having now taken a moment to look thru skype settings options I see it is possible to check an "automatically answer calls" checkbox... so ignore my previous comments
OK.... there is probably a way to get it to answer every day. I won't be able to leave the call going on the remote side, so I will have to dial in every time. I can see how a macro might do the job. I will try it out tomorrow and see. I'm sure Skype has to go through a gateway in the UK right? Does this cause any lag? Or is it a direct IP to IP solution? I am surprised there isn't a US based solution (don't know where to look).
skype is true peer to peer... no gateways. was designed by the people who were behind the P2P network for kazaa. sound quality has to be heard to be believed - you will be surprised I am sure, because I sure was that a call could be conducted from UK to west coast US with no discernible lag and clearer sound than a phone could ever give. calls and messages are encrypted end to end which is a nice extra security concept you dont get via conventional communications.
Haven't had a chance to get back to you. The skpye will work fine, as for the SIP gateway and allowing the use of a standard speakerphone you should look into this http://worldcall.brinkster.net/pcphoneline/pcphoneline.htm for handsfree use if you want similar to what you doing now. If you want Spkye to interface to your existing Digital PBX system then a Linux box using freeware PBX gateway software will work as well http://www.asterisk.org/ This route can allow for secure access to your office pbx over VPN software. Just depends to what extend you want to go. For the geek admin in your office they can refer to here for additional info http://www.voip-info.org/tiki-index.php Bsulli
on the hands free thing, my skype is setup with a desktop USB mic and sound coming from my PC speakers, so I have handsfree of a sort and easy to implement
Jeez, Bsulli.... I'm sorry I asked man. You don't have to try to make me feel like a complete idiot by throwing out all these incredible options at me. Man... this is great. I have what I need now. I just need to test it. I will stick with just the simple Skype with auto answer and see how that goes. I just have to remember to turn it off when I don't want my guys to hear what is going on on the remote end.
Do you think a regular Creative Labs mic plugged into the mic port of my sound card will do just as a good a job? I haven't heard of USB mics before. Is there a difference? I will be doing this same thing you are doing on the office end and taking a mic headset for the remote side. I just have to think about placement so I don't get feedback noise through the mic.
you should be good with any microphone, no difference in the functionality Just a thought with regards to the office skype... there are over 1M skype users now and I do occasionally get calls from wrong numbers or people i dont know who call randomly for a chat. Might be a good idea to set your office skype to only accept calls from numbers in your contacts phone book and make sure your remote skype is added to your contacts. This way you wont have any problems with the auto answer taking calls from people you'd rather not listen in to your office
also I think skype has some kind of built in noise feedback cancelling as I have not personally had problems with my mic picking up sounds from the speakers