Orchid V4, V4+ Programing Tool Support

shaungjones

Heinz wrote: »

I do remember such an occurrence being mentioned at some stage in the past but have not experienced it myself.

Pausing for a 'rest period' to allow the Orchid to return to its 'ready' state appears a sensible option but what that period should be can only be conjecture or decided upon by experience.

I think I have discovered why I was getting leakage. While I was programming the dialler I had my PC modem linked to one phone port on the Orchid and my DECT phone plugged into the second. While this configuration was in place it did need around 30secs or so for the dialler to correctly route a subsequent call. As soon as I took out the line to my PC modem it behaves properly when making back to back calls. So I will only hook up the PC when updating the dialler.

Heinz

Please see Post #26 for the manual procedure for updating Orchid clocks this Sunday.

charlieheard

Heinz wrote: »

Please see Post #26 for the manual procedure for updating Orchid clocks this Sunday.

Thanks once again for the reminder - I'd have probably forgotten for a few weeks... :beer:

Had an issue a couple of nights ago where I dialled a couple of mobiles and got a pre-recorded error message before anything was dialled. The dialler then dialled through the message without success. It worked fine for landlines, though. Last night, all worked fine at (roughly) the same time.

I'm still on Primus Saver2 CPS and I haven't updated my program for a while apart from changing the time twice a year. Is it likely to be a problem at Primus's end, or do I need to reapply the program?

Heinz

charlieheard wrote: »

Had an issue a couple of nights ago where I dialled a couple of mobiles and got a pre-recorded error message before anything was dialled. The dialler then dialled through the message without success. It worked fine for landlines, though. Last night, all worked fine at (roughly) the same time.

I'm still on Primus Saver2 CPS and I haven't updated my program for a while apart from changing the time twice a year. Is it likely to be a problem at Primus's end, or do I need to reapply the program?

Reading this thread, a problem with Primus line rental may be rearing its ugly head but, apart from that, I have no idea what your problem may have been.

charlieheard

Heinz wrote: »

Reading this thread, a problem with Primus line rental may be rearing its ugly head but, apart from that, I have no idea what your problem may have been.

Thanks for that - I searched for orchid and 18185 but didnt search for primus... Let's hope it's a one off and not a regular occurrence.

Fred-Bloggs_2

I have the Orchid V4 box, programmed as per Heinz suggestions a couple or three or more years ago, essentially using 18866 and 18185.

A few months ago I moved from BT for line rental and Primus for calls a setup that worked fine, to both line and calls from Primus (Primus Home Phone Saver) with free evening and weekend calls. As yet I'm unsure if this is working ok with override providers.

I arranged the move to all Primus via homephonechoices. This was tedious as Primus had all but completed the move when BT said the business package I had did not allow a move to another supplier until Carrier Preselection Service (CPS) was removed. This involved me cancelling the Primus order, having BT remove CPS and then ordering from Primus again. Primus are very very poor at answering Email but a phone call had my new order progressed quite easily.

Now that I have eventually been moved to all Primus then sometimes a call I make via the Orchid box is declined with something like "calls to this number are not allowed" yet if I immediately dial again I get the "zero pence per minute" message that either 18866 or 18185 send, so I know the Orchid box has worked.

The Orchid box is still setup from some years ago when you could still dial into Orchid Telecom to program it and is unchanged other than GMT/BST time changes using the dialling procedure, not the spreadsheet.

Before I attempt to re-program the Orchid box I need to sort out problems as mentioned above to avoid the possibility that some code or delays need to be added/changed and I have to go through the process all over again.

As well as checking on Martin's site I also checked with Primus direct to be sure that using override providers such as 18866 etc were allowed. The answer was a yes.

So... if anyone has an answer or an approach to testing/checking why some calls don't work then please reply to this post.

Also if anyone has written a guide to using a modem and the excellent KevinLawry spreadsheet for reprogramming the Orchid box then please shout as I plan to write a summary including all the testing, modem checking hints etc. and don't want to repeat work that has already been done.

PS Has anyone tried programming the Orchid box using a terminal emulation package e.g. Microsoft's "Hyperterminal"?

Using a terminal emulator was the old fashioned way to dial in to the Internet, bull boards etc. and is a simple neat way to test your modem is connected and functioning. rather than going into the modem properties and hitting the test button.

Using Hyperterminal could be an intermediate step between hand dialling and the spreadsheet as I'm sure that sending ATDT followed by a number should allow you to program the Orchid box. .

The command ATDT just means "attention... tone dial what follows"

Using a terminal emulator once you have a list of commands for your modem means you can interrogate it this way if you are checking how it is setup and if it's functioning ok which seems to be the subject of a number of posts.

Fred......

charlieheard

Hi Fred-Bloggs - as you can see above, I started getting the same problem a couple of weeks ago. It is starting to happen more and more frequently, so that I've had to teach the wife and kids the use of 1280. Seems as though Primus aren't living up to their promise

wygde3

Kevin

Many thanks for the spreadsheet. I was a CW Client user and when that went kaput I went into denial. I have since had a few issues regarding ringing international numbers which were trying to use out of date 0844 numbers ... so I decided to take the plunge. I have read the thread as best I can and have three questions which may have been answered somewhere but I can't see them if they have...

1. My set up is BT Unlimited Weekend Pln, Primus Saver Option 2 and 18185. Entry 5 in the Carrier Code Table seems to be set up to route to some sort of cable facility? I don;t have a cable phone so do I eliminate line 5 and use something else instead of carrier Code 5 in teh Routing Code Table? If so, any recommendations?
2. I am using an soft modem called Soft Data Fax Modem with SmartCP'. Any idea if that will work?
3. I want to put specific 0844 carriers in for calls to the US, NZ and Czech Republic. I understand that I need to put them in the Carrier Code Table. Does it matter where I put them in the Routing Code Table? Can I just add them to the bottom of the current list?

Again, apologies if these questions have already been answered.

wygde3

wygde3 wrote: »

Kevin

Many thanks for the spreadsheet. I was a CW Client user and when that went kaput I went into denial. I have since had a few issues regarding ringing international numbers which were trying to use out of date 0844 numbers ... so I decided to take the plunge. I have read the thread as best I can and have three questions which may have been answered somewhere but I can't see them if they have...

1. My set up is BT Unlimited Weekend Pln, Primus Saver Option 2 and 18185. Entry 5 in the Carrier Code Table seems to be set up to route to some sort of cable facility? I don;t have a cable phone so do I eliminate line 5 and use something else instead of carrier Code 5 in teh Routing Code Table? If so, any recommendations?
2. I am using an soft modem called Soft Data Fax Modem with SmartCP'. Any idea if that will work?
3. I want to put specific 0844 carriers in for calls to the US, NZ and Czech Republic. I understand that I need to put them in the Carrier Code Table. Does it matter where I put them in the Routing Code Table? Can I just add them to the bottom of the current list?

Again, apologies if these questions have already been answered.

I just reread the modem list at teh star of the thread and saw 'HDAUDIO Soft Data Fax Modem with SmartCP (internal modem on HP laptop)' ... not sure mine is HDAUDIO but it is certainly an HP laptop. Looks encouraging on number 2.

Heinz

wygde3 wrote: »

Entry 5 in the Carrier Code Table seems to be set up to route to some sort of cable facility? I don;t have a cable phone so do I eliminate line 5 and use something else instead of carrier Code 5 in teh Routing Code Table? If so, any recommendations? 18185's 08081703703 access number used to be cheapest at certain times (see Routing Codes 15 & 16) for 0845 and 0870 calling. That is no longer the case and the routings need changing to 333 for 0845 and 133 for 0870. See the below link.

I want to put specific 0844 carriers in for calls to the US, NZ and Czech Republic. I understand that I need to put them in the Carrier Code Table. Does it matter where I put them in the Routing Code Table? Can I just add them to the bottom of the current list? Put your 0844 number(s) in as Carrier Code(s) 6, 7 & 8 (do NOT use 9) and add Routing Codes as required starting at 29.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=5357468&postcount=59