Xref: utzoo comp.dcom.modems:3360 comp.sys.ibm.pc:24624
Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ukma!chaney
From: chaney@ms.uky.edu (Dan Chaney)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.modems,comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: Modem and ans. mach. on same line!!
Keywords: modem telecom
Message-ID: <11071@s.ms.uky.edu>
Date: 13 Feb 89 07:06:07 GMT
References: <1903@loral.UUCP> <101@sopwith.UUCP>
Reply-To: chaney@ms.uky.edu (Dan Chaney)
Distribution: usa
Organization: U of Kentucky, Mathematical Sciences
Lines: 55

In article <101@sopwith.UUCP> snoopy@sopwith.UUCP (Snoopy) writes:
>In article <1903@loral.UUCP> jcb@loral.UUCP (Jay C. Bowden) writes:
>|I saw a new gadget advertised in the  Feb '89 COMPUUTER SHOPPER
>|that is supposed to allow you to let a modem share a line with
>|a voice answering machine.  Works like this:  Call first, let the
>
>Cute idea, but this would be unreliable in practice.  The ringback you

I agree.  In fact, there are already some applications with this approach
in mind.  Specifically, there is a BBS program that lets the modem signal
the program on a ring.  If there is not another ring when there should be
one, the program counts and sure enough, if the person calls back
within x amount of time, the computer grabs the phone.  I ran this
system for some time, with my answering machine set to answer on the 4th
ring and it worked well enough.  There were some complaints about the
modem picking up on people though.  Also, this effectively removes those
toll-saver features so many answering machines brag about nowadays..
err. unless, you can make your toll saver not answer on the first ring
when you have calls.

[ The name of the BBS system I am referring to was RBBS *I THINK*  If I am 
  wrong, I am terribly sorry.  Please, don't let this drop into a my-bbs
  is better than yours. ]


What I would really like to see is a scheme wherein both modem *and*
answering machine pick up.  Answering machine gives a brief message
and the tone that is the "at the beep" part is the right tone for a
modem to answer.  If it is a human, then they give a message.  If it is
a computer, then the modems start talking.

Two problems (Cmon, somebody take care of these for me :-).
    1. Multi-baud modems are going to be difficult here (could you possibly
       play all the tones?  I don't know if the other modem is looking for
       a specific tone and will react to that tone if it is accompanied.)

    2. Making the answering machine take the hint and hang up.  Now I spose
       there is a way around this one.  My first impulse was to put the
       answering machine behind the modem but you can see that was shortlived.
       (If the modem is listening, it has shut off the answering machine
        or has it?  Is there a modem that makes that software controllable?
        and switchable in mid call?)

And a nagging thing is whether or not, if there is a long message, will
the calling modem get fed up with waiting.  

Finally, just throw this into a revised getty and I'll be happy!

Thanks.  End of my long 2 cents worth follows.


-- 
Dan Chaney  
{uunet and the like}!ukma!chaney  chaney@ms.uky.edu  chaney@ukma.BITNET
"No! nonono...This is Unix, you take out all the vowels!" - The Uhmmer