brook@phx.mcd.mot.com (Brook Burson) (03/21/91)
Hello everyone, I'm looking for information on special hardware or software for PCs that will allow them to perform special 'telephone' oriented functions. I would appreciate any information that you have on products and sources for these functions: 1) I would like to be able to use a single phone line for standard incoming voice message taking (via a standard answering machine), as well as for incoming modem connections. Right now, I don't know of a way to make one phone line do both. What I have in mind is a system that will consist of a standard answering machine to take voice messages, and a modem/software package that will 'monitor' the phone line. It will not 'pick up' unless it hears a modem carrier on the incoming line. If it does hear the modem carrier, it will pick up, and disconnect the answering machine. Thus, a standard incoming voice message will be recorded on the answering machine, while an incoming modem connection will be answered by the answering machine, but taken over by the computer modem. Does hardware/software exist that will do this? 2) Another function that I would like for the computer to do is to page me after the voice answering machine takes a message. I've heard that software already exists that will do this with a Hayes compatible modem. Do any of you have this software, or know where I can get it? Does the software go into the 'background', so that you can use the computer for regular work without turning off the paging program? Do any of you know of any other software packages that will put a regular program in the background, while allowing the PC to be used via its regular dos interface? 3) As an ideal solution to these problems, do any of you know of a PC card that will allow some or all of the possible functions: a) act as a voice mail answering machine - storing the digitized messages on a hard disk. b) page you automatically after taking one of these message, and have the ability to page different people. c) still act as an incoming modem if it hears a modem carrier. d) act as a fax machine if it hears a fax carrier. I think something like this would be great. Any of you heard of such an item? Thanks in advance for any help you can provide. Also, this is a re-write of a previous request for the same information. I posted it, but it never appeared, so I'm trying again. Please excuse the double posting if you saw the earlier request. If there's much interest in the results I get, I'll post results. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- < Brook Burson (brookb@tester.phx.mcd.mot.com) > < (602)438-3729 > ____________________________________________________________________________