I have a _very_ old Vtech wireless phone system (2-lines) that is
gradually dying off handset-by-handset (I've already tried different
battery paks, and that's not the problem).

Any recommendations for replacement?

What about this Dect 6 stuff? Any good, or just hoopla??

...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, CTO | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona 85048 Skype: Contacts Only | |
| Voice480)460-2350 Fax: Available upon request | Brass Rat |
| E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |

I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.

Jim Thompson wrote:

I have a _very_ old Vtech wireless phone system (2-lines) that is
gradually dying off handset-by-handset (I've already tried different
battery paks, and that's not the problem).

Any recommendations for replacement?

What about this Dect 6 stuff? Any good, or just hoopla??


I have a Panasonic 5.8 GHz DECT with three handsets that works ok. I
can use it about 100 feet from the house. Sam's Club carries several
brands & models of DECT phones.

--
Lead free solder is Belgium's version of 'Hold my beer and watch this!'

Jim Thompson wrote:
I have a _very_ old Vtech wireless phone system (2-lines) that is
gradually dying off handset-by-handset (I've already tried different
battery paks, and that's not the problem).

Any recommendations for replacement?

What about this Dect 6 stuff? Any good, or just hoopla??

I've got a Panasonic DECT 6.0 KX-TG6473 with 4 handsets and a digital
answering system. It works great...has more features than we'll ever
need. It's shared "phone book" can hold fifty names. It uses 2
rechargeable Ni-MH AAA cells in each handset. Fry's has them on sale.

--
Virg Wall

On Wed, 31 Mar 2010 14:49:03 -0700, VWWall
wrote:

Jim Thompson wrote:
I have a _very_ old Vtech wireless phone system (2-lines) that is
gradually dying off handset-by-handset (I've already tried different
battery paks, and that's not the problem).

Any recommendations for replacement?

What about this Dect 6 stuff? Any good, or just hoopla??

I've got a Panasonic DECT 6.0 KX-TG6473 with 4 handsets and a digital
answering system. It works great...has more features than we'll ever
need. It's shared "phone book" can hold fifty names. It uses 2
rechargeable Ni-MH AAA cells in each handset. Fry's has them on sale.

Surfing I've run onto phones that are Bluetooth compatible... then I
could get rid of landlines and just be cell-based, but with nice
"home/office" desk phones.

Anyone here doing that?

...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, CTO | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona 85048 Skype: Contacts Only | |
| Voice480)460-2350 Fax: Available upon request | Brass Rat |
| E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |

The only thing bipartisan in this country is hypocrisy

In article ,
Jim Thompson
wrote:

I have a _very_ old Vtech wireless phone system (2-lines) that is
gradually dying off handset-by-handset (I've already tried different
battery paks, and that's not the problem).

Any recommendations for replacement?

What about this Dect 6 stuff? Any good, or just hoopla??

...Jim Thompson

Depends what you want it to do. I have a Uniden Dect 6.0 system which
works pretty well, as these things go - in the house, and as much as 500
feet out of the house with a clear line of sight to the base. None work
through dirt very well. It does manage to ignore two different wireless
networks running here nicely. Got last fall after doing without a
wireless home phone for a while after the third system in 15 years
croaked (while the 30 year old wired phones just keep working.)

Before I got a cell phone, I got by for several years (when not paying
for cell phone paid for the $$$ system and then some) with an enGenius
long range system - that worked out to half a mile reliably (if not
through dirt, but ignoring buildings/trees nicely) and I personally
tested it to work at 3 miles (with a nice clear line of sight - didn't
work between half a mile and 2-1/2 miles on that test hike). Lasted past
its 5-year warranty, got flaky in old age, company would be willing to
take whack at fixing it, but the $$ fix has no warranty and I gave up
and got a cell phone some time ago.

No idea on the bluetooth - I don't even have one of those "look like a
crazy person talking to yourself bluetooth headsets" for the cellphone.
Presumably all your average crazy person needs is the headset part, no
phone or service required...

--
Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by

In article ,
lid says...
Jim Thompson wrote:
I have a _very_ old Vtech wireless phone system (2-lines) that is
gradually dying off handset-by-handset (I've already tried different
battery paks, and that's not the problem).

Any recommendations for replacement?

What about this Dect 6 stuff? Any good, or just hoopla??

I've got a Panasonic DECT 6.0 KX-TG6473 with 4 handsets and a digital
answering system. It works great...has more features than we'll ever
need. It's shared "phone book" can hold fifty names. It uses 2
rechargeable Ni-MH AAA cells in each handset. Fry's has them on sale.


I've got the same thing, and I love it.
Being able to call the kids using the pager function is great.
No more yelling up the stairs at them.

On Wed, 31 Mar 2010 14:07:43 -0700, Jim Thompson
wrote:

I have a _very_ old Vtech wireless phone system (2-lines) that is
gradually dying off handset-by-handset (I've already tried different
battery paks, and that's not the problem).

Any recommendations for replacement?

What about this Dect 6 stuff? Any good, or just hoopla??

...Jim Thompson

Anyone using this...

https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=...E3 YTky&hl=en

...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, CTO | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona 85048 Skype: Contacts Only | |
| Voice480)460-2350 Fax: Available upon request | Brass Rat |
| E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |

The only thing bipartisan in this country is hypocrisy

"Jim Thompson" wrote in
message ...
Anyone using this...
https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=...E3 YTky&hl=en

No, although if you're looking at those combined Bluetooth/traditional
cordless phone systems, here's another one that might strike your fancy:

http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-Expa.../dp/B00138AJPO -
- $55 including two handsets

Reviews are mixed, though...

---Joel

On Thu, 1 Apr 2010 10:48:41 -0700, "Joel Koltner"
wrote:

"Jim Thompson" wrote in
message ...
Anyone using this...
https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=...E3 YTky&hl=en

No, although if you're looking at those combined Bluetooth/traditional
cordless phone systems, here's another one that might strike your fancy:

http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-Expa.../dp/B00138AJPO -
- $55 including two handsets

Reviews are mixed, though...

---Joel



Seems like a smart way to go would be a system with a charger... drop
cell into it... cell is now connected to cordless sets in the house
via Dect 6.0 rather than Bluetooth.

I'm pondering going this route... my 2-line land service now costs
more than 2 cell phone service with the same features :-(

...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, CTO | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona 85048 Skype: Contacts Only | |
| Voice480)460-2350 Fax: Available upon request | Brass Rat |
| E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |

The only thing bipartisan in this country is hypocrisy

"Jim Thompson" wrote in
message ...
I have a _very_ old Vtech wireless phone system (2-lines) that is
gradually dying off handset-by-handset (I've already tried different
battery paks, and that's not the problem).

Any recommendations for replacement?

What about this Dect 6 stuff? Any good, or just hoopla??


Yep, I replaced my older wireless phones about a year ago. Same problem that
they wouldn't hold a charge.

I got a DECT 5.8 panasonic unit with 4 stations and answering machine in the
base unit. Works well with one exception. We are on Verizon FiOS and there
is on occasion, a terrible echo in the line. Wired phones work without any
problem at all. I've had to contact Verizon fiber services a few times to
have them tweak some parameters in the ONT (optical network terminal). The
older panasonic had the same problem. There must be a digital delay on the
sidetone which is not quite compatible with the FiOS system.

Once we got the echo issue tweaked, no complaints. Well one, the base
station volume for message playback could have a bit more punch.

Oppie

"Jim Thompson" wrote in
message ...
Seems like a smart way to go would be a system with a charger... drop
cell into it... cell is now connected to cordless sets in the house
via Dect 6.0 rather than Bluetooth.

Other than the charger portion of it, that's what the Panasonic system there
does... leave your cell phone (plugged into your regular charger, if you like)
within ~30' (the Bluetooth range) of the "base," and then use the
DECT-connected handsets around the house instead.

I'm pondering going this route... my 2-line land service now costs
more than 2 cell phone service with the same features :-(

I'd ditch the land line unlesss you still get a lot of FAXes...

We started running out of cell phone minutes not quite a year ago now after my
wife changed jobs (working from home), and we bought an Ooma system (uses your
Internet connection for calls -- we have this one:
http://www.amazon.com/ooma-Phone-Sys.../dp/B001C1MGKI ,
although there's now a newer model) that works quite well. Initially we just
used their "basic" services that are free, although she switched jobs again a
couple months ago and that new company reimburses her the $10/month for their
premium service that lets you do lots of fancy automatic call
routing/rejection, can be set to ring *multiple phone lines at the same time
(e.g., your cell and regular phone)* when someone dials your number, etc.
(Even with the basic services you already get web-accessible voicemail...)
It's really quite neat...

We have the Ooma base unit plugged into a cheap Panasonic DECT cordless phone.

One limitation is that sending and receiving FAXes is a bit dicey -- it
*usually* works, but since there's some fancy CODEC that compresses the audio
somewhat, occasionally the FAX machine ends up retrying several times before
it's successful. (Although before we had the Ooma we paid OneSuite.Com for
incoming FAX services... something like a month a month, I believe.)

---Joel

"Jim Thompson" wrote
in message ...
On Wed, 31 Mar 2010 14:07:43 -0700, Jim Thompson
wrote:

I have a _very_ old Vtech wireless phone system (2-lines) that is
gradually dying off handset-by-handset (I've already tried different
battery paks, and that's not the problem).

Any recommendations for replacement?

What about this Dect 6 stuff? Any good, or just hoopla??

...Jim Thompson

Anyone using this...

https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=...E3 YTky&hl=en

...Jim Thompson

Heres a bluetooth to POTS gateway:
http://www.phonelabs.com/prd05.asp

Cheers

On Thu, 1 Apr 2010 11:48:45 -0700, "Joel Koltner"
wrote:

"Jim Thompson" wrote in
message ...
Seems like a smart way to go would be a system with a charger... drop
cell into it... cell is now connected to cordless sets in the house
via Dect 6.0 rather than Bluetooth.

Other than the charger portion of it, that's what the Panasonic system there
does... leave your cell phone (plugged into your regular charger, if you like)
within ~30' (the Bluetooth range) of the "base," and then use the
DECT-connected handsets around the house instead.

Aha! So the Bluetooth link is short?

Super!


I'm pondering going this route... my 2-line land service now costs
more than 2 cell phone service with the same features :-(

I'd ditch the land line unlesss you still get a lot of FAXes...

I presently receive faxes via MyFax, but still sending via a
land-line. Looks like time to go entirely to MyFax.


We started running out of cell phone minutes not quite a year ago now after my
wife changed jobs (working from home), and we bought an Ooma system (uses your
Internet connection for calls -- we have this one:
http://www.amazon.com/ooma-Phone-Sys.../dp/B001C1MGKI ,
although there's now a newer model) that works quite well. Initially we just
used their "basic" services that are free, although she switched jobs again a
couple months ago and that new company reimburses her the $10/month for their
premium service that lets you do lots of fancy automatic call
routing/rejection, can be set to ring *multiple phone lines at the same time
(e.g., your cell and regular phone)* when someone dials your number, etc.
(Even with the basic services you already get web-accessible voicemail...)
It's really quite neat...

We have the Ooma base unit plugged into a cheap Panasonic DECT cordless phone.

One limitation is that sending and receiving FAXes is a bit dicey -- it
*usually* works, but since there's some fancy CODEC that compresses the audio
somewhat, occasionally the FAX machine ends up retrying several times before
it's successful. (Although before we had the Ooma we paid OneSuite.Com for
incoming FAX services... something like a month a month, I believe.)

---Joel

I Skype regularly plus use GoToMeeting extensively, so long distance
is almost passé.

...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, CTO | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona 85048 Skype: Contacts Only | |
| Voice480)460-2350 Fax: Available upon request | Brass Rat |
| E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |

The only thing bipartisan in this country is hypocrisy

Hi Jim,

"Jim Thompson" wrote in
message ...
Aha! So the Bluetooth link is short?

Yes. There are a couple of different Bluetooth power specs, but the vast
majority Bluetooth devices (like 99.9+% of all cell phones :-) ) spit out 10mW
of RF which is supposed to translate into a link "up to 33 feet." In
real-world usage, in an open area you often do get somewhat close to that,
e.g., 20-25' or so.

I expect most people with that Panasonic system either (1) leave their phone
right next to the "basestation" or (2) if *cell* reception is weak there,
leave it in the nearest window or whatever that does have good cell reception.
And they probably leave it plugged in to its charger.

The DECT handsets go much further -- certainly far enough to cover most any
house up to a mini-mansion unless you have, e.g., foil-backed insulation or
live in a concrete home with rebar.

I presently receive faxes via MyFax, but still sending via a
land-line. Looks like time to go entirely to MyFax.

Yeah, in your situation that sounds like a pretty good plan.

---Joel

"Martin Riddle" wrote in message
...


"Jim Thompson"
wrote in message ...
On Wed, 31 Mar 2010 14:07:43 -0700, Jim Thompson
wrote:

I have a _very_ old Vtech wireless phone system (2-lines) that is
gradually dying off handset-by-handset (I've already tried different
battery paks, and that's not the problem).

Any recommendations for replacement?

What about this Dect 6 stuff? Any good, or just hoopla??

...Jim Thompson

Anyone using this...

https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=...E3 YTky&hl=en

...Jim Thompson

Heres a bluetooth to POTS gateway:
http://www.phonelabs.com/prd05.asp

Cheers


After reading some reviews, this Xlink maybe a better choice. Better
support, firmware upgrades.
http://reviews.cnet.com/cell-phone-and-smart/xtreme-technologies-xlink-cellular/4505-6448_7-32462813.html?tag=also

Cheers

In article ,
Jim Thompson
wrote:

I have a _very_ old Vtech wireless phone system (2-lines) that is
gradually dying off handset-by-handset (I've already tried different
battery paks, and that's not the problem).

Any recommendations for replacement?

What about this Dect 6 stuff? Any good, or just hoopla??

...Jim Thompson


Not to forget that anyone can listen in on the old (analogue) phones
with a scanner :-) DECT is somewhat harder.


colin