I've been following Ward for a while but only recently picked up an 2GB Dell SC440 to implement PIAF. I've gone through the Nerdvittles site and read most if not all the articles so I know what is needed to set everything up. I've tinkered with earlier AAH releases on an older Dell so I've seen the setups and toyed with the software, but never actually implemented Asterisk as of yet.
I've gone through the PIAF forum reading the various messages. but they are mostly technical about specifics of installation or fixing a problem or are looking for home usage information where only one or two POTS lines seem to be involved with some SIP lines being added in.
I'm new at implementing Asterisk but have been working and playing with computers from 1979 when I picked up my first computer, an Apple ][+, and I've worked in sales, tech support, installations and other aspects of computers so I'm not a neophyte with technology.
I have the new SC440k, I've purchased the Orgasmatron II software and downloaded it, but I need a card to connect 6 POTS lines to it. Three lines are on a rotary from the telco and are a main voice line. Three lines are single lines, one a dedicated fax line, one a single voice line and one a data out line for several electronic POS terminals that share the line.
The plan is to replace an aging CTG key system and eventually to add in some VOIP lines, but we want to get the POTS lines working first. The plan is to pick up one Aastra 57i phone to test and then possibly a couple more afterwards if they work well, or something else as needs dictate. The old CTG would be unplugged but kept for a while in case of emergency if something should happen to the Dell SC440 PIAF Orgasmatron box (Upgrading to the Orgasmatron III software as per Wards comment on the latest Nerdvittles questions).
This is our own system to test and play with. One of the businesses here sells headsets for the last decade but has not sold any phone systems. Depending on how this works, this might be something we explore.
So... My questions are which is the better card to get to use for the businesses using these 6 POTS lines. Rhino has an 8-port card, Sangoma has their expandable cards and Digium has their aex800 card. I'm sure others are available.
Edit: The lines are individual analog POTS lines, not digital or a PRI.
Issues are that faxes don't always come in on the dedicated fax line, so being able to receive fax calls on any line would be a GOOD thing.
Good voice quality is essential, so hardware error correction is desired.
An IVR system is wanted to allow for someone answering the phone to press zero for a live person connection, but to also allow for information to be retrieved without actually talking to someone through the IVR or to allow access to the IVR until a live person becomes available.
The Dell SC440 has two PCI slots (slot 3 and 5), one PCIe x1 slot (slot 1), one PCIe x8 slot (slot 2) and one PCIe x4 slot (slot 4) to connect cards. Preference would be to PCIe usage as I am ASSuming PCIe would be faster and more reliable than the older PCI slots.
Cost is less of an issue, but good value for the money spent is of course essential.
I don't think SPAxxxx devices would be the best solution here, but tell me if they would work or not.
Any suggestions on what is good, better, best for phone cards?
What is the better bang for the buck on the cards?
What cards have fewer issues such as dead out of the box or failing in service? Equipment failures would not be a good thing.
Thanks for any information that you can provide or comments as to who has better equipment. I realize that some in the forum sell equipment and some have used various equipment. I'm more than willing to listen.
Reginald W
Edmonton, Alberta CANADA
I've gone through the PIAF forum reading the various messages. but they are mostly technical about specifics of installation or fixing a problem or are looking for home usage information where only one or two POTS lines seem to be involved with some SIP lines being added in.
I'm new at implementing Asterisk but have been working and playing with computers from 1979 when I picked up my first computer, an Apple ][+, and I've worked in sales, tech support, installations and other aspects of computers so I'm not a neophyte with technology.
I have the new SC440k, I've purchased the Orgasmatron II software and downloaded it, but I need a card to connect 6 POTS lines to it. Three lines are on a rotary from the telco and are a main voice line. Three lines are single lines, one a dedicated fax line, one a single voice line and one a data out line for several electronic POS terminals that share the line.
The plan is to replace an aging CTG key system and eventually to add in some VOIP lines, but we want to get the POTS lines working first. The plan is to pick up one Aastra 57i phone to test and then possibly a couple more afterwards if they work well, or something else as needs dictate. The old CTG would be unplugged but kept for a while in case of emergency if something should happen to the Dell SC440 PIAF Orgasmatron box (Upgrading to the Orgasmatron III software as per Wards comment on the latest Nerdvittles questions).
This is our own system to test and play with. One of the businesses here sells headsets for the last decade but has not sold any phone systems. Depending on how this works, this might be something we explore.
So... My questions are which is the better card to get to use for the businesses using these 6 POTS lines. Rhino has an 8-port card, Sangoma has their expandable cards and Digium has their aex800 card. I'm sure others are available.
Edit: The lines are individual analog POTS lines, not digital or a PRI.
Issues are that faxes don't always come in on the dedicated fax line, so being able to receive fax calls on any line would be a GOOD thing.
Good voice quality is essential, so hardware error correction is desired.
An IVR system is wanted to allow for someone answering the phone to press zero for a live person connection, but to also allow for information to be retrieved without actually talking to someone through the IVR or to allow access to the IVR until a live person becomes available.
The Dell SC440 has two PCI slots (slot 3 and 5), one PCIe x1 slot (slot 1), one PCIe x8 slot (slot 2) and one PCIe x4 slot (slot 4) to connect cards. Preference would be to PCIe usage as I am ASSuming PCIe would be faster and more reliable than the older PCI slots.
Cost is less of an issue, but good value for the money spent is of course essential.
I don't think SPAxxxx devices would be the best solution here, but tell me if they would work or not.
Any suggestions on what is good, better, best for phone cards?
What is the better bang for the buck on the cards?
What cards have fewer issues such as dead out of the box or failing in service? Equipment failures would not be a good thing.
Thanks for any information that you can provide or comments as to who has better equipment. I realize that some in the forum sell equipment and some have used various equipment. I'm more than willing to listen.
Reginald W
Edmonton, Alberta CANADA
Phone System 