From telephony@vlug.org Sun Jul 11 15:12:04 2004 From: telephony@vlug.org (Gustav Kramer) Date: Sun, 11 Jul 2004 07:12:04 -0700 Subject: [Telephony] Options for Victoria <-> Netherlands communications In-Reply-To: <20040509093943.31902791@minion.ihtruelsen.dyndns.org> References: <1084119262.30432.26.camel@server.ltsp> <20040509093943.31902791@minion.ihtruelsen.dyndns.org> Message-ID: <1089555124.8194.27.camel@server.ltsp> Hey Folks. Thanks for your feedback. I ended up with a couple of D-Link i2eye videophones (Compusmart was clearing them out) for communications between my and my gal. From the docs they should also work with anyone using netmeeting/gnomemeeting. For anyone else I'll search out the best long distance provider be it phone card or tied to my landline (which I will need anyways for my ADSL). - gustav On Sun, 2004-05-09 at 09:39, Ian Truelsen wrote: > If your girlfriend uses netmeeting in windows, you can use gnomemeeting > to connect to her. I have never tried the video setup for gnomemeeting, > but the audio works well, once you get used to the processing lag. There > seems to be a lot of people who have gotten the video working and are > happy with it, to judge from the traffic on the support list. On Sun, 2004-05-09 at 11:18, Steve P. Shack wrote: > Don't waste your time with usb webcams. Buy a ethernet webcam. Dlink > makes some. They're very good. Plug in power and ethernet and you're > done. Plus when you move back you can wire them with long ethernet > runs to watch birds or something outside. On Sun, 2004-05-09 at 11:30, Doug Ransom wrote: > Look at prepaid phone cards. > > Doug > > Gustav Kramer wrote: > > >Hi folks, I need your help! > > > >It looks like I will be transferred to The Hague, Netherlands this > >summer and am investigating ways of staying in touch without paying too > >dearly for that long distance feeling! > > > >I believe there is broadband available (should be able to confirm next > >week) so I am thinking the following: > > > >For my girlfriend: a couple of webcams. I've heard good things (from > >windows users) about the Logitech 4000 Pro. I am happy (well not exactly > >happy but I will do it) to switch to windows in order facilitate our > >communications - She's strictly windows at this point and I don't plan > >to change that - but would prefer a linux solution on my end. Is this > >possible? Worth the effort? Other thoughts? > > > >For the remainder of my friends, mainly Victoria, Ottawa and Bancroft I > >was thinking of some sort of VOIP setup with a local number in Victoria > >and/or Ottawa. Is an Internet Telephone Service Provider the best > >route? If so, how exactly does that work and do you have any > >recommendations? Would paying a friend to have a second number > >(distinctive ring) and funnelling that through a server sitting in the > >closet be worth looking at? Are there other options? > > > >I realize that google is my friend but I suspect I will soon be in a > >time crunch and figured you guys are the experts and might like a > >challenge! If not, if you could at least point me in the right > >direction I would be greatful. > > > >TIA > > > >- gustav From telephony@vlug.org Tue Jul 13 17:58:41 2004 From: telephony@vlug.org (Alex Randell) Date: Tue, 13 Jul 2004 09:58:41 -0700 Subject: [Telephony] Re: Options for Victoria <-> Netherlands communications In-Reply-To: <20040711190003.14544.34240.Mailman@ladybug.vlug.org> References: <20040711190003.14544.34240.Mailman@ladybug.vlug.org> Message-ID: <40F414C1.8080209@yahoo.com> Gustav, > Would paying a friend to have a second number (distinctive ring) and > funnelling that through a server sitting in the closet be worth > looking at? Depends on your linux/asterisk expertise and pain tolerance.. Could probably set that up with Asterisk and an FXO card but sounds like a lot of work for little return. > Are there other options? I think you may have been misguided on the ld card thing - what's wrong with a point-to-point SIP call using a software phone client? That will cost you nothing per minute.. Or look at Free World Dialup and the like.. If you google on ITSP you will find many for the USA. If you need a Canadian phone number it's only PrimusTel and maybe Vonage.ca . I use Primus and am unhappy with their call quality and telephone company-like pricing tactics (3.95/mo network fee if you use long distance!). Consider long and hard whether you need a phone number or not. If you don't then try nufone.net or connect.voicepulse.com . Think long an hard about whether you need a phone number or not. I always told people "ring three times on my cell if you need me". I'd then read their number off the call display and call them back on VoIP. At 2-4c/min and no monthly who cares that it's long distance?! Cheers, Alex P.S. If you find any other Canadian ITSPs who offer Victoria numbers please let the list know! From telephony@vlug.org Thu Jul 15 01:40:21 2004 From: telephony@vlug.org (Gustav Kramer) Date: Wed, 14 Jul 2004 17:40:21 -0700 Subject: [Telephony] Re: Options for Victoria <-> Netherlands communications In-Reply-To: <40F414C1.8080209@yahoo.com> References: <20040711190003.14544.34240.Mailman@ladybug.vlug.org> <40F414C1.8080209@yahoo.com> Message-ID: <1089852021.20321.20.camel@server.ltsp> Thanks for the feedback Alex. I'm running out of time on this end so I'll stick with the videophones and POTs for the first little while. Once I'm set up overseas I'll take a look at nufone and voicepulse. BTW, thanks for the warning about Primus. I just got one of their flyers and was going to investigate further but I'm not interested if the call quality is poor. I will report back if I srumble across any gems. - gustav On Tue, 2004-07-13 at 09:58, Alex Randell wrote: > Gustav, > > > Would paying a friend to have a second number (distinctive ring) and > > funnelling that through a server sitting in the closet be worth > > looking at? > Depends on your linux/asterisk expertise and pain tolerance.. Could > probably set that up with Asterisk and an FXO card but sounds like a lot > of work for little return. > > > Are there other options? > I think you may have been misguided on the ld card thing - what's wrong > with a point-to-point SIP call using a software phone client? That will > cost you nothing per minute.. Or look at Free World Dialup and the like.. > > If you google on ITSP you will find many for the USA. If you need a > Canadian phone number it's only PrimusTel and maybe Vonage.ca . I use > Primus and am unhappy with their call quality and telephone company-like > pricing tactics (3.95/mo network fee if you use long distance!). > Consider long and hard whether you need a phone number or not. If you > don't then try nufone.net or connect.voicepulse.com . > > Think long an hard about whether you need a phone number or not. I > always told people "ring three times on my cell if you need me". I'd > then read their number off the call display and call them back on VoIP. > At 2-4c/min and no monthly who cares that it's long distance?! > > Cheers, > Alex > > P.S. If you find any other Canadian ITSPs who offer Victoria numbers > please let the list know! > > _______________________________________________ > telephony mailing list > telephony@vlug.org > http://vlug.org/mailman/listinfo/telephony