Xref: utzoo comp.dcom.modems:3361 comp.sys.ibm.pc:24653
Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ukma!gatech!mcdchg!ddsw1!karl
From: karl@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Karl Denninger)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.modems,comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: Modem and ans. mach. on same line!!
Summary: ERACS PLUS (for Tandy IVs) did this internally with an option flag
Keywords: modem telecom
Message-ID: <2925@ddsw1.MCS.COM>
Date: 13 Feb 89 19:47:48 GMT
References: <1903@loral.UUCP> <101@sopwith.UUCP> <11071@s.ms.uky.edu>
Reply-To: karl@ddsw1.UUCP (Karl Denninger)
Followup-To: comp.dcom.modems
Distribution: usa
Organization: Macro Computer Solutions, Inc., Mundelein, IL
Lines: 37

In article <11071@s.ms.uky.edu> chaney@ms.uky.edu (Dan Chaney) writes:
>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.  

Yep -- ERACS PLUS, a Model IV (Tandy) BBS/host system that I wrote a long
while back did exactly this thing.  You called and let it ring "once", then
hung up and waited anywhere from 30-90 seconds -- then dialed back.  The
second time the modem would answer.  When you then disconnected the system
would go back to it's previous behavior.

This setup was VERY reliable -- I had this scheme in use for over a year 
and a half (with answering machine on the line) and didn't have any real 
problems with it at all.  I simply trained myself to ignore "ring #1" on 
the phone (and turned it down considerably in volume).  If someone wanted 
to get ahold of me, they simply had to let it ring 3 or more times.  

Toll savers don't interfere with this, as they usually click on after two
rings.  As a result, even this setup can coexist without problems; one ring
and a pause causes the modem to kick on for a ringback (with a suitable
timeout), and two or more are ignored by the modem software and either the
human or answering machine gets the call.

This was all back when I was a college student and couldn't afford a second
phone line, so I had to make do with what I had.

--
Karl Denninger (karl@ddsw1.MCS.COM, ddsw1!karl)
Data: [+1 312 566-8912], Voice: [+1 312 566-8910]
Macro Computer Solutions, Inc.    	"Quality solutions at a fair price"