asterisk users - Oct 2005 - Re: Asterisk-Users Digest, Vol 15, Issue 108

Hi James -
> I am doing some experimenting with Asterisk 1.0.9 and Polycom  
> IP501's.  I have the extensions setup, and everything is working  
> well up to this point.  Now, I want to setup my system so that a  
> user at an extension can start a recording on demand.  I have tried  
> various Google searches, but am coming up empty.  Could someone  
> point me in the right direction, or have some sample Polycom/ 
> Asterisk configuration files I can look at?  Ideally, I would like  
> this to just be programmed to a soft key on the IP501.
This sounds like another thread that was recently on this list.   
AFAIK, the only way to record a live conversation is to transfer a  
call to an extension with a monitor command.  That requires at least  
two key presses (e.g. #8).  The key remapping feature of the Polycom  
phones only allows you to map a single key to another key.  However,  
some ingenious person on the list came up with the idea of mapping a  
speed dial to another key to handle multiple key presses mapped to a  
single key.  Unfortunately, the Polycom phones always interpret a  
speed dial as request to start a new channel, so it can't be done on  
calls already in progress.  There doesn't seem to be any kind of  
workaround yet.  I'd love to be able to do something similar for call  
parking.

We may have to petition Polycom for a new feature.  If you do happen  
to come up with anything, though, let us know.

- Noah