Mute music when phone rings

[SteveQ]

I'm sure many of us have a modem in their computer that is just wasting energy! To put it to use, I was wondering if it could be used to detect an incoming call and then trigger an event to mute media player or iTunes. Has anyone done this? I did not find anything via search.

Any ideas?

Steve Q

 

[gregoryx]

I doubt it's what you're asking, but I've done that with the full home-audio/video environment for years now - with HomeSeer originally and now with MainLobby Server.

Haven't looked into doing it with any other local approach, though.

 

[SteveQ]

I doubt it's what you're asking, but I've done that with the full home-audio/video environment for years now - with HomeSeer originally and now with MainLobby Server.

Haven't looked into doing it with any other local approach, though.

Yes, I use Homeseer to control my whole house audio. I am very interested in how this could be done. Can you provide some info regarding how you did this with Homeseer?

Steve Q

 

[Rupp]

Steve is it the HomeSeer modem or a different brand?

 

[DavidL]

With MLServer3, and MLCallerID, you can trigger a command on receipt of a callerID data.
that command could include muting audio on one or more PCs or on MLServer supported hardware.

Since MLCallerID also supports the NetCallerID hardware, you wouldn't need a PC modem for this task either.

Then, with MLSpeak, you can then speak the "who'd calling" via the whole house audio system.

Of course, you could do that above for callers that are in your callerID database, for all others, just have the system ignore the call and continue listening to your music. h34r:

 

[SteveQ]

Steve is it the HomeSeer modem or a different brand?

Rupp, The modem is not a Homeseer modem; just a 96K one that I used for dial-up internet access.

Steve Q

 

[SteveQ]

With MLServer3, and MLCallerID, you can trigger a command on receipt of a callerID data.
that command could include muting audio on one or more PCs or on MLServer supported hardware.

Sorry but I don't have either. I need a way to detect the "ring". I don't want it to answer the phone or anything else.
Thanks, Steve Q

 

[gatchel]

With MLServer3, and MLCallerID, you can trigger a command on receipt of a callerID data.
that command could include muting audio on one or more PCs or on MLServer supported hardware.

Sorry but I don't have either. I need a way to detect the "ring". I don't want it to answer the phone or anything else.
Thanks, Steve Q

I do know that a modem will send the word RING when it detects a ring on the line if you are monitoring the port the modem is on. You may have to send an AT to the modem to get it to send the "RING". Can the software monitor a com port and watch for data and do something with it? I don't know the software you are using.

 

[jay]

The AC ring voltage in the states might be enough to detect with a current xfrmr to trigger a universal module ad give you a X-10 ON. I'm thinking of http://www.crmagnetics.com where some of us have use their products to detect on/off power status of appliances, etc.
With luck, the right one may need no signal conditioning to drive the module.

 

[SteveQ]

The AC ring voltage in the states might be enough to detect with a current xfrmr to trigger a universal module ad give you a X-10 ON. I'm thinking of http://www.crmagnetics.com where some of us have use their products to detect on/off power status of appliances, etc.
With luck, the right one may need no signal conditioning to drive the module.

This is an interesting idea, and correct me if I am wrong but in order for this to work, the current monitoring device would have to be on the same line as the phone that is ringing. The phone line branch to my modem comes from the phone distribution box directly to my computer; there is no phone on that branch.

Steve Q

 

[SteveQ]

Gatchel,

Oh! I remember those days. ATDT send "xxxxx" --- Something like that.

I am using a TEMP08 to monitor temperatures. It uses COM1. When Homeseer starts up it runs a script that tells it to listen to COM1 for data. Every 5 minutes (or whatever interval you want) the TEMP08 sends the temperature results to Homeseer. Homeseer detects the incoming data and stores it. It seems to me that a similar approach could be used to detect the appropriate RING signal that is sent to the COM port the modem is using. Is this feasible?

Steve Q

 

[gregoryx]

Sorry, I've been off HomeSeer for a while, but I had a CallerID config in HS that ran from a modem. I hope that sends you on the right track.

 

[gatchel]

Gatchel,

Oh! I remember those days. ATDT send "xxxxx" --- Something like that.

I am using a TEMP08 to monitor temperatures. It uses COM1. When Homeseer starts up it runs a script that tells it to listen to COM1 for data. Every 5 minutes (or whatever interval you want) the TEMP08 sends the temperature results to Homeseer. Homeseer detects the incoming data and stores it. It seems to me that a similar approach could be used to detect the appropriate RING signal that is sent to the COM port the modem is using. Is this feasible?

Steve Q

It wouldn't hurt to try it. Just remember you will get the word RING every time the phone rings.

 

[SteveQ]

Well, It turns out that I had removed the modem from my Homseer computer about 6 months ago to make room for additional COM ports. So, I will not pursue this idea.
But it sure would be nice to have the music mute when the phone rings.

Steve Q

 

[huggy59]

SteveQ, you are on the right track on the old TEMP05 script. If you have an extra serial port on your machine, you could get an old external modem and add it back to your setup, and using a modified version of the script, take care of your muting/stop playing event.

The only issue I see is how you determine when to resume the music as there is no easy way to determine when the phone is hung up. Using one of the Homeseer modem/phone devices does give you that hang-up detection capability, I believe, plus a whole lot more. Or maybe a phone that shows the lines is in use with an LED could be used to tell your system the line is no longer in use.