Phones with line out?

March 10, 2005 2:22 AM

Inspired by the thread about Audacity. I'm currently recording interviews on my computer through the modem, but the available software is shaky at best. Help me find a telephone with a line out jack!

At work, I use an Ericsson that has a line out: this is then connected to the line in on the computer, which makes it easy to record phone conversations with just about any freeware recording software out there (at work, on Mac, this would be Coaster - works like a charm). Problem: they only make those Ericssons for use with a digital phone central, which I don't have at home.

I just know that somewhere there must be a phone that does exactly what I want and is available in Europe (!) and doesn't break the bank, but I can't seem to find it: Google and other searches turn up mostly cell phones and other collectible Mickey Mouse-phone crap that I have no use for. Thanks in advance!

posted by NekulturnY to technology (8 answers total)

You're overthinking the problem. Just get an adaptor like this that will allow you to plug directly into the line-in on your PC. You can find them at Radio Shack.
posted by Jairus at 8:53 AM on March 10, 2005

No. I have a few devices like it, and they are all crap. Usually these things have some sort of "automatic recording" function that messes up the dial tone of the phone if it's left in place for too long. Consequently, correspondents get a busy tone (bad), and when you try to dial a number, you can't get a dialling tone (bad). Which means you have to unplug it. Until, of course, you get a phone call you want to record. Then you have to plug it back in, which means that your correspondent has to wait until you have all the wires installed, etc. etc. ad nauseam. Bad.
posted by NekulturnY at 9:04 AM on March 10, 2005

NekulturnY, I don't know what's wrong with the devices you have, but the ones I have all cost about $5, and work great. They don't do anything but pipe audio to the line-in, so they don't have any automatic record or any kind of 'smart' functionality. I've also made my own on the cheap.

Seriously, I've been using these things since I was twelve.
posted by Jairus at 9:36 AM on March 10, 2005

Well, if you check the device you link to, it says it does have an automatic recording function. I haven't been able to find one in Europe that doesn't have it.

The problems seem to arise when you branch your phone line out to different phones, like I do (multiple phones to two desks, line to modem for fax, etc.) Picking up another phone than the one attached to the recording device will confuse the automatic recording function, which then grabs the line and holds it occupied. Very annoying when you forget this (I'm forgetful), and go for two days missing phone calls.

So, to be short, I'd like to find a phone with a line out jack.
posted by NekulturnY at 9:53 AM on March 10, 2005

Sorry, don't know about the line-out phones...
Are these adapters any more useful to you? Perhaps the company could help if you called them:
http://www.dynametric.com/cassetterecorderpatch.asp

(how DO you make those one-word hyperlinks, anyway?)

Here's a company with a lot of very MightyMouse phone/audio routers and recording gear:
http://www.jkaudio.com/
hth...
posted by dpcoffin at 9:58 AM on March 10, 2005

That last site links to their "home office" site, which has this.

(By the way, to make that one word link, select the word, then hit the link button, and paste in the url.)
posted by wzcx at 1:09 PM on March 10, 2005

Hmm, no "Link" button here...don't mean to hijack this thread, btw!
posted by dpcoffin at 1:56 PM on March 10, 2005

It's fine. Thanks for all the answers. Seems like they don't make any phones, then, but the JKAudio thing looks fine (passive), if a bit expensive.
posted by NekulturnY at 5:17 AM on March 11, 2005