Remote Dialer/Alarm

[Charles Jean]

I've got a home alarm system that outputs one of 5 switch closures,
depending on the alarm location. I've wired these to my home
computer's LPT1 input port and written a program that monitors the
LPT1 alarm inputs so that when an alarm occurs, it uses a terminal
program and modem to dial my cell phone. That's where I am now. It's
at the "at the tone please leave your message...." stage.

I would like to be able to then play a *.wav file that would be left
as voice mail notifying me that an alarm has occured and indicate the
alarm's location.

Is there a way I can wire the "line out" from my sound card into the
phone line without going through the earphones/speakers?

I'd thought about going through an computer-controlled SPST switch and
a series capacitor. Is this possible?

Thanks for any help.

 

[Stephen Rush]

I've got a home alarm system that outputs one of 5 switch closures,
depending on the alarm location. I've wired these to my home
computer's LPT1 input port and written a program that monitors the
LPT1 alarm inputs so that when an alarm occurs, it uses a terminal
program and modem to dial my cell phone. That's where I am now. It's
at the "at the tone please leave your message...." stage.

I would like to be able to then play a *.wav file that would be left
as voice mail notifying me that an alarm has occured and indicate the
alarm's location.

Is there a way I can wire the "line out" from my sound card into the
phone line without going through the earphones/speakers?

I'd thought about going through an computer-controlled SPST switch and
a series capacitor. Is this possible?

Thanks for any help.

Go to an amateur radio web site or the ARRL Handbook and look for a "phone
patch." Your application won't need all of the facilities of a standard
phone patch, because it doesn't have to be bidirectional. One thing to
watch out for is that phone lines were not designed to be computer-friendly.
There's about 50 VDC on the line when it's on-hook, and the ringing signal is
about 100 volts of 20 Hz. One approach is to hack an inexpensive
speakerphone.

 

[Ian Malcolm]

Go to an amateur radio web site or the ARRL Handbook and look for a "phone
patch." Your application won't need all of the facilities of a standard
phone patch, because it doesn't have to be bidirectional. One thing to
watch out for is that phone lines were not designed to be computer-friendly.
There's about 50 VDC on the line when it's on-hook, and the ringing signal is
about 100 volts of 20 Hz. One approach is to hack an inexpensive
speakerphone.

Charles, please google 'Voice Modem', there's a fair chance you allready
have the ability to play a wav file built into your modem. If not,
cheapest and easiest would probably be change the modem.

Also you've massively cross posted this :-( Its on
alt.binaries.schematics.electronic, sci.electronics,
sci.electronics.basics, sci.electronics.misc, sci.electronics.design

Many of us killfile cross posts to four or more groups as its *usually*
the sign of a troll. sci.electronics is a nearly dead group as it was
replaced by its various sub-groups. As you aren't posting a binary,
alt.binaries.schematics.electronic isn't really appropriate. At least
you didn't multi-post it individually to each group

P.S. sci.electronics.design tends to operate at a *somewhat* higher
level and it helps if you have roughed out a circuit and can show you've
done a bit of 'legwork' if asking questions there.

 

[John Fields]

Also you've massively cross posted this :-( Its on
alt.binaries.schematics.electronic, sci.electronics,
sci.electronics.basics, sci.electronics.misc, sci.electronics.design

Many of us killfile cross posts to four or more groups as its *usually*
the sign of a troll. sci.electronics is a nearly dead group as it was
replaced by its various sub-groups. As you aren't posting a binary,
alt.binaries.schematics.electronic isn't really appropriate. At least
you didn't multi-post it individually to each group

P.S. sci.electronics.design tends to operate at a *somewhat* higher
level and it helps if you have roughed out a circuit and can show you've
done a bit of 'legwork' if asking questions there.

---
I disagree with all of the above, with one exception, that being
that he did well by not multi-posting.

First, I don't think many of us killfile posts (posters, actually,
maybe threads...) because of numbers of crossposts and suspicion of
trolling. I know I don't, you obviously don't, and I've never heard
of anyone else doing it. Maybe I missed something, though?

There's also nothing wrong with posting to a "nearly dead" newsgroup
if you think you'll get a hit there, and he did, ISTM a substantial
amount of work before posting to sed, so I don't really see a
problem there either.

Finally, it's OK to post non-binaries to abse. It must be, since
you did, no? Also, take a look at the ratio of binaries to
non-binaries and the lack of complaints and it becomes obvious that
posting either or both suits the culture of the group.