hellerst@husc8.HARVARD.EDU (Joe Hellerstein) (04/16/88)
This might seem a rather expensive way of answering the phone, but shouldn't a Mac with a modem be able to act as an answering machine? Is there any existing software that does this? Thanks in advance. Joe Hellerstein
barmar@think.COM (Barry Margolin) (04/16/88)
In article <4384@husc6.harvard.edu> hellerst@husc8.UUCP (Joe Hellerstein) writes: >but shouldn't a Mac with a modem be able to act as an answering machine? You'll need more than a modem in order to do this. The only sounds that a modem knows how to make are the hisses that are used for data transmission. And the modem can only recognize the sounds that another modem makes. The interface that is used between the modem and the computer does not permit full control of the sounds that are transmitted. Barry Margolin Thinking Machines Corp. barmar@think.com uunet!think!barmar
straka@ihlpf.ATT.COM (Straka) (04/18/88)
In article <19909@think.UUCP> barmar@fafnir.think.com.UUCP (Barry Margolin) writes: >In article <4384@husc6.harvard.edu> hellerst@husc8.UUCP (Joe Hellerstein) writes: >>but shouldn't a Mac with a modem be able to act as an answering machine? > >You'll need more than a modem in order to do this. The only sounds >that a modem knows how to make are the hisses that are used for data >transmission. And the modem can only recognize the sounds that >another modem makes. The interface that is used between the modem and >the computer does not permit full control of the sounds that are >transmitted. I have seen a cute little answering machine package on an AT&T UNIX(R) PC, (aka. 3B1). It works quite nicely, but is a bit expensive. This might seem to be a good application for the MacRecorder or Impulse recorder to be built under. Unfortunately, some more hardware hacking would probably be necessary, of course. Anyone out there listening? Just think: selectable and programmable messages, time stamps, ... and even, more stupid Mac tricks! :-) -- Rich Straka ihnp4!ihlpf!straka Advice for the day: "MSDOS - just say no."
mkhaw@teknowledge-vaxc.ARPA (Mike Khaw) (04/19/88)
At Fry's Electronics in Sunnyvale, I've seen a hardware/software package
for (no flames please) IBM-PCs that adds answering-machine/voicemail
capabilities to the PC. Since it wasn't for a Mac, I didn't pay much
attention to it.
Fry's ad in last Sunday's San Jose Murky News had the system priced at
$295, I think. If it runs on a low-end vanilla PC, a used PC-clone +
this system would be pretty cheap.
Mike Khaw
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