VO-BB - 19 YEARS OLD!

vox1 · Contributor IV Joined: 14 Nov 2004 Posts: 126

years with a Zephyr Classic…and at least ten or so on an Xstream…

Today two separate sessions were rudely interrupted by a series of inexplicable line drops. Never seen this particular variety of issue before… No digital hash, spikes et.al… just, blip, drop. As if there was an internal 'time-out' programmed. Redials aplenty got us through takes until resorting to SourceConnect to finish the rest…

I've been through countless circuit troubleshoots over the years - Telco trouble ticket initiated/escalated.. (ugh, time to educate them about ISDN again).

First thought, long distance issue- That's where i was leaning but after some local loop-back testing, watched the connection hold then drop within a matter of anywhere from a few minutes to less than 60 secs. Telos friends not readily able to diagnose. Anybody encounter this specific issue? Unfortunately enough, I have an old but usable Classic on the shelf minus the ISDN card. Hoping Telos can ship me a card rather than a loaner so i can try a different box and rule out the hardware.

Cheers,

Mike
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NorthEndVoice · Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2017 7:42 pm Post subject:

Did both SPIDS drop at once...or did they drop one at a time? I've had this happen on occasion with both lines at once and 98% of the time it was determined to be a phone co. issue. The other time(s) it was a bad RJ11 connector on the cable. Also had a case where a "phone tech" was working on the lines at the remote studio unbeknownst to the session producer and caused the lines to drop. In my experience (Telos Xstream) over several years...it has never been related to the actual box itself. Always something outside of it. I also try and do a hard reboot a least once a week as I leave the gear on all of the time. I've done three ISDN orders in three different locations so I feel your pain in having to "interface" with them again. They will run a test for you and any errors should be evident that could cause the dropped lines...assuming that it is on your end. Has it happened with any other studios? I'll be available Saturday evening if you want to test connect. Just let me know.

Les

vox1 · Contributor IV Joined: 14 Nov 2004 Posts: 126

Mike Harrison · Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2017 8:25 pm Post subject:

While sudden disconnects haven't happened during any of my ISDN sessions, there have been a surprising number of such instances during landline phone calls over the past several years. I didn't know what to think at first but, with Verizon and other Telcos losing interest in maintaining their copper plant more and more each day, I think it's safe to assume that might be part of the issue.

Not long after moving in almost seven years ago, my landline phone did actually stop working altogether one day and, when Verizon came out, they found one of the wires in a remote terminal down the street had just corroded and dropped off the lug.

Good luck with your Telco!
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Mike
Male Voice Over Talent
I have taken leave of my sensors.

Bish · Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2017 6:38 am Post subject:

Your problem could be the result of someone else's problem. It's happened to me on two occasions, and it's a case of ignorant (uneducated) field staff who don't know what ISDN is (or even what it stands for).

I'm at the end of the street, about a mile from the telco (Verizon) distribution box. The cable happily trundles through it's underground tunnel, stopping off along the way to drop a pair for the remaining POTS subscribers along the street... eventually getting to me and providing me with lots of ISDN goodness. If any user of this cable reports a fault, I'm in trouble because Vinny (the knuckle-dragging Verizon lineman) will immediately look for a spare pair on the cable and (after studiously ignoring the plant records) will happen across my pair... which exhibits no 50v exchange line voltage or (more significantly) no dial-tone. "Gadzooks!" cries Vinny, "Result! What serendipity, a free pair just where I need it!" Mrs. Smith gets her line fixed and I'm out of ISDN for a few days while Verizon sort out the mess.
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Mike Harrison · Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2017 4:02 pm Post subject:

I'm sorry to say, Bish, that your potential nightmare could indeed happen just as you say. After the Bell System breakup in 1984, when New Jersey Bell (along with several other operating companies) became Bell Atlantic, and before its subsequent merge with GTE to become Verizon, I was sitting at home one day during the early 90s, when a Bell Atlantic truck pulled up outside and the tech climbed the pole. After he came back down several minutes later and drove away, I no longer had dial tone. There'd been nothing wrong with my service before he showed up.

Fast forward about 10 years. In a different location, I had two phone lines: one for my phone and the other for my modem. When line noise began interfering with my internet connections, I reported it to Verizon, who set up an appointment to come out and investigate. The appointed day/time came and went with no visit. I called and asked why the tech never showed up. They told me he did show up and I wasn't there. I asked to what location he was sent. The location they gave me was not my location but, apparently, the location of the previous owner of my modem line across town.

So if your Verizon tech has a need to come out, it may not be a question of his ignoring plant records; the plant records could very easily be outdated.

AT&T and the rest of what had been the Bell System had built the finest, most reliable telephone network in the world that boasted outstanding sonic quality. The TV and radio networks relied on it. And, following the mandated breakup of the Bell System, it all eventually turned to shit.

May your ISDN remain trouble-free for as long as you need it.
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Mike
Male Voice Over Talent
I have taken leave of my sensors.

melissa eX · Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2017 9:00 pm Post subject:

vox1 · Contributor IV Joined: 14 Nov 2004 Posts: 126

resolution - a bad card in a central office - always nice when it can be isolated by detectable errors fairly quickly - vs the elusive variety of issue that could be anywhere along the 'distance of the physical lines….
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Mikey ... Vox-Versatiliti

Saying something since 1970-
something