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.
- Set Turn on telephone answering machine... as your default action
after going on-hook (Properties - Actions) for the target group of
callers ('normal', 'black' and 'white list' groups). This setting will be
saved after you exit the program.
- Set Mode to one of Answering machine... states. This
setting will not be restored when you run the program for the next
time.
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 date time.wav
- bite date time.wav
- log date time.wav
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.
Using Advanced Call Center