phone only dials the #1 ????????????

[antiqueguy]

So as you dial with the rotary part it then converts it to tone for you?  Or do I have to dial with the tone pad and just talk into the old phone?

[TelePlay]

Radio Shack does have a metal film 1.0 mF cap rated at 250 volts that you might try in its place.  That cap is R.S. Part number 272-1055 and sells for $1.79.

Technical Question related but slightly off point: I've been told, seen diagrams, etc., that the correct capacitance is 0.5 mF. I went looking for one at RS last week but ended up buying a few of these blue 1 mFs. Store manager said RS is really cutting back on offering high voltage capacitors but did not know if it was a hard to get or don't want to stock decision.

Anyway, my question - will there be any difference noted between using a 1 mF in place of a 0.5 mF Cap and if so, what.

Thanks for help on this.

[LarryInMichigan]

If you need .5 μF and you only have 1 μF capacitors, you can connect two 1 μF capacitors in series.

Larry

[TelePlay]

If you need .5 μF and you only have 1 μF capacitors, you can connect two 1 μF capacitors in series.

Larry

Ah, yes, just the opposite of resistors in series, and parallel.

Still, what would the use of a 1 mF capacitor do or how would it affect the ringer instead of a 0.5 mF capacitor? Slower, faster, quieter, louder? If anything?

And how do you get that "mu" character on your computer?

[LarryInMichigan]

Still, what would the use of a 1 mF capacitor do or how would it affect the ringer instead of a 0.5 mF capacitor? Slower, faster, quieter, louder? If anything?

I wasn't following the whole thread.  If the capacitor is in the ringer circuit, increasing the capacitance value will decrease the impedance and thereby increase the amount of current flowing through the ringer, which may make it louder (but not faster).  You can accomplish the same thing by adding resistors in series.  I have added resistors to the ringer circuits of some phones so that they will not drain as much current and let other ringers also have some.

And how do you get that "mu" character on your computer?

That's a secret .

Larry

[antiqueguy]

I tried the phone again with the new capacitor and the same thing happens.   I cant only dial the #1.  I can dial it multiple times but only the #1. Could the capacitor be blocking the phone from dialing out as well as filtering dc??? Would changing the capacitor value from 1 μF to .5 μF change anything?  

[Phonesrfun]

The capacitor value in Microfarads is unimportant.  For this circuit, 2mF would be ideal, and 1 mF will work just fine.  even a .5 would work.  Note that this is not a ringer capacitor, which is usually .5 mF on the 500 series sets and others like it.  This is only the voice capacitor and its function is to block DC from getting into the receiver.

Everyone is so focused on the capacitor, and we don't need to be.  What I would like to see is the instructions of how the Dialgizmo is supposed to be coannected into the phone, or how the phone is supposed to be connected to the dial gizmo.

The cheater subset is the equivalent of a sidetone subset.  Perhaps the dial gizmo's connections assume an antisidetone connection.  Until I see the instructions for connecting the dial gizmo, I can't tell what's up.

[G-Man]

  Until I see the instructions for connecting the dial gizmo, I can't tell what's up.

Dialgizmo Manual- http://tinyurl.com/7qyyhag

"IMPORTANT NOTE: Dialgizmo has been specifically designed for use on VoIP services, while VoIP telephone services use similar currents and voltages to standard telephone lines, Dialgizmo is not approved for connection to standard PSTN telephone lines!"

Dialgizmo- http://tinyurl.com/6lh9o2v

[antiqueguy]

Thanks for posting this.  I lost my instructions.

[TelePlay]

For this circuit, 2mF would be ideal, and 1 mF will work just fine.  even a .5 would work.  Note that this is not a ringer capacitor, which is usually .5 mF on the 500 series sets and others like it. 

It was a side question but that answers all my questions of which  μF cap to use where.

Now, that Dialgizmo reminds me of the early touch tone phones which had a switch for pulse or tone dialing. On pulse, you could hear the pulses after pushing a touch tone number. Just a reverse version of that and the installation instructions posted don't help much, no internal schematics or wiring diagram.

[antiqueguy]

No sorry

[Dave F]

And how do you get that "mu" character on your computer?

Most of the fonts in your computer contain all sorts of useful additional characters that are rarely used.  Here's how you can access them:

As an example, in Windows XP → From your Start Menu, select Programs/Accessories/System Tools/Character Map.  Once you get there, select the font that interests you, then scroll down to see all the available goodies.  Then click on any cool characters and "select" them.  Then, copy them to the clipboard.  Now you can paste them into any document, including posts on this Forum.  Here's a sample from the common font Times New Roman:  ß © Ф פ µ Ω ♫ ♂¢.  Different fonts have different special characters.  Have fun!

DF

[TelePlay]

Dave,

Thank yoµ . . .  

Been working with computers since 1968 but never had the need, thus never found that trick in Windows. Using Character Map is faster than going through a word processing program.

[Dave F]

Dave,

Thank yoµ . . .  

Been working with computers since 1968 but never had the need, thus never found that trick in Windows. Using Character Map is faster than going through a word processing program.

Ϋθµ`ř€ щЭλ©ØѪẾ !!

DF

[poplar1]

I think we might be getting a bit off topic here!

In any case, antiqueguy: do you have a working phone that dials out correctly using the dialgizmo?

Everyone: other than convenience (cell phones) and economics ("free" long distance and/or cheaper monthly charges), is there ANY reason why ANYONE would want VOIP, Comcast Digital Voice, MagicJack....or for that matter cell phones or cordless phones? I think Western Electric did well to introduce "common battery" phones around 1900, and can't see that a battery dependent cell phone or cordless phone is an improvement!