T7316e and Call Pilot with Norstar Meridian 8x24 DS?

[chirkware]

We are getting prepared to move some people into a new office space across the street. I just got a chance to look over the situation, and discovered what will hopefully be useful for us: The old tenants left behind a phone system.

Here's what is hanging there:
Meridian 8x24 DS
12X0 Expansion unit (no cards installed though)
Two M0X16 expansion units
All the 66 blocks seem intact.
No telephones.

I know this is an older system, and it is also more than we will need, but I'm hoping we can use it.

Questions:
1. Can a T7316e telephone run on these older systems?
2. If answer to #1 is a NO, what phones will I need? (Will the plain T7316 (non-e) work...they are seen as 7208's I believe?)
3. Can I connect a Call Pilot to it?
4. Is there a way to do a factory reset of any sort to rid it of any existing settings so I can just start over?


Sorry for such basic questions...I can't read the manual for it because there isn't one hanging on the wall. I also have no idea what software is on it, and would not be able to tell until I can connect a phone to it.

 

[jerryreeve]

the 7316's will work and they willbe seen by the ICS as a 7310. the CP will probably not work or at least will not work correctly. and yes youy can factory reset the system

----------------------------
JerryReeve
Communications Systems Int'l
com-sys.com

 

[bigcat919]

You might be able to connect a call pilot by using RJ-11 jacks in between the two. Won't hurt anything to try. I believe, if my old mind is right, to reset the phone programming, just turn off the power, pull the s/w cartidge out, separate the two pieces of the s/w cartidge, then put everything back together. But without some analog trunk cards for the trunk modules, the maximum amount of lines are 8.

 

[chirkware]

Thanks for the replies. If we use this, I'll probably pick up some more 7316's then.

The base 8x24 would be plenty for us...We'll probably actually have four lines MAX...There is only room for MAYBE 20 people in this office area. This system must have served multiple floors in the past, because it is WAY more than this floor would need.

Having read a little more, I think there is a problem: When I was looking at the 8x24 earlier, I noticed an open slot towards the upper right of it. I'm wondering now if that is the slot that the software cartridge goes in...Slot was probably 1 - 1 1/2 inches wide, 4 or so inches tall, and was to the right of the amphenol cable connections.

Think someone would have abandoned the old chassis, but kept the software cartridge and other expansion boards? It uses the older (non fiber) connections for the expansion units (12x0 and 0x16's), so maybe they thought the chassis wasn't worth the trouble. Comments?

 

[RikRodgers]

Have you tried booting up a phone on the system?

 

[chirkware]

I've not actually tried hooking anything up yet. I just found out about the system earlier today, and I won't have easy access to the office area until Sept 1. The only phones I have available to me right now are T7316e (all older models are at other offices...I take good care of my users, lol). I'll probably go by an office that has a mix of T7316e's and T7316's and "upgrade" someone to the e version phone so I'll have a plain 7316 to test with.

 

[Onyx1]

Callpilot will not work w/ a 8x24DS. Callpilot requires a minimum of 4.1 Norstar ICS software. May work w/ a very old StarTalk Mini.

 

[chirkware]

I went back over and looked at the system again. I'm 99% sure the empty slot is where the software cartridge would go, so I would think this system is not worth the expense to go buy a cartridge, considering I still would have an old system, and I don't need the systems potential capacity anyway.

Taking it down and hanging a CICS + CP100 in it's place is starting to look a lot easier and more practical...

 

[RikRodgers]

Definitely. VM is typically more expensive than a KSU.

Just make sure your call pilot has a 2 prong power supply. If it has a grouded plug on it, you'll want to pick up an new one. (power supply, that is.) The original pwr supply shipped with the call pilots ran hot, and eventually burned out the vm cabinet.

They run about 70$, and are well worth the peace of mind.