asterisk users - Nov 2004 - quasi-skype channel for Asterisk?

http://www.pcphoneline.com/skype

If I have a spare PC-AT running Windows 2000/XP and use their devices to
convert skype's input and output to conventional phone jack, I guess I can
connect that to Asterisk and skype can be one of the channels.

Is my understanding right?

--
Kuniyoshi Murata.........................iChat/AIM:macwebcaster
English-Japanese Interpreter     mailto:kuni@ej-interpreter.net
Macintosh Webcast Specialist        http://www.macwebcaster.com

On Wed, Nov 10, 2004 at 06:10:21AM +0900, Kuniyoshi Murata wrote:
> http://www.pcphoneline.com/skype
> If I have a spare PC-AT running Windows 2000/XP and use their devices to
> convert skype's input and output to conventional phone jack, I guess I
can
> connect that to Asterisk and skype can be one of the channels.
> Is my understanding right?
Skype have published their API, something like
www.skype.com/go/developer

This allows integrating Skype into other systems (only Windows at the
moment).


Steve

-- 
NetTek Ltd Phone/Fax +44-(0)20 7483 2455
SMS steve-epage (at) gbnet.net [body] gpg 1024D/468952DB 2001-09-19

> Sorry, I don't have that kind of skill as well as the time 
> for development. 
> 
> So, back to my original question, I'll use the way I proposed 
> if that is possible. 
> 
> If skype can be one of the channels, that is an advantage in 
> holding conference call over the Internet, I think. 
Hi,

There was a long thread about integrating asterisk and skype about 4 weeks ago.
The big Pro is the user base skype has the big con is the proprietary license
skype uses and that it does nothing that asterisk and dundi can't do
themselves better.

I do not understand what you mean by 'phone jack'. If you plan to use
microphone-in/speaker-out of your skype computer to the opposite jacks on your
asterisk box, you will be able to transmit the voice channel in both directions
using either chan_oss/chan_alsa or another voip software on the asterisk box.
 
But you have no means to establish a skype channel with this solution as the
dial or answer functions only exist in the skype software or the api mentioned
above.

If there really is a converter (box or software) from skype to 'real'
phone jacks (isdn or FXO/FXS or SIP/H323), you are certainly done, as these
interfaces have proven that they support voice AND signalling ;-). But I'm
not aware of such a converter.

Just my 2 whatsoever

Stefan

> > But I'm not aware of such a converter.
> See my previous mail of the thread (which I quote below) 
> indicating the URL. The devises are exactly the skype 
> converter to FXO/FXS. http://www.pcphoneline.com/skype
Sorry for not reading your Mail completely.

So with this thing and an FXO Card in your asterisk box, it should be possible
to connect the two worlds, yes.

BUT.
I don't see a real reason to connect two probably ethernet-equipped boxes
via FXO/FXS to transport VOIP-Traffic.
When the api is openly available and legally usable to connect phone lines to
skype, there should be no problem with a "skype-api to iax2" or a
"skype-api to sip" converter on the Windows box which then connects to
your asterisk via IP.

But since the FXO/FXS solution seems to be instantly available, maybe the
solution is the one to use right now.

Stefan

On Wed, 10 Nov 2004, Kuniyoshi Murata wrote:
> http://www.pcphoneline.com/skype
> 
> If I have a spare PC-AT running Windows 2000/XP and use their devices to
> convert skype's input and output to conventional phone jack, I guess I
can
> connect that to Asterisk and skype can be one of the channels.
> 
> Is my understanding right?

Yes, but you are still contravening Skype's terms and conditions of use.

Steve