Anyone know of a big caller ID thingy? Something like an LED scroll board I can mount above the TV so I don't have to get up off my lazy ass to check. I got a $10 unit the other day in hopes that I could hack something together, but it's done via an ASIC that takes the phone line as input and signals to the LCD as output, so it'd require more logic than I'm willing to program. Obviously, I could do something with a PC and an LED board, but I don't really want a PC in my living room.

This is an interesting idea. I've never heard of something like that, but I could see a market for it.

I know of a couple alternatives which do exist:

1) Get a telephone which does distinctive-rings for different callerID classes. You can put people you WANT to hear from into a certain list, people you DON'T want to hear from in another list, and unknowns in a third list. Then the phone will ring with different types of tones depending on which list the number falls into.

2) Get a cordless phone with CallerID on the handset. Then have the cordless with you while watching TV.

if you find something post it. I have been looking for the same thing. I thought I remembered reading about a device that would display the number on a TV. (or maybe I dreamed it)

If I can recall I remeber a company at one time that made a device that does what you are looking for. What it does is hook up to the phone line and TV set so when someone calls it displays their # and name on the TV set itself in any corner that you tell it to. IF I can remeber the name of it i'll post it but doubt it'll jump out at me. Do a search on google, I know it's out there though.

I've never seen solution number 1. I'll have to look for it, as I might be able to find a use for it. It doesn't quite fit me, though, as I have a variable idea about who I want to talk to and who I don't.

I actually have solution number 2. The problem is that the one I've got doesn't have a backlight, amongst many other UI errors. (By the way, don't buy Sony telephones. They're just not good for a variety of reasons. I ignored my own advice on this the last time, and I paid for it.) I obviously could get a better phone, but I figured if I was going to do something to solve this problem, I might as well go whole hog.

ok maybe I didn't dream it

I worry about the TV solution for a few reasons...

1) The video signal runs into the box, then out. I have a pretty nice home theater setup, and I can probably guarantee that the video quality would go down going through such a cheap device.

2) I have TiVo, and the last thing I want to see when I get around to watching is the phone numbers of people (and telemarketers) who called while I was out.

I think the giant lighted sign is a better choice. If you don't have a problem with plugging your computer into the phone jack and having it on all the time (as I'm sure we all do), I bet you could write a quick little app to do what you want. I found one site that had a script for having the computer announce the number through the speakers when a call came in. Also, you can probably find any number of LED marquees which would connect to your computer via Serial. Then, assuming the computer is somewhere near your living room (or you have a really long serial cable), you're all set.

Or you could check out this product.

If anybody is interested in the box, look here.

Okay. I found CallerTV, TV Messenger, and Caller IDTV. They all use composite video passthrough, which I'm not sure I want. (I love this quote, BTW: ``If you are using S-Video from your video source to your Television then the CTV1-S is for you. The CTV1-S combines a Caller-TV unit with S-Video Adapter Cable. This cable allows you to connect Caller-TV and keep the high quality S-Video signal.'' I love the concept that passing S-Video signals through a composite device will somehow ``keep the high quality S-Video signal.'' Hah!) Also, it requires that my TV be on, which, while a niche that exists, is not exactly the one I'm in. I'm lazy all the time, not just when I'm watching TV. Good call, though. That's almost what I want.

You gotta love the internet...I think you can find anything you want if you look hard enough...

What did we ever do without it?

Hard call of being more lazy or not. On one hand sitting around watching TV and dreaming of things we could do/want like this callerID idea. Now with the internet we can actualy be lazy but search for stuff so we can be more lazy. Although we have to actualy get up and on the internet to look for such a device. So I guess now with the internet we can search for ways to make our lifes better at being lazy?

Also as for the TiVo, run the signal threw the callerID/TV box AFTER it passes threw the TiVo. There for the show gets recorded on the TiVo before it passes threw the CallerID box and keeping your signal high quality while being recorded.

1) That's part of my problem, too. Read the quote in my post above (that seemed to have gotten through about the same time as yours).

2) Hah! I get that now from when my wife sits down on the DirecTV remote that the TiVo is recording from. But, realistically, you'd put this device in as the last thing in the chain so that you could (1) see it no matter what source you're watching and (2) have it degrade the signal no matter what source you're watching.

I actually have BellSouth's Privacy Director, which blocks calls from non-CallerID'd sources unless they agree to provide identification, either by allowing caller id info to go through or recording a message. Since I got it, my telemarketing calls have gone down from about six a day to about one every two months. For about $5 a month, it's a godsend. If your phone company has a similar service, I'd suggest you get it now.

Although we have to actualy get up and on the internet to look for such a device.

They have the internet on computers now? Cool.

:)

Bruno

Although we have to actualy get up and on the internet to look for such a device.

I think you're wrong. Laptop with 802.11b and a strong battery. I might be on the can this very minute. You're glad I don't have a digital camera now, aren't you?

Ok, you guys kinda got me on the TiVo comment...But the thing is I have a receiver that I run all my audio and video connections through. The receiver has an S-Video output which goes into my TV. I worry about having the output of hi-fi receiver running through the $30 box before getting to my TV.

I couldn't care a less about the video signal being degraded (I guess I am not a videophile) the problem I see I would have would be the boxes connect to the video in on the tv I have everything connected to the RF coax connection so I would have to switch my tv to video in to display the call info and I can't do that with my tivo remote so I would have to go to the tv to switch it so what would be the point.

has anyone found a pc program that displays the info in a large format. the ones I have tried use small characters.

Hah! I get that now from when my wife sits down on the DirecTV remote that the TiVo is recording from

Well, there are a few recievers for both Dish Network and DirecTV that offer caller ID displays. I couldn't find a specific TiVo unit that offered it, but since they are upgradable, you might try requesting this feature to be added. On the PC side, modems pick it up real easially, so it should be trivial for them to add.

The good thing about the possible merger of Echostar and Hughes is one satelite standard. It will be nice to just go pick up a "Satelite reciever" and have it work.

The receiver has an S-Video output which goes into my TV. I worry about having the output of hi-fi receiver running through the $30 box before getting to my TV.

You are absolutely correct about that. The $30.00 box will, without question, degrade the video signal.

S-video separates the luminance and chrominance information into different cables, allowing more resolution and bandwidth for each. Composite video (which I assume is what this box uses) doesn't have this separation and therefore has lower resolution than S-video.

Such a device would not work at all in my home theater system because I have DVD running through YPrPb component video, and HDTV running through RGBHV video.

Composite video ... therefore has lower resolution than S-video.

Just to be clear, he doesn't mean 640x480-type resolution, he means the picture on the screen is less clear; the number of pixels, as it were, is still the same, just less defined.

Just to be clear, he doesn't mean 640x480-type resolution, he means the picture on the screen is less clear; the number of pixels, as it were, is still the same, just less defined.

Yeah. Keep in mind that we're talking about analog technology, where the words "resolution" and "bandwidth" refer to fuzzier concepts (literally).

My next investment in my system will be an HDTV...but I'm waiting until they figure out what they're doing with the technology. Everything is kinda up in the air.

I'm also not sure if I want to go for a projection TV or perhaps a screen and separate projector. Of course, the latter is entirely out of my price range at the moment. It's also not needed in an apartment like mine. But, when I get a house...then we'll see.

Hey Bitt,
Scott (svferris) posted earlier about this product
LED display Caller Id device.

Which is if I undetstand your original request exactly what you want/posted about originally.

Its a LED display Caller Id device which is 10 inches wide and 3.5 inches high, and can be read from 20 feet away and doesn't use your TV as a display device.

It seems to do what most caller id devices do and perhaps a little more.
Its totally AC powered [well it would have to be to power those LED displays].

Only complaint I have - it has a RED LED display - I hate RED LED displays but thats my preference.

At $USD99 each its a little pricey but it will do a decent enough job.

Aha! Per-zactly what I wanted! Thanks so much! (Now if my wife will just let me get it... )

Bam! here ya go try this
There's also a talking version a list of all they have is here

I love this site unfortunately for my wallet, all the gadgets are too tempting.

I'll second the recommendation for this service. Verizon calls it Call Intercept. Yeah, $5/month sucks on top of my already ridiculously expensive local phone bill, but it's well worth it for the peace and quiet. Now if I could just block my wife's family from calling 20 times a day I'd be set...

-Dylan

In reply to:

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I couldn't find a specific TiVo unit that offered it, but since they are upgradable, you might try requesting this feature to be added. On the PC side, modems pick it up real easially, so it should be trivial for them to add.

---

Some people tried to get it working on the TiVo using the built in modem but weren't able. If you want to get super geeky, someone wrote a script that will fetch caller ID information from another machine and display it on the TiVo.

Caller ID on screen is certainly one of the more commonly requested TiVo features. Hopefully TiVo will add it someday though it appears it would require new hardware.

-Dylan

I have a Dish Network 6000 and it displays caller ID info on my TV screen. I took a quick shot to give you an idea how it works. Also, this box allows you to receive (H)DTV signals via an optional module. In the picure I'm watching KQED in San Francisco, which they are running a HDTV demo loop 24 hours a day. Sorry for the poor quality picture....

If it were possible for TiVo to implement caller ID, I would disable it even though I desire that feature. AFAIK the modem in the TiVo boxes sucks. Having the Tivo in the "Auto detect line status" mode keeps the modem on and this causes problems as is. It's something with the firmware crashing and increasing the susceptibility to electrical disturbances.

I assume if the modem were listening to caller ID all the time the same issue would arise. All I need is the $5 modem on my $400 + $199 lifetime sub DirecTiVo. Not.

Hey Bitt, sorry to bring back a super old thread, but I was wondering if you ever got this product.

I'd also like to know if anyone knows of a better one out there now.

Oh, and my parents got call intercept at the house, and they get about 1 call a night now. It's wonderful!

I got the same sort of thing (I think BellSouth calls it Privacy Director) and my telemarketing calls have gone way down. Since I know about four other people who would want to call me, I haven't felt the need to get one, so, no; I didn't get it. Sorry.

Oh well. The reason I need one is because of one of my roommates. His fiancé lives in Atlanta, and she literally calls about 15 times a day. Seriously. Until we ended the logn distance bill (because of them), he was racking up $200 a month in phone bills. It's gotten to the point where I will not pick up the phone if I recognize the number as being hers. It feels rude, but I'm not about to play secretary for my roommate.

Anyway, I'll look around for something.