I hope I am posting correctly on this site... total newb here.

My parents' dog screams every time our phone rings. And I do mean SCREAMS. I am trying to figure out someway to develop a totally silent system using strobe lights. I have found various phone systems like AT&T master/servant cordless hearing impaired deal but am unsure if the base will be totally silent.

If anyone has any ideas that won't break the bank, I'd truly appreciate them. Thank you so much in advance.

If your parents have a "medically recognized hearing loss" (wear hearing aids), then a free option is a telephone from Call Caption. On incoming calls the screen flashes and the ringer can be turned up or down. The handset can also be adjusted. Therefore you can have the volume low (I haven't tried muting the phone) and still have the screen flash on incoming calls.


RESTRICTIONS:

A note from your Doctor
Internet connection (wired or wireless)
If you are not in the room, you will miss the call
Only one phone per household.


AVANTAGES:

Call caption available (like in the movies).
TIA-4953 compliant
Connects inline with an answering machine
You can hold the handset to the answering machine and connect to Call Caption and the message will be displayed across the screen.
Address book
FREE



Call Caption website.

I have had the phone for about 5 years or more.

Excellent option! My Dad does in fact wear hearing aids so this might be right up his alley! Much appreciated!

You can also install a "Flasher" in each room needed and turn off the ringers. Inexpensive & work well...

This is what I initially was thinking about... but we have a "mothership" phone with the answering machine on it and then 5 "drone" phones throughout the house. The flasher has to be placed on the phone line between the wall and the phone and only the "mothership" plugs into the phone line. Therefore negating the ability to do that to the "drone" phones that are simply plugged into a power outlet only.

Are there unused, but still wired-up telephone jacks around the house? If so, flashers can be plugged into the empty jacks. The locations of the jacks may not correspond to the locations of the remote handsets, but, they would provide additional points where visual indicators can be placed.

Didn't even think about that... always assumed it would nee a base to complete a circuit but... that makes sense. Ill give it a try! Thanks!

You can make the circuit you need yourself, once you figure out the wiring.

At the home location, connect a 110 Vac relay, whose coil is in series with a 0.5 uFd capacitor, across the T & R of the line. Send whatever low-voltage flavor you want, from a wall-wart, via the relay contacts and the inside wiring. At the distant ends, install a lamp of the appropriate voltage and brightness.

Total cost of the whole thing, less than $20.00

the screaming dog reminds me of the old repairman story involving telephone ringing current being somehow grounded to the pets chain and then to ground through paw contact.\][]

Dogs don't scream, they yelp or howl. Wives scream...

-Hal