Answering machine woes

[ffutures]

If anyone has tried to phone me in the last week or two my answering machine hasn't been working properly, but pretended that it was by spending ages running to the end of the tape before refusing to record. rozk pointed this out last week and I thought I'd fixed it, but it still isn't working so it looks like a new one is needed. It isn't the tape, as far as I can tell, something is wrong with the electronics and resetting it etc. hasn't helped.

Anyone got any recommendations, preferably for a phone / answering machine combined? I'll hopefully be buying it on my way home tonight, so if you have any suggestions let me have them in say the next 3.5 hours!

Later: Got the Binatone phone / answering machine Argos sell at about £18 - works OK, has digital recording with 20 minutes capacity, and some reasonably nice features e.g. 100-number phonebook memory and a biggish LCD display. Cons, it doesn't look particularly nice, silvery plastic which will probably scuff horribly eventually. But at that price I'm not going to worry.

Comments

[draconin.livejournal.com]

Why use any sort of mechanical system at all? Doesn't your phone service provider give you an answering service as part of your normal package? ie with a number you call to access messages? I can't think of any provider in Australia that hasn't for at least five or six years.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

I'm on a special low-tariff service because I make very few phone calls - I'm pretty sure that you don't get the answering service with it. And I'm one of those people who barely notices a flashing light, let alone thinks of phoning a special number to check for calls.

[draconin.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm the same. If I had to call a number just on spec then I'd never get any messages! No, if you have a message then when you pick up the phone the normal dial tone is different; it 'stutters'. You then just call the number (no charge per call but a small monthly charge) and get the message. I think it's just an automatic part of any phone contract here. I don't recall having to ask for it. I think you have to specifically ask for it to be disabled. That may not be the case on low-tariff services, I can't say. Mine's just a standard one with everything (phone, internet, mobile etc) all bundled.

[timill]

Nobody sells answering machines at all these days :-(

Ours has done the same...

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Argos have three or four, the cheapest at £18 quid. It's made by Binatone but the specification doesn't seem too bad. There's also a BT one at £25 but the specification looks limited.