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

Speedee

Hi, I have only had a V4+ for a couple of weeks or so, and noticed something this evening I thought I was imagining at the weekend!

I was stood near the unit and it went click and the LED came on for a second or two then it went click again and the LED went off again (I thought I heard it click at the weekend, when the house was quiet, and I was at the other end of the lounge !). No one in the house was using a phone or lifting a receiver.

Have you noticed your V4+ doing this ever - is it normal. I'm on the Heinz Programme.

Thanks, Speedee

(I used to have some V4's - these click very slightly when you lift the phone off the hook, but not as loud as the V4+ - this is due (I think) to the PSU that powers the V4+ giving the relay, that I assume is clicking, more power than the line alone. If you turn off or unplug the PSU of a V4+ you get the quieter click, like a V4 does.

RiTSo

Hi, a couple of quick questions regarding the V4 dialer which you may be able to help me with.

1) Is anybody having problems getting the dialer to dial home at the moment? I noticed a couple of calls being routed incorrectly so thought I would update the time/date and dial home, just to be safe. When trying to dial home, even after following the reset procedure, I get about 15 seconds of flashing and then it cuts out. I must have tried twenty times with the same result.

2) When dialing numbers I often have some strange results on the line, but usually get through to the number required. Sometimes the V4 will dial the number, then wait a little, then blast through some extra numbers, eventually the call will go through. Other times I hear an automated female voice say 'Hello', then the dialer interrupts her with further digits, then the call connects. I'm assuming that this voice is something to do with 18185 or Primus and it is part of the process. Are these situations normal for using the V4?

We've had the system for about six months now and so far I've been happy with the way it routes the calls, the only small niggle I would have is that it is not possible to check/verify the time/date and the routing plans once you have updated them, unless I've missed this? I'm on the standard Heinz plan so it all comes from the server, but it would still be good to be able to manually check that your routing calls correctly at any time of the day, without having to make the actual call.

Thanks for any help.

RiTSo...

will-in-estoril

Orchid have kindly sent me a replacement V4+ for my faulty V4. I would like to get a power supply for it. Does anybody know what rating the adaptor needs to be?

Heinz

RiTSo, have you set the time to BST yet? I doubt you have because, if you had, you'd have seen the red text near the top of the 'how to' post:

That red text was designed and a final backstop for those who missed the various posts about the Orchid server (and the 'force home' capability) being withdrawn (see HERE).

The delay (and then 'extra digits' being dialled) is when the program uses 18185's freephone access number (08081703703). When it does, the Orchid has to pause to allow the 18185 system to answer (and the automated announcement to start) before dialling the target number.

will-in-estoril wrote: »

Orchid have kindly sent me a replacement V4+ for my faulty V4. I would like to get a power supply for it. Does anybody know what rating the adaptor needs to be?

12.0v and 200mA, centre positive.

RiTSo

Heinz wrote: »

RiTSo, have you set the time to BST yet? I doubt you have because, if you had, you'd have seen the red text near the top of the 'how to' post:

That red text was designed and a final backstop for those who missed the various posts about the Orchid server (and the 'force home' capability) being withdrawn (see HERE).

Have to confess, even after reading that page, and printing it out to do the clock setting, I still failed to notice that!

The time issue probably was just BST for me so now I have set it it should be OK.

The other issue with the dialing home, am I right in reading this as we are on our own now and no more updates from Orchid? I don't mind getting down-and-dirty with the dialer but how easy is it a task to complete? Does it all have to be done via the handset or is there any way to do it via PC?

Heinz wrote: »

The delay (and then 'extra digits' being dialled) is when the program uses 18185's freephone access number (08081703703). When it does, the Orchid has to pause to allow the 18185 system to answer (and the automated announcement to start) before dialling the target number.

This makes sense and was what I suspected was happening. Thanks for confirming.

Speedee

RiTSo wrote: »

Does it all have to be done via the handset or is there any way to do it via PC?

Hi RiTSo - there is a Excel spreadsheet you can use. Here is the thread http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1477019

Speedee

Mi_bargains

Hi, I need help programming my Orchard V4 box.

I am on sky talk and get free evening and weekend calls (6pm to 6am), I want to program the box so that calls at all other times go through 18185.

Any advice on this would be appreciated.

Heinz

Mi_bargains wrote: »

Hi, I need help programming my Orchard V4 box.

I am on sky talk and get free evening and weekend calls (6pm to 6am), I want to program the box so that calls at all other times go through 18185.

I assume that's Sky Talk Freetime then. Have you left line rental with BT or has Sky taken it?

In either case, the Heinz Program will do what you want - see Kevin's spreadsheet:

http://208.56.23.24/mse/Auto_Routing_Table_v1_4.zip]

Bear in mind though that any Routing Rule using Carrier Code 3 (CPS override - the 1280 prefix) will be ineffective. The rules will still work but the calls will still go via Sky Talk, not BT.

Mi_bargains

My line rental is still with BT.

What happens if you dial a telephone number which is not on the dial code list? (that you have already programmed into the Orchard box)

Heinz

Mi_bargains wrote: »

What happens if you dial a telephone number which is not on the dial code list? (that you have already programmed into the Orchard box)

Sorry, I don't understand what you mean there, you don't program an Orchid with telephone numbers (just Carrier Codes, Routing Rules etc.)