Skype videoconferencing integration development

Hi,
Some GUI pics... need to change the title on the top left...








Working now on Call notification sound and contacts Icon...

Video preview:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2rP7xes0zY

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Hi, All
First I would like to say that XBMC is the best !!! I'm using the PVR version on a HTPC connected to my TV and I love it, You guys are doing excellent work.

At the moment the only thing missing for me is Skype / Gtalk Integration, So I decided to give it a try and integrate Skype / Gtalk into XBMC.

My preference was to go with Gtalk and hopefully with Google Hangout since the protocol is open and cross platform using libjingle and here come the but, at the moment there is no C++ API for Google Hangout and I had a lot of trouble using libjingle with video so I have decided to move to Skype.

Skype released SkypeKit API for C++ and Python with a cross platform runtime that handle all video/audio decoding and encoding, sounds promising.
At first I thought that It can be done using just the Python API and write a plugin, But (again) the problem with the Python API that it doesn't handle Video and what is just not good enough, what the point of having XBMC run on a TV have Skype integration but doing only voice calls so moving on to the Skype C++ API.

Using C++ API I was able to integrate Skype into XBMC and have the option to do a video call.
At the moment I have it running only on Windows DirectX, Since for video calls the API return a pointer of the decoded frame and it was relatively easy to load the frame as a CBaseTexture using LoadFromMemory and display the video using CGUITexture:: DrawQuad (the frame format is XB_FMT_A8R8G8B8).

My development is in alpha (let say extremely alpha).

At the moment I'm working on the following:
1. Improve user interface.
2. Trying to understand if it's possible to release a version of XBMC with this Skype integration, I still need to understand the SkypeKit Distribution Terms.

Does anyone want to join in ?

Amit

Interesting - good work! Will point it out to some devs. Do you have a Github branch?

Thanks,
I still need to workout the Distribution Terms, I don't want to do something that will upset Skype, I know that http://www.trillian.im/ has integrated Skype into their client using the SkypeKIT API...

Could someone point me how to render the frame on other platforms so I can make this cross platform, Couldn't find an easy way to render the frame expect for DirectX.

Amit

Having Skype within XBMC would be a really nice feature Can't wait for something to be released for testing. Good luck with your project!

This is a feature I have always felt is missing! Thanks. Good luck! I will be following.

you should get inspiration from TelyHD for the GUI!

Looks really good.

this looks awesome. I want it! hope it can work on other platforms amd not just windows. plssssss.

keep us updated on ur progress

Note that if you're using LoadFromMemory then as far as the video goes at least it should be cross-platform, assuming the skype API returns the same thing across the board (ARGB 32bit or whatever).

This is great news! I posted this awhile back asking for google video / hangout capability. http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=118635

I really hope you're able to figure out the google side of things since nobody I know uses skype anymore. Keep up the great work!