Setting Up Skype to Use USB Headset in Fedora

I use Skype as a business line in my home office, which means I use it religiously. It has its ups and downs for sure, but it is cheap, and runs fairly well. That is unless you run Linux and you want Skype to pipe output to separate channels for ringing and voice actions. In other words, I want to use my USB headset as my default Skype communication device, but have the ringing (and all other system sounds) still pipe through the main speakers. After a whole lot of messing around I finally got it working, here's how.

1. Install pavucontrol. I am not really certain why this isn't included in Fedora by default. But, to be honest, you might never need it unless you want to do what we are doing today.
   
   

   sudo yum install -y pavucontrol



2. Open Skype and go to Options -> Sound Devices
   Un-check the option to allow Skype to adjust your mixer levels.
   
   


3. Make sure you USB headset is plugged in!


4. Open pavucontrol and get it side-by-side with the Skype Options screen.


5. In pavucontrol, go to the Output Devices tab and you should see two options, the Internal Audio Analog Stereo, and your USB audio device.
   
   


6. Each device has three buttons on the top right hand side for Mute, Channel Lock, and Set as Fallback. Choose the Set as Fallback option for your USB headset.


7. Switch to the Input Devices tab. You should see two items here, maybe just one if you don't have an internal microphone. Select the Set as Fallback option for your USB device again.
   
   


8. Now comes the easy part, go to the Playback tab. You might want to make the window a little bit bigger so that you can see all of the feeds.


9. In the Skype Options Sound Devices page, (you didn't close it did you?) click on the Make a Test Call button.


10. You should see the Skype output here now and it will be piped to the Internal Audio Device at the little button on the top.


11. Click that button and select your USB headset.
    
    


12. End the current test call and start another one. You should hear your Skype audio in your headset.


13. Have a friend call you on Skype and it should ring on your main speakers. When you answer, however, all of the voice action will be piped to the USB headset.

So I hope that helps someone else out there that might be having the same issue. I know it drove me crazy for a while.