Rotatone Issues

[Tribune]

I've got a couple of Rotatone pluse-to-tone converters that I use in a couple of late-model Northern Electric 500 units as daily diallers. Don't really need them with the Panasonic 616 PBX hooked up (finally! - that's another story!) but they are useful for dialling # and * which the 616 doesn't do for you.

One Rotatone has worked flawlessly, but the other is playing up. First installed it in a NE 302. Worked fine to start, then the "beep" tone sound it made started sounding rather rough and then it stopped working completely. Phone didn't work then, until I returned it to original pre-Rotatone wiring. This probably took a couple of months for the fault to develop.

Well, decided to see if it was just my faulty wiring, or what. So installed the same Rotatone unit in a nice moss green NE 500. And guess what? Same story. OK for a month or so, then degradation of tone signal quality, then nothing.

Anyone know what's up with this? Or is the Rotatone unit simply hosed? Will send OFW a message and see if they know what's up with it, but would welcome any suggestions here.

Mark

[mmd]

Only problem I have had with my WE302 using the Rotatone, is that sometimes tones are simply not recognized by the line I'm calling..  The initial dialing of the number works all the time, but sometimes an automated system doesn't get a number..

[Tribune]

The other problem I've had (same Rotatone unit too) is that if I dial too quickly and don't leave my finger against the fingerstop long enough, it doesn't make a tone at all.

[Doug Rose]

Fellow Forumites....What is the benefit of a rotatone? Is is pulse to TT convertion? I am not a big fan of adding anything to a vintage phone that does not belong there. Tiny little ringers in a 202 is, in my opinion, just a bad thing to do to a great phone. Is a rotatone an individual device that is added per phone (expensive) or is it like the Panasonic 616. The 616 works perfectly (very reasonable) with my Comcast digital, give me intercom throughout the house and a test bench to boot. Why use a rotatone, whatever it is? I will now step down from my soapbox....Doug

[Dennis Markham]

Doug,

The link will take you to Oldphoneworks Rotatone page.  People like them because they can then use the pound and star function and still use their rotary phones.  They convert pulse to tone for those that have a VoiP system that does not support pulse dialing.  I know they work well when installed.  The big question is how long will they work.  I think we're discovering through Mark that it may not be long.

Personally I'd rather not have a Rotatone.  I continue to have a POTS line so that I can use my phones even though in my area Comcast does support pulse dialing.  Other companies may too.  If I need the pound/star feature I can pull out one of my touch tone sets or use my cell phone.

http://www.oldphoneworks.com/rotatone-pulse-to-tone-converter.html

[Wallphone]

Dennis, Good idea, I never thought to use a cell phone for tones. Here is something else that comes in handy. Sorry to post a live auction but no bidders yet. I hope no one had it on their buy list.
> http://cgi.ebay.com/RADIO-SHACK-MINI-TONEDIALER-/280607906090 <
But I guess that if you have a cell phone you don't need this.

[Tribune]

To be honest, I generally agree with Kidphone that I prefer my phones unadulterated. Certianly wouldn't Rotatone most of my collection. However, the two late-model 500 units I've been using the Rotatones on were "wife-friendly" daily diallers   Something I don't mind modifying too much, besides, they can always be reconnected back to their old configuration if need be.

One of the Rotatones I've been using has worked flawlessly for over 18 months, but the other has been problematic. May be something inherent in the Rotatone's design, but may be just a duff unit.

I've also had problems with my Panasonic 616, having had to replace the first one I had. The first unit worked fine until deciding it only wanted to ring once with incoming calls and then hang up (yes, I checked all my phones and the entire wiring in the house for faults, shorts etc). Replaced it with another Pana 616 with only 2/3rds of the extensions working (it was cheap, lol) but at least those extensions actually work.

Ultimately, I think I'll ditch the (expensive and unreliable?) Rotatones for my daily diallers in favour of a modified Stan Schreier style touch tone pad. Gives me #* capability, should leave the phone unmolested, and allows my wife to dial her family in Europe (22 digit number including cheap-rate code) without repetitive strain injury  

Yes, I know I could have a touch tone somewhere in the house, but that would be too easy. Well, OK, I do have one temporarily  - my namesake, a nice red British Telecom 9401R Tribune, touch tone with a proper bell.

Mark

[Adam]

I have mostly rotary phones in service at my place, but I always keep a touch tone phone on my desk for calling things like the bank.

I switch out my phones from phones in my collection frequently, this is what my desk looks like this morning.  It's usually color-coordinated like it is now, but sometimes the colors aren't the same.

But, it's a law that I have to have a rotary phone on my desk, so if my fancy strikes me to have a touch tone 6 button set in use, then the secondary phone becomes a 500.

Hope everyone has a happy and telephone-filled 2011!

[Dennis Markham]

Dave, you win the prize for neatest desk.  I have the opposite. 

[Adam]

Um... I did un-clutter it *just a bit* for the photo...

[AE_Collector]

Um... I did un-clutter it *just a bit* for the photo...

Oh, that's why the garbage men were so ticked after they finished up on your street today.

Terry

[bellsystemproperty]

It sounds like the rotatone is defective. If it was previously working and then kept getting worse it would be best to return it. I don't have one so I don't know about the warranty.

I beat Dave though, I have five phones on my desk, three of which are rotary.

[gpo706]

I'll up that, 4 dials 2 push button and a Dictograph...

and a Pana system phone for those pesky star/hash call centres.

[Phoniac]

Fellow Forumites....What is the benefit of a rotatone? Is is pulse to TT convertion? I am not a big fan of adding anything to a vintage phone that does not belong there. Tiny little ringers in a 202 is, in my opinion, just a bad thing to do to a great phone. Is a rotatone an individual device that is added per phone (expensive) or is it like the Panasonic 616. The 616 works perfectly (very reasonable) with my Comcast digital, give me intercom throughout the house and a test bench to boot. Why use a rotatone, whatever it is? I will now step down from my soapbox....Doug

I too have had problems with a Rotatone, the LPT 310, it plugs in between your phone and line. I had it hooked up to a WE 202 and then a 302 with no luck even after cleaning the  dial governor.
The Panasonic 616 you speak of I've heard about also a 308 and 123211 but I am unsure how to go about installing these into my home and I see on eBay they are quiet expensive for my wallet. Any suggestions?

[AET]

I've got one multi-line rotary phone on my desk, right next to my typewriter.