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The keypad hidden under the flip up lid also works as a manual controller for eight X10 devices with ON/OFF, DIM/BRIGHT and ALL LIGHTS ON/ALL OFF control. Does not affect the phone line when you are at home, the responder automatically turns off if you pick up the phone. In answering machine mode, the responder will activate even after your answering machine has picked up the line, simply ignore your answering machine and enter the commands you want. The Telephone Responder features a flip-up cover for the keypad.

Turning devices On/Off by phone is simple with X10 technology. Simply plug your choice of Telephone Transponder or Responder into a telephone jack and into a 110V AC outlet. Any X10 compatible receivers in the house can now be controlled by telephone. Thermostats can be controlled with a Universal Module to interrupt the connection to your existing thermostat or by replacing your thermostat with an X10 controllable thermostat.

This unit may not be compatible with some brands of answering machines. We have found that some answering machines have difficulty working with the X10 Telephone Responder. Machines that have a circuit in them to automatically disconnect themselves when another phone extension in the house is picked up may not function correctly. The Telephone Responder works by listening to the phone line 30 seconds after a call comes in. To an answering machine, when the Telephone Responder picks-up the line to listen in for commands, the answering machine thinks that a human has picked up a phone extension and it will cease recording. The end result is that some or all of the answer machines messages may get cut off.

The Telephone Responder has no trouble working with answering machines that don’t have this feature or machines where it can be disabled. If you have this kind of an answering machine, we suggest using the Telephone Responder on a second phone line, like the one that might be used for a fax machine or Internet access.

The Telephone Responder would also be incompatible with voice mail services offered by your local phone company. These services effectively intercept the call before a ring signal ever gets to the home. Or, it the voice mail service is set up to answer the call after ringing the phone for more than 30 seconds, the Telephone Responder will always answer the call before the voice mail service can take a message.