Ring....Ring....Ring....Ring....Ring....Ring....Ring....URGH ..... Ring....Ring....Ring....Ring....Ring....Ring....Ring.... You Should've Got Catch-A-Call Blue
Written: Dec 23 '03 (Updated Apr 05 '05)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: Super small. Stylish, translucent blue. So simple that even my mother could install it.
Cons: Absolutely, positively, one hundred percent, without a doubt, no questions, fifteen maximum words later, NOTHING....lol
The Bottom Line: All-in-All, don't get another line when you can still receive phone calls online. This is probably the only thing I've ever seen on TV that actually works. GET IT.
|
|
|
| shippo225's Full Review: Catch A Call (Blue)-Receive Fax/Voice Calls On-Ln ... |
*UPDATE (March 2005) - After owning the C-A-C blue since 'o3, I no longer get the mysterious ringing for no reason. Now it works perfect.
Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring:
.....This is probably what the caller heard when they tried to call me when I was on the internet. I had but one phone line. It became a problem after a short while. We were missing important calls. My mother's first solution was for me to wait until later in the afternoon to connect, but that was annoying also. I've seen a couple of gadgets on TV that would supposedly let you use the internet and recieve incoming calls at the same time. There was the EMERSON SWITCHBOARD and there was the CATCH-A-CALL (BLUE).
Emerson Switchboard My Azz:
.....The first one I saw was the EMERSON SWITCHBOARD. I saw it on TV many times and thought it would be great to have instead of getting another phone line. The first thing I did was check it out on Epinions, of course. I read the few reviews on it and found no positive ones. There were nothing but complaints about it, so I decided not to get it. No use wasting the money.
The Answer From Above, or just my TV:
…..Well, not to long ago, my Gram found this Catch-a-Call on the TV. I thought that it would be basically like the Emerson thing. Ha…………HA……..hmmm. Wrong. We purchased it a couple of days later at TARGET for about $50.00. You can also purchase it at Radio Shack and some other places. It may be expensive, but it will most definitely pay for itself instead of having another phone line or whatnot. However, you will need to have call-waiting service on your phone line in able to answer incoming calls while you are on the internet. Most people have this, but if you don’t, you can call your phone company and get it for three or four bucks a month. Make sure you order call-waiting and not internet-call-waiting, which is a waste of dough. And you will also need a CORDED phone. They say you can use a cordless phone, but sometimes they cause problems, so a corded phone will work just fine. You can pop on down to the local Wal-Mart, or Target, and get one for four bucks. And that is all you will need too start using the Catch-a-Call: Catch-a-Call, corded phone, call waiting service, yourself.
The Package:
…..In the Catch-aCall package you will get the Catch-a-Call box, an adaptor, and a five foot black phone cord in case you need one. There are instructions with the kit, but rest assure you will, should, not need to use them. If you do need to use them, I suggest therapy to heal any idiotism within. Lol. The Catch-a-Call unit is so simple to install that even the most computer illiterate person, my mother, could do it. The Case that the unit comes in is one of those you-ain’t-going-to-get-it-open-without-some-sharp blades plastic case. A pair of miracle scissors or a sharp knife should do the job.
Install It Baby:
…..Well well, now time to install this miracle device. Along the back of the blue unit are five jacks. It is very important that each individual cord is inserted into the correct jack. Don’t fret, ‘cause like I said earlier, you can’t possibly mess it up. Each hole is labeled clearly: Phone, Modem, Wall Jack, Fax, And the power jack. Just plug-n-play.
…..The jack labeled WALL is the jack in which you plug in the cord that runs from the wall, caller ID, or answering machine. You can use a CallerID with this unit if installed right. You must run the wall cord to the ID box, then to the C-a-C jack labeled WALL. This will be the line in which all of your appliances will run.
…..Next on the back is the jack labeled MODEM. You can use the supplied cord if needed. Just plug it in this jack and run it to the back of the PC or wherever. This one id important because it would be mighty pointless to own this device if you were not plugging in the modem for the internet.
.....Your PHONE Line to your phone is next in line. This line will go to the CORDED phone on your desk This will let you answer phone calls while on the internet. This is also the last of the lines out that are necessary to operate the unit. Once this one is in place you are ready to hop upon the big WWW.
…..If you plan on using a fax machine with this device, plug a cord into the FAX jack on the back panel and take it to the fax machine. Now you can receive faxes while online. I don’t have a fax machine, instead, I have a cordless phone plugged in here. So you don’t have to go find another phone in the house, just pick up the cordless.
…..The last jack is the adaptor jack. This is, of course, where the power supply goes. Pop that into the wall and you are ready to go. Now, you don’t need to have the device plugged in to use the phone or internet, you just won’t be notified of a call if left unplugged.
Ready to Use:
…..When you are ready to start using the Catch-A-Call, just sign on the internet and go on like you usually do. When someone calls, the unit will ring like your phone. However, the phones in the house will not ring. In order to answer a call, you have to pick up the phone connected to the Catch-a-Call unit. This isn’t too much of a problem considering you will probably be at the computer when it rings. When you pick up the phone, the unit will switch over from the internet to the phone. Depending on your call and your Internet Service Provider (ISP), your internet connection time will vary. The ISP usually doesn’t like it when you put the internet on hold for a long period of time. If you answer a call and it is a wrong number or a quick chat, you might be able to hang up without losing your connection. Most modems will hold the internet for 10 to 30 seconds. If you do lose oyur connection, just sign on again. And thus, you have answered a call while on the internet. My lifesaver.
Tips And FAQ:
……A quick list of simple solutions and stuff from my own experiences:
Q- I pick up the phone to answer a call while I’m on the internet and all I hear is the modem sound.
A- I figured out that if I wait until the unit rings twice and then pick up the phone, it will switch over to the phone.
Q- The unit rings and there is no second ring.
A- Quite a mystery. But it is not a call, so don’t worry.
Q- The unit rings twice rapidly.
A- Either a telemarketer or the machine is having one of those days.
Recommended:
Yes
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
shippo225
|
 - Top 1000 |
|
Location: Left @ Albuquerque
Reviews written: 99
Trusted by: 98 members
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.