Re: [misterhouse-users] Phone Switch

[Ray D. <rd...@so...>]

I spoke with one of the Asterisk developers the other day about the
developers kit and the USB FXS device.  He said it was exactly that, for
development and testing.  He did not recommend using it in a production
environment.  Digium also said that you can only use one USB device per
system.  That is, you can't get a X100P then then hang 4 USB FXS devices for
4 extensions.  So there currently does not seem to be any "shortcuts"
through the cost of the hardware.

I can get a used Lucent Partner 3X8 PBX w/voicemail for about $700-800.

So far the hardware for the Asterisk system would be something like this...

T100P - T1 PCI interface - $500
Adtran 750 or 850 off ebay - $300-$400  (So far the used 750's and 850's I
have seen on ebay are already loaded with FXS cards)
Quad FXO card for the 750 or 850 - $225

This would give me something like 4 phone lines and capacity for about 18-24
extensions.

I am assuming that with the new Digium 4 port card, you could put more than
one card in a PC for more extensions.  So you could do 2X6, 4X8, etc?

----- Original Message -----
From: "Chris Witte" <cw...@xm...>
To: <mis...@li...>
Sent: Friday, February 28, 2003 6:28 AM
Subject: Re: [misterhouse-users] Phone Switch


> It seems to me that the dev kit (lite) claims to support an fxs device
> thru USB S100U (on linux!) for $50 over the price of the X100P.
> http://www.digium.com/?menu=hardware_products
>
> Have I misinterpreted something?
> I was thinking about using that usb connection as follows:
>
> telco -> fxo pci (X100P)->linux -> fxs usb (S100U) -> branch circuits in
> house.
>
> It wouldn't provide any internal pbx functions yet, b/c there is only 1
> "extension" that rings everywhere in the house.
> It would let me evaluate the product, and hopefully provide web based
> voicemail access, and as the new hardware comes out, I s/b able to grow
> with the system.  Might also let me filter the unwanted calls to prevent
> them from ringing through.
>
> Does anyone (Amaury?) on this list have any first hand experience with
> digium, asterisk, etc?  (or is this just a --very helpful-- digestion of
> the information on their web site?)
>
> Chris.
>
>
> On Thursday, February 27, 2003, at 09:08  PM, Ray Dzek wrote:
>
> > The digium hardware is not cheap.  The $100 card is only an FXO card.
> > So
> > you can plug in 1 phone line to the PC.  You can add multiple cards for
> > additional lines, but there is no card for running your telephones
> > yet.  You
> > can only run "soft" phones, like netmeeting, or gphone, a linux gnome
> > sort
> > of netmeeting.  You could also run IP phones.  But IP sets are pricey
> > too.
> >
> > Digium is due to release a new 4 port PCI FXS card, probably very
> > similar to
> > the VoiceTronix card.  I have not heard what the price will be yet
> > though.
> > Start saving those pennies!
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Amaury Jacquot" <sx...@es...>
> > To: <mis...@li...>
> > Sent: Thursday, February 27, 2003 4:54 PM
> > Subject: Re: [misterhouse-users] Phone Switch
> >
> >
> >> Ray Dzek wrote:
> >>
> >>> Bayonne looks more like a development platform at this time without
> >>> any
> > real
> >>> solutions available.  As in, you are given the base installation and
> >>> libraries and it is up to you to program a working application.  Not
> > exactly
> >>> what I am looking for.  If that is not the case, it is not evident
> >>> from
> >>> reading the extremely sparse documentation.  The VoiceTronix hardware
> > looks
> >>> pretty interesting though.  Still pricey for 12 ports ($1800).
> >>>
> >>> I looked at the Cybergenie.  I also looked at the new Panasonic
> >>> systems.
> >>> Both are fine, except I have to use their phone sets for the system to
> > work.
> >>> There is no analog interface for plugging in a fax or a door phone,
> >>> etc.
> > On
> >>> the other hand, using the Genie or Panasonic gives a certain level of
> >>> integration that you will not get with a PBX, like shared directories
> >>> in
> >>> every handset, or like the Genie with voice command dialing
> >>>
> >>> The search continues...
> >>>
> >>>
> >> Well there is Asterisk at www.asterisk.org
> >>
> >> it is supported by the author's company ( www.digium.com ) that also
> >> sells the really cool cheap hardware.
> >>
> >> Sincerely
> >>
> >> Amaury