they can out of their webcams?
It certainly will be good if and when Skype actually does reinstate this option. It would be even better if they put it in with a reasonable user control, rather than dismissing it as a "garage hack". After all, they put it in there themselves to begin with!
I am very glad that Skype have now decided to put back what they call “the garage hack” because I am sure many people will do the hack and have better quality than they do now because there are many web cams on the market Logitech that will function at 640x480 and 25GPS, in fact the Philips PCVC 740K goes one better and will do this at 60FPS provided the users internet speed and bandwidth is good enough.
I have run many test with my Philips 740K at 640x480 and 25FPS and was very impressed with the results considering the original price of the camera which I think was about £50 some 5 years ago, therefore for a 5 year old camera that is pretty good.
Nobody is saying that the new HQ Video is not good, yes it is very good but if people have the alternative equipment to run HQ video or video that they a fully satisfied with even if it is via a hack then they should be allowed to do so. I think they call it freedom of use or the user’s choice to use what equipment they want.
Even now you only have to look at the Skype forum and see that problems that were apparent in the public bets version of 3.6 are still there and have not been resolved why? and the product has been gold for the last week if not more. Surely this situation give paying customers or people who just use the Skype 2 Skype option only very little confidence in the product if they make it gold with the same bugs still in it.
Another thing I can’t understand is this statement by Skype "Very few people used the previous video configuration option, so we were surprised at the reaction of some of these users when the option was removed," how do they know that this was the case are they eves dropping on our IP’s to see where, when and what we are doing. I know they have to monitor the IP for the payment side so that they can deduct money off people’s accounts for each call the make to telephones and mobiles, but that is totally different from normal Skype to Skype audio/video operation.
Hi,
I also read the news. I agee with you, because so far I have no Dual Core, and I will not change my Laptop before it dies (it's strong and powerful enough for everything else!). I know HQ video will beg for high CPU usage, but I also can't believe that when you do nothing else than Skyping, a single core with lot's of memory won't do the job. I mean I'm no computer expert, so maybe I'm wrong and would be glad to know why a Duo is absolutely necessary.
What I don't get neither, is why releasing a 3.6 final when it's still so buggy? Attract user and sell Logitech cam? ;-)
I feel like other IM programs will be brought into the light within couples of weeks... :-)
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sounds very much like the scandal when they disabled features for users using AMD processors claiming that you had to have an intel processor to handle the feature as Intel was more powerful!
When questioned the feature wasn't even tested on an AMD system so they had no figures to back up their claims and it seems it was just because they had a deal with intel.
Shame on you skype for trying it again.
As I mentioned this is the 2nd time this year that Skype has been called up about dodgy claims that certain features will only work on specific hardware. I found the article on zdnet that mentions the last one which I believe AMD is sueing Intel over:
http://news.zdnet.co.uk/hardware/0,1000000091,39254953,00.htm
Why don't they follow the model of video games where they are sponsored by Nvidia or Ati and state that "runs better on..." but still allows both hardware to run the game. Skype go too far in disabling features that they claim will not work on other hardware without even testing for it or having any figures to back it up. It's clearly making their sponsors happy and nothing to do with performance and to try to fool their users is a real insult.
Skype is a superior Instant messaging and easy to use VOIP service it's a shame they have to resort to these tactics to make any money. Rather than just burning their bridges with the hardware manufacturers that compete with their current sponsors they are also annoying their users.