atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums TDM Business Telephone Systems Panasonic Telephones & Systems Considering a KX-TA824 but have a few concerns.

Hi.

I was wondering if anyone could tell me a little about the KX-TA824. I was considering buying this system for my house.

1. Is this a real phone system or like an Toy 'R US version of a real PBX system? Does it pretty much have the same features of the big expensive phones systems but with less ports?

2. The Panasonic phones used for these are analog and not digital. What type of disadvantages does that give?

3. What do 4 patch intercom limitations mean? Can only a few people use the intercom/phone at the same time?

4. Is has PC based programming right?

5. Do you need to first go off-hook before you can press a DSS button for an intercom call or can you just press the DSS button for an intercom call while on-hook?

6. When you press the DSS to place an intercom call, does it automatically place you on a 2-way speaker room-to-room intercom call provide with the room provided that " Auto-ANS' is on?

7. Auto-ANS have any flashing/solid lights when activated or does it run completely unnoticed in the background.

Sorry if these sound kind of negative but since I'm so seriously considering buying this phone system, I'm really looking at the details very carefully. I don't want to be kicking myself if I choose the wrong system.

Thanks for your help.

1. Yes it is a real phone system, its not a PBX, but then you wouldn't be putting a PBX in your house. Unless your me or some of the other freaks on this board, well nevermind that is for another board.

2. Since You have posted b4 I assume you are comparing to a KXtd series. The difference would be you wouldnt be able to use the analog portion as well as the "digital" phone at the same time. on the KXTA systems its one or the other not both.

3. Exactly how it sounds 4 Intercom conversations at once. Any more than 8 people that want to talk to each other on the phone in your house I would find amazing.

4. Yes

5. If you do not go off hook it simply puts your phone into speaker phone mode assuming you have a speaker phone. go into monitor mode if it was a montior phone.

6. Yes, assuming they are not in DND

7. solid light

1. TAW and TDA is non blocking on intercom (unlimited)
2. Press Speaker Press Button, if Auto Answer is on at called phone, two way handsfree established, otherwise ringback tone heard, press star and one way voice call established.

3. Auto Answer is a button on the phone and is controlled by end user.

4.Auto answer led is on when AA active.

Taw 848 or TDA are the best systems because of cell abilty and external power supply. (easy to replace) The Cell phones 7680 & 7690 are light years ahead of other cordless phones.

You can also program a Page button, this will one-way page all idle multibutton phones.
You can program a ring group button that will ring all phones in the house or groups of phones.
If you want cheap Outlook screenpops, use modem
on a slt port for CID info to Outlook or other PIMS.
Easy to keep in touch with remote call forwarding, just call in enter number for system to send calls to, or have this option pre set in your mailbox callers press 1 digit to go to your cell or other number. This can be silent of public option.

So you are not confused about the Intercom paths. The system you asked about is not the same systems brokeda is referring to. The 824 only has 4 pathways.

Hi, brokeda.

I have a few questions about your post.

When you say "Press Speaker Press Button, if Auto Answer is on at called phone, two way handsfree established"

1. You mean Press speaker button OR Auto Answer is on at called phone, two way handsfree established right? Its not both, its one of the other right?


2. Why are the Cell wireless phones so important? Can't you get a 5.8 MHZ wireless phone from walmart and plug it into any extension? I guess the wireless phones have a lot better range if you have like 10 miles of backyard or something? (I have like no backyard)

3. Do you need special software to use a modem to keep track of call logs, abandon calls,etc...

I assume that the Call Log feature(20 per phone I read) can also keep track of all this information?

Thanks for your help.

You are at a phone: Press the Speaker button, then press the DSS button programmed for the phone you want to call, if Auto Answer is off, called phone rings, if Auto Answer is on, called phone connected to 2 way conversation. :toast:

1. What about if your at the phone and just press the DSS button without first pressing speaker. Will it give you a 2-way speaker phone with the other extension(if they have Auto-ans on)?

2. If you have Auto-ANS on, does the auto-answer ability apply just to intercom calls as well as regular phone calls? Or is this strictly an intercom auto-ans?

In other words, if you get a normal telephone call from an outside line, will your phone still ring normally even if you have the "Auto-ANS" activated.

3.Do you find having the auto-ans light on annoying if you were trying to sleep or is it not too bad?

The reason I ask is because if someone has "DND" on their phone, all phones will have a red light flashing and its a little annoying.

4. Do the 24-button phones actual have 24 buttons that you can program or is it only 12 buttons with the other 12 being speed dial?

5. You can't program a DSS Key for the Guest room on a speed dial button huh? Your locked into 12 extensions?

6. I noticed on the back of the phone(PDF) they have 2 switches on the back with 3 options each.

1. Ringer with options
A. Large picture of a Bell(Loud Ring)
B SMall picture of a Bell(Soft Ring)
C X through the Bell(probably No ring)

and

2. Back Lite
A. 2(probably very strong)
B 1(Probably very Weak)
B 0( I think this is turned off completely)

Can you verify if turning that switch to "O" will in fact turn off the backlight? I kind of like it pitch dark when I'm watching movies or sleeping.

You know the devil is really in the details.

I'm know so much more about this system now then I did a few days ago.

Thanks for your help.

1. You will have to press Intercom 1st. which would start your speakerphone then press the DSS button. Then you will have the 2 way (assuming Aut-ans is on)
2. Intercom only, outside calls ring normally.
3. the light is not a spot light, not brite at all. In programming you can change the status of phones so you do not see the flashing DSS buttons.
4. That is correct 12 and 12
5. correct, I agree sorta crappy.
6. correct settings, yes 0 turns off the backlight.

#5. You can program the button to be a DSS key for the guest room; it just won't provide a busy lamp. Remember that a lot of people just put the first X number of stations as DSS/BLF on the lighted keys and include their own extension. There's no reason why you can't select your own handfull of extensions on these keys and each phone can be different.

Wow,I am kind of confused because OhioTelecom said its locked at 12 and 12 but ev607797 said you can have all 24 as DSS(just no light)

1. How exactly would you set the other 12 to be DSS extensions?

I see you can go to the "Flexible PF keys/station speed dial. I'm guessing these are the other 12 keys. Would this be considered a "VTR EXTN" assigned to the key?

2. Could the phone still recognize this as an intercom call if you could put it on the other button?

3. So if I assign a button as a DSS button for Kitchen and I press that button while my phone is on-hook. I will get nothing or will it activate a speaker phone and intercom for the kitchen?

4. Is it a 2-step process of:

A. Pressing Speaker or Intercom
B. Pressing the DSS Key

Do I understand this correct because someone in another forum told me that it was a 1 step feature?


Thanks for your help guys.