Orchid V4, V4+ and Ranger 400 phone users - Discussion

Victor_Delta

Some really good ideas beginning to emerge.

I personally like mbailey's idea of a local way to link the dialler box and one's own pc via a modem, with a windows interface - if it's technically possible. This solution would also have the advantage of being Orchid independent - in case the worst happens.

However, I'm still waiting - if only out of curiosity - to understand why ISDN 30 is the only possible solution to Orchid's original problem. Can anyone throw any light on this please?

V

mbailey

Victor_Delta wrote: »

However, I'm still waiting - if only out of curiosity - to understand why ISDN 30 is the only possible solution to Orchid's original problem. Can anyone throw any light on this please?

I've been wondering the same. All I can assume the hardware they have must be designed to have a single ISDN30 specific input, as opposed to being a single (or bank) of standard modems connected to a single or number of incoming standard telephone lines.

I have emailed Orchid for more details, so will have to see if they come back with anything on Monday when they are back in the office.

Lplates

Oh dear oh dear. This did have a certain inevitability about it, looking back on the service gaps and excuses over the last few months. The blame was always elsewhere - first it was the courier bringing the new parts, then it was a line fault, now it's no ISDN in Rutland. This is Rutland folks, not Rockall. For a communications company, they certainly suffer a lot of problems in getting their own connections up and running. And '3 for 2 and 20% off' does smack of desperation.

Looking to the future, it is clear that the dialer community is going to have to be user-supported, since the vendor is unable, or at least unwilling, to fulfill this function. I too have been working on routines to parse the dialer configuration strings and send them to line as DTMF tones. This will obviously be a whole lot quicker than sending DTMF from a phone keypad, but the documentation available on the Orchid website is somewhat sparse and disorganised when it comes to manual configuration. I note with anticipation 'instructions on how to do this will shortly be available on our website' but I won't be holding my breath. If Orchid are going to abandon CWClient and leave users to make their own arrangements for device programming, I really do think they should make all the product documentation available on their website.

If Orchid are unwilling to pay the costs associated with getting ISDN30 at their business premises, they should also look at other ways of connecting the server to the outside world. After all, their website is hosted somewhere, why not the CWClient server?
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Jon_S_4

Its seems strange that a company that makes/retails dialler hardware would stop supporting the software required to program the hardware!!

Its like a car manufacturer stopping selling wheels with the cars it makes.

Victor_Delta

Jon_S wrote: »

Its seems strange that a company that makes/retails dialler hardware would stop supporting the software required to program the hardware!!

Its like a car manufacturer stopping selling wheels with the cars it makes.

...which suggests just how desperate things must be getting...

V

tony_w_2

Hi has anyone successfully forced an update using the ***12#4567890*3 program code recently? The last successful forced update I managed was on 4//11/08. Tried two separate diallers at different locations with no success p.s. my diallers are using the 01536 207810 dial-up number.

Heinz

BT's announcement that, w.e.f. 16-1-09, 0845 and 0870 calls will be added to the numbers to which 'inclusive' calls of up to 60 minutes each can be made by those on any of their 3 calling plans, means that, for those using the Heinz program on their Orchid, changing the weekend routing of 0845 and 0870 calls to 'CPS override' (i.e. sending them via BT) is necessary.

Accordingly, I've asked Orchid to make those 2 final changes to the program and to advise registered users by email when to force home their diallers.

tony_w_2

Hi thanks for that Heinz - got there in the end after disconnecting the dialler for 5 mins or so and resetting the dial home number with **#0000*01536207810*1 first. Was just flashing red for about 20 secs or so before but now its flashed much longer and cwclient confirms that the last call home was today. I was reconfiguring the rules following BT's announcement that as of Friday 16th Jan 0870 and 0845 numbers will be free of charge to customers with E+W (at eveings and weekends) and Anytime packages (at all times). I've signed up for the Anytime package at £4.85 a month (12 month renewable contract) and dropped CPS Primus. I will continue to route mobile, international and 0871 and 0844 via 18585. Will probably cost me a couple of quid a month extra but the convenience of being able to use 0870 and 0845's at any time without having to resort to saynoto0870 is worth it to me. Well done BT for taking the lead - certainly didn't expect it !!!

Heinz

tony_w wrote: »

I will continue to route mobile, international and 0871 and 0844 via 18585.

You cannot route 0844 or 0871 calls via 18185 - they don't carry them because the prices are so variable (½p to 5p per minute for 0843/4 and 6p to 10p per minute for 0871/2/3)

tony_w_2

thanks for the heads up on that Heinz - I'll let them route through BT although I'll definately continue using saynoto0870 to try and find freephone / geographic / 0845 / 0870 alternatives first! Is there anything else you think I should take into consideration ? - thanks