Skype, headsets and soundcards

[Olive]

Hi all,

I've bought a new Logitech headset to use with skype. The only problem is that it's taken over my sound. I was under the impression that I could dedicatwe the USB sound device for skype but leave everything else coming out my normal speakers.

Any idea how to do this?

 

[talinthas]

well, headsets for skype are just that- headsets. that means that they act as normal headphones in all regards, including having your sound filter through them. there's pretty much no way around that. i got headphones which are more standard (with a headphone and mike jack), and just leave the headphone jack unplugged, so that when my mom calls me, i just talk to her with the mike, and let her speak through the speakers.

 

[Steel_Wind]

There was a Microsdot Sidewinder headset product (now discontinued) that included a hardware sharing device called a "puck".

The software sucked; even the headset that came with the sidewinder was crappy too.

But the puck is very cool and makes getting the sidewinder voice proiduct worthwhile.

 

[Olive]

Actually, I figured it out.

well, headsets for skype are just that- headsets. that means that they act as normal headphones in all regards, including having your sound filter through them. there's pretty much no way around that. i got headphones which are more standard (with a headphone and mike jack), and just leave the headphone jack unplugged, so that when my mom calls me, i just talk to her with the mike, and let her speak through the speakers.

Ah, but not USB ones. USB ones come with a seperate USB sound card. Skype actually has a section in the options (which I hadn't found when I posted this) in which you can set the sound device it uses to be seperate from the system defults. So my USB headset earphones are used for the speakers for skype, and the USB haedset mic for the micrphone for skype, but everything else (including skype ringing) is done throught the normal PC speakers.

So it can be done if you, ahem, read the manual. Which I didn't.