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Using My PC For Plain Old Telephone Service?
Posted by
Soulskill
on Mon Aug 11, 2008 01:08 AM
from the pots-and-plans dept.
from the pots-and-plans dept.
TheJerbear79 writes "I recently accepted a work-from-home job that will involve using my landline to talk to customers. When I log into the phone queue, my landline will ring, I'll put in a three digit code, and then calls are routed to the phone line I'm on. It essentially turns my landline into a softphone. Rather than using a regular handset or obtaining a nice business phone with a headset and speakerphone, I would like to use my PC's modem in conjunction with a normal PC headset and soundcard. I know the hardware is capable, but the modem didn't come with appropriate software. Has anyone found anything cheap/free that would suit this kind of usage? Just for clarity, I don't want to use a VOIP solution; I need to use my plain old landline. My reason is this: if I'm watching a movie or listening to an MP3 while I'm waiting for a call, I don't want it to ever be apparent to the person who is on the phone with me, and I want to route all the audio I use through a single headset. I've scoured Google for anything close to this application, and all I've managed to find is information on VOIP software or programs that turn my PC into an answering machine, neither of which will work."
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Perhaps a better solution... (Score:5, Informative)
This is probably better to do in hardware than in software. Here's what I'd try:
Get a phone that has a jack for a headset. These are usually a 3/32" connector that carries both microphone and audio. Connect to this an adaptor that splits it into two 1/8" connectors, one for headphones and one for mic. You probably have some headphones with a boom mic attached that has separate lines for audio and microphone. Just run the mic line into the mic port on the splitter, or use a lapel mic. Take the audio from the telephone, and feed it into a hardware mixer--just pick up any cheap mixer from Radio Shack. Then you can mix your computer's audio into the headphones as well. That way, you're not dependent on the computer working properly to be able to do your job, you can control audio source volumes quickly and independently from each other, and you could even add something like a DVD player or stereo to your mixer and be able to listen to that as well.
If you wanted to get really fancy, you could throw an audio compressor with sidechaining, such as the Alesis 3630 [alesis.com], into the pipeline. Route the telephone's output so it goes through the compressor's sidechain channel, and run the computer's audio through the main input on the compressor. Then, whenever audio comes in through the phone line, the sound of the computer will automatically lower.
Re:Perhaps a better solution... (Score:5, Insightful)
Yeah, that's what I'd do as well. Keep It Simple, and all that. Of course, another solution would be to mute the speakers before answering the phone...
Parent
Re:Perhaps a better solution... (Score:5, Interesting)
No, I honestly don't have the foggiest notion what a compressor does. That's why I suggested using it. I just wanted to sound like I knew what I was talking about.
I suppose, theoretically speaking, that someone who had some clue as to what he was doing could try connecting the phone's audio to the sidechain jack on the compressor. Then, he might think about setting the attack to the minimum, and the release to the maximum. He might also set the compression ratio somewhere in the neighborhood of 15:1 or higher, and the threshold fairly low.
If you did that, it would reduce the level of the audio from the computer, which is run through the main input on the compressor, whenever the level on the sidechain is higher than the threshold--or so I'm told. If that were the case, you could probably use that setup to take calls without ever having to touch your mixer, since you would need to have silence on the line for more than the maximum release time (three seconds on the 3630) before the music would come back up again.
Boy, if only that would work, DJs might use the same technique to duck audio levels when talking into the mic [wikipedia.org]. Too bad I have no idea what I'm talking about.
Parent
Re:Perhaps a better solution... (Score:5, Interesting)
That's a pretty good description of ducking. Although since the OP wanted to entirely mute the audio, s/he'd be better off using a limiter or a gate.
A limiter is a compressor with more than 20:1 reduction. A gate is (sort of) a compressor with an infinity:1 ratio.
And, if you didn't want to pay for a compressor/limiter/gate, you could probably figure out a way to get Ardour to do it.
But muting the speakers is probably the easiest way.
Parent
Re:Perhaps a better solution... (Score:4, Funny)
Well you see, a compressor takes air... no wait that doesn't have anything to do with audio. Ok here we go, a compressor....
Parent
Re:Perhaps a better solution... (Score:5, Funny)
A compressor makes the sound smaller, so you can transfer it faster. By adding a compressor to the line, he can handle a larger volume of calls.
This of course is only useful if he is paid per call. If he is paid for time spent on the phone, then he should get something that will convert everything into a WAV or AIFF file so it takes forever to come through.
Parent
Re:Perhaps a better solution... (Score:5, Funny)
Sir, I'm a recruiter from Monster Cables. We like your style and wonder if you'd like to come work for us...
Parent
Re:Perhaps a better solution... (Score:5, Funny)
Apparently. If you knew what a compressor does, you would not be recommending refrigeration equipment when clearly what is required is audio equipment.
Parent
Re:Perhaps a better solution... (Score:5, Insightful)
What use would a piece of studio equipment (rack mounted, at that) have in his setup?
Because you can? I mean, come on, this is slashdot, we'd come up with a remote controlled robotic flyswatter that runs Linux and is also a webserver given the slightest opportunity.
And the OP only suggested using a sidechain "if you wanted to get really fancy". And it is really quite fancy. Also, it would make for an extremely elegant solution to the original question.
Parent
Re:Perhaps a better solution... (Score:5, Funny)
Could you do that? really? Can I order a beowulf cluster of them please? Please!!!
Parent
Re:Perhaps a better solution... (Score:5, Funny)
He could use the Mute button on his keyboard and a normal phone. Isn't this request pretty much just, "I want to solve a trivially-easy problem in the most awesome way possible?"
fixed
Parent
Asterisk? (Score:5, Interesting)
Maybe you should run Asterisk at home where you have a lot of flexibility available to do just about everything you ever wanted (and some more too)
As an added bonus you can even blacklist callers so you can get rid of the telemarketers.
Re:Asterisk? (Score:5, Informative)
Addition:
I suggest that you take a look at http://www.asterisknow.org/ [asterisknow.org] for Asterisk as an appliance.
Add a TDM410 [digium.com] card to be able to connect your POTS line.
The use of a softphone like Express Talk [nch.com.au] will allow you to use your headset. Some softphones will automatically mute your movie or music when a call arrives.
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
The hardware hack in the first post is the way to go, but you'll learn something from using Asterisk (this means it's hard to use... incredibly cool, but with great power comes the occasional configuration headache: it does not know what you mean). If you use it, you don't need an external softphone. You can dial or receive calls from the Asterisk console.
If you don't want to do this in hardware and you don't want to buy a digium card (or its equivalent) and discover The Future of Telephony, consider cal
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Asterisk in whatever solution you choose will turn your machine into a full-fleged PBX system capable of delivering a voice menu to your users and doing least cost call routing. For a
Re:Asterisk? (Score:5, Interesting)
The latency can introduce noticeable echoes (probably only on your speaker, not the other end) and make the call quality unacceptable.
YMMV
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
You are new to telephony aren't you. Echo is not always between speaker and mic.
Re:Asterisk? (Score:4, Informative)
Works better, it doesn't have deadlocks, it's SIP stack is 100% RFC compliant, complete, all follow all the standards.
FreeSWITCH developers also don't re-invent the wheel every time they add something, they re-use stuff, like PCRE, Apache Portable Runtime (APR), SQLite, Sofia-SIP, etc.
I highly recommend FreeSWITCH instead of Asterisk.
http://freeswitch.org/
How does FreeSWITCH compare to Asterisk?
http://freeswitch.org/node/117
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Telemarketers don't have anything I'm interested in buying (partly because my budget can't take it) but from experience I know that it's be
Not a softphone (Score:5, Interesting)
It doesn't turn your landline into a softphone, it turns your landline into a landline, which works just as any other landline.
So you want to mute your computer when the POTS phone rings; why can't you ask that question instead of pretending that you have some magically non-VoIP softphone?
That being said, I think an standard audio compression and mixer is the right choice; prioritize the POTS audio and the computer will automatically be reduced in volume when the POTS line is active.
Re:Not a softphone (Score:5, Informative)
The reason he didn't ask your suggested question is simply because that is not what he wants to know.
He is asking what software is required to route the internal modem's POTS audio to the speakers and mic.
Most decent modems used to come with the necessary dialler software, however it is rapdidly disappearing.
He is NOT asking for external hardware to manage the relative levels of the PC audio and a separate POTS system.
Parent
Re:Not a softphone (Score:4, Insightful)
He is asking...
I read his guy's "question" a few times, I've got no idea what he's asking, you could both be right, for all I know. I'm not even sure how what he's asking for will solve the problem ("no body should know I'm slacking off and watching TV when I'm supposed to be working").
I think this guy's just bragging about having a work from home job, while trying to act all old skool and cool by dissing VOIP.
Parent
I realise this is totally unacceptable (Score:5, Insightful)
My reason is this: if I'm watching a movie or listening to an MP3 while I'm waiting for a call, I don't want it to ever be apparent to the person who is on the phone with me,
It won't be.. because you'll have paused it before answering the phone because you can't hear what they are saying if it is still playing.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
I don't agree - the poster is smart to want the entertainment audio to *forcibly, automatically* lower when his (money making) phone call arrives.
Re:I realise this is totally unacceptable (Score:4, Insightful)
Parent
Re:I realise this is totally unacceptable (Score:4, Insightful)
Parent
Re:I realise this is totally unacceptable (Score:5, Funny)
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Even better, write a script that looks for the good old "RING" text coming down a serial port and automagically mutes the audio. Problem solved.
Re:I realise this is totally unacceptable (Score:5, Insightful)
It sounds like you are doing customer service work at home, which is exactly what my wife does. So here's a hint regarding watching or listening to other media during your scheduled work hours - don't. First, your call volume is likely to be such that, unless you can comprehend media in 5 second increments, the experience is likely to be unsatisfying. Second, assuming you do run into some slack time, changing over from media to active customer service can be mentally jarring, and you are likely to fumble through your first few seconds of the call while you reorient yourself. My wife sticks to diversions on the computer - [alt-tab] is like a mental switch for her, and she doesn't get into anything too in depth.
As for hardware, buy the best CONVENTIONAL setup you can afford. A decent wireless handset and good headset isn't really that expensive, and it is equipment you are relying on to make your money - your customers (and employer) aren't going to take "hold on while I fix my software config" as an excuse. You emphasized that VOIP is NOT an option - my guess is that's an employer mandate? the reason for that is that they do not want their users to get to cute with the fancy getups.
There's a reason it's called PLAIN Old Telephone Service - running it through hardware and software so you can fill time with entertainment sort of defeats the purpose, does it not?
Parent
Hardware maybe? (Score:5, Interesting)
Maybe it's not really a problem. (Score:5, Interesting)
You know, as a voice actor/actress, a little mp3 music in the background might not be a bad thing, maybe set the mood. Perhaps you dont need all the fangled gadgetry.
best of luck with the new job!
Re:Maybe it's not really a problem. (Score:5, Funny)
That's nice and all, but I suspect "movie or mp3" is nerd code for porn here and this guy will be doing a lot of "hard work" from home.
Parent
Re:Maybe it's not really a problem. (Score:5, Insightful)
this guy will be doing a lot of "hard work" from home.
Better at home than at the office.
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
I'm sure there are lots of people here who are just dying to know which. I'm also sure there are quite a few who aren't that fussy.
Your hardware probably isn't capable at all. (Score:4, Insightful)
"Dear slashdot, I have a work at home job and want to watch porn during business hours. How do I stop callers from listening in? My budget is exactly $0."
*sigh*
You probably can't get the raw audio from your modem. Hardly any modems do full-duplex audio.
Get a phone with a headset jack and an automatic audio switch.
If you really want to go ghetto you could have one earphone connected to your PC and the other to the incoming call. That's probably the cheapest way to make sure the callers never hear you listening to porn.
Re:Your hardware probably isn't capable at all. (Score:5, Funny)
Correction:
Dear slashdot, I am a phone sex operator and want to watch porn during business hours. How do I stop callers from listening in? My budget is exactly $0.
Parent
Re:Your hardware probably isn't capable at all. (Score:4, Interesting)
1) Buy 2 pairs of headphones (One big muff-type set and one ear-bud type set)
2) Put the earbuds in and the muff-style ones over top.
4) Hook one to the phone, the other to the computer
Problem solved!
Parent
Re:Your hardware probably isn't capable at all. (Score:4, Funny)
Might your friend happen to be largely deaf now?
Parent
Re:Your hardware probably isn't capable at all. (Score:5, Interesting)
You probably can't get the raw audio from your modem. Hardly any modems do full-duplex audio.
The early 1990s called. They want their modems back.
Nearly all modems today are just cheap soundcards with a relay attached (i.e., softmodems). They can almost all do full duplex audio. I know, because I did a bunch of research into the subject when setting up vgetty in linux.
You'd even be hard pressed to find a hard modem that doesn't do full duplex. Since it doesn't cost them any, they usually include that feature just so that they can advertise that it can do soft phone stuff.
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Yes, I use vgetty as an answerphone --- I have it set up so that messages get ogg compressed and emailed to me (because I'm much more likely to actually *get* them that way than I would if I simply relied on noticing the flashing light on the answering machine).
What software is available that can make use of the modem in full duplex mode? I know, for example, that Asterisk can't, and requires weird proprietary hardware rather than a standard modem, which is a shame, because modems are practically free these
Which OS? (Score:5, Insightful)
Is this for your Amiga box, or the C64?
Really, if you don't tell us what OS you are using, it will be hard to suggest software. Not all /.ers still run slackware.
Re:Which OS? (Score:5, Funny)
Well, sure, not on all of them... Gotta admit, that young upstart Debian makes a heck of a desktop machine. But still Slackware on all the "important" machines, naturally.
Parent
You're looking at this as a software problem... (Score:4, Interesting)
... But as someone who dabbles in both sides, I'd suggest you look into hacking some hardware.
I don't have enough details to give you the specifics, but here's a generic solution in general terms:
First, look how you can simplify your problem. Does the music really need to be through the same headset? If you can play it through speakers, you can eliminate mixing, which makes things easier. If you need to mix, it depends what kind of headset you have. USB? Line out/mic-in? USB will limit your options.
I'll assume it's analog, so we need to mix a line-level out from your sound card with a line-level out from the phone. Many cheap phones provide a line-out, or you can just add an amp to the handset connection of your existing phone, or perhaps even get away with just a transformer or even wiring straight in. Experiment and see what works.
Mixing can be done with a DJ-style mixer. This also gives you convenient knobs to turn up and down your music and callers' voices. So just plug the sound card line out and the phone's line out into the mix board and you're ready to go.
You'll need some sort of switch to answer your phone. Buy a DPDT toggle switch. Wire one half into the phone's hook switch. Use the other half to control a mute button / kill switch / input select / any other control on your DJ mixer which can be used to cut out the music input. If your mixer doesn't have this, or you mix some other way, you can use the second half of the switch to control a pair of relays, which cut out the signal from the sound card. Now you can answer without picking up the handset, and the music will cut out at the same time.
Possible variations on this theme: Wire the phone line-out to your computer's line-in, and wire the second half of the DPDT to control a pin on your parallel port, then write a small program to poll the port and mute the line-in or pause the MP3 playback when the bit toggles. This moves some functionality into the computer; I'm sure you can figure out the tradeoffs.
The advantages of a hardware solution like this are: Your phone no longer depends on the computer to work; you get convenient hardware knobs to adjust the audio; you can answer the phone with a hardware switch instead of trying to find your phone app; and you hopefully have fun hacking together a simple but useful electronics project.
Good luck with your new job, and whatever phone solution you create!
Why? Overkill? (Score:3, Interesting)
What?
You find yourself in need of a $10 headset for your telephone, so, of course, your first reaction is to dedicate your far more expensive, terribly power wasting, and necessarily less-reliable computer to the otherwise unimaginably simple job... It makes perfect sense!
The first thing I though of when I read this (Score:4, Insightful)
I recently accepted a work-from-home job that will involve using my landline to talk to customers.
Please take me off your call-list :)
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Can do - what's your phone number?
Lets talk about the KISS method... (Score:3, Insightful)
I actually have a device that might do that... (Score:4, Informative)
Up in my closet somewhere I have a PC/POTS switch. It allows you to flip a switch between receiving audio input from the PC and audio input from a POTS system, all on the same headset. It's really simple and I've never used it but I recall that it does work.
It's remarkably simple and I can't remember the name of it for the life of me.
If you want it, my email address has been unmasked enough for you to email me. I'll send it to you for cost of shipping.
Re:Maybe its your choice of music (Score:4, Funny)
"So listen to some New Age Mediation music and watch Fried Green Tomatoes."
A bullet would be quicker and far less painful.
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
The HiPhone desktop at way2call works for what you want to do. They have a very good SDK as well.
Having used modems with Asterisk you really want a purpose built product, and even the HiPhone is pushing it. After a few years of use the HiPhone will develop hiss and the sound quality decreases.
We migrated to VoIP (I could get you a deal on the HiPhone having many many of them), but we keep all the IP on our Lan.
Good luck.