Thanks all, for your suggestions. The google keyword "telephone privacy switch" turned out to be useful.
I found this discussion for a few simple circuits which prevent your extension from going off hook: http://www.epanorama.net/circuits/tele_privacy.html No inductance/coils, unfortunately, that would be cool. ;) but it's a fairly simple affair. I'll either build a circuit myself, or buy one of the low-price gadgets to do the same thing. On Jan 14, 2008 9:31 AM, Simon P. Ditner <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > This is a little more "out there", but if you can find a device that's > easy enough to use for your purposes, you could also use a current > detector at the point where the line enters your house. > > So you'd use inductance (I think, it's been a long time since high school > physics) to detect a signal rather than actually taking the line off > hook. > > It looks like there might even be some X10 devices out there: > http://www.smarthome.com/7190.html > > You could probably make one with a small coil, a transitor, and a few > resistors, then connect it up to your parallel port if you're feeling > adventurous ;-) > > > On Mon, 14 Jan 2008, Michael Campbell wrote: > > > All, > > > > You need to go off hook, i.w. draw a specific > > amount of current from the central office to have dial tone connected to > > your line. I suspect the modem needs to mechanically connect to the > > line (via a relay) > > in this case to start the current draw and get the dial tone applied, > > and then > > "listen" to the line to see if the line is in use. > > > > You may have to get another modem that is less intrusive in the way it > > connects to the line > > (i.e. non-mechanical) to avoid the click, but it still needs to sample > > the line > > to detect if other phones are off hook. > > > > If you were handy, you might be able to rig up a circuit to do this > > outside your modem, > > but there are another set of issues around that... > > > > my 0.02$, > > > > MAC --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
