Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Answering machines, what do you use?

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Posted by Jay Glaus (Member # 6011) on 07-11-2013, 03:28 AM:

Just curious what you guys use for your Showtime line. We use little RadioShack digital answering machines. They are now discontinued however, which is why I'm curious to see what everyone uses.

Basically, what we look for is something that has the option to announce only (not record messages from the caller), will answer on second ring, has at least 1 min announcement time, and is built to last.

What do you use?

Posted by Frank Cox (Member # 6258) on 07-11-2013, 11:42 AM:

I use the voicemail system that comes with the telephone service from the company that I get my telephone service from.

I used to have my own answering machine but I had to replace them at least once a year. This hasn't been a problem since I started using the telephone company's system. [Big Grin]

The voicemail has an "extended absence" setting that suppresses the beep after playing your message, and I always end my "now playing" message by saying "This machine does not take messages".

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 07-11-2013, 12:43 PM:

We are in the same situation as Frank. I tried the cheap machines, and the expensive ones...then eventually the digital ones. They would always break down after a while. The last digital one we had worked great at first, then after a few months, it started making the outgoing message sound "garbled" like I was talking with a mouthful of marbles.

We went to the phone company's system about 8 years ago, it costs a dollar a month and works perfectly. I would never go back to a machine.

Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 07-11-2013, 02:13 PM:

We're still using the Takacom multi-line machines.

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 07-11-2013, 03:24 PM:

Benefit of the line supplier voice-box systems usually is that it can answer multiple calls at the same time, each one properly starting at the beginning of the announcement, and without blocking your line for outgoing calls. So your announcement number is never busy.

It certainly is worth investigating into availability of these services.

If your own line supplier does not offer it, there may be service companies, to which you can forward these calls or use a separate number from them or VoIP services.

- Carsten

Posted by Mike Croaro (Member # 3123) on 07-13-2013, 12:11 PM:

Folks,

We used the Takacom machines at the Ukiah 6. Those Takacom cassette tapes used to be really expensive!

At the Belmont 3, we had this ancient anouncement machine from the 70's made by Skutch Electronics. It used regular casette tapes. After playing the showtime message, the tape would automatically rewing, and then repeat. Regular cassette tapes were inexpensive, but wore out quicky. It finally stopped woring when a gear stripped. The Skutch organization was impossible to deal with. They would not sell their parts to anyone, and insisted on repairing their own equipment.

Mike

Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 07-13-2013, 01:48 PM:

We using the Takacom digital machine. I have a 4 line machine in my cinema and a 3 line machine (of which I'm only using 1 line) at my drive-in. These machines always start each caller at the beginning of the message, and do not require rewinding a tape if you mess up during recording.

As for making my recording, I actually do it on a computer where I can edit. This allows me to only record the segments that change, and then copy and past the segments into a new file. Then this file is loaded onto the machine via the tape jack rather than the mic.

Mike Croaro: were you at the Ukiah 6 when it was owned by Signature?

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 07-13-2013, 02:49 PM:

The best, most reliable good sound quality machine was the old Smart single line machine. Power supplies and handsets die, but almost all are still in use. I still have several to sell if anyone is interested DASA300 i think.

Warning: some of these were modified by Smart to run continuously and need other equipment. We sold them to feed FM transmitters that were installed near the door of the theatre along with a sign: Movie info on 91.3-FM. Louis

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 07-13-2013, 03:51 PM:

I have been using Ooma Basic Service which is a very inexpensive VoIP service -- it's basically a one-time cost of the modem and then you pay just whatever the local and federal taxes and fees are per month and NO OTHER charge. For your exact monthly charge, you can enter your zip code at the site and it will calculate your monthy cost for the fees. Our monthly charge is less than $4 a month, down from about $45 a month with Verizon.

Anyway, the Ooma VM system allows you to give an out-going message of about 5 minutes max. and of course it will accept a multitude of incoming calls simultaniously and play the message from its beginning to each incoming caller. While 5 minutes might be enough time for a really large multiplex, it's enough for an operation with a modest number of screens. And you certainly can't beat the price.

They also have a Premium service with a truck load of additional features including the ability to block specific incoming numbers on a calling firewall list. It costs only $10 per month

We ported over our existing number to them which is always a nastily long and difficult process and purposely made so by the big telco guys because, naturally, they don't want these smaller companies luring their customers way with their lower prices and better service. [thumbsup]

Lastly, they are consistantly rated top VoIP provider by Consumer Reports for voice quality and reliability.

Posted by Mike Croaro (Member # 3123) on 07-14-2013, 10:24 AM:

Hi Justin:

When I started at Ukiah 6, Redwood Theatres (a company comprised mostly of Richard Mann, George Mann, Lee Fuchsman & Mike Goakey) operated the theatre. Within a month of being hired, Signature had bought out the chain.

Mike

Posted by Dennis Benjamin (Member # 1137) on 07-14-2013, 06:41 PM:

I recommend this:

Fone and Go

It's pretty awesome, especially if you are a small independent chain that has more than one location.

Posted by Jay Glaus (Member # 6011) on 07-15-2013, 07:10 PM:

Louis, the Smart DASA300's you are talking about... If I used them on my showtime lines, I could change the greeting easily each week, enable it to announce only and not take messages, and it can handle busy telephone lines well? If so, how much and how many do you have?

Jay

Posted by Jack Ondracek (Member # 1466) on 07-15-2013, 09:55 PM:

quote: Frank Angel
I have been using Ooma Basic Service

Can you set the voicemail for outgoing only? I'm using Vonage, which does not allow this.

Posted by Frank Cox (Member # 6258) on 07-15-2013, 10:35 PM:

Before I got the voicemail from the phone company, I had considered setting up an Asterisk machine to handle that task. Then you could program it for "press 1 to hear what's playing, press 2 for admission prices, press 3 for whatever..." as well.

I never got around to actually doing it, though.

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 07-16-2013, 08:09 AM:

Jack, yes, Ooma can be set to only play out a message and not take a caller's message. Thing is, it's not as easy as you turning a switch yourself, either in the software or hardware. THEY have to set it to either configuration. You can only switch to either normal (play outgoing message/record incoming message) or just play outgoing by emailing them and requesting what you want. The default, of course, is the play-out/record-in setup.

I just checked on the maximum time allowed for the outgoing message and a tech just told me it is only 1.5 minutes, which I know can't be right because I have had messages on there longer than that. I asked another "chat" guy who told me it was 5 minutes. I haven't checked it myself at the moment, but I will. Obviously you need more than 1.5 minutes for this to work for announcing film info.

BTW, I had Vonage at home and to say I was not pleased is an understatement. The was voice quality was wanting -- people would tell me I was "breaking up" more times than I felt was acceptable; I finally ditched them. After them I tried Magic Jack, another VoIP service which was so atrocious that I finally had a Rage Against The Machines "moment" and found it surprisingly therapeutic to smash their little USB bob thing to smithereens with a very large, 3 lb ball-peen claw hammer.

Posted by Jay Glaus (Member # 6011) on 07-16-2013, 07:19 PM:

Frank, I wish I had 1.5 minutes [Smile]

My old machines give you 1 min, and the verizon voice mail thing gives you 45 seconds. You just about have to talk like and auctioneer to get everything in, then people love to complain that you talk too fast!