Anyone out there with a reliable answering machine?

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gsabc · #1 Post by **gsabc** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 7:31 pm

The last two wired phones that we've owned have included answering machines. Neither one worked well. Our current one records maybe half of the messages so faintly that we can't hear most of them. No logic to which ones get recorded and which don't.

We're looking for a regular phone that can hang on the wall, not cordless (we want at least one that's fully connected and will keep working in a blackout), and that consistently works to record messages. Anyone have any good suggestions, beyond paying for the phone company to take the messages?

ulysses5019 · #2 Post by **ulysses5019** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 7:47 pm

Well, I do pay the phone company and find it a wonderful convenience. I think it records even the most long-winded messages of my friends and solicitors. But my guess is that you think the price is too high. Here is what cnet says about some machines:

http://www.cnet.com/4244-5_1-0.html?que ... &target=nw

kayrharris · #3 Post by **kayrharris** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 8:00 pm

I also pay the phone company. I just think it's the most reliable.

I think you'll want digital for sure, but that's about I can tell you. I'm a big help, huh?

Estonut · #4 Post by **Estonut** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 8:29 pm

I may be wrong, but I believe that any phone/answering machine combo is going to run off of a separate power supply (AC Adapter). I think this means that the phone will not work during a power outage. I think you'd need a separate unit to record messages (if they still make them), but then the question remains as to whether or not the phone still gets power via the phone cord when the answering machine has no power.

ghostjmf · #5 Post by **ghostjmf** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 9:12 pm

When I get back home, I'll look my model up. I believe its a Panasonic. I know it has an interior disc. It replaced my reliable old Panasonic with tapes. I liked having tapes; you could save a message if you really wanted to. But this was before the no-call registry was in effect, & sales calls literally broke my machine by causing the tapes to rewind about 4,200 times a day.

At any rate, always get components, not "all in one" devices; that way, when a component breaks down, you only have to replace it, not the whole shebang. But you know that.

My phone plugs into the answering machine. When my cat unplugs my phone from the wall, which unfortunately happens all too frequently (various cat-proofing methods of the wall connection haven't worked) the calls go directly into Verizon's call answering service, something I find far inferior to having a machine which plays voices as the message is recorded, so that I can pick the darn thing up if I really want to. Verizon may tell you who the caller is (I really don't know, as when I'm home I usually make sure the wall plug has been plugged back in) but doesn't let you pick up the call once its started to go into the service; I have tried, unsuccessfully, to interrupt it.

Yes, the Verizon service is annoyingly expensive if you have an answering machine already. Having a new phone outlet put in a cat-proof place would have cost about $50 & 1/2 a day off work, but would have paid for itself in less than a year. I may yet do that.

I should be happy the cat has never discovered the delights of pulling out electrical cords. The phone cord is so light-weight & detaches so darn easily that if you're a cat its just more fun all around. Also, no shock, but the cat has not yet messed with an appliance cord enough to encounter that.

jaybee · #6 Post by **jaybee** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 9:15 pm

Estonut is right, any answering maching will require more than the 24v signal from the phone line to work.

We too, use the service from the phone company. Works great and no machine laying around. I think it's $4 per month.

peacock2121 · #7 Post by **peacock2121** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 5:32 am

I pay Optimum Voice. It is well worth it.

I can log onto the website and listen to the messages from anywhere I have a computer. I also like the call forwarding feature.

I have never had an answering machine that I was happy with. The only good thing about them is that you get to screen and pick up if you want to talk to that person, rather than having to call them back after listening to their message.

gsabc · #8 Post by **gsabc** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 6:23 am

Estonut wrote:I may be wrong, but I believe that any phone/answering machine combo is going to run off of a separate power supply (AC Adapter). I think this means that the phone will not work during a power outage. I think you'd need a separate unit to record messages (if they still make them), but then the question remains as to whether or not the phone still gets power via the phone cord when the answering machine has no power.

It has the separate power for the answering machine part, but the phone works fine during power outages. It's just that the stupid answering machine doesn't record consistently well. Some calls are fine, others fade in and out, others are barely audible or just disappear in the middle. And of course you can never try out the thing at the store.

This is the third or fourth system that we've gone through in the last two years. Either the answering machine or the phone itself have had volume issues.

kayrharris · #9 Post by **kayrharris** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 7:42 am

You can call in and get your voice mail messages remotely from the service AT&T provides as well.

With Caller ID, you can pick up the call if you want or not, so screening calls really isn't that much of an issue anymore.

PlacentiaSoccerMom · #10 Post by **PlacentiaSoccerMom** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 8:06 am

We have a Uniden Digital answering Machine with cordless phone combination in our retreat.

Downstairs we have a regular non-cordless phone in the kitchen. If the power goes out, it still works. Because there is caller-id, I can tell who called, without needing an answering machine. The girls both have phones in their rooms.

Most of the time the "important" people call my house and if they can't find us there, they call our respective cell phones.

peacock2121 · #11 Post by **peacock2121** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 8:12 am

kayrharris wrote:You can call in and get your voice mail messages remotely from the service AT&T provides as well.

With Caller ID, you can pick up the call if you want or not, so screening calls really isn't that much of an issue anymore.

I get confused by cell phone numbers. I have not yet memorized some people's cell phone numbers, so I am not really sure who is calling me. That is when I tend to screen.

I was in the car the other day and my cell phone rang. I can't always read the caller id on it without glasses and looking hard - I can't do either while driving. I picked up. I wish I hadn't.

Rexer25 · #12 Post by **Rexer25** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 8:25 am

peacock2121 wrote:
kayrharris wrote:You can call in and get your voice mail messages remotely from the service AT&T provides as well.

With Caller ID, you can pick up the call if you want or not, so screening calls really isn't that much of an issue anymore.
I get confused by cell phone numbers. I have not yet memorized some people's cell phone numbers, so I am not really sure who is calling me. That is when I tend to screen.

I was in the car the other day and my cell phone rang. I can't always read the caller id on it without glasses and looking hard - I can't do either while driving. I picked up. I wish I hadn't.

Sorry.

I didn't know you were driving.

I thought you liked that 'anonymous breathing' bit.

peacock2121 · #13 Post by **peacock2121** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 8:27 am

Rexer25 wrote:
peacock2121 wrote:
kayrharris wrote:You can call in and get your voice mail messages remotely from the service AT&T provides as well.

With Caller ID, you can pick up the call if you want or not, so screening calls really isn't that much of an issue anymore.
I get confused by cell phone numbers. I have not yet memorized some people's cell phone numbers, so I am not really sure who is calling me. That is when I tend to screen.

I was in the car the other day and my cell phone rang. I can't always read the caller id on it without glasses and looking hard - I can't do either while driving. I picked up. I wish I hadn't.
Sorry.

I didn't know you were driving.

I thought you liked that 'anonymous breathing' bit.

You misunderstood. I liked that one. I would have liked it more if I had known it was you.

This person actually talked to me.

andrewjackson · #14 Post by **andrewjackson** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 9:39 am

This won't really help but my parents have a different problem with answering machines. They go through three or four a year. The problem is apparently lightning. Their farmhouse (and the phone/electrical lines that lead to it) are a good lightning target as the only thing taller than the corn in a large area. Lightning strikes and the phone/answering machine is fried. They have also lost TVs, computers, and a microwave oven but phones/answering machines seem to be the favorite target. They have everything plugged in through heavy-duty surge protectors but that usually just means that they get to claim the guarantee that the surge protector offers.

My answering machine is a Motorola digital that is part of a wireless phone system. I don't know the model number. Works fine for me. Except that my voice on it sounds exactly like my brother.

ghostjmf · #15 Post by **ghostjmf** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 10:13 am

kayrharris says:

With Caller ID, you can pick up the call if you want or not, so screening calls really isn't that much of an issue anymore.

Caller ID on my Mass Verizon service only gives names of callers within Mass. Honestly. For my family in Ohio, the ID says "OHIO" & prints the #. OK, I know their # by heart, but that wouldn't help me much with some other call from out of state. Also, I have friends, or used to, whose calls you only picked up based on their tone of voice & topic. Believe me on this one. Caller ID wouldn't help much there.