Phone Ringer

[Shez]

I'm sure a cue could be programmed that would ring on, on demand i.e. the first cue is the normal ring, perhaps looped, and the next cue stops that one and plays a decaying ring. Assuming the "talent" answers mid ring of course...

[J Pearce]

A lot of synths do something similar, starting with an attack sample, then looping a hold and playing the decay sample on note off. Might have a play if I can find some time.

[mutley]

Any interest in a DMX and/or analogue controlled phone ringer circuit? (ie; DMX and analogue inputs, select channel, send >40% to that channel, phone rings in US style; send >70% to that channel and phone rings in UK style)

 

I might make it my next project if there's enough interest!

 

I did once make the Maplin phone ringer kit many years ago when I started at my local am-dram group, and it worked quite well, but got wrecked shortly after the show, because the set builders ripped the stage apart and cut the wires and I never got round to repairing it! http://www.blue-room.org.uk/public/style_emoticons/default/mad.gif

[Big Chief Running Brail]

When the promised telephone ringer didn't materialise, we made do with a doorbell screwed to the underside of the telephone table and bell push in the wing. As it happened we had a dedicated 'telephone' op (Too many youngsters and not enough jobs!)

[dbuckley]

... Ive never been happy with a recorded sfx for a bell phone, you just dont get the "ring on" after its been answered. ok, if you can get the talent to lift the receiver at a prescribed point (ie not mid ring) you can just about get away with it, but if not, it sounds carp IMO.

 

It can be done. See here: http://davidbuckley.name/pcs/britphone

[d_korman]

Just spent a few rehearsals messing with a relay, 24vac and a microchip development board to get the timing right. Trying to get a phone to interrupt the actor partway through a sentence was a pain in the proverbial. Eventually settled for a matt black painted 2inch "naked" speaker suspended from the lighting rig above the phone, connected to an mp3 player and amp and a free telephone ringing sample from the net. Advantage of this is I could cut the sound immediately on pickup too. Audience couldn't believe it wasn't the phone actually ringing. The power of the human mind means that you see the phone, you hear a phone ringing and the actor reacting to it: it must be the phone actually ringing.

 

I thought of that - but it's very simple just to use a push button and do the timing manually by ear. It;s then easy to interrupt the actor at exactly the right point.

 

My ringer also put 48vDC on the line linked to a relay in the ringer box that lights a lamp when the handset goes off-hook. This makes is easy to stop a ring part way through.

[themadhippy]

My ringer also put 48vDC on the line linked to a relay in the ringer box that lights a lamp when the handset goes off-hook.

why not use the relay to switch off the ringer supply?

[Hilary Watts]

perator error (g

why not use the relay to switch off the ringer supply?

 

You would need a bit of additional circuitry to ensure that the phone still rang even if the handset was off the hook initially - it's (slightly) less embarrassing for the phone to ring on due to operator error after the actor has picked up the handset than for it not to ring at all because the handset is not sitting properly on the rest!

[boswell]

... Ive never been happy with a recorded sfx for a bell phone, you just dont get the "ring on" after its been answered. ok, if you can get the talent to lift the receiver at a prescribed point (ie not mid ring) you can just about get away with it, but if not, it sounds carp IMO.

 

It can be done. See here: http://davidbuckley.name/pcs/britphone

 

Also can be done with SCS :)

[peternewman]

You would need a bit of additional circuitry to ensure that the phone still rang even if the handset was off the hook initially - it's (slightly) less embarrassing for the phone to ring on due to operator error after the actor has picked up the handset than for it not to ring at all because the handset is not sitting properly on the rest!

You could add an indicator though, to show the phone was on hook, and optionally an override switch so you could still ring it if it wasn't on hook.

[d_korman]

My ringer also put 48vDC on the line linked to a relay in the ringer box that lights a lamp when the handset goes off-hook.

why not use the relay to switch off the ringer supply?

 

You would need a bit of additional circuitry to ensure that the phone still rang even if the handset was off the hook initially - it's (slightly) less embarrassing for the phone to ring on due to operator error after the actor has picked up the handset than for it not to ring at all because the handset is not sitting properly on the rest!

You could add an indicator though, to show the phone was on hook, and optionally an override switch so you could still ring it if it wasn't on hook.

 

Exactly - talent being what it is, you cannot rely on them putting the handset back properly, and then the next phone cue doesn't happen. Originally my unit did exactly than, and I got caught out more than once!

 

There really is no point over complicating things with overides etc. - too many things to go wrong, or forget about in a string of complex cues. KISS!

[theaterlackey]

Maplins sell or did sell a kit to do this.

We built one to ring a phone in Annie.

 

Did. I do have the instructions/schematics. PM if you want a copy.

 

Found this thread while searching for info (or kits) to ring a digital phone on stage. I have PM'd you for a copy of your instructions/schematics. Thanks in advance!

[J Pearce]

OT, but - Flipping 'eck, I was 17 when I posted that... How time flies!

[dbuckley]

Those who fancy a bit of electronics DIY may wish to look at my four channel DMX controlled phone ringer design. Although there aren't complete instructions there, there is sufficient for someone who knows their way around electronics to build something very usable.