Obi100 Paging Problems

[paden]

Hello everyone!

I've been using obi devices for a while for fax and analog conversions, but have recently been tasked with something out of the ordinary. I need to connect a Valcom v1030c paging amplifier to an obi100, if at all possible, for use by users on an asterisk server.

So far, I have read a lot and have tried multiple things to get this working, all to no avail.

• I have got the device connected via SIP back to asterisk (extension 991), have hooked up the PA, and have gotten the PA to ring. I believe I need to find some way to get the OBi to auto answer, because the PA is not smart enough to do so.
• I have tried enabling the UseForPagingOnly option on the ph port, but calling the extension (991) gives me a fast busy and no ringing.
• I have tried adding 991 to a paging group in asterisk, which just leaves the PA ringing with no answer.
• I tried all the cpc options (in, out, in/out, disabled). No luck.
• I also attempted playing with impedance, voltage, polarity, paging tones, and other things, all with no result.

Has anyone gotten a PA to work with an obi100? I'm also open to purchasing an obi110 if it is known that an obi100 will never work with paging.

All help and experiences appreciated

-Paden

[Shale]

http://www.obitalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=6492.0 may be of use to you.

[paden]

Thanks for the quick reply, Shale. I found that same post using the forum search and read all the way through it. From what I understand, they ended up using the FXO line with the PA system instead of the FXS line, right? This speaks to me like using the Obi100, which only has an FXS line, will not work. Is this the case?

[Shale]

That particular original person was using a device that was intended to be hooked to a phone. Some of the discussion, particularly reply 2 thru 9, initially presumed that the system being used was similar to what I think you have in mind.

[ianobi]

•I have tried enabling the UseForPagingOnly option on the ph port, but calling the extension (991) gives me a fast busy and no ringing.

With UseForPagingOnly enabled the OBi100 Phone Port stays off hook all the time, so is directly connected to the PA. When called via SIP with UseForPagingOnly enabled, the OBi100 should auto-answer as you require and then the caller will be connected through to the PA.

I'm wondering if there's a problem with how asterisk interacts with the OBi100. A good test would be to disable UseForPagingOnly and try a test call with a phone plugged into the Phone Port and answer the call using the phone.

I don't think an OBi110 is the answer as the Valcom looks like a basic PA with no telephone interface.

[paden]

Okay, I registered my 100 with obitalk and tried calling the valcom PA with obiapp. I was picked up by the attendant, so I pressed one to be put through to the phone. I got dead air with nothing on the speaker. Testing it with a normal phone in the ph port passes the call through just fine.

So below, I included the call history. You can see that when I call with obitalk that the AA answers, and I am then connected to the phone1 port. Not even a second after I'm transferred, the device hangs up.

The result is the same from extension 310 (call 5). Looking at asterisk logs, the obi sends a 486 "Busy Here" back to the server when the "UseForPagingOnly" option is set. If it is unset, the loudspeaker rings obnoxiously, but obviously never picks up.

-----------------------------------------------
Here is the call history for reference:
Call 1   09/05/2013    15:33:32   

Terminal ID   AA1   PHONE1
Peer Name      
Peer Number   0   
Direction   Outbound   Inbound
15:33:32   New Call   
15:33:33   New Peer: OBiTALK1(290******)   Transfer Target, Continue At Ref:8382


Call 2   09/05/2013    15:33:23   

Terminal ID   OBiTALK1   AA1
Peer Name      
Peer Number   290******   
Direction   Inbound   Inbound
15:33:23   Ringing   
15:33:27      Call Connected
15:33:33   Call Transferred   Transfer to PHONE1, State=ringing, Ref=8382
15:33:33      End Call


Call 3   09/05/2013    15:32:45   

Terminal ID   AA1   PHONE1
Peer Name      
Peer Number   0   
Direction   Outbound   Inbound
15:32:45   New Call   
15:32:46   New Peer: OBiTALK1(290******)   Transfer Target, Continue At Ref:12826


Call 4   09/05/2013    15:32:23   

Terminal ID   OBiTALK1   AA1
Peer Name      
Peer Number   290******   
Direction   Inbound   Inbound
15:32:23   Ringing   
15:32:27      Call Connected
15:32:46   Call Transferred   Transfer to PHONE1, State=ringing, Ref=12826
15:32:46      End Call


Call 5   09/05/2013    15:27:09   

Terminal ID   SP1   PHONE1
Peer Name   Shipping & Receiving   
Peer Number   310   
Direction   Inbound   Inbound
15:27:09   Ringing   
15:27:10      End Call

[Shale]

Testing it with a normal phone in the ph port passes the call through just fine.

Tell us more about that. Does fine mean that you could speak audio to the off-hook phone immediately?

If so, then why don't you hear audio when you connect your speaker Valcom v1030c?

So before getting into those other things you were talking about, why does the audio not come out of your Valcom v1030c?

[paden]

Tell us more about that. Does fine mean that you could speak audio to the off-hook phone immediately?

If so, then why don't you hear audio when you connect your speaker Valcom v1030c?

So before getting into those other things you were talking about, why does the audio not come out of your Valcom v1030c?

Yes, when I have a phone connected (not the Valcom PA) the obi picks up and passes the call to the phone automatically. I can hear myself on the speaker while the phone is off hook. This is what is expected with the useforpagingonly option, so I know the obi is working properly. Now I suppose the problem lies with the valcom PA.

I just noticed the phone status page. When I check there, it states that my PA is on-hook always. I wonder how I can get it to appear off-hook. Any ideas?

[edit] I'm going to try introducing a few resistors and a potentiometer on Monday and I'll let you guys know what happens. Let me know if you all can think of anything else [/edit]

[paden]

Okay, I found my answer! Put a 330 ohm resistor across the tip and ring and it stays off hook like a charmer I hope this helps someone out in the future...

[obiliving]

paden, I hope you have found a solution to your problem.

Just want to clarify one-point that might have caused some confusion.
The OBi100 provides an FXS port to connect to an analog phone (or similar device).
The OBi100 itself CANNOT cause the port to go off-hook; it's the external phone (or equivalent) device that causes the off-hook.

The simplest way to experiment with this paging feature is to connect a regular phone, and leaves the handset off-hook. Then when you page that number, you can hear the audio coming out of the handset automatically. Similarly you can use a speaker phone and turn on the speaker.

Normally a PA system takes a line-level input signal through a 3.5 mm or RCA jack. You can easily find some Handset-to-RCA adapter/converter from RadioShack, and connect it to your phone's handset (which must be left off-hook). Then you should have a complete paging station.