gwang@berlioz.nsc.com (George Wang) (07/25/89)
In the July 17th issue of Businessweek there is an article about a product called FAXJACK III which supposedly automatically determines whether a FAX, Modem, or Voice call is being made on a single line... This product would be very useful for people who are limited to one phone line (IE, Dorm room) but want to use the line for incoming Modem and/or Voice calls.... This product is made by Viking Electronics at 715-386-8861 and is only $96!!! Question: Is this too good to be true?? Does this really work?? *HOW* does it work... Is it reliable.... I am VERY interested in purchasing this if I get some positive feedback... Thanks George Gwang@berlioz.nsc.com National Semiconductor VLSI Software Engineer
vances@xenitec.uucp (Vance Shipley) (07/26/89)
In article <telecom-v09i0253m04@vector.dallas.tx.us> gwang@berlioz.nsc.com (George Wang) writes: >about a product called FAXJACK III which supposedly automatically >determines whether a FAX, Modem, or Voice call is being made >on a single line... This product would be very useful for people >who are limited to one phone line (IE, Dorm room) but want to use >the line for incoming Modem and/or Voice calls.... (name of manufacturer deleted...) > >Question: > Is this too good to be true?? Does this really work?? *HOW* does >it work... Is it reliable.... I am VERY interested in purchasing >this if I get some positive feedback... > first the way it works: when the line it is attached to is rung it "answers" the call and either provides a fake 'ring back' tone or plays an outgoing message telling the caller to dial a touch tone digit for which service they want (say fax, answer machine, modem). the device listens to the line to determine where to route the call. most (emphasis on the _most_) fax machines output a tone every so often when calling out to another fax, this tone is reffered to as 'CNG' tone. if the device detects this tone it sends a "ring" signal on the 'fax' port and connects the tel line audio to it when the fax answeres. one of the other ports is the default line, when no 'CNG' is detected and no digits are dialled the call is connected to this port. a caller for the other port must dial the right digit(s) to be switched to it. now the caveats: -the 'fake ring back' tones that the thing outputs are fine to convince callers to hang on (until the box decides if you are a fax [recieves 'CNG' tone] or gets a routing code [you dial a digit(s)]) but it does not fool the long distance provider who charges you for the call as soon as the 'thing' answers. -not all fax machines give a reliable 'CNG' tone, some give it out every few seconds on an outgoing call and others will provide it far less frequently. some will not provide it at all. this seems to be true of the smaller, cheaper machines mostly but i am told that NO pitney-bowes machines have it at all! -the "ring" signal that this 'box' provides to your equipment is usually a crude aproximation of what it should be. it is very square and not of the proper frequencey. this may not be a problem _or_ it may mean that the equipment will not recognize it. Vance Shipley uucp: ..!{uunet!}watmath!xenitec!vances Linton Technology - SwitchView INTERNET: vances@egvideo.uucp 180 Columbia Street West (soon) vances@xenitec.uucp Waterloo, Ontario CANADA tel: (519)746-4460 N2L 3L3 fax: (519)746-6884 # "Twenty-Five pins in a D shell does not RS-232C make!" #