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Obi212 Unavailable at Amazon & Restocking Unknown?

Started by TelephoneBear, December 11, 2017, 09:50:38 PM

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TelephoneBear

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075839DD6/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=sl1&tag=obihatechn-20&linkId=6fc294af5bb723889dfaae94135b4441

What happened to this device, available in September 2017 and now disappeared with zero (0) Amazon reviews?

Like all the recent-days Obi110 refugees whose coffins were finally nailed shut by Obihai (because the owner does not care to provide a simple firmware update to all those early adopters who -- for free and in the hobbyist spirit -- spread the word and provided user support, contributing to the startup's success), I have been stuck looking for a replacement Obi box.

The Obi202 is clearly a verkakte implementation, with the goofy, buggy, and pricey ObiLine dongle required to bring the device nearly to par with the Obi110.

So, the newer Obi212 seems to be the proper replacement for the Obi110, but the Obi212 is now suddenly -- and contemporaneously with the refugee crisis -- unavailable?

Has there been found since the release of the Obi212 in September 2017 some intractable bug?

Or, perhaps, are there too many Obi202s rotting in the warehouse and likely to linger there, should the Obi212 be available now?


SteveInWA

You've been watching too much Alex Jones.  There is no conspiracy nor nefarious reason for this.  The truth is, they made a small initial production run, which sold out.  More are being made and shipped right now.  Give it a few weeks.

azrobert

You can get an OBi200 for GV and use the OBi110 for the PSTN line and access both from the OBi200. You can also use the OBi110 as a 2nd GV line by accessing the OBi200. 

You'll save about $40 compared to an OBi212.
https://slickdeals.net/f/11012491-obi200-at-32-99-and-obi202-at-49-99-sale-begins-12-12-17-newegg?page=3

If you think the OBi202 is a verkakte implementation, I wonder what you think of my suggestion.

TelephoneBear

SteveInWA, no, I neither watch him nor stomach PR spin, no matter how it's intermingled with technical advice.

Thanks for the reply.  If the restocking wait is short, in the interim, I can live without the device.

AZRobert, thanks, I view your reply as helpful (and the deal link as valuable, as Amazon wants $75 for the Obi202).  Could the otherwise-landfill-bound Obi110 be of use, if hooked up to the Obi212?


jamesatwork

I second TelephoneBear point of view in that the 200 + Obiline is quite buggy / unstable. Am eager to put my hands on an Obi212

azrobert

Quote from: TelephoneBear on December 11, 2017, 10:41:54 PM
Could the otherwise-landfill-bound Obi110 be of use, if hooked up to the Obi212?

You can use the OBi110 as 2nd line by sharing your current OBi212 GV trunk or adding a 2nd trunk. You can also use the OBi110's Auto Attendant or 2 SP trunks from either box, but for most people the resources on the OBi212 is more than enough. 

TheDreamer

Did I miss out on the brief existence of the Obi212?

I don't visit that often, only after I've been having problems and turn my attention to fixing it and seeking help from others. (I had noticed the GV backing off thing with my 110 for a while, but it continued to work so I didn't know how serious the issue would be...

But, I had already purchased an 202 and an ObiLINE (though the 202 is swap for where I currently use an 200, and use that 200 with OBiLINE to replace the 110.)  But, the fact that it would be an inferior replacement is the primary reason it hasn't happened yet.

But, the OBI212 addresses the key issue that any other replacement solution wouldn't provide.  Fallback to using POTS line in the event of a power outage.  Just as I originally had a 202 in use before I tracked down a 110.  My primary VoIP was being handled by an SPA-3000, which had cost me a bit...and looked pretty beat up, as a second hand unit.  But, only after concluding lots of sites still had listings for it, but none of them were going to ever have it back in stock...no matter how new the site looked.

But, can't find the OBI212 through search or brand listings on Amazon, just by the direct link.  Though there's still a wish list button on the listing...so its possible that its not completely dead yet, though I have a lot of holes in my list that were once occupied by products Amazon didn't know if they were going to have ever or again...that I have no recollection of what they were now either.

But, there's also no links to it on the front of the sites obihai.com/obitalk.com, but I was sure I had clicked one on Monday...just spots where its mentioned, but clicking takes you to general overview, or where login is required to only land on the general support page.  The forum on has posts that were started by others, either asking about its future existence...such as this one, or whether on it replacing the OBi110.

I recall getting strings from the forums on how to get calls into POTS to ring 202, or to fallback to POTS if GV is unavailable without requiring a power outage.

But, only the 212 would address the power outage issue, so that's a big reason I want it.  Sure, normally, I have my 202 (and 110) plugged into oversized power backup systems....the kinds that are low wattage are designed to quietly provide for 36-48 hours (before they get loud and then suddenly turn off.)  Though I've been neglecting battery replacements....especially for the one for the 202, to where eventually it'll just shut off my power because the power dropped out for less than a second.  (the backup system is the kind that doesn't provide auto power on, or other typical UPS features.)  I had already let the one protecting the 110 go past that point, until I got tired of needing to reset it constantly (it also DSL modem, router, and main switch.)...so it was first to get batteries replaced.  The second one that I did after that was for my CPAP.

And, another issue I've had for months, years(?) is why does obitalk.com keep asking for a client certificate.  It has no business asking for my work PCI access client certificate, or the one generated for my Apple ID, (or was it for Apple Developer?) or the internally signed ones that I initially used for OSX Server.  (I switched to CA Cert ones, but haven't had reason to install my current client cert into browser yet....I had removed an expired one that I had used when I was first setting up appliance at work to use client certs, (and before I had figured out how to get it to talk to our crippled LDAP system.)

Plus it doesn't seem to want those either, but those are all I have.

The Dreamer.

But, the 110 seems happy for now, since I patched its firmware....so it won't get landfilled until (after?) I move (later this month...)

ShermanObi

The OBi212 will be available soon.  A replenishment shipment is in production, currently. Look for it to be at Amazon, in the next 4-5 weeks.

In the meantime, if you do not require the power-off relay, you can use the OBiLINE accessory with the OBi2 series, OBi3 series, OBi5 series, OBi1032/OBi1062 or any OBi2000 series IP phone.

ProfTech

Quote from: kmheid on January 14, 2018, 09:03:15 AM
Are their any alternatives out there that let you use Google Voice as a free home VOIP service?  Is it possible to reprogram another VOIP adapter to do the same thing?

You can use any ATA with Google Voice if you use Simonics sip gateway. There is a $5.99 one-time charge. I checked Amazon yesterday and they were only selling the model 200 to Prime members with no indication when or if there would be any more. Newegg still listed the 200 as of yesterday. It will be interesting to see what happens with Polycom.

SteveInWA

Quote from: ProfTech on January 14, 2018, 06:28:29 PM
Quote from: kmheid on January 14, 2018, 09:03:15 AM
Are their any alternatives out there that let you use Google Voice as a free home VOIP service?  Is it possible to reprogram another VOIP adapter to do the same thing?

You can use any ATA with Google Voice if you use Simonics sip gateway. There is a $5.99 one-time charge. I checked Amazon yesterday and they were only selling the model 200 to Prime members with no indication when or if there would be any more. Newegg still listed the 200 as of yesterday. It will be interesting to see what happens with Polycom.

The post just above yours is from Sherman Scholten at Obihai.  I don't know how you can get any more official confirmation than that:  The Polycom acquisition has nothing whatsoever to do with current OBi product stocking levels, nor the manufacturing plan of current OBi devices.  In the long term, no doubt, there will be some consolidation of overlapping products (i.e. IP Phones), but Polycom wouldn't kill the OBi ATA product line.  What most people here on the forum don't realize, is that the large majority of ATA sales are to carriers, service providers, large enterprise customers and system integrators worldwide, not to individual consumers on Amazon/Newegg.  That market is very strong.

The OBi devices aren't going away.  If anything, the merger will be a positive factor in strengthening product support via a larger staff and better web-based support.

GH-UpNorth

Amazon is now taking orders for the OBi212 - shows to be available on Feb 23 ... just placed my order, scheduled to be delivered Feb 28... price $69.95

SteveInWA

Quote from: GH-UpNorth on February 20, 2018, 03:26:31 PM
Amazon is now taking orders for the OBi212 - shows to be available on Feb 23 ... just placed my order, scheduled to be delivered Feb 28... price $69.95

Yes, and the OBi 202 should also be available very soon.  Meanwhile, do NOT buy the products from third-party sellers; there could be warranty or support issues.