dorl@vms.macc.wisc.edu (Michael (NMI)) (10/27/90)
I'm interested in updating my home phones. I want something that can handle at least two phone lines, six instruments, has hold, and inter-instrument signaling (ringing), and intercomm. I've seen some ads for some two line phones that have some of these features but I worry about continued availability of the instruments. I wonder if anyone builds a centralized system. I guess what I have in mind is a black box that connects between the phone company lines and the instruments in the house. It should provide the following... use standard single line instruments allow one to put a call on hold allow one to select a phone line allow one to ring another (or all) instrument allow one to specify default association between line and instrument. Used for outgoing calls and for ringing. Other nice things... connect multiple phone lines for party calls provide line in use and hold information relay outputs distinctive ring for inter-instrument signaling and to differentiate different incoming lines would be nice. I'd be willing to bring all of the instruments into the system separately. The * and # touchtone keys could be used for control. Anybody know of such a gadget? Michael Dorl (608) 262-0466 fax (608) 262-4679 dorl@vms.macc.wisc.edu MACC / University of Wisconsin - Madison dorl@wiscmacc.bitnet 1210 W. Dayton St. / Madison, WI 53706 [Moderator's Note: It sounds to me like a small residential PBX would be what you need. A couple manufacturers which come to mind are Rolm and Melco. The latter makes a unit which accomodates two central office lines and up to twelve extensions. Single line phones are used, and most things are controlled from the touchtones on the phone including station to station dialing. There are other makers of similar equipment. PAT]
macy@fmsystm.uucp (Macy Hallock) (11/18/90)
In article <14080@accuvax.nwu.edu>: >I'm interested in updating my home phones. >[Moderator's Note: It sounds to me like a small residential PBX would >be what you need. A couple manufacturers which come to mind are Rolm >and Melco. ROLM??? Patrick, you sure are loose with other peoples money! ;-) I know Ken Oshman has one in his home, but don't you think one of these is a little bit much for the average home? Why not a System 25 or a Mitel SX-200D? Seriously, I think the Melco is now not even actively marketed, it is not even in my North Supply catalog anymore. About the only Mini-PBX that freely accepts single line phones anymore is the Panasonic, if you can get one (they are still in short supply). Anyone else know of a decent small PBX or key system that freely accepts mostly single line phones? I'd be very interested to know? (I think the Comdial nee Cardinal is too large.) BTW, I carry a Panasonic KX-T308 system for voice mail demos, modem and fax tests and such. Best source of portable dial tone I know. I even hook it up to my cellular phone's single line 2500 jack as a trunk for use in business shows. I have a KX-T616 in my house with a 1A2 behind it ... (it is a long story.) I'm just sitting here typing and missing the NATA show this year due to a service coverage conflict (can't send _everybody_ to NATA, someone's got to take care of the paying customers.) So, anyone care to post updates on happenings at NATA? Macy M. Hallock, Jr. macy@NCoast.ORG uunet!aablue!fmsystm!macy [Moderator's Note: I'm almost certain Rolm has/had a tiny little unit which handled one or two outside lines and up to six extensions. I think Mitel had something similar also. For my money, the Melco 212 was the best deal around with two outside lines and up to twelve extensions. PAT]
dmr@csli.stanford.edu (Daniel M. Rosenberg) (11/19/90)
In <68899@bu.edu.bu.edu> macy@fmsystm.uucp (Macy Hallock) writes: >In article <14080@accuvax.nwu.edu>: >>I'm interested in updating my home phones. >>A couple manufacturers which come to mind are Rolm... Oh, yech, Patrick. >Seriously, I think the Melco is now not even actively marketed, it is >not even in my North Supply catalog anymore. About the only Mini-PBX >that freely accepts single line phones anymore is the Panasonic, if >you can get one (they are still in short supply). Hello Direct is selling used 4 line AT&T Merlins for way too much money (1 800 HI HELLO). We got our Panasonic KX-T1232H a 12 line version of Macy Hallock's KX-T308 from Anixter Bros. (They have a national number, but we got friendly service from Leonard at 415 352 3100 -- tell him Dan from Stanford said hi.) While the switches themselves are easy to get, the phones are a bit harder. The 1232 and the six line 616 need a feature phone for programming (although the default configuration is usable) but you can plug in as many other POTS sets as you'd like, and configure them to do anything except make your coffee in the morning. The Panasonics are cheap, reliable (ours is in use at the student-run crisis counseling center -- and I've seen a 616 working at the Warfield in San Francisco, which is a rock concert hall) and relatively feature-rich. I've also heard Comdials are sorta crappy but usable. Daniel M. Rosenberg // Stanford CSLI // Chew my opinions, not Stanford's. dmr@csli.stanford.edu // decwrl!csli!dmr // dmr%csli@stanford.bitnet
ashbya@uunet.uu.net (Adam J. Ashby) (11/20/90)
->[Moderator's Note: I'm almost certain Rolm has/had a tiny little unit ->which handled one or two outside lines and up to six extensions. I ->think Mitel had something similar also. For my money, the Melco 212 ->was the best deal around with two outside lines and up to twelve ->extensions. PAT] I don't think that Mitel has anything small enough, but they did have a subsidiary (?) company that made small PBXs/Key systems, called Trillium, based in Kanata, Ont. I can't remember what the particular systems were called (I left Mitel in '81 and a lot of brain cells have died since then!), and as far as I can remember, I only ever saw a couple of the systems and never worked with them. Adam Ashby ...!uunet!motcid!ashbya +1 708 632 3876
john@mojave.ati.com (John Higdon) (11/22/90)
"Adam J. Ashby" <motcid!ashbya@uunet.uu.net> writes: > I don't think that Mitel has anything small enough, but they did have > a subsidiary (?) company that made small PBXs/Key systems, called > Trillium, based in Kanata, Ont. I can't remember what the particular > systems were called (I left Mitel in '81 and a lot of brain cells have > died since then!), and as far as I can remember, I only ever saw a > couple of the systems and never worked with them. If you had worked with them, I doubt that you would recommend them. An associate replaced his with a Panasonic a couple of years ago and I have never seen a more happy camper. The Trillium is a somewhat featureless electronic key system that has some of the more annoying faults commonly found in these early offerings. There is no support of single line phones. That means no sanitary connection of modems or answering machines. The phones themselves are physically unwieldy, and the DTMF tones lag somewhat behind the actuation of the keypad buttons. This can drive a "fast dialer" such as myself absolutely bonkers. Also, the tones are those short, "specification correct", but voicemail-useless variety that are found on the Strada and others. I am told by a friend who is a distributor that the Panasonic KX-T switches and phones are now readily available. Only certain items, such as the doorphone, remain difficult to get. John Higdon <john@bovine.ati.com> (hiding out in the desert)