What's the best software for using your modem to allow your computer to be able to make voice calls? I want to be able to talk down the telephone line, speak into a microphone I have connected to my sound card, listen to the other person speaking by having the sound played out of my speaker system.

Does anyone already do this, and if so what's the best software, etc, to use?

I've already looked at the dialer that comes with the supervoice software that comes with this intel 536 chipset (cheap) and I didn't think too much of it. I guess it would be OK, but I want to be able to specify which input to use (i.e sound card, not mic on modem) etc.... If there is such an option, I must have missed it.

Ideally, what I want to be able to do is sit at my computer desk and be able to freely talk and listen to someone speaking to me on the phone. Surely in the 21st century this is a very easy thing to achieve??

I am too busy thinking about C++, my coursework, and looking for a job to be bothered thinking too much, so for once you guys can tell me.

I"m not sure if this, Net2Phone (http://web.net2phone.com/products/commcenter/), is what you want, but I used to use it when I worked in Haiti to make calls to the US. In the beginning it was free, but now there is a charge.

I used it the way I think you are talking about, but instead of using speakers, I used a headset with a microphone built in. I did use it with the sound card the way you are talking about.

Talking about this reminded me that I have $25 on account with them, from over four years ago, that I never used.

It worked very well, except for a lot of lag, which was really no worse than calls that I made on a satellite phone that cost almost $10 a min. to the US.

Edit: Phant, after rereading your post, I think I misunderstood. I think you want to use your computer to make regular telephone calls, not net calls, right?

Originally posted by olefarte
Edit: Phant, after rereading your post, I think I misunderstood. I think you want to use your computer to make regular telephone calls, not net calls, right?

Yeah, just regular phone calls. I need a good program for managing that.

I used to do it 5 or 6 years ago and the quality wasnt that bad over dial-up even, but I think the FCC intervened. Currently Vonage does voice over IP for about $20 a month- gotta pay for the switching. But it uses a router and a phone reciever, which is better than a mic and a sound card as there is a huge potential for nasty feedback.

Really, its just for making regular phone calls, not internet calls (which would be over IP). I just want to use my computer as a regular telephone.

Surely someone has the answer!??!

The call would have to be routed from the pc to the telephone system- switched that is- requires more than a software solution if you want to call to a regular phone from your pc.

Correct?

I did that a couple of times using some software that came with an old USR 56K modem I had(probably about the same as the thing you mentioned above Phant) I didn't mess with it much, just enough to see if I could set it up. The way I did it was to run the line out from the soundcard to the mic input of the modem, this allowed me to use the mic on the sound card and feed the output to the modem.

Yeah.... but is there any really good software around for doing this? Or am I just limited to the crappy stuff that comes with Supervoice along with the modem? Surely there is something better.

I have the same question.
I just want to use my computer as a telephone, like for LOCAL calls.
NO voip stuff like net2phone. No skype. Just want to use my computer (inklusiv soundcard, headset, modem) as a telephone instrument, on the phone line, dial number, talk. Instead of using a telephone. What is out there?

I had a program that came with my Gateway PC back in 93 that did just what you are asking for. It could serve as a voicemail system, auto dialer, phone passthrough, and everything. You could initiate the call from your list and it would dial, connect, and let you talk and listen through the headset. (or you could talk into the mic and listen on the speakers). [all on a 14.4 modem]

But I have searched in vain for anything like it for some years now. That program is nowhere to be found.
(unless they changed the name and went public and are charging big money for it now.)

If you find one that does what you are wanting let me know too.

Ok its called SuperVoice it was mentioned up above.... you do need to pay for it but they will let you use the program for 30 days so maybe if you like it enough you can pay them the 6.99 but go check it out just go to yahoo and type in SuperVoice and the first search result will have the website

This may be worth looking into:
http://www.sharewareriver.com/product.php?id=4583

yeah, checked out that link. I am, like Pantasm, looking for a simple, one user (not 9000 user) phone-like program for my computer. PLEEZ HELP ME!!!

good thread.

Coinsidence or what? I was just about to install Skype that other colleagues in the company are using for the past two weeks. It's just a mic attached to the line/mic input at the rear of the PC sound card and sounds as simple as what Phantasm66 is looking for. Although Roger767 thinks not.
Would location factor affect choice - for instance Phantasm66 is in Scotland and most of the replies are from the USA - like broadband/ISDN availability etc...?

If there is something better than skype perhaps this thread will reveal it.

Skype also has the option of Skype out - voip at user end but to regular land or mobile phone at the other. Supposed to be cheaper than normal voice call but I don't have anyone to call on it as have v cheap land-land calls anyway. Worth you looking at? Sounds similar to the systems mentioned in some of these replies.

Some people still fail to grasp that the idea is to use the computer as the telephone device - something that lets you dial normal telephone calls and talk just like the phone itself on your table.

Nothing to do with networking or VOIP. No extra contracts or anything. Just another phone in the house.

Some people still fail to grasp that the idea is to use the computer as the telephone device - something that lets you dial normal telephone calls and talk just like the phone itself on your table.

Nothing to do with networking or VOIP. No extra contracts or anything. Just another phone in the house.
I use Skype yes it's VOIP, and yes I have a contract for the computer to regular phone bit. Seems to me that if I can use my computer to call some one on a landline or cell phone, it answers the original post. I also don't understand the part of your post about no contracts, show me a way to get free phone service and I'm all over it. I don't know. Maybe I'm missing something.

It was was extra contracts..

And no, Skype is not the answer to the original question.

"What's the best software for using your modem to allow your computer to be able to make voice calls? I want to be able to talk down the telephone line, speak into a microphone I have connected to my sound card, listen to the other person speaking by having the sound played out of my speaker system."

Keywords: "voice calls" "down the telephone line"

And a clarification a bit later: "Really, its just for making regular phone calls, not internet calls (which would be over IP). I just want to use my computer as a regular telephone.
"

Phant, don't know if this is exactly what you are looking for, but it seems to include a dialing out feature. http://www.voicecallcentral.com/ I don't see anything that is just a "phone". There used to be lots, but I guess they are old fashioned now. Hope this helps.

Jeff

Ahh, now I get it Nodsu. Slightly brain dead the other day. Somehow I missed the"not internet calls" part. I'm going to blame it on a 73 hour work week. My bad, so sorry.

Uhh ... MS Outlook Contacts has a calling feature.

Is there any software from a fax company? Some faxes had phone calls and
information transfer at the same time as early as the 1950s- maybe earlier.

Late in the 1960s, I was able, on a US navy ship, to pick up a phone on the side of an IBM computer, dial a similiar number as the other end of the computer connection I had, and talk to a person at the same location. Say, the computer number was 78567890a- I would dial 78567890bx to talk to the person operating the computer at the other end.

In this case, i am looking for similar software to do the following.
When i am not on the net at all. i am working on the computer and the telephone on the wall rings. Because i am in a whelechair, i have difficulty reaching it. i want to answer the phone through the headset of my sound card. what software will let me do this simply and without all the extra bells and whistles ?
Nothing to do with internet.
I sometimes use voice recognition software to dictate letters and when i using the headset, i dont want to have to take them off and rush arround.
Please dont say get a phone on the table. (Not my house) But i can run an extention lead to my modem on the computer. I run win 98se. if you need any more info, please ask me but i realy do need this software ASAP.

I hope that someone will help me please. :confused:

Littlejohn.

Windows 98 has Phone dialer that wont work. All you do is enter the number and dial I used it before with my microphone

Ryan ;)

Windows 98 has Phone dialer that wont work. All you do is enter the number and dial I used it before with my microphone

Ryan ;)


yes this feature works the thing is u have to configure the mic setting correctly,
bu i remeber only making calls from this thing not reciving calls.

anyways worth a check what u say???? :approve:

I have tried all different ways to do this but i think it needs someone to write a small program to get the sound card to work this way.
With the phone connected to the modem and the headphones/mike connected to the sound card, the program would allow the interconnection to take place.
I can have conversations with people on the net ? why not without an internet connection of any kind directly through the phone?
I hope someone with programing ability might take up the chalange as there are many dissabeled people who will benifit from such a program. but needs to be free or at a minimal cost to the user. ($5.00 max would be fair)
I wish i could write such a program to do that, but it takes me all my time to type this message, also i know nothing about how to write programs and not able to start learning.
If someone could, I and many other dissabeled people would be really extreemly thankfull and gratefull.
Regards. :angel:

I used to use Cheyenne Bitware to do exactly what you're describing. This was a long time ago, however. I used it on my very first PC, possibly my second. May be worth looking into.

Many thanks for the tip.
I will get a friend to help search for this software.
Regards
Littlejohn.

hello everyone! atlast i finally found this thread.. i've been trying to make my PC as a REGULAR TELEPHONE too.. I hope we all on our way to the convenience of using our pc as a non-VoIP service telephone..

well, www.voicecallcentral.com is where i got the "Advanced call center" its really a very good program.. but the problem is, i would have to click "Hold" then "Record" before i could here the sound in my headphone, the sound that you want from the tel handset.. it was like you're only previewing the recording session and not having the actual talk.. and much worst is my Mic cannot route its path to the modem, so the party you're trying to call cannot possibly hear anything from you unless you lift the tel. handset (oh!!! nearly close huh!)

now im trying my luck to look at my newest download << modem spy and snooper >> i hope this is the right one.. based on its program description..

big thanks to everyone!

I am looking at http://www.voicecallcentral.com/ right now, looks very promising.

:wave:

Cheyenne Bitware as what dgower2 mentioned, a freeware: http://www.spyfind.com/bitware.html

along side i saw this, a shareware! -- VentaFax:
http://www.ventafax.com

Modem Spy and Sound Snooper ..then this one is a bit interesting too, i guess:
Phone, Sound & Modem Recording
Telephone Tapping Software
http://www.modem-spy.com/download.html

Ok! im going to test each one of it now.. have a very good day to all of yah! Ciao! :cool:

i also do have Supervoice program bundled with my modem, the tool that was also mentioned by Phantasm66..
along with my installation it ask me to insert Windows XP Pro CD to extract this file:

Unidrv.dll -- BUT i wasn't able to locate it.. tried to search and scan the cd but i still haven't got the file needed for its dialer i think (missed the name of the subprogram that needs it)..

although, this post is a bit off way from the original topic, i think this still has something to do with telephone dialer feature we are searching for..

anybody encountered this?

I think it is a uni-modem driver.

WillowPhone http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,7443,00.asp

"This utility lets you initiate calls and talk on the phone while you're using your computer. It uses the computer's sound card, microphone, and modem to emulate a telephone. The interface looks like that of a mobile phone, and displays the dialed number in a mock-LCD window. It supports callerID, call waiting, and speed dialing. You can also record phone conversations. "

>>> i think we really need the RIGHT TYPE of modem specified in its readme file to be able to make it work perfectly..
good interface with very simple features.. i hope there will be newer versions of this program in the future.. but oh well i ended up with no victory yet.. :(

>>> i wont give up though.. hahaha.. goodluck to all... adios! :haha:

ps. my recent downloads i mentioned above didn't work out to..
..still worth checking..

>> thanks IronDuke.. i appreciate it! :D

I think he is trying to make a local telephony network (not voip.) Gosh I wish my Army commo buddies were here. They do it all the time. It gets really hairy if you try to tie into a bell system though.

hello! can someone kindly send me a copy of the program FaxTalk Messenger Pro 6, trial download ??? pls...

i just bought a new modem Intel V.92 external that has speaker output and mic input connectors at the back, .. im at Windows XP SP2.. Unfortunately the problem occur right after its installation.. my PC automatically restarts when the faxtalk communicator begin to run.. it has to be loaded at startup to be able to initialized my modem BUT my system always restarts when Faxtalk begun to run... Somebody pls respond.. and i thank you in advance for answering my problem with Faxtalk,.. i was thinking that maybe it was bcoz of SP2 version of Windows XP that i am using, which maybe an incompatibility... or what? really i dunno..

ciao! HAVE A VERY GOOD DAY TO YA ALL!!!

Here's a link to version 7 try this it may work properly. Fax Talk Pro 7 (http://www.faxtalk.com/products/ftmp7/trial/trialreg.htm)

FAXTALK COMMUNICATOR SE, a bundled software of my Intel V.92 external modem, a voice cable type with "mic in" and "speaker out" audio jacks located at the back of the modem. << is the answer!!! :hotbounce

(by the way, i already reformatted my hard disk just to make everthing fresh..and greatly because my new modem with FaxTalk makes my pc to be almost unrecoverable since it always crashes at startup, even when i disabled the startup launch of Faxtalk and turning off the modem..so then i decided to reformat the hdisk..)

So i really neeed your help guys.. PLEASE...???

now, with my newly reformatted system... here's the story..
Faxtalk launches at start-up by default to initialize the modem.. at first, it was a very smooth system.. and i was able to used it as a regular phone...
BUT after about 4 times of good startup i was having system crash whenever this Faxtalk launch... so now i disabled it from running at windows startup..
and i can't open the program anymore because it triggers a system crash.. very disappointing..
although i can still use the modem for dialup internet access..

here's some of my system details:
>Windows XP SP2 ( could there be any conflicts with this version?)
>NTFS file sys

here's the Event Log file of the "system crash":
(i hope this log helps somehow)

Event Type: Error
Event Source: System Error
Event Category: (102)
Event ID: 1003
Date: 6/2/2005
Time: 12:09:01 AM
User: N/A
Computer:
Description:
Error code 1000008e, parameter1 c0000005, parameter2 f9d93703, parameter3 f60c8c70, parameter4 00000000.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
Data:
0000: 53 79 73 74 65 6d 20 45 System E
0008: 72 72 6f 72 20 20 45 72 rror Er
0010: 72 6f 72 20 63 6f 64 65 ror code
0018: 20 31 30 30 30 30 30 38 1000008
0020: 65 20 20 50 61 72 61 6d e Param
0028: 65 74 65 72 73 20 63 30 eters c0
0030: 30 30 30 30 30 35 2c 20 000005,
0038: 66 39 64 39 33 37 30 33 f9d93703
0040: 2c 20 66 36 30 63 38 63 , f60c8c
0048: 37 30 2c 20 30 30 30 30 70, 0000
0050: 30 30 30 30 0000

..and attached is the screenshot of the windows error report..

i hope somebody will respond... THANK YOU VERY MUCH! ciao!

i reformatted my pc just to check if this Faxtalk will work with Win98SE, and wallah!!! it did work out!!! no more crashes!!! its perfectly compatible with Win98 OS.. so it means using it with SP2 is a risk that your pc might crash after a short period from the time it was installed...

..although im using a shell replacement to cover the old win98 interface, i cant help myself, and i see many flaws and inconvenience with Win98SE (although i heard its the most stable OS of Windows'),
SO i decided to switch back to XP, using SP1 this time so im somehow up to see if faxtalk will be fine with this another OS version.. if still not ok, ha! that's fine! enuff!

and also, i found out that there is NO CALL ANSWER feature with either versions of Faxtalk.. but its "Answer Now" is referred to the answering machine feature (manual or automatic == answering machine) >> SO, you would still have to lift your handset if someone will call, and faxtalk will not play a ringing sound and cannot even detect a call unless its in answering machine mode..
very disappointing.. hey! it nearly makes me buy its pro version.. thank goodness i used the trial version first..

well, im about to give up so goodluck to you all!!!

hope to see any great news about this dream.. :grinthumb

"a very simple task on today's cyber era but yet unaccomplished!"

Adeus! Com esperanca.. :wave:

Did anyone ever find a simple software to make / receive telphone calls from a PC, through a modem, over a land line? I've got my Bluetooth headset and my Outlook address book ready to go!

no, but I have a simple solution. Get a regular phone!

Let's see... Other than the fact that my PC is alredy set up with a Bluetooth headset and all of my contacts are in my Outlook, and I already have a regular phone... Brilliant! Why didn't I think of that!

If you read this whole thread, a person in a wheelchair needs a solution. Makes sense. Please noone put "get a regular phone" anymore. I myself, am not disabled, but the way my workspace is at the office - I could greatly benefit from the previously mentioned setup (using a PC as a NON-voip telephone). Anyone have any luck on this? I found "Willowphone", a discontinued product that should work on older machines [I could not get it to work on my XPhomeSP2 machine, though my modem is voice capable]. There are other softwares out there that claim to fit the bill, but are severely shoddy on the actual phone-use end (they have great message recorders).

please advise

--begin rant--
In this modern technologically advance era - it seems that the simplest tasks are impossible on our devices - due to the fact that the spoon fed techno junkies seek frill over meat-and-potatoes, and kill any chance of development on actual productive tools. That is why our softwares are becoming so bloated and ram intensive. Our society's own desire for technological advancement can be at times a hinderance to said advancement.
--end rant--

http://www.worldstart.com/tips/tips.php/443

it'll tell you on how to use the phone dialer on your pc

Hello guys this is my first post,
In order to use your computer as a telephone, you modem should be a voice modem. To find out if your current modem is voice modem check the following:
1. You must check that your modem is actually a VOICE modem. Refer to the modem documentation and specifications to see if it says VOICE modem. If you are still in doubt you can look at the modem diagnostics query result (from the Control Panel -> Modems -> Diagnostics). If the query response for AT#CLS fails then it is not a voice modem.
2. It is essential that your voice modem has 100% TAPI compliant drivers (including wave drivers). It is not enough that the software provided by your modem manufacturer (or other software) works, because it might connect directly to the modem and bypass the driver files.
3. You must also check that you have installed the voice modem driver for the modem. Sometimes Windows Plug & Play selects the driver on the non-voice equivalent modem when installing.
4. Note: No voice modem works under Windows NT4.

I hope my first post was useful

I sir, am not gay! ;)

I am very sorry, It is just a typing mistake

I am very sorry, It is just a typing mistake

It`s ok mate, I think LNCPapa was just joking.

You can always use the edit button to correct a post if you want.

Regards Howard :)

Oh my god I am surrounded by Special Forces

Don`t worry about that mate, we`re just the same as you really. ;)

We don`t bite, honest.

Well, most of us don`t. :p

Regards Howard :)