Pulse dialing

[AndroidsOfTara]

I know that the OBi110 only supports DTMF, but has anyone attempted dialing with a rotary phone with a device such as this:

http://www.dialgizmo.com/

between the phone and the OBi?

It is a pulse to tone converter that would allow me to fully utilize my collection of old rotary phones with my OBi.

[JohnLennon]

For $49.95 you're better off to get a nice modern phone...

[AndroidsOfTara]

For $49.95 you're better off to get a nice modern phone...

Thanks, but I *like* using using my old phones. Hence the reason for my question.....

[MichiganTelephone]

If you can find an old Mitel Smart1 dialer, they did pulse to tone conversion if I recall correctly.  Just be aware that they are kind of a bear to program, particularly if you are doing it from the phone and not by using a serial cable.  And also be aware that if you can't find the programming guide somewhere you will never be able to figure out how to program them — they are definitely NOT "plug and play."

[jdoff]

I know that the OBi110 only supports DTMF, but has anyone attempted dialing with a rotary phone with a device such as this:

http://www.dialgizmo.com/

between the phone and the OBi?

It is a pulse to tone converter that would allow me to fully utilize my collection of old rotary phones with my OBi.

I just received a Dialgizmo this weekend, and can confirm that it works great with my OBi100 (and I assume the OBi110 as well). It's a slick device, and the company is responsive. If you do order one, tell them Josh sent you.

[AndroidsOfTara]

I just received a Dialgizmo this weekend, and can confirm that it works great with my OBi100 (and I assume the OBi110 as well). It's a slick device, and the company is responsive. If you do order one, tell them Josh sent you.

Thanks for the info!

[AndroidsOfTara]

I just received a Dialgizmo this weekend, and can confirm that it works great with my OBi100

Mine just showed up this morning and is working, but I have a problem perhaps you can help me solve.

I am having problems dialing numbers containing the digits 8, 9 and 0. I've tried it on two different rotary phones which work perfectly on my POTS line.

I believe the problem is due to the time it takes to dial those numbers and return to a stop. I think the OBi is detecting silence between the tones generated by the Dialgizmo and timing out.

Any suggestions?

[jimates]

It may be taking longer than 2 seconds for those digits to be delivered to the Obi. The Obi waits 2 seconds for the next digit entry. If no entry is made before 2 seconds, it times out and processes the number through the digit map.

If your second or third digit entry takes longer than 2 seconds the Obi is going to process the # as a speed dial entry and deliver the call (if you have speed dials occupying those places).

I am pretty sure you can increase the timeout. RonR will probably come along and tell you how before I find it.

[AndroidsOfTara]

I am pretty sure you can increase the timeout. RonR will probably come along and tell you how before I find it.

Thanks. I've looked in the phone port settings and don't see anything related to time between touch tones.

I have been able to successfully make a couple of calls, but I have to be extremely fast getting that next high digit dialed!

[MichiganTelephone]

Try this:  In your phone port DigitMap, look for this:

|[1-9]|[1-9][0-9]|

Try adding S4 after each of those mappings (for a four second timeout, you can change the 4 if you want more time):

|[1-9]S4|[1-9][0-9]S4|

See if that helps.

[AndroidsOfTara]

|[1-9]S4|[1-9][0-9]S4|

That seems to have done the trick, thank you very much!

[AndroidsOfTara]

jdoff,

When you dial a number on your rotary phone, do you get an extra touch tone after the called party has answered?

Thanks to MichiganTelephone, I am now dialing without issue. However, no matter how many rings it takes for the called party to answer, something (either the OBi or the DialGizmo) is generating a final touch tone (I think it's a "1") the instant the call is answered.

While annoying, it's not really a problem when calling a human. However, when calling an IVR system, the extra tone is an issue.

[RonR]

AndroidsOfTara,

It's a stab in the dark, but as an experiment, disable:

SPx -> X_SkipCallScreening : (unchecked)

and see if the unwanted DTMF '1' goes away.

[AndroidsOfTara]

It's a stab in the dark, but as an experiment, disable:

SPx -> X_SkipCallScreening : (unchecked)

and see if the unwanted DTMF '1' goes away.

I currently have that option checked (as in, not the OBi default), but I think I was able to temporally resolve it another way.

I remembered that the problem started when I updated the firmware from 2103 to 2283. I thought it was coincidental at first, but my touch tone phone (a 1978 ITT 2500) started having problems with that upgrade as well. I updated again to 2286 with no resolution.

The problem with the touch tone phone on 2283 and 2286 is that when making calls, the phone would go completely dead silent (and the microphone would stop working as well) as soon as the called party answered. I could still see activity on the OBi's LEDs, but the phone was unusable.

I figured that the rotary phone issue with the extra tone upon answer and this problem were related, but I didn't have time to deal with it, so I put a much newer ITT 2500 phone from the mid 90's on the desk and it worked fine.

I downgraded the firmware today back to 2103 and both issues have gone away. I can now make calls on a rotary phone without the extra tone and my 1978 ITT phone works again.

Something obviously changed between 2103 and 2283, but I don't know what. I'd like to have current firmware, but I also like having my preferred set of phones working.

So what do you think could be causing both of those issues to happen simultaneously with a firmware upgrade?

[M105]

I suspect the dialgizmo is picking up that "click" when the phone is answered and interpreting it as 1 pulse.  That prompts it to send DTMF tone for "1".  You can probably also fool it with a hook flash.

I don't know if the device has a sensitivity adjustment but that is something you should look at.

[AndroidsOfTara]

I suspect the dialgizmo is picking up that "click" when the phone is answered and interpreting it as 1 pulse.  That prompts it to send DTMF tone for "1".  You can probably also fool it with a hook flash.

I don't know if the device has a sensitivity adjustment but that is something you should look at.

I thought of that as well, but as you can see from my post above, downgrading to an earlier firmware on the OBi has made the problem disappear along with a problem with a touch tone phone.

One of the first things I tried with the DialGizmo was dialing with the hook switch!

[M105]

I have an old chrome pay phone I restored that has a very sensitive bell that will ping when I take any other phone in the house off-hook.  Now that you mention it, I have noticed it started pinging whenever someone answers when I make a call too.  That too started just lately with the firmware updates.  The Obi must be making a pulse on the line at different points now...

I have considered a dial gizmo to use with that vintage phone.  I am glad to know yours works with the exception of that small glitch!

[MichiganTelephone]

I hope you guys realize that older mechanical bells almost always have a bias spring (it usually looks like a long stiff wire that can be moved to one of two different positions) that can be adjusted to remove the pings in all but the most serious cases.  Failing that, you could also try lowering the output line voltage (and/or current) just a bit and see if that helps.

[M105]

I am sure I could adjust the old phone bell but I kinda like having the "line monitor".   The pings are barely audible.

[MichiganTelephone]

I am sure I could adjust the old phone bell but I kinda like having the "line monitor".

Reminds me of the days when in many areas of the country there was no such thing as a "private" phone call.  Those "pings" would alert all the gossips and busybodies that shared your party line that it was time to listen in!