Overhead paging equip. Identification

kseraphine · ‎08-10-2004

Hi

I'm in the process of designing a number of IPT implementations for customers this fall. Many of them have overhead paging equipment that is fairly old and I can't find technical information on it. For instance, Realistic SA-10, Panasonic WA750, McGohan MS354, Paso Series 3000 are some of the models in question (maybe someone is familiar with them).

Without any other information, is it at all safe to assume that we could use an E&M card to integrate them into the new system? Given the age of the equipment, unless we can make this work easily, I'd be inclined to replace it.

Thanks

dconstantino · ‎08-10-2004

You do not need e&m you can use FXO or FXS or a ATA186 adapter and create a an ext. Just has to talk analog to the analog port on the overhead paging system.

jasyoung · ‎08-10-2004

Basically every paging system designed to be hooked up to a PBX has a line-level audio input. These can be used directly with E&M, or directly with an FXO interface (if the paging system will supply battery) and with an FXS interface if you have an adapter.

E&M is the most flexible and favorable. You have line-leve audio out, plus you can use the E&M signaling pair to activate some types of equipment that requires physical contact closure. FXO is also usable; you have the same line-level audio source but answer and disconnect supervision is sometimes not as reliable and you don't have the contact closures you sometimes need. FXS can be used, like with an ATA-186, but you almost always need an adapter between it and your paging system. We use the Valcom V-9970 for this.

Whichever interface you use, you really want some form of a recording buffer. These answer the call, record your page, and then play it back overhead once you hang up. This is important in an IP telephony system because the extra delay introduced in packetization causes a very disconcerting (to the caller) echo effect if the page goes out as the caller is speaking. Good ones have multiple inputs for recording two calls simultaneously and priority inputs for important pages to be played back first. We use Valcom's V-9964 product for this but others exist. These can be inserted between your E&M/FXO/FXS adapter interface and your paging system's line-in.

kseraphine · ‎08-12-2004

Hi

Your response clarified a lot. Your comment about a recording buffer is interesting. I have a few customers with overhead paging equipment (one a bogen amp with a TAM-B, the others I can't recall) and they haven't experienced any echo but I'll keep that in mind. We've deployed informacast for a customer and one of the things they dislike is the need to record before sending the page.

Is there any indication that Cisco is going to incorporate some paging in the near future. We have a hard time selling to small customers (100 and fewer sets) when we have to include paging software and a server to run it on. CME can do it, maybe they could make it a service provided by a gateway similar to conferencing.

Thanks

jasyoung · ‎08-12-2004

"Your response clarified a lot. Your comment about a recording buffer is interesting. I have a few customers with overhead paging equipment (one a bogen amp with a TAM-B, the others I can't recall) and they haven't experienced any echo but I'll keep that in mind."

Bogen's TAM-B product is more or less the same thing as the Valcom V-9970. It's a device that "answers" a call from your ATA-186 or similar device and then puts out line-level audio for your paging system. The TAM-B is actually a little nicer since you can just line-power it from an FXS in most situations whereas the Valcom always needs a power supply. We generally use the Valcom product just because we usually use the Valcom page buffer and it's nice having a single-vendor solution. There's drawings already done up for you on how to wire it, there's better support, etc.

"We've deployed informacast for a customer and one of the things they dislike is the need to record before sending the page."

Do they really dislike that, or do they dislike the hokey interface?

With most "hardware" paging systems, you call into it and you can have a one-touch speed dial. Berbee's product insists on calling you back. I understand Informacast began as a text messaging/push type product, but I really wish they'd fix that. At least with recent versions you can cut through most of the 10 different steps you used to have to go through to send a page.

"Is there any indication that Cisco is going to incorporate some paging in the near future. We have a hard time selling to small customers (100 and fewer sets) when we have to include paging software and a server to run it on. CME can do it, maybe they could make it a service provided by a gateway similar to conferencing."

I don't know. I wish I had some good news for you there, but you won't see it at least in the near term. If you have customers clamoring for it, work with your Cisco account manager. There's a process/system known as PERS where you can help influence Cisco's development priorities with your company's (or your client's) expected future spending.

p.choi · ‎09-30-2004

Hello,

Wondering if you could help. We have a Bogen TAMB adapter that we want to connect to an FXO that is sitting on our C2651 router for overhead paging.

Other than the PRS-ASAC adapter required to provide power to trunk, would we need anything else to enable overhead paging?

Are there any config changes that needs to be made to the router?

Thanks!

rimodecisco · ‎09-30-2004

We've developed our own paging application for the Cisco IP Phones. It offers real-time audio paging. If you're interested in finding out more about it, send me an email - bob@rimode.com.

tvanblon · ‎10-01-2004

Berbee makes an IP-enabled overhead speaker that can use 802.11 or even inline power from a cisco switch. www.berbee.com

As for the future in paging integration with Cisco, what we all need here is a VIC-RCA.