[fallwood]

Just thought Id let everyone know that maplins are selling really cheap voip phone adaptors, 29.99 and it allows you to use your existing phone (cordless as well) with skype and other voip services, also allows you to use your existing landline at the same time, you just press * to toggle between landline and voip, works seamlessly with skype, just dial a number from the phone as normal and your connected to either voip or landline. Been waiting for something like this at a reasonable price as I didn't fancy having another phone just for voip. A few of my mates have bought them and now all i do is pick their skype number from my phones phonebook and voila free phonecalls without having to go near the pc, even the wife's been using skypeout via the cordless phone to call her friends outsiide of local area as its only 1.3p per minute on skype. Heres a link to the manufacturers site http://www.voip-skyfree.com.tw/
.

do you have any more detail on the device ? interested in seeing if this is also being sold cheap in their Dublin stores.

I presume this is a VOIP ATA ?

Ah. Got off my backside and looked it up on the maplin.co.uk site
here's the link :

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?...46125&doy=29m9

this is a USB device so you'll need to leave your PC turned on . so strictly speaking it's not an ATA
(unless there's an ethernet socket on there ?)

[mucca_D]

I have looked at this in the Cardiff Maplin and yes it does look good if you only want it for skype but you are correct in that you need your PC on to use it as there is no ethernet socket.

I want the SPA-3000, but need it to be cheaper first.

anyone found one for under £60?

[psflynn]

cheapest i have seen is for £82 inc VAT - have you seen it any cheaper?

Cheers

P.

[mucca_D]

Dam, just looked and I too can only see them around that, should of bought it when I seen it for £72inc Vat.

I think they will come down soon

[fallwood]

Originally Posted by mucca_D

I want the SPA-3000, but need it to be cheaper first.

anyone found one for under £60?

Can you use your existing phone with this without having to interact with the pc, what i like about the maplins one is that I can just pick up the phone and ring a number through skype or landline without needing to go near the pc, do you get the same type of seamless operation with other voip providers.

The SPA-3000 (by Sipura) is an ATA.

Basically an ATA has an ethernet socket on one side (so you connect it to your broadband router) and a telephone socket on the other.
You can programme it via a browser.
Your traditional telephone(s) and (if supported by the VOIP provider) fax machine(s) work directly with the ATA. So, you could theoretically put this ATA next to your broadband router and feed all the phones in your house (or if you've got DECT wireless phones you can use it that way).

Advantages are : no need for a PC to be left powered on, some ATAs have 'fall-back' to ordinary phone lines, some ATAs allow for multiple phone lines via the same interface, some ATAs are very programmable so you can setup all sorts of usage rules. Some providers will sell you an ATA and preconfigure it for you if you're not into doing that yourself.

Watch out for cheap ATAs : they might be locked to a particular provider.

I'm going for an ATA solution so that I don't have to leave a PC on 24-7 and also I like control

Skype is just another provider though they appear to be very propietary. With other VOIP providers : yes, you can simply pick up the phone and use it as normal. If you've got an ATA you don't even need the PC on.

[Setch]

The Linksys PAP2 from broadbandbuyer.co.uk is £34 and has two ports. Is a breeze to configure. I use it for box fax and phone with two free numbers from sipgate.

Setch

[mucca_D]

Do remember that id you buy the pap2 you wil need to order a line converter for each port @£2.46 link


As I said in this post

It would be good if you coul dunlock the vonage ones as they are only £19 from comet


It also looks like the PAP2 is a clone of the spa-2000 not the 3000, anyone know the dif?

[BlueAdvocate]

not sure if it works

[Lakeuk]

Originally Posted by BlueAdvocate

not sure if it works

Yes it does work according to this interesting UK thread :-
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...d.html?t=96064

Problem is getting hold of one, vonage in the UK are quickly going into Comet stores to reclaim unsold stock

[mucca_D]

Yep it does work , and i used those exact instruction to unlock the on i bought from comet.

The one in cwmbran has loads on the shelf (well 5) as of weekend

Just looked, the USB device from Maplins is now £19.99.

Have reserved one and will be picking it up on Saturday!!



Does anyone know if this adaptor works with any other application apart from Skype? The description on the website doesn't even mention Skype, which I'm happy with as this would indicate it works with other apps..

When I called the guys over in Maplin, they opened the box for me and saw on the CD that it's 'optimised for Skype'.

Thinking of using Skype & maybe Voipcheap or Voipbuster..

Ben

[mucca_D]

Originally Posted by benwong

Just looked, the USB device from Maplins is now £19.99.

Have reserved one and will be picking it up on Saturday!!



Does anyone know if this adaptor works with any other application apart from Skype? The description on the website doesn't even mention Skype, which I'm happy with as this would indicate it works with other apps..

When I called the guys over in Maplin, they opened the box for me and saw on the CD that it's 'optimised for Skype'.

Thinking of using Skype & maybe Voipcheap or Voipbuster..

Ben

I am sure I have said this lol. but I looked at one and it is USB only so need your computer and uless there is a feature I can not see then it only works with Skype type use, but for £19 now buy it find out everything it can/ cannot do and report back here asap

D

Originally Posted by mucca_D

but I looked at one and it is USB only so need your computer and uless there is a feature I can not see then it only works with Skype type use

Yeah, I saw the USB part of it, but I have a pc that's on 24/7 anyway so shouldn't be a problem.

I've read up about this adaptor, and I can see that a very small app needs to be installed to integrate this adaptor with Skype. I'm hoping there are other integration programs that let you use this with other apps like Voipcheap etc..

The fact that the description on the Maplin website or the box doesn't even mention Skype gives me hope that this can be used on multiple VOIP applications, Skype being one of them.

Change of plan, the girlfriend is picking the adaptor up for me today from her local Maplins, so might be able to report back here tomorrow!



Ben

Ok, the box exactly the same as this one:
http://www.amperordirect.com/communi.../lbusbb2k.html

And this box is supported by this forum:
http://www.mplat.com/forum/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=2

And following that line of research, I have found that (from what I'm guessing) this box can be used for Voipcheap AND Voipbuster using an application called Voipbustermate 1.0.0.4 available from here:
http://www.yealink.com/en/otherdown.asp

Will have to wait until tonight to see if the box really is the same one, but looking at the photos on Maplin and the one on the site above, they look identical!

Will report back when I have had a chance to test!

Ben

[mucca_D]

I've read up about this adaptor, and I can see that a very small app needs to be installed to integrate this adaptor with Skype. I'm hoping there are other integration programs that let you use this with other apps like Voipcheap etc

Oh I do hope so, like your self I have pcs on 24/7

Had a quick shifty on the forum and it look like it converts the normall phone into the speakers/mic from the pc and turns the dtmf into the dial numbers on the Pc based program eg skype or Xlite using a plug in for each program.

Ok, just picked the box up, it definitely bigger than I expected! Anyway, haven't had time to play just yet, but upon studying the underside of the convertor, I've found the letters 'B2K'.

Things are looking up indeed!!!

Word of warning guys, the Telephone out port on this box is the US RJ11 style plug. This means an adaptor needs to be bought that converts back to BT style plugs..

Ben

Guys,

Played with the box last night, and installed the B2K software linked above, and it works perfectly!! Looks like this box really is the 'B2K' box they talked about on that other forum.



Skypemate is working fine, but couldn't find Voipbustermate for download for some reason.. will look for that and confirm whether it works with this box.

For £19.99, this box is definitely a bargain if you have a machine that's switched on 24/7.

Now... need to get an phone extension to the pc...

Ben

[Demon]

I bought one the other day... from Maplins, and have been using it with VOIP Cheap, using VOIPBustermate..

In a word.. Awesome, the sound quality is the same as my BT Line, and it just works so seemlessly with my Dect Phones, just press '*' to switch to VOIP...

[svkhtn]

I am very temped with the AU-600 which allows you to forward the calls between Skype and PSTN lines, or even make conference calls.

Here:
http://www.packetizer.com/products/AU-600.pdf

Cheers!

[dje2005]

I got one of these today from Maplins, but I can't get it to work. It seems to be the basic connection to the phone line that's the problem. It's an NTL line, which could be different from BT I suppose. First I tried unplugging RJ11 from the base of the phone, and replugging it into LINE on box, and then TEL to phone with cable supplied - no dial tone. So I tried wall socket to phone directly with cable supplied (and a BT to RJ11 adapter which I had which came with a modem) - no dial tone. I tried various other phone cables I had around, and the only ones I could get to work were the ones supplied with the phones themselves. I tried two different phones, each of which works with the other's cable, but neither with any other cable through the socket adapter or through the box. The box and its supplied cable only appear to have two active connections (the middle two), but the phone cables that work seem to have four wires. Any thoughts?

[rjp996]

I bought one of these adaptors yesterday. I took the phone cable supplied in the box and connected it into the 'Line' socket on the back of the unit. I then put a US to UK adaptor on the other end and plugged into the phone wall socket. I then took a spare '2 central wired' cable I had with the US style plugs on both ends and used this to attatch the phone to the 'Tel' socket on the until Worked first time.....

I then put the old cable that came with my telephone back on the telephone and just picked up a UK to US phone plug converted and am now using that to connect my phine to the 'Tel' socket on the unit (as the original phone cable was much better -- only tried my spare cable as I could not wait until the morning to get a Uk to US phine converter).


Only thing that got me at first was that I realised I needed to press '*' to get it to switch to VOIP, but took some time to work out that after dialing th enumber you need to press '#' to make it dial. Must say however spent last night calling loads of people and all said it sounds just like a normal phine - works v.well

[eilz]

I just brought a box, but wanted to know how to make the device work, without having a PSTN line.

I do not have a home phone and use only an VOIP phone, but the device will only allow you to switch channels if you connect a PSTN line into it.

So, I am after a device that will trick the device into thinking a PSTN line is connected so I am able to pick up the receiver and press the * button to switch over.

[dje2005]

Thanks rjp996 - I had tried various combinations of adapters and cables, but not that particular one, which did indeed work. Happy bunny now.

[dje2005]

Originally Posted by eilz

I just brought a box, but wanted to know how to make the device work, without having a PSTN line.

I do not have a home phone and use only an VOIP phone, but the device will only allow you to switch channels if you connect a PSTN line into it.

So, I am after a device that will trick the device into thinking a PSTN line is connected so I am able to pick up the receiver and press the * button to switch over.

Having installed skyfree on the disk that came with it, right click the icon in the task bar and select advanced, then select USB as the default adapter channel. (There's a manual on the disk too).

[eilz]

Not using Skyfree, using voipbustermate, no option on there to USB select

Just got this device (Telbox) delivered today from Maplins website (£22.49 incl. P&P). After fiddling with cables and adaptors got it working but considering sending it back for refund unless I can solve 2 issues - maybe someone here might be able to help.

Up to now, I have using Skype with VoipVoice USB Skype phone with perfect results but wanted to use my normal phone instead - which is a BT easicom 1000.

The two problems are that my phone doesn't ring when I get a Skype call (all Skype sound device settings are set to 'USB device') and that the sound quality is atrocious such that I can not have a reasonable conversation.

Grateful for any suggestions.

I have since tried two other telephone handsets and had the same problems - very bad sound quality and no ringing-in on the phones when receiving a Skype call.