martin stewart Posted May 28, 2007 Share Posted May 28, 2007 Hi want to install a good internal phone system for our theatre, with points being , control box, admin office, stage, workshop and bars, has anyone got any good dealers that would suit theatres? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ynot Posted May 28, 2007 Share Posted May 28, 2007 Hi want to install a good internal phone system for our theatre, with points being , control box, admin office, stage, workshop and bars, has anyone got any good dealers that would suit theatres?There are actually some reasonable bits of ex-installed kit on Ebay.I've got a Norstar box o' tricks waiting install at our venue (has been waiting over a year now.... :)) and a handful of phones - picked the lot up for less than a ton, IIRC. Obviously, you need someone familiar with comms to set it all up, etc (I have a distinct advantage there...:)) but if you can, you could do the whole thing pretty cheap. Just a thought Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robloxley Posted May 28, 2007 Share Posted May 28, 2007 The setup/programming is the big issue - particularly before Windows-accessible exchanges - and you'll want the service manual to stand a chance at doing it yourself. Most systems should suit a theatre - we have little specific requirements that might be tricky to handle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ynot Posted May 28, 2007 Share Posted May 28, 2007 The setup/programming is the big issueWell, like everything else - Google is your friend...eg - for our Norstar, I could probably find the manual here... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cedd Posted May 28, 2007 Share Posted May 28, 2007 Setup and programming on my exchange at work is done using an old Genicom HMI, complete with logging paper!!! My experience (only of one very large corporate exchange) is that setup is done by a very low baud rate connection. A PC running hyperterminal should do this no problem. Cabling is of course your first priority. Get at least 10 pair run into each room you need. That way and additions in adjacent rooms can use the spare pairs. Spare pairs will be useful for other things (call lights? Backstage bell?). Make sure all your wall boxes are primary (with capacitors) and just watch the REN per line (Ringing Extension Number - the number of handsets per number - ours is 4). If you're planning on connecting to "the outside world" you may well need the help of BT. Assuming it's the only telephone system in the theatre besides maybe the box office external line, you'll need to think of a battery-backed system in case of fire/power failure as evryone will assume the phones will stay working like they do at home. Systems do need maintenance, Siemens supply, maintain and install systems of varying sizes and my experience of them is very good. Might be worthwhile talking to them, especially if you're a reasonable sized theatre. Make sure your stage phones can be turned off during a performance!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zonino Posted May 28, 2007 Share Posted May 28, 2007 would VOIP phones not be a consideration for you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peternewman Posted May 28, 2007 Share Posted May 28, 2007 Make sure your stage phones can be turned off during a performance!!!!!!Or at least the ringers, ideally with the option to use a flasher instead. I don't know about elsewhere, but depending on who's working at FOH, our clearance calls come through to the stage or control room. would VOIP phones not be a consideration for you?If the OP is looking for cheap, I believe our very own Freddie has experimented with PC based PBX type systems, and I believe you can get PCI cards with a load of phone outlets, so you can have a PC based PBX with VOIP too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ynot Posted May 28, 2007 Share Posted May 28, 2007 Make sure all your wall boxes are primary (with capacitors)Actually, digital phones on digital exchanges like the Norstar don't use primary (cap fitted) line jacks (LJU's) as the bell ccts are NOT the same as a household phone. they also use pins 3 & 4 (I think - scratches grey matter vigorously....) not 2 & 5, which would render the cap null anyway. However, if it's capable of driving your normal phones (many can as an option) then you WOULD be correct that primary LJU's are required. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbuckley Posted May 29, 2007 Share Posted May 29, 2007 The system I recommend all the time is the Panasonic range, this little baby would probably do you, though you may want to get something bigger with expandability in mind. The panny systems are just wonderful, can be used with standard phones or feature phones (need at lease one proprietry phone). Really brill features like auto answering of internal calls to proprietry extensions, (optional, of course), so you pick up a phone, dial an extension, and rather than ringing, the target phone goes BLEEP and is then a hands free intercom. Day, lunch and night modes, so stopping phones back-stage from ringing mid-show is trivial. Programming - buy the programmator for your chosen switch from here and save hours. What - you mean you dont have a PABX in your home :huh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie Posted May 29, 2007 Share Posted May 29, 2007 If the OP is looking for cheap, I believe our very own Freddie has experimented with PC based PBX type systems, and I believe you can get PCI cards with a load of phone outlets, so you can have a PC based PBX with VOIP too. Indeed I have. If you have a spare PC kicking around, you can install Trixbox on it, which acts as the PBX. After you've installed it, you don't need a screen or keyboard on the PC, as all of the adminstration is done via a web interface. Obviously, it can do all of the usual hold, transfer, music on hold, divert, queues, voicemail type stuff. For the phones, you can either use a PC with VoIP software (such as X-Lite), speakers, and a microphone; a dedicated VoIP hardware phone which plugs directly into your ethernet network (such as the SNOM 300), or, by using an ATA (Analogue Telephone Adaptor), a normal phone. Most people seem to prefer VoIP hardphones, as you have dedicated buttons for hold, transfer etc, instead of remembering codes to type in. For inbound/outbound calls, you can either use a VoIP provider (such as Sipgate), where all of your calls go over your internet connection. Or (recommended for most people/situations), you can get a PCI card for your server which allows you to connect to analogue (normal) phone lines. The most popular of these is the Digium TDM400P. This can have up to 4 modules, each of which can either connect to a phone line (FXO), or an analogue phone (FXS). HTH Freddie :huh: EDIT: What - you mean you dont have a PABX in your home :DI used to! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew C Posted May 29, 2007 Share Posted May 29, 2007 Some time ago I fitted a cheap <£100 Maplin 2in 10out PBX. Works fine, but little in the way of fancy settings. You can select which extensions ring on which line, prioritise line usage etc. However, I can't see it listed any more! For backstage phones we bodged an LED into the handsets, selected with a simple toggle switch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robloxley Posted May 29, 2007 Share Posted May 29, 2007 What - you mean you dont have a PABX in your home :)Sadly, yes, we do... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbuckley Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 What - you mean you dont have a PABX in your home :)Sadly, yes, we do...See, all the PABX-at-homers are now standing up :) If you've got a house that has a few rooms, and kids who never seem to exit their bedrooms, and maybe an office where one lurks, then a PABX is a godsend. Proud owner of a Panny KXTA624 which is actually configured as a 6/16. Bit old-tech these days, but still a wonderful machine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mac.calder Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 Astrix PABX here, using VOIP. It's not quite up there with the big name PABX's , but for small-ish setups (say <50 phones) it is brilliant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrewg112 Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 Sorry to bring an old thread back up. I'm looking into phones for backstage, technical etc. Whilst this topic is useful, I cant help but feel that we may have access to newer technology now? Can anyone recommend what they use for their internal phone system?? Thanks, Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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