[Asterisk-Users] ACT Gateways

[Miroslav Nachev]

   Dear Benjamin,

   I think that the combination of FXS with FXO ports is very useful
for the SOHO and Medium Enterprises. Also the prices of Yoda and other
Asian companies are very suitable (~$40 per FX? port) and is better
than GrandStream ATA. The other future that is extra than GrandStream
is WAN/LAN ports and Router/NAT possibilities.
   Yes, I now all prices of Yoda, and I am looking for some partners
with which to combine one order for samples. The problem is that they
require min. 10 pcs per order.
   The price for samples of VG400 is $320. The device use TI DSP for
coding. The prices for regual (big) quantities is $60 per port.
   

   Best Regards,
   Miroslav Nachev

BoAML> On Mon, 25 Oct 2004 12:37:33 +0200, Miroslav Nachev
BoAML> <miro at space-comm.com> wrote:
>>    Unfortunately the Mediatrix products are very expensive.

BoAML> just one example. my point was that as of this moment, ACT are more
BoAML> focussed on their phones and it may well be wise to look for gateways
BoAML> elsewhere for the time being, whereever that elsewhere may be.

>> example the price for Two-port access device with SIP protocol is
>> $275.

BoAML> I don't really understand the obsession with FXS devices.

BoAML> The only uses I see for FXS are

BoAML> - connect a FAX machine, where FAX may not be the best application for
BoAML> VoIP anyway,
BoAML> - connect an existing cordless phone, where you probably have only one
BoAML> such device and a Grandstream HT286 will just do fine,
BoAML> - connect the analog phone in a hotel to a travel adapter, IAXy would
BoAML> seem to be the best choice here because you are so much more likely to
BoAML> encounter NAT traversal problems and other obstacles that you may not
BoAML> be able to resolve with a SIP device,
BoAML> - feed some Internet based phone services into a legacy PBX that wants
BoAML> to see them as CO lines, here again, depending on the number of feeds,
BoAML> HT286 may be cheap and cheerful enough.

BoAML> For anything else IP phones should be the default with no buts and no
BoAML> ifs. I am always puzzled by how people desperately hang on to legacy
BoAML> stuff they don't really need and in the process create a beast of a
BoAML> kludge technology. The x86 architecture (or lack thereof) should be an
BoAML> example that serves to show how not to design your stuff with legacy
BoAML> support as your all-overriding number one priority. So, let's not make
BoAML> the same mistake with VoIP. Let's get rid of analog phones as fast and
BoAML> forcefully as we possibly can.

BoAML> In other words, FXS should be the very very last resort when there is
BoAML> really no other way.

BoAML> Having said that, I notice that Yoda have a 4 port FXO gateway
BoAML> (VG400), or at least it can be configured to be a 4 port FXO gateway.
BoAML> Now, that is rather interesting. Do you have any idea how much this
BoAML> device costs (ballpark figure wise) and how well it can adapt to PSTNs
BoAML> in other countries?

BoAML> rgds
BoAML> benjk