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From: hamilton@intersil.uucp (Fred Hamilton)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Answering Machine
Message-ID: <61.25ad8fbd@intersil.uucp>
Date: 12 Jan 90 08:05:17 GMT
References: <9001112057.AA09595@nomad>
Organization: Harris Semiconductor, Santa Clara CA
Lines: 48

In article <9001112057.AA09595@nomad>, antunes@ASTRO.PSU.EDU (Sandy Antunes) writes:
> Hello!  I am planning to try and implement an idea, and I thought I would
> check the net to see if anyone has done it or thought about it yet.
> 
> The Idea:  write a program that monitors the modem and answers incoming
>    calls.  It then procedes to use the speech capability to answer the
>    call with a message (from an easily changed script file), then hangs
>    up (I doubt it could record messages! :-)
         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Sure it could, if you've got any of the Amiga audio samplers out there.

> 
> The Questions:   
>    1)  Is this do-able?

YES!

>    2)  Has anyone done something that does this already?

Dunno.  I've thought about it before but I've never gotten a round tuit.

>    3)  Any useful hints?

The main technical difficulty will be coupling the Amiga's audio output
to the phone line.  I suspect one of those 1K-1K isolation transformers
with a capacitor in series with it on the phone line side would be best.

Use another transformer for the digitizer if you decide to do that.  Radio
Shack used to sell them.

>    4)  Would it be possible to make the program activate a tape recorder
>        (also hooked to the line?) and record messages?  This question is
>        mostly of the "as long as I'm asking" variety...   :-)

This is possible.  I think Amazing has recently had some articles on 
controlling external hardware along those lines.

> If anyone has any comments, email would be fine.  I will summarize any
> earthshattering answers or results, if needed.
> ------------
> Sandy Antunes   "the Waupelani Kid" 'cause that's where I live...
> antunes@astro.psu.edu                 Penn State Astronomy Dept
> ------------        "que sera c'est la via"         -------------
-- 
Fred Hamilton                  Any views, comments, or ideas expressed here
Harris Semiconductor           are entirely my own.  Even good ones.
Santa Clara, CA