 Skype Architecture" /> |
| ActionTec with Skype Architecture |
Internet Phone Wizard With Skype
http://www.actiontec.com
Price: List: $69.99, I've seen it online for $56.61
So you're a Skyper but you hate being chained to a headset connected to your PC? Well, have no fear, ActionTec's Internet Phone Wizard with Skype to the rescue! Essentially, the ActionTec Internet Phone Wizard is an ATA (analog telephony adaptor) that lets you connect your corded or better yet, cordless analog phone to the unit to make and receive Skype calls. It also features a Line port for connecting an analog line giving you dual-line (VoIP & PSTN) capability on the same phone. This is probably its best feature - you can use your favorite home cordless phone to receive or make both Skype and PSTN phone calls. The Internet Phone Wizard will send ring voltage to your phone on an incoming Skype or PSTN call. I tested both and it performed without a hitch.
 |
| ActionTec Internet Phone Wizard Front |
I was curious the REN (Ringer Equivalence Number) on the device which determines how many phone devices it can send dialtone and ring voltage to - just in case I want to split the line and have 2,3, or even 4 phones hooked into the single Phone port. In theory, if you don't have any ring voltage on your house wiring (i.e. you cancelled your home landline), you can connect the output from the Phone port to a phone wall jack and power all of the house's phone outlets. I contacted ActionTec and they told me the REN is 1, so it's only designed to provide ring voltage to one phone. Bummer.
Although the ActionTec USB device is advertised as working with Skype only, I did try it out with other VoIP softclients. Since it's simply a USB audio device, in theory it should work just fine, right? Well, yes and no. I was able to configure my Xten softclient to use the ActionTec as my audio device and also set it as my default microphone. Next, I was able to dial from the Xten softclient to a PSTN number and talk using the phone connected to the ActionTec Internet Phone Wizard. The problem was that the ActionTec provides simulated "Skype" dialtone, essentially waiting for you to dial a Skype user or make a SkypeOut phone call. So while I was in my Xten call, I could hear the ActionTec simulated dialtone (continuous tone). I was able to get it to stop simply by pressing one of the touchtones (to make it think I was going to dial a Skype number), however after a few seconds it thinks you misdialed and starts to play a series of tones indicating a dialing error. I think the ActionTec Internet Phone Wizard should offer a touchtone override mechanism (i.e. press # followed by *) that lets you use the phone as an audio device with microphone capability, so you can use it with any application, not just Skype.
 |
| ActionTec Internet Phone Wizard Rear |
One nice feature is the Call Waiting feature that lets you accept an incoming call on your landline while you are in the middle of an Internet call and vice versa. You hear a call waiting tone and then simply press # # on the handset to switch to the other line and put the current caller on hold. It's too bad the unit can't conference the two together; now that would be a cool feature! I should mention that you can switch between outbound landline and Skype calls by pressing "#", and then enter either a number to use for SkypeOut, or a speed-dial assigned to your Skype contacts. I tested both a Skype-to-Skype call and a PSTN phone call on the ActionTec and the audio quality was superb.
The main gripe many will have against the ActionTec Internet Phone Wizard is that it requires a connection to your PC via the USB port to work - and thus your PC must be on in order to make/receive Skype calls. It would be nice to have a standalone device with Skype software embedded so you don't have to leave your PC on all the time to make/receive Skype calls. On the other hand, if you didn't have this device and your PC was off, you wouldn't be able to make/receive Skype calls either. So I think we should judge this product based on what typical Skypers can and can't do already without the ActionTec product. I should point out that although you can't make Skype calls with the PC off, you can still make PSTN calls. In fact, if the USB cable becomes disconnected or even if your PC is off, you can still make/receive PSTN calls. There is a relay switch in the unit to make the analog line pass through.
Skype is working on "standalone" boxes with Skype software embedded so you don't have to have your PC on, but we shouldn't judge the ActionTec product based on some future product we would like to see. The ActionTec Internet Phone Wizard is available today and it does what it advertised to do - let you make/receive Skype calls while not being chained to a PC headset by letting you use your favorite analog phone. If you are an avid Skyper and would like to be able to make & receive Skype calls using your home cordless phone, and still make & receive calls on that same phone, then this may be the perfect product for you. Heck, with SkypeIn combined with SkypeOut, not only can you cancel your landline to save money, if you have a ton of Skype contacts, you can even cancel your Vonage line, CallVantage line, or any other VoIP service provider. Pricewise, Skype probably has them all beat!
Technorati
Del.icio.us
Slashdot
Digg
twitter
The REN that you refer to has to do with the max power that is avaible to ring telephones. (Nothing to do with providing DT)
Traditional POTS lines provided by old Ma Bell and her TDM based sibling LECs usually were garranteed for a REN of 3.0 and equated to 3 of the traditional electro-mechanical metalic bell ringers that are inside old phones.
Most phones today have electronic ringers and a REN of mucj less that 1.0....
Here is the official definition
Ringer Equivalency Number. The sum total of the ringer equivalency numbers of phone equipment attached to a Pipeline cannot exceed 3. Voltage on board the Pipeline is the current used to make the attached devices ring. If too many devices are daisy chained together, or the sum of the REN of the equipment attached to the Pipeline exceeds 3, the Pipeline won't be able to supply enough voltage to make the units ring. REN value is usually printed on the bottom of a unit, and it is listed in the unit's manual.
>>The REN that you refer to has to do with the max power that is avaible to ring telephones. (Nothing to do with providing DT)
I thought I did say "ring voltage"? I wasn't referring to DT (dialtone).
I wrote "they told me the REN is 1, so it's only designed to provide ring voltage to one phone."
Although like you say, today's phones have a much lower REN, so the ActionTec device can probably power a couple of phones. The original spec was designed with the older phones in mind.
Still REN 1.0 is pretty low, so I probably wouldn't want to "tax" the device by connecting it to home wiring to power even just 2 phones - might fry or overload the ring voltage generator.
Hmmm, just checked the bottom of the device and it says REN 0.5B, which is 1/2 of what they told me.
Hey guys... I have just tried this new recording tool that works with all my VoIP softwares! It is really awesome! You are able to record your conversations, archive them, and send for free... You are able to send recorded greetings and messages, too. Try it out by downloading from this website www.hotrecorder.com. There is a free version that works really good. I've been looking for a tool like this for a while now, and this is the only one I've found, and it is amazing! Not sure who this guys are, but they rock!
The post above sounds like a paid PR plug. But as a working journo I would love to be able to use Skype for calls & record telephone interviews. Tom, have you used HotRecorder or can you recommend any other products which do a similar thing? Would be interested in your comments.
>>The post above sounds like a paid PR plug.
You're kidding right? I pointed our a couple faults in the product. I complained about the REN and the fact that it requires a PC to work. How is that a PR plug?
>>Tom, have you used HotRecorder
Yes. I've also used TotalRecorder for recording VoIP applcations and saving as MP3. I have a converter that connects to my regular PBX phone that connects to my sound card so I can record PSTN calls as well.
I've also used SuperMP3Recorder - http://www.supermp3recorder.com/
I have an older model (1998?) it looks about the same, only its green, not blue.
On the bottom it says the ren is 1.6, and I have powered my whole phone system int he house (6 ot seven phones) with it.
I don't think they changed the hardware inside... so perhaps it puts out mre than what the new stickers say?
hope this helps.
Ohh yeah before I forget, could annyone Email me the skype software for this thing? mine didnt come with it (duhh) and I cannot find it online. Thanks!
I know of a better product out there. It's called the TeleVoIP Stick, It was actuually built from the ground up for Skype. where as the ActionTec was later formatted for it. The TeleVoIP Stick is much easier and has more features.
Later Peeps..
Anyone figured out how to dial a number using the handset? I can dial the number itself, but skype requires all numbers to be preceded with a '+', and then you have to hit the green skype button to make it actually call. It would be great to be able to do all this from the handset so I don't have to go to the computer to make skype calls.
Dan - I'll trade you. I have the old software for the IPW, ipwusb.sys. It is NOT just for SKYPE. It is just what Tom wanted, ie, not service provider dedicated. Anyway, I have the old Actiontec too but mine seems to have died. It can no longer see any open ports. Can you provide any suggestions on what I can do to revive it?
DT
i would like to ask if internet phone wizard has the capability to make connection over PC to teleohone headset while my telephone headset has two line and i want to make conference (connection) between someone who is using Skype and someone whom i called throught my normal homephone so we (da one on the Skpe , me and da one i am calling from the Home line )may speak together at the same time ????????????????????
thank you
Can any one help me.
My IPW lost the connection with Skype after the last Skype outage. I have tried to reinstall the software but The IPW will not connect to Skype. I keep getting the message connect the IPW once I connect the same message pops up.
I have also downloaded the soft-ware from the website as well??
Thanks,
PR