Trying to get qik up and running...

[ArtGuy]

My wife and I just picked up our EVO's on Monday, and now I am trying to get qik up and running...

It launches fine on both phones and when I select her number it says "Establishing connection...". But, it never connects.

We are not in a 4G area, but I thought that qik would work with 3G or wifi.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Brad

 

[doriansoto]

try going to the market and making sure you have the most up to date version of "qik for htc evo 4g" its a blue icon. when i first got my evo it had an orange icon....hope that helps

 

[IPvFletch]

Qik works regardless of connection, but it's slower on 3G of course.

Yes, you need the BLUE Qik icon, not the Orange one (Blue is for EVO and includes Video Chat feature).

 

[ArtGuy]

Thanks for the suggestions, but I do have the blue icon version 03.54.

We do have kind of a week signal up here, so maybe I'll try it in an area with better signal.

 

[leegseegs]

Thanks for the suggestions, but I do have the blue icon version 03.54.

We do have kind of a week signal up here, so maybe I'll try it in an area with better signal.

Just some info, many many people have found that Qik is pretty much garbage software and doesn't work, even with a strong signal. Even with their most recent update ( I think yesterday). Basically, they just totally dropped the ball and haven't worked out all the issues.

Try downloading "Fring" if you want to test out video chat. That works much more consistently, albeit its a very ugly piece of software with not many customization options (plus the echo feedback is terrible).

Bottom line, you're going to be waiting for a bit if you're expecting something slick and working like Facetime.

 

[denise1768]

Just some info, many many people have found that Qik is pretty much garbage software and doesn't work, even with a strong signal. Even with their most recent update ( I think yesterday). Basically, they just totally dropped the ball and haven't worked out all the issues.

Try downloading "Fring" if you want to test out video chat. That works much more consistently, albeit its a very ugly piece of software with not many customization options (plus the echo feedback is terrible).

Bottom line, you're going to be waiting for a bit if you're expecting something slick and working like Facetime.

I haven't had success with either of these.. Qik is just terrible, and while Fring will connect, the voice sounds garbled, and usually will disconnect with 2 seconds. Once in a while, it might stay connected for about 30 seconds, but still not good quality.

Any suggestions? Thanks.

 

[leegseegs]

I haven't had success with either of these.. Qik is just terrible, and while Fring will connect, the voice sounds garbled, and usually will disconnect with 2 seconds. Once in a while, it might stay connected for about 30 seconds, but still not good quality.

Any suggestions? Thanks.

Do you have Always Mobile-on Data unchecked? (for battery savings). That may affect the way Fring operates.

With Fring, I've managed to hold a connection the whole time, and while its a little laggy I found it generally pretty decent quality (for video chat). I've used it both on 3G and on Wifi

The other problem is it apparently doesn't have echo suppression features, so you get a lot of feedback due to the nature of the beast. That may be the garbling of the voice you hear. If both parties use headphones, that solves the problem. .

 

[denise1768]

Do you have Always Mobile-on Data unchecked? (for battery savings). That may affect the way Fring operates.

Hi,

Just check and no, it's not unchecked. I've tried with both wifi and 3g, and haven't found any consistency as to when it works and doesn't.

My main problem is the disconnects, as well as the video always being dark (on my end and the receivers end).

Thx!

 

[vgsantiago]

My wife and I just picked up our EVO's on Monday, and now I am trying to get qik up and running...

It launches fine on both phones and when I select her number it says "Establishing connection...". But, it never connects.

We are not in a 4G area, but I thought that qik would work with 3G or wifi.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Brad

Do both of you have Google Voice? If so you must dial the phone # provided by Sprint. My wife and I had the same issues just last night trying to test. Dial Google Voice #, no dice. Dial regualr phone # and it works. Also assuming you both created an account on Qik.

 

[EarlyMon]

I'm just not having any of the problems using Fring as a client for Skype-to-Skype video - no echoing, no contact list woes, none of that.

My mileage varies, yours may, too, so check it out.

 

[denise1768]

I don't know anything about using Fring and Skype together. I don't have a Skype account.

What's the benefits to using both together?

 

[EarlyMon]

I don't know anything about using Fring and Skype together. I don't have a Skype account.

What's the benefits to using both together?

The Fring-to-Fring is said to echo pretty heavily. My experience is that Fring/Skype has none of that, regardless of client on the other end.

The big thing about Skype is that it's platform independent.

I do quite a bit fo video conferencing - now I can video chat others on their desktops when travelling (that's often) - with Skype, you just don't have to care what the other platform is - Mac, Linux, Win, and you can chat with other iPhone users with Fring/Skype. (Haven't tried audio skype - they're already upset about my EVO and have banded together to not let me see yet one more thing... but - I strongly suspect that's supported, too. Presuming Fring does with their next iPhone update what they've done for the EVO (if they haven't already), then you'll use Fring/Skype to vid with iPhone users as well.)

Works great with wifi - or - 3G.

You'll want Skype for your desktop to manage your contacts there. Fring sux at giving the total interface (as do all chat aggregators in my opinion) and while you can participate in multi-user chats (not video), you can't manage them the way you can on the Skype desktop.

So, it's not perfect.

You'll want to get a free Skype account, bypass all of the phone number stuff - they're just trying to sell you Skype minutes.

Always do name-to-name Skype chats, audio or video - it just works and it's free.

Fring alone, Qik, and Facetime - all platform-specific.

It's not their business what my friends and co-workers are using for video confs - all I want is to talk and see things in real time, not become a standard bearer for any of those brands.

That's why Fring/Skype is better.

 

[denise1768]

Thanks for that reply!!

So question, when video chatting between 2 cell phones, you have to use fring/fring or qik/qik though, correct?

 

[EarlyMon]

Thanks for that reply!!

So question, when video chatting between 2 cell phones, you have to use fring/fring or qik/qik though, correct?

Nope.

You CAN do that - but with Skype in the mix - nope, you don't have to.

If the other user has Fring/Skype - or just Skype - you're good to go, so long as they have a camera rig to support their setup.

Fring is really two things:

• It's its own thing - Fring
• It's also a kinda unified message client - just like any IM app that let's you chat via MS, Yahoo or AIM - Fring does that too - for a good sized list
  • But when you use it to access your Skype contact list, you also get audio and video chat supported

Like other IM apps supporting a lot of chat protocols - Fring puts all of your contacts from AIM, Yahoo, Google Talk, Skype, whatever - into one long list, and while it will always show audio and video buttons for them, when you use them, it either works or says it can't do it with that protocol.

So far as I know, Fring really only supports Fring-Fring and Fring/Skype-Skype for video.

They improved their website until it's more confusing, not less.

Let me know if I'm making sense here....

PS - Maybe this is easier:

Skype-Skype works everywhere, on lots of machines

Fring/Skype-Skype behaves as well as Skype-Skype, because it is

Fring/Skype-Skype/Fring behaves as well as Skype-Skype, because it is

Fring-Fring or Qik-Qik (or Facetime-Facetime) are ugly beasts to avoid at all costs.

Qik-Qik is push to talk because they never solved echoing - weak.

 

[denise1768]

Ok Thanks.. I'm going to get a skype account and do some testing. if I have trouble, I'll PM you! hehe

 

[EarlyMon]

Ok Thanks.. I'm going to get a skype account and do some testing. if I have trouble, I'll PM you! hehe

No problem. You'll prolly find it straightforward.

 

[denise1768]

so i got a skype account.. added skype on fring as an "add-in". The question is, does it work any better adding skype?

 

[EarlyMon]

so i got a skype account.. added skype on fring as an "add-in". The question is, does it work any better adding skype?

You're doing fine - you HAVE to do the Skype add-on thing in Fring for it all to work the way I describe.

You'll add your friends to your Contact List on your desktop Skype, they'll add you (check out the various privacy features, so you avoid getting spammed by strangers - everyone in the world is on Skype!) so you're Skype prefs are set up for contact with/viewing status with/ only your friends. (Seems identical to me to Yahoo, AIM, and GTalk in that regard, conceptually.)

That's it.

When your buddy list gets populated, tap the name, vid away!

Some notes for how I use it:

All of the IM clients for Android are battery hogs, in my limited personal experience - Fring is no exception - they all want to constantly talk to their clouds.

So, get a feel for how much juice it sucks up with your other phone use - just as you would any IM - before deciding to leave it on all the time or only on occasion. Note to turn on/off automatic startup in settings to suit you.

I do NOT show my phone contacts on Fring. The Evo's plenty powerful enough managing my sms chats and so forth, I don't need Fring doubling the scroll length of my contact list.

I do not show my offline buddies. I know they love me, I don't need to see their names when they're offline.

I do not attach my fring signature - it's just unneeded bytes at the end of text messages - unless - I want people to know I'm on my phone for all of the good reasons.

That's it - let me know how it goes.

An Important PS - Fring loses its mind when you logoff - you have to re-enter username and password when you do that. Instead, when you're done, just Exit, and next time in, everything's automagic and you'll save typing time.

Another PS - When you do the Add-on thing in Fring - you're not really adding anything except a login to that "Add-on" gateway - for Skype or AIM or whatever. It doesn't add more software or anything.

A Fring "Add-on" is kinda exactly like an Add Account on your Mail app.

 

[wlinds1]

I had issues with Qik in the beginning. Make sure when you sign you select the video chat feature that there is a green light next to your user name at the top of the screen. That means that you are logged in and ready to go. If the light is not on, you will not get a connection. Hope this helps.

 

[ArtGuy]

Pretty comprehensive guide here. Thanks, EarlyMon.

 

[EarlyMon]

Pretty comprehensive guide here. Thanks, EarlyMon.

Hey, my pleasure!

I'd be lost on my Evo without the help of others here.

We're all in this together, and I'm pulling for you.

Cheers!

 

[denise1768]

That picture of yours scares me!! LOL

Thank you sooooooooo much for all your help. Now I just have to get my son to download fring again and start testing it with me. We never had much luck.

 

[JOFOX]

That picture of yours scares me!! LOL

Helloo Clarice!!



Classic pic i like it!!

 

[EarlyMon]

That picture of yours scares me!! LOL

It's just an old man (me) looking into a laptop cam, no other illumination, reflected off his glasses, in the dead of night, saying to himself...

WTF?!?!?

lol, shared and indeed!

PS - Unlike mine - your picture rocks.

i had an old friend who had tattooed inside his lower lip, the full expression for "F You!" He used to pull it down from his lower front teeth, stretch it out out and show it whenever someone rubbed him the wrong way.

I told him that there was no way that I'd have gone through the pain for that sort of tat myself - and all he had to say - "Difference between you and me, boy, difference between you and me!"

There's a parallel between your portrait and mine in there, somewhere...


Now - I've been called a lot of things in mixed company - but scary? This is a first, I'll alert the media.

 

[sikclown]

Also worth pointing out that there are rumblings in the rumor mills that Skype will be coming to all of Android and not just Verizon soon. Now what soon means is anybodies guess. Until then Fring is the ugly girl I can't help but desire

Skype Mobile Coming To Sprint HTC EVO 4G | Skatter Tech