How To Set Up Caller ID, Including Modem Purchase Details

Ok Been MCEing for months now and for me the Nirvana of it all was to be CallerID. I didn't have any issues working with quickguide, getting Component video output, playing with powerstrip or getting duel tuners working, but callerID took a little while

.

So here is my guide.

Step One

You need to purchase a callerID enabled modem. You cannot use ISDN or ADSL modems, only 56k modems.

Here is a list of CallerID modems, they are not all there but its a start search for your own (i-modems are also an option)

http://www.uk-software.com/whocallingmodems.html

Or you could simply buy the modem I am using. Its a SwannSmart IIx 56K V.92 Internal Modem. Whilst it does not advertise its Caller ID funtion, it is AGERE Softmodem based and I can confirm that it works (this doesn't constitute a money back guarantee from me, buy at your own risk

) Also confirmed working at a number of sites including here http://bytes.cornerstone.edu.au/2005...ering-machine/ (article on making your own Computerized answering machine)

http://www.buyquick.com.au/shop/Prod...ID=SW-M-SSI2LA

Step 2

Ok now we can confirm that our modem supports CallerID (for those who supplied there own, or even to check my intelligence

)

Generally we use HyperTerminal to test our modem if it supports Caller ID.
First make sure you can see the Caller ID information from a normal telephone LED displayer.

Then do the following:

Select "HyperTerminal" by navigating through the Start button to "Programs," then "Accessories," then "HyperTerminal"
Double click on "hyperterm" or "hyperterm.exe"
Name the new connection "test," and select OK

Change the "Connect using" to Direct to COM X, where X is the COM port used by the Modem
Click on OK on the screen for "Port Settings", the click OK

Type the string ATZ to initalize the modem (OK should appear on the screen)
Enter the Caller ID setup string to be tested: AT+VCID=1 for most modems (see notes)
If OK results, continue; If ERROR results the modem may not support Caller ID; try a different setup string
Have someone call you to test CallerID
If Caller ID is working, you will see the word RING, followed by one or more additional data lines. The word RING will then continue to appear for each incoming ring.

If Caller ID is not working, you will only see the word RING for each incoming ring. If this is the case try another Caller ID setup string and go back to step 2.

For most MODEMs, the string AT+VCID=1 will enable Caller ID. On some voice based MODEMs the string is AT#CLS=8#CID=1. Look in the user’s manual for your MODEM to see if any setup string is referenced or mentioned. Other common setup strings are:

AT#CID=1
AT%CCID=1
AT%CCID=2
AT#CID=2
AT#CC1
AT*ID1

You also need to be paying for a CallerID service from your Telephone provider

Step 3

Now that you have determined that your modem can do CallerID then you are ready for the next step. The method I use, and the easiest to setup, is a server style CallerID setup. You can install the following software and use your MCE PC as the main PC, but issues arise. I suggest a server/listener approach. You will understand soon.

Firstly download YAC. Great piece of software with a great price $Free

http://sunflowerhead.com/software/yac/

Install this piece of Software on your Server PC. Referring to the picture below select the option picture below to run YAC in server mode.

Now we can run a test. Call your home phone from your mobile. A Yac should appear in the bottom right in the Sys tray. See below for one I prepared (and protected

) earlier

Step 4
Now we are ready to install MCE-YAC. This was written by a guy named David Ethan Zoller (cheers). It basically runs as a listener. That is When a call comes through YAC on the server, the server bounces this info around to all listeners on the network.

So install MCE-yac on your MCE computer

http://www.byz.org/~ethanz/mce-yac/mce-yac-v0.51.zip

Installing

- Close Media Center

- Copy the zip file your desktop (or somewhere)

- Extract its contents

- Run registeryac.cmd; it should return success before the command window closes.

- Launch Media Center .

- SP2 will alert you that Media Center is trying to access the network. You should choose “unblock this program” (if you don’t see this dialog & you have SP2’s firewall turned on, you may have to alt-tab to it.)
Step 5

Time to add our MCE machine as a listener under our Server machine. Right click YAC icon in Sys tray and select "Listeners" option. You can now add listeners to the server comp by either hostname or IP address.

This is about it.