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TriNexus TVMessenger
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How many times have you been nicely settled in your soft, comfortable couch enjoying a movie when, right in the middle of a thrilling chase scene, the telephone rings? Should you stop the movie to answer the phone? Perhaps it’s an important call from your boss, then again, maybe it’s your mother-in-law calling to hint at how wonderful it would be to become a grandmother sometime soon. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could make your decision without averting your gaze from the screen? With the advent of video Caller-ID products such as TriNexus’ TVMessenger and TVMessenger Plus, you can. How? Easy. The caller’s name and number are superimposed right over the image on your television screen. Just read the caller’s name, and decide if you want to pick up the phone. There’s no reason, after all, to leave a comfortable couch needlessly.
While the technology behind this electronic feat is a bit complex, implementation into
your home theater system is a snap. All you need to do is cable the TVMessenger between a
channel tuner and the television set using standard RCA cables, connect a telephone line
from the nearest wall jack to the TVMessenger and plug in the power supply (See Figure
Below). 
It’s that simple. The TVMessenger is shipped with all the cables
you’ll need to get connected and an excellent instruction sheet to guide you through
the process. Since the device requires a composite video signal on which to superimpose
the Caller-ID information (whether that be from a VCR, satellite tuner, or cable box is of
no consequence, but we’ll use a VCR as the example in this article), a television
with auxiliary audio and video inputs is needed to display the information. As you have
probably guessed, with this scenario, the VCR will perform all future channel tuning. For
most, this is a benefit, as VCR tuners are generally more sensitive than those placed in
televisions. You may be wondering if the connection with the VCR will result in Caller-ID
information being recorded on tape. It will not. Since the TVMessenger is placed
downstream from the VCR, its information is only available to the TV.
This is not the only way the device can be hooked up. Some people prefer to wire the unit directly to the television’s auxiliary jacks so they can continue to tune channels through the TV. With this scenario, the TV needs to be momentarily switched to the auxiliary input to read incoming Caller-ID information. A level of privacy is gained by the user with this particular arrangement, since the caller’s information is not unintentionally broadcast to household guests viewing your television.
Who could benefit from video Caller-ID technology? Well, just about anybody, actually. Naturally, a device such as the TVMessenger appeals to the high-tech crowd, but consider some benefits of implementation:
Security: Since you know who is
calling before you pick up the phone, you’re able to avoid potentially threatening or
harassing calls.
Convenience: You don’t have to interrupt your television viewing to read the Caller-ID box you have in the kitchen. You’re able to have the appropriate person take the call. You’re able to avoid nuisance calls.
Improvement in Quality of Life: Hearing impaired persons, who might ordinarily miss the telephone’s ringing over the sound of the television set would know of incoming calls. Visually impaired individuals who are not be able to clearly see the small LCD displays found on standard Caller-ID boxes would be able to take advantage of Caller-ID technology. Those for whom the effort of answering the telephone is an exhausting physical ordeal would be able to choose for which phone calls they would expend their energy.
TriNexus’ user-friendly products perform their Caller-ID functions with simplicity, precision, clarity and a great deal of functionality. There are two models available: the TVMessenger and TVMessenger Plus. Let’s review their shared features.
- Call Display on the TV : The incoming caller’s name and telephone number appear in large, easy-to-read characters in the upper left-hand corner of the television screen.
- Caller-ID on Call Waiting : The caller’s information is displayed onscreen when your phone is already engaged and a second call "beeps in" on Call Waiting.
- Caller Log : Name, number, date, time and number of times a person has called can be recalled and scrolled through on the screen, three at a time, with but a push of a button (As shown). The TVMessenger Plus is capable of remembering more than 4,900 calls from 50 different callers, while the TVMessenger is able to capture over 1,300 calls from 14 callers. Log entries can be deleted at the user’s discretion.
- New Call Indicator : A bright red LED on the front of the unit illuminates when new calls have been received since the last time the Caller Log was checked. This is a handy way to tell, without turning on the television set, whether you’ve received any calls in your absence.
- Message Waiting Indicator : If you’ve received any voicemail messages while you were out, the red LED will start flashing to notify you of their presence. No need to pick up the telephone to listen for that stuttering dial tone.
- Blue Screen : During normal operation, the caller’s information is superimposed over the existing video stream; however, for easier viewing, the background can be changed to a solid blue screen. When no video source is present (such as when the VCR is turned off but the television is left on), the TVMessengerPlus automatically displays the blue screen to provide a background for incoming Caller-ID data. Some users enjoy using the unit in this manner to create a giant household Caller-ID box that can be viewed from across the room.
What differentiates
the TVMessenger Plus different from the TVMessenger , aside from the expanded Caller Log
information mentioned above, is the inclusion of an IR remote control (Shown at right).
The remote control provides the user with access to all of the unit’s functions from
within 35 feet (line of sight) of the box. With it, he can scroll through the Caller Log,
delete individual entries, delete the log as a whole and toggle the blue screen on and
off. It operates on two AAA batteries (included) and uses a frequency range that is
compatible with learning remotes.
Now that you’ve become acquainted with video Caller-ID technology and understand how simple it is to implement in your own home, can you think of any reason you wouldn’t want to take advantage of it yourself? Price? That’s the best part. Since TriNexus engineers and manufactures the device, they’ve been able to keep the price far below their competition’s while offering many more features. In fact, with their products being in $89 - $129 price range, the TVMessenger line of television Caller-ID devices has become so popular, many home theater and home automation installers keep extras in their vans to use as quick add-on sales.
Do yourself and your family a favor. Buy a TVMessenger for your home today.
TriNexus backs its TVMessenger products with a one-year warranty against defects in materials or workmanship and has an extremely knowledgeable and friendly technical support staff to help you through any difficulties. For more information, contact TriNexus Technologies at (306) 668-7711, or visit them on the Web at www.TriNexus.com .
David Kindred is a home automation hobbyist, and freelance writer who lives in Damascus, Maryland.
