gh0t+@andrew.cmu.edu (Gordon Hester) (06/07/90)
I recently got a faxmodem for my mac. While I don't anticipate receiving a lot of faxes, now that I've got the thing I'm sure it will create uses for itself. I there any way that I can get away without installing a second phone line and still use this thing and use my phone? I saw an add in the latest New Yorker for a line switching device that supposedly accomplishes this -- but it was from a company that is always advertising gizmos that I am skeptical about. I'd also like to continue to use my answering machine, and I'm not sure if that is going to lead to additional problems. Any advice greatly appreciated. gordon hester
costin@cogsci.ucsd.EDU (Dan Costin) (06/08/90)
There are several of these devices that I have seen in the past, but I got a faxmodem recently and I've looked at two of these device selectors: - the one in the New Yorker (Haverhills, or something like that), about $70 or $80, I think lets your fax answer; if your fax doesn't connect in a couple of seconds or so a synth-woman comes on, tells you to wait a second, and starts ringing the phone. It works just fine, except that each caller gets the annoying fax connection signal for a few seconds. - another one is the Eliminator, from Sharper Image, for about $160. It has separate output lines for a phone line, and answering machine line, and a fax line. It works by looking for the little bleep most faxes put out even before connecting. These bleeps go out every 3 seconds or so, so I assume the ELiminator picks up the phone, and if it hears the bleep it transfers the call to the fax line. For faxes that don't send the bleep, they have to send out a pushbutton code, I believe, or you can do the whole thing manually. The one drawback of the eliminator is that you can't have extensions -- the Eliminator must be plugged in before the line splits for all the phones in your house. I'd be very interested to hear about other devices, especially ones that are smart enough to deal with extensions (I live in an apartment and the lines are split before they enter the apartment) and don't greet callers with a loud fax noise. -dan