Features and Benefits | Development Roadmap | Typical Configurations | Product Specifications

Logger is an open source, web driven software application that when combined with our range of telephony cards, can turn commodity PC/servers into reliable and easy to use call recording systems suitable for small to medium businesses (SMBs). Our telephony hardware enables Logger to record calls from analogue (POTS) and digital primary rate (E1/T1) trunk lines as well as analogue stations (ie. PBX extensions).

Typical commercial call recording systems can cost as much as US$1000/channel. By using our Logger software, you can build a multi-channel analogue or primary rate (E1/T1) system for the price of a PC/server and Voicetronix telephony card. This can equate to as little as US$60/channel for a primary rate system.

Call recording systems can be applied to many industries and are typically required for:

• Compliance in the broking & finance industry where calls relating to transactional dealings are recorded for potential verification.
• Assurance against potential litigation for professional services conducted over the telephone.
• Performance evaluation and training aids in tele sales & help desks environments.
• Improving emergency response services where calls answered are often life threatening in nature.
• Monitoring calls for possible illegal activities in corrective institutions.
• Dictation services for Legal and Medical practitioners.

Activate, Navigate and Operate Logger with a Click of a Mouse!

Logger is driven by a simple and intuitive web based desktop manager that allows you to easily:

• Log onto the system.
• Configure system parameters including global and network options, set up users and groups with appropriate permissions.
• Enable appropriate users to search through call recordings and listen to them through their desktop media player.
• Set up archiving to hard disk, DVD or CD.

All you need is a web browser and network access to the Logger server.

Operate, Administrate and Maintain your Logger remotely!

A command line interface, accessed from the console (or remotely using SSH), enables you to perform certain administrative and maintenance tasks including:

• System information checks including hard disk and CPU usage.
• Line activity monitoring and how many call have been recorded to date.
• Scheduling tasks that alert and/or prevent potential system and application failures including hard disks filling up etc.
• Fine tuning VOX threshold levels and run-on used as recording triggers on "always live" (tied) telco lines.
• Archiving to an external removable hard disk.
• Application software upgrades.

Sort, View and Listen to Recorded Conversations from your Desktop!

Logger provides the option of storing call recordings under directories associated by channel or extension number. Channel and extension numbers can also be assigned names. Users can quickly search and find their particular recordings of interest by selecting period details from a drop down list or enter user specific date time details via calendars available on the Call Log screen. A more detailed search can be undertaken by entering a specific channel (or extension) of interest.

Once the resulting list of recordings appear, just click to listen. Additional call information including call direction, caller id, dialled number and duration of call are presented on the Call Log screen.

Comprehensive hardware support

Voicetronix supports a range of high impedance line interface hardware that can passively tap trunk and/or station side connections including:

1. E1/T1 lines (ie. ISDN and CAS variants) through our OpenPRI Dual cards and PRI Tap Box accessories.
2. POTS lines (ie. analogue PSTN) via our OpenPCI-L series hardware.
3. Analogue stations using our OpenPCI-L series hardware.
4. Microphone/headset audio signals using our OpenPCI-L series hardware and Audio Adapter Box accessories.

These interfaces are designed to not interfere with the operation of your existing communication equipment.

The seamless integration of our hardware range with Logger provides the ability to simulatenously record calls on all these connection types using a single server. Note: Connection to digital handsets usually found in legacy keyed telephone systems (KTS) are not supported.

Channel capacity can be increased by installing additional telephony cards (up to 120 channels) on a single server.

Recordings are triggered automatically!

Logger supports a number of recording triggers including:

1. Hook detection in analogue trunk (POTS) lines and stations.
2. The parsing of D channel answer/disconnect messages in primary rate E1/T1 ISDN lines.
3. Hook detection by decoding "robbed" bits A & B in T1 RBS lines.
4. Hook detection by decoding the A & B bits in E1 MFC/R2 lines.
5. VOX energy threshold detection in always active analoge, digital and microphone lines.

Hook detection in analogue lines and stations is determined via voltage level changes on the line, when the handset has been taken off hook or placed back on hook.

VOX threshold essentially calculates energy levels in the audio path and determines whether a conversation is in progress or not. A run on (duration of silence that needs to occur before the recording terminates) is also included to ensure the Logger doesn't create an unnecessary amount of call recording files during a single conversation. Note conversations invariably have periods of silence.

Open Source equates to a lower cost of ownership

Logger is an open source application and source code can be downloaded freely from here. Build/customise your own call recording system by leveraging off our hardware and software building blocks.

A number of development activities have been planned to enhance the offerings of Logger including support for:

• Statistical reporting.
• Manual triggering of recordings.

In building your recording solution you need to consider the following:

1. Where to tap the recordings - trunk side or station?
2. What type of lines or station/handsets will be tapped?

Other considerations should include determining which features you require from Logger, system limitations relating to channel capacity, disk storage and choice of back up medium.

Common configurations are illustrated below.

Call recording on an E1 or T1 trunked PBX phone system. Take a PC/server with the OpenPRI Dual or Quad card running Linux and connect the PRI tap box to each E1/T1 span on the card, the telco line and the PBX. Install, configure and run our hardware driver & Logger application software. Note: The Logger solution supports E1/T1 ISDN, T1 RBS and eventually E1 MFC/R2 signalling.

Call recording on an analogue phone system (trunk side or station side). Take a PC/server with the OpenPCI-8L card running Linux and tap the card's ports to the telco trunk lines if only incoming and outgoing calls need to be monitored. If inter-office calls are also required to be monitored, then tap the PBX extensions instead of the trunk lines. Install, configure and run our hardware driver & Logger application software. Note: Only the tapping of standard analogue handsets is supported. Digital handsets found in keyed telephone systems (KTS) cannot be tapped using our technology.

If the DIY option is not for you then contact sales for a pre-configured or custom solution.

The minimum system specifications below are based on what we provide in our pre-configured servers as standard.

Minimum System Requirements
CPU/Speed		Intel Core Duo or equivalent.
Memory(RAM)		2GB or greater.
MOBO/Backplane		Supporting 3.3V Power supply, PCI2.2 or PCIe bus.
HDD		500GB+ SATA II (depends on channel capacity & storage requirements).
Network		LAN.
DVD burner		20X+ Dual Layer DVD R/RW.
Operating System		Linux kernel 2.6.x.
Physical		Mini tower or 19" Rackmount.
System channel capacity
Analogue trunk lines or stations		up to 40 channels.
Primary rate lines		up to 120 channels (ie. 4 x T1/E1 lines).
Telephony Interfaces supported by Logger
Trunk Interface		Digital and analogue network interface.
Digital Trunk Types		E1/T1 ISDN, T1 RBS & E1 MFC/R2.
Physical Connection		High impedance (Hi-Z) through PRI Tap box (4 x RJ45 connectors).
Analogue Trunk Types		Loop-start and station.
Signal processing - Host based
Caller ID detection		on hook detection, FSK, DTMF & MF detection.
DTMF detection		0-9, *, #, A, B, C, D.
MF detection		0-9, SIT tones.
Audio codecs		Mu-law, A-law, 16 bit signed Linear.
Recording Triggers
Record		Hook Detection, software configurable VOX.
Terminate		Hook Detection, software configurable VOX.