Vidicode Professional Telephone Answering Machine Manual

							Handleiding PTAM  ©-1998 Vidicode Datacommunicatie BV 41
5.9 Duration of the hook-flash 
The softkey FLASH is used to activate the internal telephone system. It is 
normally used to transfer a call, but has other functions too. Unfortunately not 
all internal telephone systems are the same, so it must be possible to alter the 
duration of the hook-flash. Unless there is a good reason to change the set-up, it 
is best to leave the manufacturer’s set-up unchanged (100 ms).   On rare 
occasions the telephone system requires an earth connection instead of a hook 
flash. In this case please consult your dealer who will be happy to configure this 
for you. 
5.10 Connecting through  
The PTAM can connect callers to two telephone numbers selected by you. Any 
internal or external telephone number can be reached by the PTAM via the 
following procedure: 
• Send a hook flash   
• Choose the number   
• Wait a moment 
• Disconnect    
Please remember that the PTAM doesn’t stack calls. The caller is connected 
through even if the number is engaged.  
These numbers are utilised with voice response, and can be coupled to a message. 
For more information see: 4.2 and 4.3.     
5.11 Number Identification    
When Number Identification is switched on, and the PTAM is connected to a 
port where Number Identification is active, the display will show the telephone 
number when the message is being played. 
5.12 K-break detection 
K-break detection is used to find out whether the caller has disconnected. This 
is important for switching off a message quickly. This facility is only offered on 
normal telephone lines in the UK, and not on lines connected to internal telephone 
networks or ISDN AB adapters. It is advisable to switch on K-break detection  
						

							Handleiding PTAM  ©-1998 Vidicode Datacommunicatie BV 42 only if the telephone is connected to an outside line, and to leave it switched off 
in all other cases. K-break detection cannot be enabled when another language 
then English is selected, because it only applies to the telephone network of the 
United Kingdom. 
5.13 Sound characteristics and quality 
There are two options here: sound type and recording quality.  
Sound type can be set for speech, or all types of sound (audio). The factory 
setting is for speech. 
The recording quality has three settings: Normal, High 1 and High 2. Normal is 
sufficient when recording from the telephone line. The capacity of the PTAM is 
reduced by a factor of 6 and 7 respectively with the settings High 1 and High 2. 
High 1 is the optimum setting for recording speech, High 2 for recording music. 
5.14 Recording Amplification 
It is possible to adjust the amplification factor. This level is independent of the 
signal level, but determines the level of output after automatically adjusting it 
during input. Once your preference has been set, everything recorded will sound 
equally loud, despite the fact that a voice may sometimes speak directly into the 
telephone, and at other times may be quite far away. This recording amplification 
can be switched off if desired.  
5.15 Playback Volume 
This determines the basic setting of the playback volume. The softkeys can be 
used to adjust the volume while you are listening. 
5.16 Microphone type selection 
This setting is determined by the type of microphone to be connected. Some 
types need DC current, and some need extra sensitivity. Naturally, the PTAM 
default setting is correct for the headset delivered with it. 
5.17 How to start microphone recording  
There are two possibilities: Record + Play (factory setting) and only Record.  
						

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5.18 The start switch for automatic recording  
A start switch is an external signaller for starting and stopping recording of the 
chosen source. The start switch should be connected to the footpedal port. With 
the start switch you can determine whether contact should be made or broken 
to start recording; alternatively you can leave the start switch switched off. 
5.19 Starting and stopping by sound  
Automatic recordings can start and stop on the basis of the sound level 
detected. PTAM has four options for this: 
Recording starts when the signal exceeds the ‘start threshold’ level during the 
(short) ‘start period’. When the signal drops below the level of the ‘silence 
threshold’ during a (longer) ‘silence period’ recording is stopped. 
With these four options the values can be set, although in practice start 
threshold and silence threshold will probably be adjusted using the VU meter, 
which is discussed at the end of this chapter. Normally only the start period and 
the silence period would be programmed in this way.  
5.20 Use of footpedal   
The footpedal option can be switched ‘on’ or ‘off’. You should not set the 
footpedal  option if you do not possess one, because a loose connection might 
influence the working of the recorder. 
5.21 Language 
With this parameter the language of the messages on the display can be set. The 
languages you can choose from are English, German, Dutch and American. English 
and American differ in the way date and time are indicated and also influence 
the way the PTAM uses calling line identification and K-break detection.  
5.22 Reset all values 
When you change this parameter into ‘yes’ all the parameters will go back to the 
original settings they had when you bought the PTAM.     
						

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5.23 The VU meter  
As has been discussed before, it is possible to record automatically. Recording 
can be started by an external switch, or be controlled by the volume of sound. In 
the latter case, the recorder will wait for speech to start, and when it does, 
begin to record.  When there is little or no sound for some time the PTAM will 
stop recording. 
It is best to set the signal level which stops and starts recording with the VU 
meter. A graphic image of the signal will be shown on the display when you are 
not recording. The threshold, or switch-on, value is represented by a dash, while 
the switch-off value is indicated by a colon.  At delivery the switch-on and 
switch-off value are the same, so that you only see a dash.   
Starting the VU meter    
To start the VU meter, press ‘configure’, the softkey ‘NEXT’ and finally 
‘memorecorder’. The display will show: 
 
Mi•|
16/16 STOP
 
 
The first line indicates the signal level, and the second shows the numeric values 
of the start and stop sensitivities in the bottom left-hand corner.  
Setting start threshold and silence threshold  
To make the VU meter work a sound is made. This will be shown on the display: 
 
Mi❚
❚❚ ❚❚
❚❚ ❚❚
❚❚ ❚❚
❚❚ ❚❚
❚❚ ❚❚
❚❚ ❚|
8/8 STOP
 
In the display shown above, the PTAM will not switch itself on, because the level 
of the sound is below the switch-on point.  
The switch-on and switch-off point can be changed in the following way:   
						

							Handleiding PTAM  ©-1998 Vidicode Datacommunicatie BV 45 >>    =  Start threshold + 1  
>>    =  Silence threshold + 1    
Record    =  Silence threshold – 1    
Do not forget to take the ‘starting period’ and the ‘silence period’ into account. 
The recorder starts when a sound above the level of start threshold has been 
perceived during the start period, and stops when no sound above the silence 
threshold has been heard during the silence period.  
						

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							Handleiding PTAM  ©-1998 Vidicode Datacommunicatie BV 47
6 Remote access 
The messages in the PTAM can be listened to remotely. The remote access 
capability is explained in more detail in this chapter.  
6.1 Typing in the password     
In order to get remote access, the PTAM’s answer function should have been 
activated. When it has not, access is impossible. 
If the manufacturer’s settings are active, you should press a 1 during the 
welcome message to get to the access message. As has been discussed in 
Chapter 4, you may determine yourself with which message, and via which option, 
the access message is called up. The access message asks for your password, 
which is the same code used to limit access via your keyboard. This password 
should be typed in, followed by a ‘wicket‘’ (#).  
Next the menu will ask you to choose between the following options: 
1 Listen to new messages  
3   Select a welcome message   
5  Change the password  
6  Change the welcome message  
9   Disconnect   
6.2 Listening to new messages remotely 
When the ‘1’ is pressed, new messages can be listened to. 
If the system messages 0 to 9, 188 to 200, and 210 to 259 are present in the 
system, as they are at delivery, the date and time of each message will be 
mentioned. 
While listening to the messages, you have control options. With the help of the 
following telephone keys the messages can be played back and forth 
 
  
						

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1
10 seconds
back
2
next
message
3
10 seconds
forwards
4
60 seconds
back
5
pause
6
60 seconds
forward
7
300 seconds
back
8
stop
9
300 seconds
forward
*0 #
 
Messages listened to remotely, will remain saved as new messages, to ensure you 
do not miss any messages when you come home. When you call again before you 
came home you will hear the same messages.  This can be forestalled by pressing 
‘0’ five times after listening to the messages, which will mark them as having 
been listened to. 
6.3 Selecting a welcome message 
It is possible to select a different welcome message remotely from the 
maximum of 30 messages that can be stored. After you have opted to do so in 
the first menu, the recorder will ask you to type in the number of the welcome 
message. 
6.4 Changing the password remotely 
Option 5 in the menu gives you the chance to change your password remotely. 
After you have typed in the new pass word  , it will be read to you as a check. 
Just follow the instructions read out to you. 
6.5 Changing the welcome message remotely 
The menu also offers you the option of recording a new welcome message or 
selecting another one of a number of pre-recorded messages. Again, just follow 
the spoken instructions.   
						

							Handleiding PTAM  ©-1998 Vidicode Datacommunicatie BV 49
6.6 Switching on the answer machine remotely 
The PTAM can be programmed to answer the telephonehen ‘HOME’ is switched 
on, if the telephone has been ringing for a long time. Afterwards the PTAM will 
automatically switch to ‘AWAY’, and will immediately answer the phone when 
there is another call. This option has been described in 5.5. 
6.7 Changing system messages 
When controlling the answering machine remotely, a number of system messages 
will be used. They have a permanent function, but can be altered any way you 
want if you wish to do so (this is done via ‘announcements’). 
The following system messages are used. The number of each message has been 
indicated.   
Date and time record 
 
0-9  ‘ zero’ to ‘nine’ 
188 t/m 199  ‘January to ‘December’ 
200 ‘hour’ 
210-259  ‘ten’ to ‘fifty nine’ 
 
Responses 
 
300  Welcome message 0, at delivery it is: ’This is an answering 
machine. Unfortunately we cannot help you personally at 
the moment. Please leave a message including your name and 
telephone number after the beep.’ 
351-379  Reserved for your own welcome messages nrs. 1 to 29.  
303  ‘Your message has been saved‘.  
 
 
  
						

							Handleiding PTAM  ©-1998 Vidicode Datacommunicatie BV 50  
Remote operation 
The following system messages will help the user when operated remotely: 
 
303  ‘Your message has been saved. Goodbye’  
304  ‘No new messages received’      
310  ‘To listen to new messages, press 1   
To select a different welcome message, press 3 
To change your password, press 5 
To record a new welcome message, press 6      
To disconnect, press 9’ 
311  ‘Enter your password’ 
312  ‘Your password is:  
313  ‘To save, press 1 
To record again, press 2  
To cancel, press 3’ 
314  ‘The new password has been saved’  
315  ‘To record a new welcome message, press 1, 
To play the current welcome message, press 2 
To cancel, press 3’ 
316  ‘To record a new welcome message, press 1, 
To listen to the newly recorded message, press 2, 
To cancel, press 3, 
to enable the new welcome message, press 4’ 
317  ‘The new welcome message is in use’   
318  ‘Make your choice now’ (Optional, will be played if the user 
has not made a choice after a certain period of time)  
320  ‘Enter the number of the welcome message’   
321  ‘This welcome message does not exist’ 
322  ‘The selected welcome message is: ’