Device that dails a phone number(US), then plays an MP3 file, then hangs up.

Projects General Guidance
1

First off, this will only be used on an internal phone system and not on anything else.

It will dial 8 0 which engages our PA system and play an mp3 file every 10 minutes.

I need the device to:

while an "ON" switch is enabled
pick up the line
dial 8 0
play a random mp3 file from an SD card
hang up the line
wait for 10 minutes

After looking around already I think that I've found all the pieces to make this:

SparkFun Inventors Kit - SparkFun Inventor's Kit for Arduino (Old Stock) - KIT-10173 - SparkFun Electronics
MP3 Player Shield - SparkFun MP3 Player Shield - DEV-12660 - SparkFun Electronics
HT9200B DTMF generator - http://www.newark.com/jsp/search/productdetail.jsp?SKU=53M7849&CMP=AFC-GB100000001
Cermetek DAA Telephone Line Interface - XE0092 - Cermetek Microelectronics
Stackable Headers - 6 and 8 pin

Is this product feasible?

What if anything am I missing piece wise?

Any advice or criticism is welcome.

2

First off, this will only be used on an internal phone system and not on anything else.

It really sounds like a telemarketing tool

Is this product feasible?

Think so

What if anything am I missing piece wise?

  • switch to switch it off :slight_smile:
  • volume knob?
  • LCD to display phonenumber and MP3 chosen (feedback in general)
  • RTC to measure time (you don't want this to play at night I guess)
  • logfile on SD card, which number, which MP3 @ time or so. (to pay the royalties)
  • few LED's to display status
  • local speaker to hear the MP3 locally
  • a box to put it in ..
  • Wall wart(s) with enough power..
3

Came up a second ago:
Q: is it allowed to connect things to the phonelines?

missing: optocouplers?

4

robtillaart:
It really sounds like a telemarketing tool

I knew it would seem that way...

I work at a retail store with a Muzak system that pipes in the music from corporate. Management higher up wants us to be paging store specific sale offers on a regular basis throughout the store. Unfortunately the PA and the Muzak systems don't have any inputs that I could just plug an mp3 player into without unplugging the Muzak system from the PA system. I am currently playing the announcement on a boom box and holding the phone in front of it every 10-15min. I'm looking to create a bare-bones device that any knucklehead can plug a phone cord into, plug a power cord into, and toggle on ON/OFF switch.

  • switch to switch it off :slight_smile:

I figure a power switch and a play switch would be OK.

  • volume knob?

Thanks, hadn't considered that.

  • LCD to display phonenumber and MP3 chosen (feedback in general)

I want to go as bare-bones as possible, this will only dial the two digits and I wont care which mp3 it plays.

  • RTC to measure time (you don't want this to play at night I guess)

This could be helpful, what is an RTC? Obviously a clock of some sort, I just don't want to eat up too many pins.

  • logfile on SD card, which number, which MP3 @ time or so. (to pay the royalties)

No royalties to pay, I am recording the mp3's myself.

  • few LED's to display status

This was my intent for feed back, red LED for power ON, green LED for play sequence ON.

  • local speaker to hear the MP3 locally

Hadn't considered as there are PA speakers everywhere at the store. I'll try to work it in.

  • a box to put it in ..

I should have mentioned it in my list but thanks for the reminder.

  • Wall wart(s) with enough power..

I'm not quite up on the Arduino slang, but I think you mean DC power adapter(s)?

From your other post:

  • optocouplers

From my limited googling, they appear to help protect the device from a power spike coming in from the phone line. Yes?

Q: is it allowed to connect things to the phonelines?

I'm sorry, but I don't quite understand what your asking. The device would have a jack that the phone-line would plug into.

5

Quote

  • RTC to measure time (you don't want this to play at night I guess)

This could be helpful, what is an RTC? Obviously a clock of some sort, I just don't want to eat up too many pins.

RTC = Real time clock - the DS1307 is poular.

I'm not quite up on the Arduino slang, but I think you mean DC power adapter(s)?

Yep,

From your other post:
Quote

  • optocouplers

From my limited googling, they appear to help protect the device from a power spike coming in from the phone line. Yes?

Indeed,

Quote
Q: is it allowed to connect things to the phonelines?

I'm sorry, but I don't quite understand what your asking. The device would have a jack that the phone-line would plug into.

It is not allowed in all countries to connect devices to phone lines (even inhouse ones) - high voltages, => risk(?) of fire etc.
Insurrance companies can ask "nasty questions" about unsafe devices etc.