crum@usc.edu (Gary L. Crum) (06/22/89)
Hi. Does anyone know of a phone or accessory that can record all phone sessions, "automatically" (without explicit action like using a common tape recorder and suction cup microphone)? Such a device along with a computer interface and indexing system would be ideal, but... I already have an automatic email archive system in place, and it would be nice to have a similar system for phone communication. I have heard of phone archive systems used for police lines, but I am thinking of something small and less reliable and less expensive, for consumers. Thanks, Gary crum@cse.usc.edu, usc!crum
dplatt@coherent.com (Dave Platt) (06/23/89)
In article <telecom-v09i0207m03@vector.dallas.tx.us> crum@cse.usc.edu writes: > > Hi. Does anyone know of a phone or accessory that can record all > phone sessions, "automatically" (without explicit action like using a > common tape recorder and suction cup microphone)? Such a device along > with a computer interface and indexing system would be ideal, but... > I already have an automatic email archive system in place, and it > would be nice to have a similar system for phone communication. > > I have heard of phone archive systems used for police lines, but I am > thinking of something small and less reliable and less expensive, for > consumers. DAK sells a device called the Phone Tap for about $50. It plugs into your phone line and into your tape recorder's "mike" and "remote" jacks. Whenever the phone goes off-hook, the device closes the "remote" circuit and feeds the audio into the "mike" circuit. However... since you're posting from USC, I feel obliged to inform you that the law places some substantial restrictions on the taping of phone conversations. To quote from my local phone book: "According to Federal and State tariffs your phone calls cannot be legally recorded unless you hear short 'beep' tones, consent has been gained from all parties to the conversation, or conversation is preceeded by verbal notification which is recorded at the beginning (as part of the call) by the recording party. Use of a recorder without an audible beep-tone is not permitted except for commercial broadcasting when the person being recorded has been informed. It is a crime under Federal Law for any person, including a telephone subscriber, to wiretap or otherwise intercept a telephone call, unless that person has first obtained the consent of one of the parties participating in the call. Under California State Law, the consent of all of the parties participating in the call must be obtained before a person who is not a party to a call may eavesdrop on or wiretap the call." DAK points out these facts (in briefer form) in their catalog. The Phone Tap that they sell does not generate the 'beep' tones required by the tariffs. So... if you want to use this device (or any similar one) and to comply with the rules and with the law, you'll be required to notify _everyone_ with whom you speak on the phone that the call is being recorded. Furthermore, you'll have to be careful to switch off the device when you, personally, are not using the phone... if the device records a call to which you are not a party, then you will very probably have violated both State and Federal laws concerning wiretapping. My advice is, don't do this. Remember how much trouble Dick Nixon got into? -- Dave Platt FIDONET: Dave Platt on 1:204/444 VOICE: (415) 493-8805 UUCP: ...!{ames,sun,uunet}!coherent!dplatt DOMAIN: dplatt@coherent.com INTERNET: coherent!dplatt@ames.arpa, ...@uunet.uu.net USNAIL: Coherent Thought Inc. 3350 West Bayshore #205 Palo Alto CA 94303
brent@uunet.uu.net (Brent Chapman) (06/23/89)
Can anyone point me to a source for a device to generate the beeps
required for recording phone calls?
On a related note, are there any good general catalogs for telephone
equipment (both junk for someone's desk and junk to stick in the wiring
closet)?
Thanks!
-Brent
--
Brent Chapman Capital Market Technology, Inc.
Computer Operations Manager 1995 University Ave., Suite 390
brent@capmkt.com Berkeley, CA 94704
{apple,lll-tis,uunet}!capmkt!brent Phone: 415/540-6400