Customer Reviews

Call Block Computer w/Caller ID & Ring Regulator (Black)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

People who said this does not block all calls did not try and figure it out.. Must be on first line in the home before any other phones.. If you put an answering machine in line first, then you have the PERFECT screener.. I programmed in all the numbers that were important for me into list A,,, Others that I did not want calling too late or too early into list B. I set up the unit to accept A list calls 24 hours a day, B list calls from 10am to 10pm and NO other calls. If someone calls who is not on A or B list it goes to the answering machine and the phones never ring (of course solicitors seldom leave messages)!!! If someone calls that I did not program in, the worse that happens is it goes to the answering machine and I can add them to either list A or B so the phone rings next time (all calls show up on caller ID of unit)... Set up this way the unit screens EVERY call and blocks all unwanted calls... Unit works best when in "sleep" mode,, goes into sleep mode after 30 seconds of inactivity or when you power off then on. VERY happy with this product,,, worth the money and time to set up for peace of mind.. I now get NO calls that I do not want.... No need to try and individually block every possible call by adding to a block list.. Much easier to enter the calls you DO want to receive then EVERY OTHER CALL, NO MATTER WHERE IT IS FROM, IS BLOCKED AND PASSED ON TO YOUR ANSWERING MACHINE.. My only regret is that I did not find out about this device sooner,,, If you prefer and have just a few numbers you want to block, you can program 20 numbers in list R (including 000-000-0000 which blocks all "unknown callers)... Seems easier to me to just list the ones I want and exclude all other numbrs...

Although the jfteck web site and even their tech support claims this supports 'wildcard' blocking (blocking series of numbers with a blank space instead of a digit), it won't blacklist area codes like 800, 888, 877, 866 which are 100% garbage, or whitelist other selected area codes where you expect calls from. Wouldn't it be NICE to tell it you want local calls? They claim that the most it can block is areacode+prefix (123-456-____), but try as I might, I can't get it to store ANY 'wildcard' phone number like their web site claims it can at all, in ANY list with ANY number of spaces. Only complete phone numbers. EVEN WORSE, when it decides not to store a number, it doesn't TELL YOU it is throwing a number away, so you can spend 20 minutes pecking in numbers with 'space' in them and go back to review the list and find it EMPTY. I'm a computer programmer who occasionally works on embedded devices. Don't tell me to 'RTFM', people, I have, and emailed their customer support, and the manual SUCKS almost as much as much as the customer support, which are both dwarfed by the lameness of this device for the advertised application of blocking unsolicited calls.

What we get is this half-baked, half-hearted attempt that reminds me of all the help the phone company is for blocking unwanted callers, reporting bad callers, etc. Every design assumption made for normal operation is that you want robot dialers to be able to dial through from anywhere.

Just using the 'R' list to block calls as they arrive, this unit will ALWAYS allow new cranks/telemarketers/scams/dialer-robots through - forever. Keep in mind the 'R' list has only 20 entries, and there are about TEN BILLION possible numbers that dialer robots and caller ID spoofers could call from at all hours of the day and night. You can consume 20 entries in the first week and start overwriting the first random numbers you added to the 'R' list, allowing the original set of bad callers through thereafter. Even if the 'wildcard' numbers worked exactly as the manufacturer claimed (instead of NOT AT ALL), you couldn't even block the 800/888/877/866 area code numbers. Don't get me wrong, this thing COULD help in CERTAIN situations, such as if someone SPECIFIC is harrassing you from ONE number, but it is an INCREDIBLE PAIN IN THE BUTT to set up for blocking telemarketers and other spam calls that mask their caller ID.

Yeah, physically plugging it in is simple, but the only way for this thing to block spam calls is by entering every possible 'white list' number you ever expect to receive a call from, and then blocking all 24 of the hour long 'schedule windows' to prevent unknown callers. This will take HOURS of finger-aching repetitive drudgery through the menu/next/arrow and enter keys. The 'arrow key' interface is OK for a 'top score' list on an arcade game, but managing hundreds of numbers in a contact list is beyond tedious.

Too bad they didn't think to add a USB interface and a bigger eeprom to get comprehensive black lists downloaded from the internet through your computer. That black list could be sorted, dictionary compressed and stored in the box easily without a lot of non-volatile storage, and then updated whenever you felt like plugging it into the computer again and downloading more numbers into it. The computer would not need to be on for the device to work. A gigabyte of Flash is dirt cheap, and interfacing it to a computer as a 'usb drive' (or even serial device through USB) is simple, and the thing could then block EVERY KNOWN bad number the database kept track of, as well as auto-update more (upload/share additional blacklist entries, and if you get more than a certain number, add them to the main table). Sure, it would cost $119 instead of $69, but it would be WORTH IT. This device is NOT worth $1 for the purpose of blocking unsolicited calls.

Maybe their marketing thought the price point for these devices was very low. I think they're not 'popular' because nobody builds a quality product that is easy to set up and use, or does the job well. There appear to be several other products that looked more promising than this one, but most of them aren't available anymore.

Finally! The phones have stopped ringing! But now, when they do ring, I know it is a call I want to answer.

I must say I am very pleased with this product and its "white list" concept. I agree with one reviewer that the unit could use more memory and would indeed be easier to set up using a computer interface. In fact, put me on the short list to buy the next model of this device after a USB port and programming software are added!

Yet even as the product is, A and B lists are relatively easy to set up. (As currently configured the R list of blocked numbers is not useful, in my opinion, because it is limited to only 20 numbers.) I have my phone system set up in layers: first the phone company's Privacy Manager screens unidentified calls. If caller ID is blocked, the caller is given the opportunity to get through by being voice screened. I put the Privacy Manager number on my B list, set to ring only between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Other numbers on my B list are the doctors, dentists, hairdressers, and other businesses -- all "9 to 5" type callers. My A list is set up with only the numbers of friends and family members. I have the A list set to ring at any hour, though that can always be changed if necessary. If I'm not at home, all of the A and B "white list" calls that don't get answered within 5 rings go to the answering machine.

What about all those calls with Caller ID that are not on the "white list"? The answering machine picks them up. If a friend changes their phone number and doesn't tell you, their call does not ring the phone, but it still goes to the answering machine after they hear five rings and they can then leave a message. Same thing with all those other calls that have Caller IDs like "877 services" or whatever. Any person who has a caller ID can leave a message if it is important.

In short, a flexible solution that gets the job done!

Sorry, but I respectfully disagree with the previous review. This unit is the ONLY device that enabled us to keep our present phone number and hold the fruasters at bay! Perhaps reading the instructions more thoroughly would help?

Anyway, our issue was with several CallerId Fraud jokers. One was attempting to collect debt from some woman who didn't even live at my our present address... they somehow spoofed the caller ID so we could report the very harassing calls to the phone company. Oh, yea, the phone company can do nothing about such calls. All they tell you is change your phone number!

Anyways, we also go on some credit card promo auto-dialer which, once again, was spoofing the caller ids with our phone number!

If we would have only had this unit back then! We do now and may buy one to back it up as it's invaluable! Only think I cannot figure out is why the pone companies don't incorporate such technologies as a while and black list is beyond me. Well, perhaps it's for the best as they would probably charge some sort of monthly fee!

If you getting any kind of spoofing OR just want to white list any and all your calls, thus saving on having to pay for an unlisted number... then get this unit.

Not sure how it works on Vonage or other VOIP services.

I was quite disappointed. It works great for a caller ID box, but that's about it. The menus make me wonder if I'm setting everything from scratch every time I try to make a change. I tried to make a "R" list entry for any number with area code beginning with 8 (since "800" isn't the only telemarketing number; about anything beginning with "8" is more accurate). So I tried to configure: 8__-___-____ but it would silently NOT store the number. I contacted support and learned the wildcard only works in the last 4 digits, even though the unit will allow you to enter them anywhere in the number. This limitation GREATLY reduces the usefulness of the device, since it would be useless at blocking telemarketers unless you happen to know the area code and prefix. The manual isn't really a manual; it's a little 6 page guide describing how to store numbers in the lists.
I'm still not sure what the significance of the 'hourly' entries are, or if I need to set everything for each hour. It's almost as if they went out of their way to make this thing not function well. Why it has such limitations doesn't make much sense, unless there are legal reasons behind not allowing blocking of ALL 8xx numbers.

How did it pass QC?

The support people at Smarthome were helpful and happy to provide a full refund.

It's a great idea, but it needs to be redesigned.

Recommend. I actually have the identical thing in white. I'd really give it 4 1/2 stars if I could because while it does the job perfectly, it does have a few problems.
First, imputing all the phone numbers is a pain. If you could upload phone numbers from a computer, it would be a big plus in setting it up.
Second, when the device is connected, the phones it controls no longer have Caller ID function even if they have the capability for it.
Finally, we ended up buying new phones: Panasonic Dect 6.0 Expandable Digital Cordless Phone - 3 Handset System (KX-TG6313S). We put the device in line before the phone base and plug both into a jack. This way it will work for the wireless extension phones which come with the base.
However, other phones plugged into jacks are not controlled by the device and will still ring unless the ringer is turned off. The upside to this is that we turn the ringers on when we want to be sure to hear a call from someone whose phone number we don't know - the cell phone of a repairman for instance.
Despite the problems, overall we are very satisfied - it has STOPPED the unwanted phone calls!

This device performs well as advertised - it will prevent unwanted calls from ringing on your phone and sends them to voicemail. The instructions are a bit hard to follow and they do not cover a situation where you have both a phone and answering machine as one unit. Plus with the recommended set up you can only see caller ID on the unit and not on the caller ID-equipped phones that you may have. Still, it does keep solicitation calls at bay.

I've been using this device for the last 18 months and, taken as a whole, I'd buy it again... but I feel like there are a few things people should know about it prior to buying it, like the fact that the maker has only provided for a 1-year warranty period and mine stopped working after 14 months (tracking down support was a nightmare!) As a techie, I was able to crack it open and resolder the phone jack back to the motherboard, but I wouldn't expect the average person to go to that extent...

It also allows through blocked calls on EXTREMELY rare occasions...

I'm pleased that this device can block my phone from ringing when a particular telemarketer calls. Fortunately for me, there is only one company bothering me. I'd hate to be in someone's shoes who has been trying to block 800 calls at large, but that's neither here nor there for me.

My problem first arose when i looked at the time on the device. It was NOT the time of my timezone. Considering that this thing eats the caller ID signal, preventing my actual phone unit from displaying, this is EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING. But, no worries i said -- i'll just look it up in the manual. Not there. No problem, i'll send an email to their support:

===============================================================================
===============================================================================
From: James Fang [mailto:support@jfteck.com]
Sent: Saturday, August 29, 2009 3:51 PM
To: <SNIP>
Subject: no



No you can not set time.
press key, see what is. it is very easy.


--- On Sat, 8/29/09, <SNIP> wrote:


From: <SNIP>
Subject: time
To: support@jfteck.com
Date: Saturday, August 29, 2009, 3:53 PM


how do i set the time on the device?? it's showing a time that has NOTHING TO DO with me
===============================================================================
===============================================================================


Asinine. The response i got was almost worse than the fact that i can't change the time. I HATE when someone trys to placate me. This is exceedingly upsetting.

Finally, my device shows numbers in the following order:

1**-***-***

so for instance, if someone calls me with the number "808-555-1212" i see "180-855-5121" and no trailing number. This is NOT how it's pictured in the manual, both on their site and out the box. If i want to call back someone i'm not familiar with, THERE IS NO OPTION TO DO THIS ANYMORE: See this link:

[...]

Finally, considering this is now my ONLY source of caller ID information, the light scheme is also unintuitive. Green should be for an important caller, orange for a normal caller, and red for a rejected caller. This may seem trivial, but the point here is that this device is unintuitive.

This device has been weighed, measured and found exceedingly lacking.

Counterintuitive at best. Yea, it blocks calls. But at what cost??

After the Federal Do Not Call list proved to be a complete joke I need a way to block calls. I was getting as many as 10 calls a day from telemarketers - and worse, collections people that were looking for people I have never heard of. These collection people were out of control - some calling 10+ times a day even though I explained I never heard of the person (and this could easily be verified by looking up my number in the phone book...). So I spent the $80 to buy this. (Note: Some sellers on Amazon are selling this for as much as $125 - but I spoke to the guy that actually makes them and there are ZERO differences - so don't waste the extra $50). You essentially have the ability to create 3 lists, an A, B and R. You can create a schedule and do things like the A list can always get through, the B list only certain times and the R list never. Each list can hold 70 numbers and despite what another reviewer said, you can in fact use wildcards so you can, for example, block 1-800-xxx-xxxx. I am on AT&T U-Verse VOIP, so I can confirm it works on VOIP systems. I do in fact get peace and quiet now - call never rings and goes to my online voice mail system. I did a good bit of research before buying this. The only "perfect" system requires a dedicated computer/modem. This was the best stand alone. That said, it has many faults:

1) The directions suck. Little things like they explain programming a number using the area code and number - and after an hour of programming I discovered that does not work. You must use a 1 then area code and number (at least on my phone service).
2) The unit does not pass through caller-ID. So if your phone has caller-ID on it (and what phone doesn't these days?) it will not show anything. You have to go to the unit itself and read the screen to see who is calling. In my house this is not practical.
3) The unit does not work with call waiting. Only the initial call is blocked/allowed. If you are on the phone and another call comes in, it is NOT screened and just put through - again with no caller-ID info, so you have no idea who is calling.
4) The unit is a pain in the butt to program. Granted, you do it once and then as time goes on you add or subtract individual numbers, but the first time you sit there and change a single digit at a time with up/down arrows. Really? A USB interface to a computer adds like $0.30 to the cost...would it be that difficult?
5) Have a home alarm system using the same phone line? Upgrade the alarm to cell service as this will drive the alarm system crazy. Whenever a call is blocked the alarm system detects a drop in phone service and goes into trouble mode and the keypads beep. I have never had this before, on the phone, with an answering machine, whatever. With this controller it happens every single time a call is blocked without exception.
6) It is much larger than it needs to be and has a cheesy feel to it. This is getting picky, I know, but working in the I.T. field and extremely familiar with electronics, this thing strikes me as something you could build from an old Heathkit package. 20 years ago you could order built-it-yourself kits for all kinds of things, but they were always much larger than they needed to be for those amateur soldering guys...and had a plastic, cheap feel to them. Same here.

Bottom line, it does what it claims to do and there are no real alternatives on the market. It is a long way from perfect though. AT&T offers the identical services online except they (A) limit each list to 20 numbers and (B) do not allow wildcards. If AT&T changed their policy, or if you can live with ONLY allowing 20 numbers to ever get through, there is no real reason for this device. Unfortunately I have more like 50 numbers that I must allow through.