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7861
January 28th, 2004 12:00
BCM v. 92 is a poor voicemodem - Problems and Request for Recommendation
This modem came with my Dell XPS system. It functions well for fax/data but it is nearly useless for voicemail or speakerphone functions.
Problems:
1. When using the speakerphone function with the microphone provided with the modem, feedback is inevitable. There is simply no setting of microphone gain and speaker volume (or microphone position, because the mic is an omnidirectional condenser mic) which will avoid feedback for extended calls. It is ridiculous that the manufacturers and Dell describe this product as speakerphone compatible.
2. It does not work fully with telephony programs other than BVRP (the bundled product). In particular, you can't enter touch tones after connection in other programs such as Faxtalk (making it impossible to access remote voicemail or other menu driven options, such as Dell Support!). While you can enter these tones in BVRP, the program starts complaining (warning tone) once you have entered a limited number of characters (so if the menu is several characters deep, like listening to my voicemail requires, you get more annoyed as you continue). Also, BVRP has limited features compared to Faxtalk, so I'd prefer not to use it.
3. The quality of greeting message you can make with the mic provided is atrocious and low in volume.
4. The quality of incoming messages is also poor. I'm now going to try 16 bit recording to see if this problem improves, but Faxtalk sounded better at 8 bits on a PII 400 running Win98!
5. This isn't BCM's fault, but I can't swap my old USR Sportster voicemodem, which worked well with Faxtalk and sounded good, because it is the older style PCI card and doesn't fit in my new motherboard.
I have had no help from a prior post about some of these problems. I have come to the conclusion that this modem just doesn't cut it as a speakerphone/voicemail solution.
Therefore, can anyone recommend a voicemodem that really does the job? I use this computer for business from home so I don't mind paying a little more for something that is a cut above.
Thanks,
Frustrated Speakerphone Junkie
jmk1986
54 Posts
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January 31st, 2004 04:00
I have the BCM v.92 fax/data modem, and havent used it to do voice. if you ordered your system online, you would have seen an option below or under that that said "56K PCI Telephony Modem." If you wanted to use your computer to do any voice, you should of gotten that. Instead, you got a 56K PCI Data Fax modem. sounds like you have the data/fax modem. not much anyone can do, unless you want to go out and buy a voice modem. (personally, with how dial-up is, i wouldnt waste my money)
System Info:
Dimension 4600i Pentium 4 2.6GHz Hyper-Threaded 800-MHz FSB, 512 RAM, 40GB Maxtor 6E040L0 IDE Hard Drive, Windows XP Home SP1, DVD-ROM (16x), 3.5inch floppy drive (impressive, lol), Integrated Video, Integrated Sound, 56K Fax modem, Intel 10/100 PRO Network (Integrated), Norton Internet Security 2004, and a lot of other boring stuff, like my M782 flat-screen monitor (on #2)
Message Edited by jmk1986 on 02-07-2004 07:52 PM
Speakerphone Ju
3 Posts
0
January 31st, 2004 09:00
JMK 1986,
I did order, and did receive, the supposed telephony ("tele-phoney"!) modem. I'm sorry if that wasn't clear to you in my original post. My problem is that it simply doesn't perform very well. If you notice when you buy a Dell system, some components are specifically identified and some are not. The BCM modem was not specifically identified in the system I ordered. I have had good experience with voicemodems in previous systems, including systems purchased from Dell, so I had no reason to think they would supply an inferior product this time.
The BCM modem I received is a telephony modem, it's just a poor one. I've been reading a number of articles on the net reviewing various voicemodems and come to the following conclusions:
1. BCM is not a very big player as far as this peripheral goes (it hardly ever gets reviewed or mentioned), and
2. Limited functionality and/or performance is not uncommon in voicemodems from varying manufacturers.
Of course, what gets emphasized in these articles is that modems will perform differently in different systems. That's why I've posted here in this group to ask other Dell owners if they've had success with a particular voicemodem.
Thanks for your interest, all the same.