kevin@gatech.edu (Kevin P. Kleinfelter) (03/01/90)
In a recent article, Tad Cook posted a description of exclusion modules. These devices allow multiple phones to use the same line, but not at the same time (i.e. when one is off-hook, the other gets an open circuit). What I want is the reverse (inverse?) of this. Assume that I have two single-line phone lines coming into my house. I want to have one single-line phone answer calls on both lines. When one line is in use, the other line should be busied-out. I do NOT want a service from the phone company that sends two lines over one line. I do NOT want a "ring-no-answer" on one line when the other is in use. (The actual problem is more involved than the above, but it can be reduced to the above.) Any info in this area would be appreciated. Kevin Kleinfelter @ Management Science America, Inc (404) 239-2347 gatech!nanovx!msa3b!kevin
kaplanr@chaos.cs.brandeis.edu (Robert Kaplan) (03/02/90)
We got a second line installed here a month ago. Line 1 now runs to the answering machine/phone, which also serves as the dedicated ringer for that line. Line 2 goes to the modem and to a phone with a nonworking tone pad, which serves only as a ringer for line 2. We also took apart a cheapie Radio Shack phone, ran line 1 on the inside pair and line 2 on the outside pair to it, and then ran each line through a DPDT switch to the phone chassis itself. Results: 1) Distinctive ring for each line. 2) Can answer either line on the cheapie phone. 3) Cost under $10 [you know, the impoverished college student bit ... of course we could have bought a real 2 line phone for $50 ... but this way is more fun]. Disadvantages: You still have to think about which line is ringing and answer the right one ... it won't do it automatically. Ditto for calling out. [And of course turning both lines on at the cheapie phone yields pseudo-conference-call ... albeit down 6dB at each end ... but loads cheaper than paying Brandeis Telecommunications thru the nose ... :-)] This probably doesn't answer the original question, which seems much more complex. I've never heard of a setup like that... Scott Fybush Disclaimer: If Brandeis Telecommunications asks...I have no phone.
kgdykes@watmath.waterloo.edu (Ken Dykes) (03/02/90)
In article <4530@accuvax.nwu.edu> msa3b!kevin@gatech.edu (Kevin P. Kleinfelter) writes: X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 133, Message 4 of 10 >single-line phone lines coming into my house. I want to have one >single-line phone answer calls on both lines. When one line is in >use, the other line should be busied-out. >I do NOT want a service from the phone company that sends two lines >over one line. I do NOT want a "ring-no-answer" on one line when the >other is in use. Perhaps what I did may be of use or the seed of an idea: When I got my 2nd line (mostly for modem) I was too cheap to fork out $$$$ for a real 2-line phone, I saw something in Radio Shack: "Make one answering machine answer two lines" Well, I reason, ans-machines are mechanical phone users, or phone users are bioligical answer-machines... so I bought one, and put my single line phone where the machine would go. The device detects which line has a ring signal on it, and internaly switches to that line. The switch stays on the "last line used" until the other line ever rings, so your outgoing calls are stuck to the line you last answered (unless you have a bypass, or plug-unplug motivation). My 2nd line is also unlisted and only about 4 of my closest friends know the number -- ie: I tend to ignore my listed line if I dont feel like being social. So, I have this problem of not knowing which one is REALLY ringing... I used one of those outboard "warehouse" ringers on my 2nd line too, can't miss calls on that one now!! (You could simply plug in another phone(s) in various combinations on your two lines and get unique ringing sounds, assuming your phones are old fasioned enough to allow (re)wiring to whichever line you want them on). [I already owned the outboard ringer from years ago, even a real two-line phone has the problem of not knowing which one is ringing without looking at the flashing light -- perhaps there are models with distinctive ringing but not common.] The device lists in the RS catalog for about cdn$29.95 cdn-part# 43-383. Hummm, looking at the catalog, I see another outboard toy: "Hold/status Box" - "allows you to place a call on hold, LED indicator" cdn$14.95 part#43-8002 Oh yes, another trick I did when I got the 2nd line (and owned a cheap sealed phone I couldn't rewire easily) was buy one of those RJ-14(?) female-female adapter plugs, carefully separated the plastic halves, carefully removed the pins on one half and reinserted them with the logical lines reversed, *poof* instant line 1/2 adapter for cheap phones and modems that can't be wired directly! (I couldn't do this with normal male-female cord because those modular ends are TOO sealed up, the female-female device had a natural seam to it). - Ken Dykes, Software Development Group, UofWaterloo, Canada [43.47N 80.52W] kgdykes@watmath.waterloo.edu [129.97.128.1] kgdykes@waterloo.csnet kgdykes@water.bitnet watmath!kgdykes postmaster@watbun.waterloo.edu B8 s+ f+ w t e m r
dattier@chinet.chi.il.us (David Tamkin) (03/04/90)
Ken Dykes wrote in TELECOM Digest, Volume 10, Issue 135: | Oh yes, another trick I did when I got the 2nd line (and owned a cheap | sealed phone I couldn't rewire easily) was buy one of those RJ-14(?) | female-female adapter plugs, carefully separated the plastic halves, | carefully removed the pins on one half and reinserted them with the | logical lines reversed, *poof* instant line 1/2 adapter for cheap | phones and modems that can't be wired directly! Radio Shack (and perhaps other places) sell an already-wired adapter. It has a single modular plug and three jacks: one jack carries the inner pair, one carries the outer pair from the wall jack to its own inner pair, and the third jack carries through both pairs from the wall. One can plug two single-line devices into the first two jacks to have one use each line. Yes, they are a little more expensive than the in-line coupler that Ken Dykes modified, but they don't need all the rewiring work. David Tamkin PO Box 813 Rosemont IL 60018-0813 708-518-6769 312-693-0591 dattier@chinet.chi.il.us BIX: dattier GEnie: D.W.TAMKIN CIS: 73720,1570