[nzlug] usb voip handsets

[Paul Campbell]

On Tuesday 22 August 2006 12:54, Karl. wrote:
> I need to buy a USB VOIP handset for my parents to use with Skype.  
> Sooner or later, my Father will decide to buy something fancier and I'll
> inherit whatever we buy now, so I'm keen to choose something which also
> works with linux (specifically, Debian Testing).
>
> I'm currently looking at the XH7170 from Dick Smith ($40).  It looks
> like the hardware is the same as this:
> http://blog.tmcnet.com/blog/tom-keating/skype/ipfones-ip700m-skype-phone-re
>view.asp
>
> I assume that the audio functionality will work with anything, as I
> gather it enumerates as ordinary USB audio hardware.  I'm not sure what
> happens with the buttons/LCD though - does anyone here know if they can
> be used with linux?

I bought one - the audio-out on mine sucks (could be just the speaker on that 
particular one sucked). The driver you want to search for is the 'yealink' 
driver. Works with kiapx and kphone and probably lots of other things.

Looks just like having a new sound card.

Button integration is, well, wierd - press a '1' and it's as if you typed a 1 
on the keyboard - so you can't ijust pick up the phone and make a call while 
you're typing in a word processor - instead you have to run the phone app 
while you're calling (this may be more of a lack of a good phone-driver API 
standard than anything else)

	Paul