Orchid V4, V4+ Programing Tool Support

seth

I was thinking of getting a modem but I only program the Orchid a few times. Then I thought of getting a tone dialer app so my smarthphone could generate the tones based in the number the spreadsheet generated.

I hold the smartphone near to the microphone of a phone and it worked fine: DTMF dialer programs on smartphone seem to work to program the Orchid.

I needed to change the time on my Ov4+and used a free app on Android "Land Line phone dialer", there are lots of free DTMF dialers in the Play store.

You can copy the text from the spreadsheet and send it to the phone via email etc then just paste the code into the DTMF dialer of your choice.

ChromeToPhone and browser add-in will allow you to send your PCs clipboard direct to the phone.

http://www.androidpolice.com/2010/08/16/send-links-images-and-text-from-firefox-to-your-android-phone-using-foxtophone/

One tip when testing DTMF apps I just entered 1471 to see if they worked, once I'd got the positioning etc right and turned up the volume on my smartphone it was very reliable. I tried using the landline phone in speakerphone mode and it would not recognise the tones, it worked fine in handset mode.

There is similar software for PC http://www.dtmfdial.com/ I had to se the tone during and pause length to 99 (default was 20) to get this to work on my UK phone. This uses the sound card on the PC (I used a laptop had to turn the sound up)

charlieheard

Thanks for this. Our laptop with built-in modem is really on its last legs, especially since our youngest spilt a cup of apple juice onto the keyboard. So I was looking for a way without buying an old modem to use. Found a couple of these apps free for iOS as well, and they can access the iPhone contacts, so you could setup some contacts, update them from the spreadsheet and sync across.

Then I read the last para about DTMFDial and realised I could do it so easily copying from the spreadsheet and pasting into the program. I used my desktop speakers and handsfree phone. Before I reread your post in detail, I'd adjusted my timings to tone=100 and pause between=100, both of which worked fine when tested with "1471", so I guess there is a fair amount of flexibility with timings.

I also realised that I hadn't changed the time to GMT so I ran that and it all seems to work fine. Can't remember how to put a test code into the spreadsheet to test "1471", but I'm looking into that now. Also must set a reminder in my calendar as I forgot and I'd always counted on the reminder post

Heinz

charlieheard wrote: »

I also realised that I hadn't changed the time to GMT so I ran that and it all seems to work fine. Can't remember how to put a test code into the spreadsheet to test "1471", but I'm looking into that now. Also must set a reminder in my calendar as I forgot and I'd always counted on the reminder post

Sorry about that. At the time, I was in the middle of 'discussions' with the team re my signature having mysteriously disappeared again and it completely slipped my mind.

charlieheard

Hey! Not a problem! Thanks for all your help up to now.

I didn't know if people were "moving on" as I wasn't sure how many of us were still using this technology: There still doesn't seem to be a direct replacement. I'm in a similar situation with my Topfield PVR - I've had it since 2005, but it is easily customised. Users have supported it for many years since the Korean parent moved on, but I've not yet found anything that comes close to the same ease of use. Even when it fails, there's a huge support community to repair and replace broken parts. I trialled a new box (for free ) last summer, but the interface was painful to use - like going back from Windows 7 to Windows 3 (albeit prettier).

I wonder why these technologies come along and die, rather than be upgraded and reinvented?

blanik

Quentin wrote: »

Does the truecall system mentioned by Heinz in this thread:https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3887799 work ok with an orchid?

shilcor wrote: »

I don't see any reason why it shouldn't work with an Orchid since it is filtering inbound calls whereas the Orchid is intercepting the DTMF tones that you dial and either changing them or passing them on to the phone line.

Normal operation is as shilcor described, but the truecall also makes outgoing calls to allow updates via their web service which I couldn't get this to work through the orchid box. See
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/57342963#Comment_57342963

shilcor

H

rkm_hm wrote: »

Better still if you also invest in one of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Great-Incoming-Call-FSK-DTMF-Caller-ID-Box-Cable-Phone-Number-LCD-Display-/330787774002?_trksid=p4340.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222002%26algo%3DSIC.FIT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D11%26meid%3D2573438395790168299%26pid%3D100011%26prg%3D1005%26rk%3D3%26sd%3D180730497859%26
so that you can see what the dialler is actually dialling out in response to what you're dialling. [Be aware, though, that it might take a LONG time to arrive from Hong Kong!]

I bought one of these to play around with since they are so cheap and it arrived a couple of days ago. I connected it between the Orchid and my phone line and although it appears to work, there's a problem. The first time I dial a number, whatever the Orchid sends out is displayed correctly but if I then hang up and try dialling another number, it isn't displayed at all or sometimes just the first digit is displayed. However, if I wait for a while before dialling another number it works correctly again and displays it. If I connect the box between a phone and the INPUT side of the Orchid, whatever I dial on the phone is displayed correctly every time. My Orchid doesn't have any external power supply so gets its power from the phone line and it's almost as if displaying one number uses up some kind of buffered charge on a capacitor inside the display box and it needs a few minutes to charge up again before it will display another number. Sounds far fetched but I'm wondering if the Orchid output doesn't quite have enough power to drive the display box, even though the tones do get sent correctly via the display box down the phone line. Thoughts anyone ?

Quentin

Heinz wrote: »

Sorry about that. At the time, I was in the middle of 'discussions' with the team re my signature having mysteriously disappeared again and it completely slipped my mind.

We can see a signature in your post but it says removed as you have broken the rules etc??

rkm_hm

shilcor wrote: »

H
I bought one of these to play around with since they are so cheap and it arrived a couple of days ago. I connected it between the Orchid and my phone line and although it appears to work, there's a problem. The first time I dial a number, whatever the Orchid sends out is displayed correctly but if I then hang up and try dialling another number, it isn't displayed at all or sometimes just the first digit is displayed. However, if I wait for a while before dialling another number it works correctly again and displays it. If I connect the box between a phone and the INPUT side of the Orchid, whatever I dial on the phone is displayed correctly every time. My Orchid doesn't have any external power supply so gets its power from the phone line and it's almost as if displaying one number uses up some kind of buffered charge on a capacitor inside the display box and it needs a few minutes to charge up again before it will display another number. Sounds far fetched but I'm wondering if the Orchid output doesn't quite have enough power to drive the display box, even though the tones do get sent correctly via the display box down the phone line. Thoughts anyone ?

Very odd! I'm away from home at the moment, so I can't check exactly what mine does. I think that it seems to take a couple of seconds to reset itself after a call. How long are you having to allow between calls for it to display correctly on follow-on calls?

My Orchid dialler DOES have a mains power supply, but I wouldn't expect that to make any difference - the display unit has its own batteries. I presume that your batteries are ok and are correctly fitted? [I ask because fitting batteries is a bit odd - there seems to be enough space for three batteries, but it only takes two].

I've actually got TWO[1] of these display units, one either side of the Orchid - so I can see what I am dialling AND what is going out to the line - and they both display ok. They are each tee'd into their respective lines with a single connection each, rather then being connected in line. I don't know whether that makes any difference.

[1] I didn't intend to have two but, when the first one arrived - after many weeks and enquiries to the seller - its buttons didn't work properly. I indicated to the seller that, in view of the poor build quality and very long delivery, I was intending to leave neutral feedback on Ebay. The seller was so desperate to avoid that that he agreed to issue a full refund. I used the money to buy a second one, hoping it would be better. The delivery was still long, but the button function was MUCH better.

Heinz

Quentin wrote: »

We can see a signature in your post but it says removed as you have broken the rules etc??

No, but it appears someone complained about my signature containing a couple of links (to one of my own posts and to one of Martin's article) and an inexperienced member of the forum team just deleted it without checking the list of 'approved' signatures.

When I complained, they couldn't allow me access to that facility again and, instead, offered to write my signature for me! I gave up then.

They'll probaby ban me for these comments but there you go.

Le73Uq86Uv

I noticed you lost your signature.

Why don't you contact Martin directly as I am sure he could fix it.

After all the time and work you put in helping many members over many years it is bad how you have been treated when you are on the allowed link list.

Maybe Martin and his employees no longer have the control they used to have now the site has been sold.

And who ever deleted it should own up and not hide beind forum team label. Then fix it.

And on another item, I am sure this thread was locked the other day, what the hell are they doing?