[Slightly OT] - is there telephone s/w out there

[geoff]

I'm looking for a bit of (free) software which will enable me to talk over a land line through headphones and mike over my computer

I have a fax card somewhere,

I don't want to talk skype,

just normal land line phone calls

[the realfictitious]

Well I s'pose you could have worded that a bit better !!!

[Rod]

What would be the function of the computer in your plan? You can certainly get various headphone/mike devices for landlines - I'd be amazed if you couldn't somehow use one of the Bluetooth headsets so widely used with mobiles.

At work I have a modestly intelligent phone on the company's phone system plus a Plantronics Bluetooth headphone/mike - that is a specialised fitment connected between the phone and its handset. The base unit holds the headset in a convenient way and recharges the battery.

[geoff]

Ask anyone - wireless headsets for landline phones exist

So far I have yet to find anything at a sensible price

I found some wireless headphones today (logitech clear chat at £60) which seem to do the business, now I need the front end

Or ...

is there actually a sensibly priced wireless phone set which will work at up to about 10metres ?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

My original modem came with a headset I assume for just this purpose. But since I was using it with this RISC OS computer I never looked at the PC software.

Thinks Don't have the modem anymore - it broke - but may have the PC software.

[OG]

Windows comes with dialler software (dialer.exe)

You need summat that will allow the modem and the sound card to work with each other. Have you checked the software that came with the modem?

[Dave]

I'm not quite sure what you mean here, but if you are talking about using broadband access for phoning someone, I think Tasco did a phone some time ago that allowed you to make calls down a broadband connection, but that was only to another Tesco phone, anywhere in the world. My brothers brother in law sent one out to Oz and as far as I can remember, he still uses it. I'll contact him if you want and get more details.

Dave

[geoff]

In message , OG writes

Not for about five years

I'll look tomorrow

I thought there might be an obvious piece of software,

a "this is what you need ..." program

[geoff]

No - that's exactly what I'm not looking for

basically I'm looking to connect the normal land line connection to a wireless headset

[OG]

I'm pretty certain my Win3.11 computer had such a thing, and I think my Win95 computer may have come with something similar.

I think the problem is that a lot of modems are now cut down to just provide just the 'mo' and the 'dem' functions, rather than being fully functional 'phone' interfaces.

[Dave]

OK I see what you are trying to do now. Sorry, I can't help you any more.

Dave

[meow2222]

IIRC some modems also did fax, and some also did voice. Presumably the driver + app software that came with them would hahve done just this. I think you'd be looking at win3.1 era stuff, and maybe win95, so all ISA based. Maybe there are later PCI modems with the voice capability too.

I'd probably start by looking up info on a boxful of old dialup modems.

NT

[Steve Firth]

Uh huh. You'll have to pay for the calls of course.

That really won't help, except as a dialler.

Anyway, you're looking for something that doesn't exist. OTOH if you want to connect via a computer using VOIP then there's no problem. Skype is just one solution. For example DrayTek and Gradwell both offer comprehensive VOIP pakages.

You get multiple phone numbers if you wish to have them. If the other party to a call also has VOIP you usually pay nothing for the call. If they are on a landline then you pay more but usually less than BT.

[Owain]

Does it have to be wireless?

Owain

[geoff]

That's the whole point

[geoff]

You're missing the point

I want to be able to wander around during (incoming) phone calls

I have a wandaphone, but cradling it between ear and shoulder, while sort of OK, could be much easier with a headset

not interested in voip, cost or anything else, just mobility

[Steve Firth]

I think you're missing it.

There's no (cheap) solution that involves a computer. Having a fax card is absolutely pointless, since fax modems don't carry voice traffic.

Then use a mobile with a handsfree kit. Use a telephony service to get your land line diverted to the mobile.

[Clive George]

You can get DECT phones which accept a headset.

[Dave Liquorice]

US Robitics Sportster Voice Fax Modem connection was via a standard serial port (RS232).

I had one but never played with the voice side and very rarely the FAX. Not sure if I still have the modem or the software, big clear out last year meant lots of working but valueless stuff went for recycling. B-(

[Bob Mannix]

Maybe I am missing the point but why not just get a speakerphone? We have them at work and you just wander about talking. With no background noise they are quite sensitive and I have used one while getting changed, for example.