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<FONT SIZE="2" POINTSIZE="11" DEFAULT="SIZE">On Sun, 18 Jun 2006 11:03:42 -0400, M.Hockings wrote:<BR>
<BR>
>OK, but I felt that I had narrowed the field down a bit and was just <BR>
>looking for confirmation that there were no severe problems with the <BR>
>choices.<BR>
><BR>
>People like yourself obviously have some experience with the different <BR>
>phone models and that is what I was hoping to learn from. Yes, I could <BR>
>go buying all sorts of phones to find ones that are acceptable but my <BR>
>life is not telephony, I just want it to work.<BR>
<BR>
Then buy something from a vendor that will take on the headaches for you. Any form of Asterisk implies quite a learning curve. You have to be willing to climb that in one way or another.<BR>
<BR>
>A Porche certainly does the job better than a Chevette but if the <BR>
>Chevette is adequate for the job why not use it. I think that the <BR>
>Polycom 601 is nice but I don't see that it provides anything that I <BR>
>need beyond what the 501 gives and is certainly overkill for the <BR>
>satellite phones.<BR>
<BR>
It certainly depends upon what you're after...and what you feel is important. I don't like the low resolution LCD display on the lesser Polycom models. When I saw the backlit display on the Aastra 480 that was enough to compel me to buy one.<BR>
<BR>
Michael<BR>
<BR>
>Mike<BR>
><BR>
>Michael Graves wrote:<BR>
>> I can't tell you how many times I've seen broad questions like this <BR>
>> posted to the list..<BR>
>> <BR>
>> The wiki (<FONT COLOR=0000ff><U>www.voip-info.org<FONT COLOR=000000 DEFAULT="COLOR"></U>) is your friend. Use it. There's a lot of <BR>
>> good advise there.<BR>
>> <BR>
>> Google is also your friend. Use it, too. Most especially use it to <BR>
>> search the list archives. There was just a long thread about this a few <BR>
>> days ago.<BR>
>> <BR>
>> Finally, you can do what I did...buy some phones, try them for a while <BR>
>> then resell the ones you don't like. Ebay is a great toolo for this. I <BR>
>> bought and sold eight different model of SIP phones before settling upon <BR>
>> what I use today. When you've gained enough experience to have some well <BR>
>> founded opinions add to the wiki.<BR>
>> <BR>
>> Lastly, if you're going to buy serious desk phones try the Aastra 480i <BR>
>> CT and the Polycom IP600/601. Life's too short to use a cheap phone.<BR>
>> <BR>
>> Michael<BR>
>> <BR>
>> On Sat, 17 Jun 2006 20:35:02 -0400, M.Hockings wrote:<BR>
>> <BR>
>> >I am looking to replace all of the old "Bell" (POTS) phones in my home<BR>
>> >and office with IP phones. As you can imagine I don't have a huge<BR>
>> >budget to work with but I want phones that will provide acceptable voice<BR>
>> >quality and durability.<BR>
>> ><BR>
>> >There are basically three categories as I see it<BR>
>> >1. satellite phones (low cost, low function)<BR>
>> >2. primary domestic phone (good quality, POE capable, headset capable)<BR>
>> >3. primary office phone (good quality, headset, speaker phone)<BR>
>> ><BR>
>> >In most places the LAN wiring is already in place so the phone would<BR>
>> >need to be able to provide a LAN port for an existing computer. POE<BR>
>> >would be desirable in a couple of places due to limited power outlets.<BR>
>> ><BR>
>> >What I have considered is the Grandstream BudgeTone BT-102 or BT-200 for<BR>
>> >the satellite phones, a Grandstream GXP-2000 for the domestic phone as<BR>
>> >it has all the requirements and there is a POE device available for it.<BR>
>> >My alternative pick for this would be a Polycom 301. And for my office<BR>
>> >I was considering a Polycom 501.<BR>
>> ><BR>
>> >Are any of these choices known to be bad performers, hard to configure<BR>
>> >with Asterisk, etc. I have read that it is difficult or not possible to<BR>
>> >get the message waiting indicator to show for the BT-102. Is this a<BR>
>> >problem with the GXP-2000 or Polycom phones ?<BR>
>> ><BR>
>> >Also is it possible to use the Linksys POE injector/splitter to power a<BR>
>> >BT-102 ? Or are there other solutions for POE?<BR>
>> ><BR>
>> >Some Web references follow for the keen.<BR>
>> ><BR>
>> >Thanks for any thoughts or input on this.<BR>
>> ><BR>
>> >Mike<BR>
>> ><BR>
>> >Linksys POE Injector/Splitter<BR>
>> >_<FONT COLOR=0000ff><U>http://www.insight.ca/apps/productpresentation/index.php?format=print&product_id=LNKPPOE12<FONT COLOR=000000 DEFAULT="COLOR"></U>_<BR>
>> ><BR>
>> ><BR>
>> ><BR>
>> >BT-102<BR>
>> >_<FONT COLOR=0000ff><U>http://www.canadianvoipstore.com/product_info.php?cPath=95_105&products_id=40<FONT COLOR=000000 DEFAULT="COLOR"></U>_<BR>
>> ><BR>
>> >GXP-2000<BR>
>> >_<FONT COLOR=0000ff><U>http://www.canadianvoipstore.com/product_info.php?cPath=95_106&products_id=331<FONT COLOR=000000 DEFAULT="COLOR"></U>_<BR>
>> ><BR>
>> >Polycom 301<BR>
>> >_<FONT COLOR=0000ff><U>http://www.canadianvoipstore.com/product_info.php?products_id=757<FONT COLOR=000000 DEFAULT="COLOR"></U>_<BR>
>> ><BR>
>> >Polycom 501<BR>
>> >_<FONT COLOR=0000ff><U>http://www.canadianvoipstore.com/product_info.php?products_id=758<FONT COLOR=000000 DEFAULT="COLOR"></U>_<BR>
>> ><BR>
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>> ><BR>
><BR>
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