Home Phone Control line blocker
By Thomas Ricker 
posted Dec 31st 2005 7:00AM
posted Dec 31st 2005 7:00AM
In a world gone mad with the expectation of
instantly contacting anyone, anywhere -- it's nice to see a product come along to remind us that always-on is a choice:
the Home Phone Control. With a simple button push you can quickly and easily shut off all the (landline) phones in the
house blocking both inbound and outbound calls. So don't go hiding the device from the kids while trying to
control their outbound calling hours 'cause they just might need to make a call to 911 on your behalf, dig? The process
is entirely manual so don't expect to set up automatic do-not-disturb time blocks a la the LineLok, but then what
do you expect for a $19.99 device with line-splitter? Their site says "available soon" with the expectation
of taking orders "before the end of 2005" giving them, oh, about a dozen hours to get their shiznit
together.[Thanks, Brent]
yet it's soo darn easy to make your own..
Perhaps it's dangerous to shut off all phone service during the night. But, there is a need for phone utilities to offer a limited phone service that would allow authorized people (e.g., powers-of-attorney of Alzheimers Disease victims) to remotely stop and start someone else's outbound service.
Anybody listening? Just wait until your mother starts calling you at 2:30 in the morning.
#2: Which is why I turn off the cell phone at night. No more calls from anybody, and if I need to make a call it's back on in 10s.
Not to mention it's cheaper and more convenient than a land-line.
How about - you just unplug the phone?
Unplugging the phone is not a fiscal option for the company selling the switches!
Common sense is free...kind of.
I bet you all this does it simulate you leaving your phone off the hook. If you do that you can't make inbound or outbound calls. Who would pay $20 for something you can accomplish with a 4.99 phone (cheaper used and free if you already have one that doesn't need batteries)?
LANDLINE!
They still make those?
Or just shut off the bell. I have a little gadget that cuts off the bell and calls go right to the answering machine. My number used to resemble that of a cab company and the only late-night calls I ever got were from someone obviously drunk wanting a cab.
Just cross the tip and ring wires (Blue and white usually) and you've disconnected all incoming and outgoing calls.
I had a cocept of this exacly oh hackaday one its called a busy box all you need to do is cross wires like #9 said. but it depends on the colors used in the telephone line but there is a common pattern you can follow it gos the two middle ones are line one . to block line 2 you can cross the 2 color wires beside the middle ones . so really if you can strip a telephone wire it take a wooping 3 minutes to do
“Just cross the tip and ring wires (Blue and white usually) and you've disconnected all incoming and outgoing calls.”
Uh, and you also just shorted a wire that draws about 80volts when a ring comes down the line! How about you just do what this device does….which is DISCONNECT one line.
But, a slightly better design (if one is to make this device), is a timer. So you can a) turn it on/off or b) turn it off/on for some time, like 2 hours.
boy how hi-tech you could allways jump into your chevy hovercraft if you have to take someone to the hospitalor the patent office
TO 10:
OK, add a resistor.
But FYI, no damage is caused either way on because when you short the line you CAN'T RECEIVE INCOMING CALLS - THE LINE IS OFF HOOK aka BUSY!
I am a cable tech. and service cable tv, cable internet and telephony VoIP services and I can't tell you how many customers have problem with equipment which causes the line to short there by disconnecting incoming and outgoing calls. It's easyer then you think!
Here is a design with a resistor, but again I belive it is not needed!!
U[v]=R[ohm] * I[amp)
Assuming max. line voltage is 80(v)->U
80=RI
Exadurated I -> 5 amp. (I don't remember the max. amps)
80=R5
R=16[ohm]
****************************
R>16[ohm]
SPDT 1-2 Switch
---------------Tip--------------------------|
SPDT
/
| |
| R
| |
| |
---------------Ring-----------------------|-|
Actually, i do this all the time, something i learned in the phreaking days. Worked well when I would "not attend" school, the school would always call if I didn
t show up. 1 and 9 are both right, a resistor is not neccessary, hell all I used is a peice of scotch tape between the two middle wires (for line one), outside two for line two. Any phone jack would work.
Almost thought this was an April Fools joke but that's 4 months from today.