[comp.dcom.telecom] US Answering Machine in Israel

Joel Spolsky <spolsky-joel@cs.yale.edu> (04/22/91)

Hi,

Does anybody know if an American answering machine will work in
Israel?


Thanks,

Joel Spolsky    spolsky@cs.yale.edu 

David Lemson <lemson@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> (04/23/91)

spolsky-joel@cs.yale.edu (Joel Spolsky) writes:

> Does anybody know if an American answering machine will work in
> Israel?

Yes. They work fine.  Remember that the power transformer cube will be
a 120V one but you'll either need to devote a step-down transformer
(one of the 100W ones that puts out a sine wave, not the solid-state
ones) or buy a 220V -> whatever voltage the answering machine needs.
(Probably be easier to buy it over there or in Europe.)

Remember that almost no phones in Israel have Touch-Tone (tm), though.
So, don't expect to be able to use beeperless remote unless you buy a
small DTMF pad at Radio Shack (which is exactly what I did) and bring
it with you.


David Lemson   University of Illinois Computing Services Consultant
Internet : lemson@uiuc.edu         UUCP :...!uiucuxc!uiucux1!lemson 

Danny Padwa <PADWA@hulaw1.harvard.edu> (04/23/91)

In article <telecom11.299.5@eecs.nwu.edu>, spolsky-joel@cs.yale.edu
(Joel Spolsky) writes:

> Does anybody know if an American answering machine will work in
> Israel?

I'm not certain, but I'm pretty sure it will work ... while I didn't
quite have my own phone line when I was there last year, many of my
friends brought phones (and answering machines, and all sorts of other
things) with them, and didn't have much problem.

You will need a converter for the power, of course, and a little gizmo
to bridge the phone connectors ... if memory serves correctly the box
just connects the wires (perhaps with some impedance matching) and is
very easily available there.

Be careful about the import duties on electronics, however.


Danny Padwa   Padwa@Husc3.Harvard.Edu

berger@clio.sts.uiuc.edu (Mike Berger) (04/25/91)

spolsky-joel@cs.yale.edu (Joel Spolsky) writes:

> Does anybody know if an American answering machine will work in
> Israel?

Doesn't it run backwards?


Mike Berger    Department of Statistics, University of Illinois
AT&TNET   217-244-6067   Internet:  berger@atropa.stat.uiuc.edu

Arnold Robbins <arnold%audiofax.com@mathcs.emory.edu> (04/27/91)

> spolsky-joel@cs.yale.edu (Joel Spolsky) writes:

>> Does anybody know if an American answering machine will work in
>> Israel?

berger@clio.sts.uiuc.edu (Mike Berger) writes:

> Doesn't it run backwards?

No, you just have to listen from right to left.  (-:


Arnold Robbins				AudioFAX, Inc.
2000 Powers Ferry Road, #200 / Marietta, GA. 30067    
INTERNET: arnold@audiofax.com Phone:   +1 404 618 4281
UUCP:	  emory!audfax!arnold Fax-box: +1 404 618 4581

Hank Nussbacher <HANK%BARILVM.BITNET@vm.biu.ac.il> (04/29/91)

In article <telecom11.305.10@eecs.nwu.edu>, berger@clio.sts.uiuc.edu (Mike
Berger) says:

> spolsky-joel@cs.yale.edu (Joel Spolsky) writes:

>> Does anybody know if an American answering machine will work in
>> Israel?

> Doesn't it run backwards?

My Panasonic answering machine works fine.  Needs no modifications.
And it even records in English and in Hebrew :-)


Hank Nussbacher    Israel