Comments on: pc phone answering machine

Question: pc phone answering machine

StickyCarpet — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 11:36:12 -0800

How do I use my PC as a land line answering machine?

Would like to archive messages and call records in and out. Bonus points for any contact management tools, or the abilty to interface with and sync phone numbers and messages on a cell phone

By: Kadin2048

Kadin2048 — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 12:04:12 -0800

If you're willing to forgo Windows and reformat the machine with Linux, I know you can do this using Asterisk, assuming the modem you have in the PC is one of the few supported models. (A few Intel-chipset based 'winmodem' types are used by Asterisk.)

Here is an article that gives you an idea what's involved "A $10 Linux Answering Machine." You may have a hard time finding an appropriate modem now -- it may require some eBaying. But Asterisk has all the message-archiving features you could want, and probably more (it will do things like email you the recorded messages if you like).

There might be some other ways to do this that I'm not thinking of, that use VoIP systems, but that's beyond me.

By: StickyCarpet

StickyCarpet — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 12:19:27 -0800

Thanks, Kadin2048. Really hoping for a windows solution, and not VoIP.

By: JJ86

JJ86 — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 12:25:55 -0800

As long as you have a modem, just hook the computer up to the modem and use something like Super Voice.

By: JJ86

JJ86 — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 12:26:43 -0800

....just hook the phone up to the modem is what I meant....

By: tuxster

tuxster — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 12:47:01 -0800

Or Active Phone Server...

Actually there is a lot of different software that serves this purpose, all it takes is a search for 'Windows "answering machine software"' in Google...

By: Chuckles

Chuckles — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 14:03:05 -0800

there is a lot of different software that serves this purpose, all it takes is a search for 'Windows "answering machine software"' in Google...

There are lots of results, but last year when I tried to find something I liked, there didn't seem to be a definitive "just works" choice, for windows. I was looking for NT compatibility initially, but even when I dropped that requirement, I still couldn't find anything really good.

That said, Active Phone Server looks very interesting.

Here are a couple of previous questions:

Telephone message software
April 9, 2005 9:15 PM

Recording a phone conversation
June 23, 2005 2:39 PM

Answering machines that call or email me.
August 22, 2006 5:42 PM

By: JJ86

JJ86 — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 14:32:06 -0800

Chuckles, Super Voice Pro has NT compatibility and handles all the tasks queried in those threads. I've used it about 10 years ago and was very satisfied with it at the time. I'd definitely recommend it.

By: StickyCarpet

StickyCarpet — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 06:49:31 -0800

Thanks y'all. Yeah I guess I could have weeded through google myself some more, but I do appreciate the time you've saved me.

By: Hanover Phist

Hanover Phist — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 12:25:23 -0800

IVM Answering Attendant. Call display, multiple mailboxes, different outgoing messages for different times of day or incoming numbers. It can also call your cell phone when you have new messages.