Telephone Answering Machine

Telephone Answering Machine

ACC can function as an advanced, programmable telephone answering machine. Once set up, it can monitor incoming calls, play back a message (either default or specified on a per-caller basis) and record other party's message. The program can be set up in such a way that it will ignore (block) messages from some groups of callers ('black list') while, at the same time, give you control over messages from another group ('white list').

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Setup

There are several ways to enable telephone auto-answering.

Important

If you choose answering machine as your default action, it will be saved for later use and will start automatically every time you receive a call (unless you react in another way). Mode is not saved between sessions.

What It Does

Plays an out-going message (you have to record it first), 'beeps' to the phone line and records the caller's voice message. It's automatically turned off after Online inactivity timer (from tray icon' pop-up menu Options - Properties - Caller ID Detection - Online inactivity timer = 60 seconds) expires (default is 1 minute, thus maximum one minute of voice will be recorded) or remote caller hangs up or presses DTMF button.

Selecting Greeting Message

You can select and record greeting message via menu Voice - Answering Machine - Select Greeting Message dialog. Please remember about valid Greeting Message File Format.

You can also modify your selection from the Properties - Sounds tab.

Each caller can be assigned a special greeting message and sound alert. In the contacts list double-click on the caller's name who's properties you want to modify. Select Sound Events tab and choose an appropriate greeting message.

Greeting Message File Format

Every message you assign must be a valid PCM .WAV file, recorded or saved as 8 or 16 bit PCM, mono, at sample rate equal to your modem sample rate (Properties - Modem Properties).

Recording Greeting Message

Currently you can record greeting message by choosing Answering machine -> Record greeting message.

In this release you can choose between handset and sound card recording. Personally I would recommend recording through Handset rather than sound card microphone or modem microphone because of higher sound quality.

Voice source (modem/handset)
Telephone line
Select if your handset is plugged to telco, not to modem 'telephone' connector
Handset
Select if your handset is plugged into modem 'telephone' connector
Microphone
Modem internal microphone. Select if no other method works
Sound card recording

You can record greeting message using microphone attached to the sound card. If you don't hear any voice after recording, check if 'Microphone' device is selected in the Windows volume control (mixer).

Playing Back Recorded Messages

To play back a message, press In button on control panel to show Inbox window. You can view telephone number and caller information there, and, of course, you can play the recorded messages through the sound card from Inbox.

Managing Messages

You control received messages in one of pre-defined areas: Inbox folder for newly received messages, Originated Calls for originated messages, and Deleted Items for deleted messages.

.WAV files with messages

ACC stores recorded messages in plain 16-bit mono PCM files which are in Microsoft RIFF (.wav) format. You can play or edit them from any sound player/editor, including standard Microsoft Media Player and Sound Recorder.

All messages recorded with ACC are being stored in the Inbox folder under the current identity folder.

There are three types of .wav files produced by the program.

msg files are completed messages recorded with ACC answering machine. They usually contain voice data and, if applicable, caller number, name and other information about caller in a separate LIST chunk. You can play or edit these files in any sound editor.

bite files are parts of conversation recorded with Record-on-demand function (usually a button with Rec word on it or standard record picture. These files do contain voice/sound data and last detected telephone number and caller data (or your number if you originate the call).

log files do not contain any voice or sound data. They contain only LIST chunk (defined in Microsoft RIFF file format as chunks containing text or other user data) with NMBR sub-chunk. The files contain only caller information and created after each call as just another logging facility. In later versions they will be used as part of journaling facility, helping tracking incoming call activity on your machine.

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