Philips VOIP841 PC-free DECT/Skype phone - world's first review

[Vague_Boy]

No vibrate that I found, but a loud ringtone

Ian

Ta Iain. As long as it gets my attention (I'm a little hard of hearing).

[bsodmike]

I would like to first of all take the time to thank Vague_Boy (Chris) for emailing me the PDF manual. Some interesting bits in there,

3.6 Register the handset 
Registration allows communication between the 
base unit and handset(s). If the handset cannot 
communicate with its base, you will not be able to 
make any call or use many of the functions and 
features on the phone. 
Note 
Your handset should be already registered on the 
base unless you have de-registered a handset. 
If the handset displays Unregistered, follow the 
steps below to register the handset. 
Warning 
Make sure you have configured the language, 
country code, and area code of your phone 
before registering additional handsets. 
Press . Register shall be highlighted. 
Scroll to Register. Press . 
Enter the system PIN (Default: 0000). Use 
 to correct typing errors. 
Press  to confirm. 
• Your handset starts searching for the base. 
Press  on the base unit until the two 
indications turn off. 
• If registration is successful, the signal icon   
displays steadily. 
Tip 
If registration failed, repeat the above procedure. 
Note 
The base can register up to 4 handsets, then the 
base unit registration memory is full. If you 
attempt to register an additional handset, the 
registration process will be aborted. You can use 
additional base units, see “Register your 
handset(s) with additional base”, page 30

I found this bit really cool, and need to remember to change the password,

To find your phone's IP address, see “View your 
network setting”, page32. 
Enter the user name and password. 
The default user name is philips and 
the default password is voip841.

System Information
System Uptime : 15 days 1 hour 33 minutes
Product ID : 10008/1.0.4.500/PHILIPS
Firmware Version : 1.0.4.50
Kernel Version : 4.1-16
Web Server Version : 1.5

Network Information
Interface Status : Connected
Link Status : 10M
IP Assignment : DHCP
MAC Address : <removed>
IP Address : <removed>
Subnet Mask : <removed>
Default Gateway : <removed>
Primary DNS : <removed>
Secondary DNS : 0.0.0.0

Very cool!!!

[seattleguy]

I would like to know some information about this phone since I want to use this phone to call abroad.
It looks like lot of you guys have experience using this phone. I guess you can help me.

I want to make phone calls from the US to India. I have used yahoo and msn messenger but not skype with this phone (I like the idea of not using a PC).

Please tell me what equipments I need both ends. I have a DSL modem at home that is connected to my computer. My wife also has a modem there. People in this forum talk about adapters. since I have no idea about these things please some one, who is so kind, explain the basic things in a simple way. I would really appreciate your help.

[Bob Crabtree]

seattleguy,

Please read the review - I'd like to think that it explains your questions about what's needed to get the Philips to work.

The review is here.

In simplistic terms - if you have an ADSL modem that connects to your PC by USB you won't be able to use the Philips.

You need a broadband modem that connects to the PC via Ethernet and is combined with a router that lets other devices be connected by Ethernet (and thus access the internet).

If you have further question then, of course, we'd be happy to answer them.

Bob

[webforum]

Hi Bob, greate review, however, in your review, you said

connected the Philips into the same line as an existing trio of DECT phones - NTL VS2000 models - without seeing any problems; the Philips and NTL phone all just worked.

Can you please clarify, was the NTL VS2000 DECT base station still connected to the PSTN land line, thus the NTL VS2000 handsets were using the NTL VS2000 base station ?

Or did you shutdown the NTL VS2000 base station and thus the NTL VS2000 handsets were mated to the Philips VOIP841 base station and therefore, used the Philips VOIP841 base station for calls ?

I'm interested in using the Philips VOIP841 as a replacement for an existing DECT base station, I accept that there will be limited functionality WRT skype features on the non-Philips VOIP841 handsets, but I'm particularly interested if non-Philips VOIP841 can answer both PSTN and skype incoming calls ?

Cheers

[Bob Crabtree]

No, the NTL phone (an ordinary DECT phone) only works with normal landline calls - cos it's not a Skype phone and not in any way connected to the Philips base station.

The reason for mentioning it at all was that I was pleased and surprised to find that I could still use the NTL phone.

I'd somehow imagined that it wouldn't be possible to have two completely different DECT phone systems being used on a single landline - at least, not without having problems.

And I saw no problems at all.

Bob

Hi Bob, greate review, however, in your review, you said


Can you please clarify, was the NTL VS2000 DECT base station still connected to the PSTN land line, thus the NTL VS2000 handsets were using the NTL VS2000 base station ?

Or did you shutdown the NTL VS2000 base station and thus the NTL VS2000 handsets were mated to the Philips VOIP841 base station and therefore, used the Philips VOIP841 base station for calls ?

I'm interested in using the Philips VOIP841 as a replacement for an existing DECT base station, I accept that there will be limited functionality WRT skype features on the non-Philips VOIP841 handsets, but I'm particularly interested if non-Philips VOIP841 can answer both PSTN and skype incoming calls ?

Cheers

[Lakeuk]

I've recently bought the Philips 4331 to replace a phone that got zapped by lightening, I chose this phone as it's currently being sold for a bargain £20 from Amazon UK. I got it mainly for dect, the MSN part was a bonus to play about with. First mistake I made was checking whether live messenger is compatible with win2k, I thought it was but after buying this phone I realised it wasn't the case and MS quitely sent me to a lower version of MSN messenger which doesn't work with this phone.

The DECT features are pretty standard, only issue I've found is that the caller id feature is hit or miss but I'm unsure whether thats a problems with the phone or my line.

MSN features - plugged the device into a PC with XP that supports the version of live messenger that this phone requires -it was easy to setup, you can see all your contacts on the phone and easily call them up (in my case it was to my win2k pc with an old version of msn). Vis-versa you could pickup msn calls easily - reception was clear on my broadband connection

Only downside with all these usb devices is that the PC needs to be on inorder to use msn.

I've figured out why it's being sold so cheaply as it's only supported by XP and Philips or MSoft have no plans to provide any new drivers for this model - so log term this phone isn't a goer - tipical microsoft but hey for £20 who cares

[BobInIndy]

bought Philips VOIP841 PC-free phone with base station and it worked great.

Bought a second phone only, and followed the simple instructions to register it to the base. It will not register, and now the first phone just always says system is starting up (so I cannot access my contacts or use it).

Skype In/Out work fine on my computer with headset/mic.

What should I do?

Thanks!
Bob

[BobInIndy]

OK, read instructions in this thread on registering, that are different than come with the 2nd phone, and it did register. However, now I have two phones saying system is starting up.

Bob

[Bob Crabtree]

Bob,

Have you still got the same problem or was this to do with the system problems that Skype has been having?

We reported on these here and Skype's own take is here.

Cheers

Bob

[BobInIndy]

When I make a skype out call, and the number I am calling is busy, skype displays briefly it is busy on the screen, but, unlike a normal phone, it does not play a busy signal for you to here. Of course, by this time you have the handset against your head, so you did not see the screen informaiton that it was busy, so you are not sure what happened.

Why does it not play a busy signal? Is there a way to make it play a busy signal?

Thanks, Bob

[Bob Crabtree]

Bob,

I agree this is frustrating - it's caught me out twice today already!

There is no option I can see to make the phone sound a busy signal.

The only way round it I can think of - and it is a pretty lame workaround (but I'll be trying it with the next few calls I make) - is to call the number and NOT put the phone to your ear and, instead, switch to speakerphone mode (using the speaker icon at bottom right of the keypad), so you can watch what's going on AND speak to someone if the line isn't busy.

Oh, and, of course, you can switch out of speakerphone mode by pressing the button again.

[fredngo]

Hi everyone,

I'm very interested in buying this phone. It looks like you can have up to 4 handsets registered to the base station, that's great. However, one BIG question:

Can each handset use a different Skype account?

This is *essential* since everyone in our household has a different Skype account. Obviously I couldn't care less about calling my roommate's Skype contacts.

Any idea guys?

Thanks,

Fred

[ianc168]

I would say not as the base unit only supports one Skype Login. So each account needs to use a different base station.

A questionnaire that I filled out on activating the Philips Support, asked a question on whether I would want to have multiple Skype logins from one base station in the future, so they may be thinking about it for a later version.

Ian

[BobInIndy]

Using Skype Out - Skype's on screen phone with USB headset does not dependably produce touch tones that can be understood when you call and IVR system. The worst is calling a pharmacy's auto refill line, because all you are doing is entering touch tones, which are mised, not read accurately, etc. Very frustrating.

Interestingly, I have never had that problem (again Skype Out) when I use the Philips VOIP841. The touch tone problem with skype is totally intermittent. Does the Philips eliminate the touch tone problem, or does it just generate touch tones through skype, so it should have the same problems.

The touch tone problem is well documented in the skype forums.

Thanks!
Bob

[Bob Crabtree]

Just to update people on my experiences with the Philips, below is the message that I have just posted on Skype's own forums, in a thread headed, 'Huge problems in London with SkypeIn and Philips VOIP841. Am I alone?'.

Ho hum!

:-(

I've now reached the point where I've had to abandon using SkypeIn on a Philips VOIP841 because - once again - no one who calls my SkypeIn Number (a London 020 8 number) can hear a word I say.

I had this problem before and after a month or two - and with Philips kicking Skype's rear end on my behalf - it largely went away but now it's back with a vengeance so I've had no choice but to pay out for a BT line.

Trouble is, people who see my old adverts or leaflets still try to call me, fail to hear what I say and end up ringing off.

If they've not hidden their numbers, I ring them back, of course but otherwise they disappear into the ether, never to be heard of again. Fortunately, I am able to call most people back but a rather poor first impression will have already been created and I'm having to pay to call them, rather them paying to call me.

About the only relief I take from any of this (and it's only very slight), is that one company rang me up on my SkypeIn number trying to sell me business telephone services.

Of course, the bloke couldn't hear a word I said and rang off in disgust - thus kissing goodbye to one customer to whom he might have had an easy sell!

Oh and perversely, my US-based SkypeIn number seldom if ever gives me trouble - not that it gets used very often.

So, if you are based in London and using SkypeIn with a Philips VOIP841 (which uses a Linux gateway, as I understand it, not the one used for Windows-based PCs), I'd be REALLY keen to hear if you're having the same trouble as me. Likewise if you are based in London and using any other type of cordless phone for SkypeIn.

Oh (2) and my SkypeOut on the Philips phone is pretty naff, too, and has largely been abandoned as well.

I might keep that on, though, cos it's a very convenient way of sending SMS messages to mobiles but I can't think that there's any way that I'll renew my SkypeIn numbers once they expire.

TIA

Bob Crabtree