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OBI 110, POTS, Answering Machine -- Am I on the right track?

Started by TonyCVG, May 11, 2014, 09:16:14 AM

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TonyCVG

Hello, everyone.

I'm new to the OBI world and to the phone technology world in general,
but I do have some knowledge of IP networking, Linux, the command line,
and editing config files in general. I'm starting on a new project and I was
hoping the regulars here could tell me if I'm on the right track.

I'd like to create what amounts to a super answering machine system.
I've spent a couple of days reading through this forum and browsing
other information - I think I have some idea how to do it, but there's
still a lot of confusion.

We have POTS (analog) and no Google voice or any VOIP service of any
kind. All calls will come in and go out via the POTS line. I have an
OBI 110 on order and a spare Raspberry Pi on the shelf.

Here's how I'd like it to work:
1. If an incoming call is from a number on the blocked list, the call
will be disconnected -- the caller will not hear a message.

2. If an incoming call has caller ID blocked, the caller will hear a
message stating that it's necessary to unblock caller ID and place the
call again, after which the call will be disconnected.

3. If an incoming call has caller ID and is not on the blocked list,
our phone rings.

4. If we don't answer the phone, the caller will be able to leave a message.

I know we can do most of these things with a plain old answering machine,
but I think we can do them better with something like the OBI 110, possibly
paired with Asterisk on the Pi. And I know there's a lot more possible
with the OBI/Asterisk combination -- this way I get to play and learn!

I assume the OBI 110's LINE port will be connected to the telco's wall plug,
and a handset will be plugged in to one of the PHONE ports. I understand
there's a way to feed the PHONE port back in to the house wiring, so analog
phones plugged in to other plugs around the house can be connected to the
OBI as well, but I may leave that as a future refinement.

* For item #1, can the OBI keep a blocked number list, via DigitMaps or
some other means?

* For item #2, would this work the same as item #1? And can the OBI play a
message based on conditions like {CALLER ID MISSING}? If not, then item #2
might require the call to be forwarded to Asterisk. See question below on
how this works.

* For item #3, from what I've read, it seems that having the incoming
call connected to the PHONE plug would be straightforward, and may even
be covered by the default setup. Is this right?

* For item #4, I know I could simply plug an answering machine in to the
same PHONE port as used for item #3. Would it instead be possible to have
the call "roll over" to the Asterisk if we don't answer the phone after some
reasonable number of rings? Then I could take advantage of all the cool stuff
that Asterisk can do with messages -- emailing them, turning on the coffee
maker,...
From what I've read so far, the OBI itself does not do answering machine
functionality -- that is, it does not record incoming messages. Is that correct?

* I don't understand very well how an OBI connects to an instance of
Asterisk. Do I configure the Asterisk so it "looks like" a SIP phone to
the OBI?

Thanks in advance for any insight or pointers!

Tony

drgeoff

You can do some but not all of what you want with just the OBi110.  It does not have an answering machine which can record incoming messages.

Some of what you want in regard to handling of certain CIDs can be done on either the 110 or in Asterisk.  The 110 is quite able to handle black or white lists of limited size.  (Don't ask what the exact limit is!)

There are posts in these forums about connecting an OBi110 to Asterisk.  However there does not seem to be a single unique method which everyone uses or recommends!

Yes it is perfectly feasible to connect the OBi's PHONE port to the house wiring and hence to multiple phones.  However you MUST ensure there is no possibility of an active telco line being connected to the same pair.  (The OBi does not like telco line voltage connected to its PHONE port.)

Have a good read of http://www.obihai.com/docs/OBiDeviceAdminGuide.pdf to get a grasp of what the OBi110 can and cannot do.  When you think you have understood it all, then read it again at least two more times  ;D.