Phonepatch with Vonage?

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

The Kooch wrote:

> Hey everyone!
>
> Long time no RAP. I'm getting set up at my studio for doing VO work
> these days. I don't have a phone line yet--but I got the cable modem
> going. Is there any reason I shouldn't use Vonage (voice over IP) for
> the studio.
>


Check up on 911 service carefully, and make sure you've
got an UPS on all the appropriate gear, and it should
work just like a phone line.

> The main issue I have is needing a phonepatch to integrate with it.
> But from what I can tell (not a lot of techy info on their website)
> they split my cable signal and have a built in digital to analog
> converter that leads to any external analog phone. Ao a phonepatch
> should be simple.
>
> Or am I missing something? Does Vonage only work with digital phones?
>
>

This is a second hand report - it presents a hybrid
telco connection, just like a phone line. The
box you'd use terminates all the digital/IP stuff and
offers a POTS interface.

Again, I'm reporting this second hand from a
Vonage customer.

> Anybody know of a decent and easy to use phonepatch in general?
>
> --Cheers!
> --Kooch
>
--
Les Cargill

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

james wrote:

> In article <4M%6e.40168$vd.8239@tornado.tampabay.rr.com>,
> Les Cargill <noway@jose.com> wrote:
>
>
>>Check up on 911 service carefully, and make sure you've
>>got an UPS on all the appropriate gear, and it should
>>work just like a phone line.
>
>
> What you need for 911 service is a cell phone; even one that has no
> activation will call 911.
>
> I would not want to depend on TCP/IP in any emergency; but a cell phone
> is close enough to being a radio that I can almost handle it.

It's RTP over UDP over IP. No TCP. I have no earthly idea
what the long term reliability looks like, nor would I
expect to be able to find out.

--
Les Cargill

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

In article <d3ja9r$6ns$1@panix2.panix.com>, kludge@panix.com (Scott Dorsey)
wrote:

> The main problems with Vonage seem to be reliability and customer service.

I have Vonage at home and have no complaints about reliability. It has always
worked. Customer service is a notch below nonexistent and snail mail to the CEO
two months ago has not been acknowledged. But fifteen bucks a month vs. sixty?
I know you get what you pay for. And like Scott said get a REAL UPS and
activate 911.
>
> >The main issue I have is needing a phonepatch to integrate with it.
> >But from what I can tell (not a lot of techy info on their website)
> >they split my cable signal and have a built in digital to analog
> >converter that leads to any external analog phone. Ao a phonepatch
> >should be simple.

Do you need a phone patch or a hybrid? A phone patch is for output of both
caller and talent mixed for recording like a reporter would use. A hybrid
separates out caller and talent so that with a mix-minus you can carry on a
conversation using an audio mixer. We are a JKAudio dealer and we can recommend
a solution.

>
> I think you will find the voice quality and separation
> are much poorer than with a dedicated POTS line, though.

Actually if your account is set on the lowest bandwidth, it does sound pretty
bad. Medium bandwidth and it is better than POTS. High bandwidth sounds too
good. BUT note that it is a bandwidth dependent service and if you have a
dynamic service like cable, you may experience minor problems. We have a
24-port router at home with a lot of stuff going on over the same DSL line and
at times packet loss is an issue and that becomes audio dropouts-if you are the
only thing on your line, then don't worry. Audio level is higher and separation
actually seems better to me. Watch your send levels as well as overmodulation
will cause dropouts, too.

> >Anybody know of a decent and easy to use phonepatch in general?

Again, I recommend JKAudio but you must determine whether you need a phone patch
or a hybrid. Then we can talk.

--
Regards,

Klay Anderson
http://www.klay.com
+801-942-8346

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

Klay Anderson wrote:
>
> We have a 24-port router at home with a lot of stuff going on over
> the same DSL line and at times packet loss is an issue and that
> becomes audio dropouts

You need a gateway with the VoIP ports and traffic shaping.

Like http://www.linksys.com/products/pr [...] 57&scid=35
or any of the Sipura phones/boxes (The Linksys has licensed code from
Sipura in it and is quite affordable.)