Call Screening Software Solution Needed

[Smarty]

I am looking for a call screening software package to prevent unwanted phone rings (esp while we are sleeping).

My telephone line first comes into my Elk, then into/out of my UPS'ed HA computer that is always on (both are located in a "safe room", away from the main living areas of the house. From there, it is distributed to the rest of the house.

Ideally I would like to find a software solution that only allows through the numbers that I program in (or something along those lines).

I found this thread CID Thread , and this hardware device does pretty much all that I want, except I would like a software solution (since I have the HA computer always on).

Anyone have any ideas?

 

[nsisman]

Do a search for CallStation or go to http://www.imptec.com/

They have a few different Caller ID programs depending on what you want.

It may or may not be what you are after. They offer a free trial as well.

I haven't tried it in a year or so since I got Homeseer phone working OK but it had a ton of neat features like wildcard call blocking etc.

I'm sure there are lots of others as well.

 

[DavidL]

With MainLobby / MLCallerID and optional MLNetCaller ID hardware and plugin you can view and act on the phone number coming in. For example, if the number is my wife's mom, we have it speak "Your mother's calling on the phone'.

Now, what I have not heard anyone do is to use the caller list for white listing.

If there is a way to turn off the ringer on the phone (relay?) then it would be easy within the software.

I guess you could turn OFF all of the local phone ringers all the time, and use the software to send a "Ring.mp3" to the whole house audio whenever a call came in (or other indication including flashing of lights, etc).

So, the above would require:

MainLobby3 Combo (comes with MLCallerID) and a PC phone modem
Optional (but highly recommended: MLNetCallerID and CallerID hardware (available via Cinemar) - you don't need the PC modem then).

The above would take me about 20 minutes to install and get working (with the assumption all the hardware was plugged in on a solid PC). You could also trial the above (except the NetCallerID hardware ).

Edit: I see you are using Powerhome - does that have a callerid solution? Maybe you could use that?

 

[RobWalker]

..

I guess you could turn OFF all of the local phone ringers all the time, and use the software to send a "Ring.mp3" to the whole house audio whenever a call came in (or other indication including flashing of lights, etc).

If we did that we'd never be able to find the phone after the last person buried it under the couch cushions or wherever!

 

[TonyNo]

There is a Caller ID plugin for PowerHome that I have been using that supports a blacklist. I have loaded up my common telemarketer numbers so my system answers the phone and hangs up quickly.

You could add a relay between the CID device and the rest of the phones to only connect when an approved call comes in. The down-side to this is that you would miss the first and maybe the second ring for the CID data to come in.

 

[Steve]

What about something like Grand Central? Granted you would have to give out a different #, but then you can easily control what phones ring and when as well as many other features.

 

[Rupp]

The Way2Call unit in combo with HomeSeer has the ability to mute rings until the callerID is checked and can then allow or disallow rings base on your address book settings. You can also mute rings during sleeping hours as well.

 

[Smarty]

Thanks for all the decent suggestions.

I like the notion of NOT having the telephone ring until the CID data has been checked against the whitelist/blacklist.

What Rupp describes is what I am looking for. Any idea how this could be done using an Elk (with available relays) and with Powerhome - since I use it for some HA already?

I can see how a relay could keep the house phones physically disconnected until the CID data is checked (although some of the newer phones display a "no line" message), but how would you enable the relay for out going calls? What would be the trigger to connect the relay and "turn on" the house phones?

Better yet, is there a way to just stop the "ring" from passing through until the CID is checked (not physically disconnecting the line)?

 

[CollinR]

Also you want it to play SIT tones when taking voicemail, this killed my telemarketing issues pretty quickly.



SIT tones are the ones you hear when you call a disconnected number, computer controlled auto dialers will quit calling it.

 

[macromark]

What Rupp describes is what I am looking for. Any idea how this could be done using an Elk (with available relays) and with Powerhome - since I use it for some HA already?

If you use HomeSeer software (HS2), the UltraM1G plug-in and the Way2Call unit (bundled with HSPhone), you can get what you're looking for.

 

[Rupp]

The SIT tones work great. I use HomeSeer phone to play the SIT tones for all unknown or out of area callers. We've had no junk calls in weeks.
http://artofhacking.com/files/sounds/live/aoh_sit-ic.htm

 

[nsisman]

Now if HomeSeer phone could only block calls by using wild cards in the numbers or name fields.....hint,hint....wouldn't that be a great combo.

Like names containing the name ....windows...ducts....vacation....lawn....circus

Maybe someday ?

 

[DavidL]

Why couldn't you? I think MainLobby can. The black list words would just have to be in a script. When the call came in, the script would be invoked to compare incoming text to the black list. If a match, don't turn the ringer on.

 

[smee]

This may not help too much, but I use a custom script with HomeSeer to handle my caller id. It checks every incoming number against a list and then uses TTS to speak the caller (if they show up in the list it uses the name there, otherwise it uses the CID info). I could turn off the ringers on the phones and just use that message to indicate an incoming call. It could repeat if the call is not picked up. I could tell it not to announce callers on a blacklist if I wanted to. Currently, it sends my cell phone a text message if I'm not home - but it will not if they are on the blacklist.

I use an old CID box with serial output for my setup.

In order for this to work, it helps to have whole-house audio. I have a separate setup just for HA announcements.

 

[Smarty]

More good suggestions thanks !!!

Smee,
I may end up going a route similiar to yours.....My whole house audio is still a "work in progress".

Again, thanks to all. At least now I know what my options could be.


For those that have an interest.....
My Present Path (under construction)
Using DMC1 Intercom and speakers in all rooms (done)
-using Powerhome to control WinAmp for whole house music (aux input to DMC1) (done)
-using Powerhome CID plugin to whitetlist/blacklist (done)
-phone ringers to be off, and announce CID or whitelist name through intercom (like Smee) (testing)

Present issues.....
-working on touchscreen control interface (Xlobby) to control music and telephone notification volumes and to verify incoming or missed calls
-working on getting the wife to accept this new system lol !!!