I would like to use a sound file I made long ago that I have stored on my computer as my voicemail message. I could just call up my voicemail and record it lazily by holding up the phone to my speakers, but that’s resulted in pretty poor quality.
How can I use my 56k modem to dial my cell phone and effectively “talk to it” – ie, send a ‘#’, then my password, then press ‘1’ to change voicemail, then play the sound file? Is this possible?
commas.
For modems, a comma is a pause. By playing with the number of commas, you can insert pauses between digits to get the correct session.
555-1212,#,1 entered as the phone number for the modem to connect might dial the number, pause for three beats, send a pound, pause for three beats then send a 1.
Don’t know if the pound sign is a valid character for this, though.
Now, how you get the music to play is something I’m not sure about. But you can definitely script a session of inputs.
look up ATDT and modem.
Another solution might be the microphone on the cell phone. You’ve probably seen people with the cell phones held low and the cord to their ear. There is a microphone on the cord that they talk into.
Anyway, if there is a microphone, there might be a way to connect a mic line to it. Mic out from your PC connected to the cell phone. Call your voice mail setup and play the file.
Don’t know if this is really possible, but it’s something to look into.
Yet another one is internet telephony. You can get software that lets you use your PC as a phone.
Thanks for the great replies, guys!
Do you know of any freeware software like that, leenmi?
I’ll go look up what you suggested in a moment, but I was wondering-
what program would I USE to communicate directly with the modem? I’m assuming Windows has something like this already built in
would it allow me to listen to the line?
Use HyperTerminal. Start -> Programs -> Accessories -> Communications
Yes; your modem’s speakers should be on as default. Play around with HyperTerminal’s preferences to make sure.
I wouldn’t assume Windows has something like that built in. That sounds like something the Windows world would have to pay for. I’m using Linux and can’t remember what Windows calls its dialer, but I want to say HyperTerminal. It can usually be found from Start > Accessories.
Poke around there and see what it will let you do.
I don’t know of any freeware pc-phone software, but that doesn’t mean it’s not out there.
Go into your modem settings and you can change it from silent. Most of them are set to silent now because the squeals and beeps are usually annoying, but it’s just a setting.
A modem is basically a tool that converts sound to signal and back. It might be possible to direct the sound output from your media player to the modem. I’d google for references from someone more experienced, though.
This link seems to suggest it can be done. And this one confirms it.
Hmm… having trouble dialing out. Says there’s no dialtone. I should probably wait til I’m off-campus.
Lookee here . Might not be the exact answer, but it definitely points in the direction you want to go.
Did you plug in the phone line? Heh. That was for me.
Haha, yes. I think the trouble may be 1) I can’t hear the line to tell what’s happening, and 2) dialing out frmo here involves dialing 8 and a PIN
8,<PIN>,<phone number>
Play with the commas until you get the pauses right.
Would it be easier to set up a new “location” or whatever or just go straight to the modem commands?
new location is repeatable, but going straight to the commands is a lot of fun. In a geeky sort of way.
Hmm… still no dial tone recognized.
Could the fact that I’m using a digital line have anything to do with it?
Hm. Just saw this on the school info site:
Can I make it work? 
Possibly. But you shouldn’t.
Eh. Maybe I’ll just get their adapter.