computer fax and answering machine

[Cliptin]

I'm looking for some software that will turn my computer into a fax and answering machine.

I'm working on turning my computer into a messaging center where any form of message (fax\voice\email) is delivered to a mailbox and then can be accessed locally or remotely. Maybe something like IMAP for everything.

I'm not aware of anyone doing any work in this area but if someone can give me a lead I'd be grateful.

 

[Mercutio]

What's wrong with a $20 radio shack special and a copy of Bitware or Winfax?

 

[Mercutio]

Let me be a bit more clear: It's not impossible to find an answering machine with a headphone jack. I had one like that in college. That could go to line-in on a PC and then you'd only have to automate recording.

 

[Will Rickards WT]

There is plenty of software out there to turn your computer into an answering machine, even one that can accept voice/data/fax. For example with the Creative DI5633 modem I bought for my dad's computer it came with SuperVoice 2.2. Before that with his USRobotics modem he had a program called RapidCom. And before that with the packard bell in its original state came Faxworks Call Center.

You just need a voice capable modem.

Will Rickards

 

[time]

HotFax Message Center.

With new features like the ability to fax to an e-mail address and have voice mail forwarded to e-mail, HFMC5 will continue to be the clear market leader. Fax, voice mail and call handling functions are integrated into a powerful command center.

I use the cut-down fax-only variant, which takes up less than 15MB. This version is the most reliable fax software I've seen (and I've seen a few). The fax to email feature is surprisingly useful.

It's not perfect - in fact I have complaints about missing features - but I have confidence in it, which is more than I can say for most software.

 

[Cliptin]

Thanks for the help guys!

Is there anything special needed so that the modem will correctly recognize fax calls vs. voice calls? Specially spec in hardware? Special software?

 

[Cliptin]

Anything special necessary to get caller-id working on the computer?

 

[Will Rickards WT]

Follow the instructions here to see if your modem supports callerID. The instructions under the Question "Does your modem support the Caller ID service?"

Like I said before your modem just has to be a voice modem.
To recognize the difference between fax and voice calls, I think the modem just waits for the tone from the other end. If it is a hardware handshake tone, it does data/fax. If there is no tone, it does voice.