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Alternaties to Skype

• MioKontic 4,663 Posts

  Wed, Apr 9 2025 1:38 PM

  I've been using Skype for many years, way before Microsoft got their mitts on it and ruined it (what is it with billionaires and ruining everything???), but with it coming to an end next month I'm trying to find an alternative.

  I need something that I can use for screensharing, and which is stable during screensharing.  I have tried Discord but the person I'm sharing with says that they lose resolution, i.e. it goes blurred, which is obviously no good.  I've looked at some other similar apps, but I haven't managed to find one that is stable during screensharing.

  I do not want Teams, mainly because it's Microsoft and I already have enough of their crap!  Does anyone have any suggestions for a decent communication app that can also be used for screensharing?  It needs to be able to be used on a PC, I don't want one which you have to connect to your mobile phone (e.g. WhatsApp).  I have tried Jami, but that wasn't stable during screensharing.  I have also just downloaded AnyDesk to try, but at the moment I can't seem to register an account.

  Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

• BlackBogey 676 Posts

  Wed, Apr 9 2025 10:54 PM

  Not sure if you're aware Mio, but there are several Frame Rates (15, 30, and 60 fps) and Resolution options (480p, 720p, 1080p and 1440p) to select from when you are streaming in Discord.  Selecting a higher one should help clean up the video resolution, but may cause excessive lag if you don't have a fast internet connection.  Someone just inquired about this in our club a few weeks ago and after he switched to the higher fps and resolution he reported his video cleared up considerably.

  **edit - When I just went to check on how to do this so I could explain how I noticed it looks like the highest you can go is 720p at 60 fps now unless you buy a Nitro subscription.  They must've done an update and restricted this in the last few weeks, because just a few weeks ago I could select 1080p at 60 fps without needing the Nitro subscription.

• MioKontic 4,663 Posts

  Thu, Apr 10 2025 11:08 AM

  I'll give that a try, thanks.

• SimonTheBeetle 3,828 Posts

  Thu, Apr 10 2025 11:25 AM

  Wow, I can't believe you're still using Skype, Mio!

  I think the last time I used it was like 13 or 14 years ago when people just kinda stopped using it after a while. I mean, yeah, all these other alternatives came out, but like you said, things really went downhill after Microsoft bought it.

  I probably still have some credit left on there for international calls from back in the day. Wonder if I can get that back before they shut the whole thing down. Probably not...

• alosso 21,108 Posts

  Sat, Apr 12 2025 3:24 AM

  While WhatsApp works from a Windows browser and now also offers a Windows app, there's Signal (Windows app) and Zoom (Windows app) as Skype alternatives. At least the latter has screen sharing, too.

• Yiannis1970 3,365 Posts

  Sat, Apr 12 2025 9:28 AM

  SimonTheBeetle:

  Wow, I can't believe you're still using Skype, Mio!

   

  Wow Simon, i can't believe that you are using anything else but skype!!!

   

  :):)

   

  PS

  With all of its problems, still remained the best free app for our purposes. Gonna miss it. I will never like discord but it's a one way ticket right now.

   

  Have done my research too....there's nothing free close to skype out there yet...maybe in the near future.

   

• SimonTheBeetle 3,828 Posts

  Sun, Apr 13 2025 2:36 AM

  Yiannis1970:

  Wow Simon, i can't believe that you are using anything else but skype!!!

  Actually, I only ever used Skype because work made me, never had any personal reason to use it. Ever since smartphones came out, apps like iMessage, WhatsApp, and Messenger have done a great job replacing it, so even more reason not to bother.

  The only time I ever do use something else is when I visit Shenzhen for work. In China, you literally can't do anything without WeChat. It's basically your ID, wallet, phone, and social life all in one there. (How crazy is that, eh?) But I delete it the moment I get back home. I mean… you don't actually trust the Chinese Commies, do you? LOL

  Well, as for Discord, I'm not exactly a fan of it either. It feels too chaotic like standing in the middle of a loud, messy night market where everyone's shouting at once. Just not my vibe. Maybe the younger gen loves that kind of energy, but not for me. Could be a sign that I'm getting old. Hehe...

  Anyway, yeah, if a good free app comes along sometime soon, I'd definitely consider giving it a try, why not! 😉 Cheers, mate!

  ---

  ⬇️ EDIT: LOL There you go! I hear ya, my friend. Cheers! ⬇️

• Yiannis1970 3,365 Posts

  Sun, Apr 13 2025 3:24 AM

  SimonTheBeetle:

  Yiannis1970:

  Wow Simon, i can't believe that you are using anything else but skype!!!

  Actually, I only ever used Skype because work made me, never had any personal reason to use it. Ever since smartphones came out, apps like iMessage, WhatsApp, and Messenger have done a great job replacing it, so even more reason not to bother.

  The only time I ever do use something else is when I visit Shenzhen for work. In China, you literally can't do anything without WeChat. It's basically your ID, wallet, phone, and social life all in one there. (How crazy is that, eh?) But I delete it the moment I get back home. I mean… you don't actually trust the Chinese Commies, do you? LOL

  Well, as for Discord, I'm not exactly a fan of it either. It feels too chaotic like standing in the middle of a loud, messy night market where everyone's shouting at once. Just not my vibe. Maybe the younger gen loves that kind of energy, but not for me. Could be a sign that I'm getting old. Hehe...

  Anyway, yeah, if a good free app comes along sometime soon, I'd definitely consider giving it a try, why not! 😉 Cheers, mate!

   

  100% agree with the above bold.

  As for my smart phone...had a talk with it the other day and it's really smart. It said to me:

  Don't go ever to China otherwise i will go on strike!!

   

  PS

  I use my smart phone only for phone calls and sending sms.

   

  PS 2 (not Playstation 2)

  Almost forgot....on stand by mode, i use it as well as a microphone for google to listen everything we say in order to get a million ads afterwards about the topic.

   

  Cheers my friend!!