Silica is a lightweight heads-up Caller ID display that leverages the internal modem and Address Book to let you know who's calling without having to look over at the phone.
Great idea, however it doesn't work on my 17" Powabook (OS X 10.4.1 / 1.33 GHz G4).
Modem Model: LastDash
Interface Type: USB
Modulation: V.92
SKU Name: UCJ
Hardware Version: 4.0
Firmware Version: APPLE VERSION 2.6.6
Driver: InternalUSBModem.kext (v2.6.6)
I've been using Silica for a long time (maybe a year) in my eMac usb2.0 with the internal modem, and works great...
but now i'm trying to install on my old iMac 400DV, and i can't get the modem work....i think this modem isn't compatible with caller ID but i'm not so sure about it...
otherwise, the app is great and very unintrusive
I'm hoping this may do the trick for me. I was attempting to get an app working on my WinDoze machine to block unwanted calls via Caller ID without success. My iMac G5's modem supports caller id and I have Silica showing the caller information to the screen but I can't get it to call any script. I have tried even the sample scripts, but nothing. I am running OS X.4.5. Any ideas?
Thanks and looks great so far. If i get this working it is going to be worth a donation ;-)
I am running Silica 1.2 in the UK (BT phone line) with the following system …
Modem Model: MicroDash
Interface Type: USB
Modulation: V.92
SKU Name: Euro
Hardware Version: 1.0F
Firmware Version: APPLE VERSION 2.6.6
Driver: InternalUSBModem.kext (v2.6.6)
Country: B4 (United Kingdom)
Mac OS X 10.4.3
Dual 2 Ghz PowerPC G5
I have set Silica to us Internal Modem / ATE0+VCID=1, but I just get "No Caller ID info received" when a call comes in. I know that Caller ID is working, as if I plug a Caller ID phone into the same socket the ID comes through.
Any ideas how to resolve this problem?
One other tiny point - is there a way to minimize the app so that it does not show up next to the Trash icon in the Dock?
Many Thanks, Julian
Fantastic Application! I was going to buy phlink for this same feature... but was able to get it with this app for free. I'm using a rev b 20" iMac and it works great.
Here's a couple feature requests
- a widget to display call history
- if a name doesn't get a displayed, a look up button to query a yellowpages website (hopefully that works in canada too)
- a button to add a number and name into the address book.
For some non-US folks, in order to get Silica to work with a phone splitter, you'll need the following info (based on German standards):
TAE-F 6 (4) [i.e. a 6-slot plug with 4 contact points] to WE 6 (4) (RJ II) [i.e. the typical "western" square modem plug with 4 tines]. The numbers on the left of the equals sign are the TAE-F contact points; those on the right are their RJ II correspondents.
1a = 3
2b = 4
3W = 2
4E = 5
I bought mine in Marktkauf, and this is all clearly labeled on the back of the packaging. But be careful: there are a lot of adapters that look exactly alike though they will not work.
The UK phone plug is just a gigantic, flattened version of the RJ II (the contacts should all correspond like to like), so you can pick up an adapter at any Dixon's and use it with the RJ II/RJ II modem cable that came bundled with your Mac. Please e-mail me if you'd like a photo of the adapter just to make sure.
I wanted to answer some of my own questions (which others also seem to have) now that I've solved them.
Silica *does* work with Deutsche Telekom Rufnummernanzeige (caller ID) as it is -- you just need the right adapter, or Anschluss-Schnur. There seem to be about twenty different standards in Germany, and with each one the contacts from the wall plug correspond to different contacts on the square RJ11 adapter that plugs into the modem. Lots of them look like they ought to work, but don't. Once I found the right one -- it took no fewer than ten trial-and-error attempts with various adapters -- SIlica registered every incoming call accurately. I'll try to get the part number of the adapter and submit it to Greg for his compatibility page.
Hi Greg,
It would be really great if Silica 1.1.1 worked for me. I'm in the UK. Have you found anyone in the UK who this works for? Actually, I'm subscribe to Vonage over in the UK. I know caller ID comes through because it shows up on my phone.
The modem seems to be working fine dialing out. It even recognizes that there is a call dialing in but it just reports "No Caller ID info received".
Any ideas? Modem details:
Modem Model: Dash2
Interface Type: USB
Modulation: V.92
SKU Name: Euro
Hardware Version: 1.0F
Firmware Version: APPLE VERSION 2.6.6
Driver: InternalUSBModem.kext (v2.6.6)
Country: B4 (United Kingdom)
If it helps I'm running OS X 10.4.2 on the following:
Machine Name: Power Mac G4
Machine Model: PowerMac3,6
CPU Type: PowerPC G4 (3.2)
Number Of CPUs: 2
CPU Speed: 1.25 GHz
Memory: 1.5 GB
Many thanks for your effort.
Cheers Daniel
Still not working for me here in Germany. I have caller ID, or Rufnummernanzeige, through T-Net 100 (it's touted as one of the features of my service plan) but Silica 1.1 is unable to recognize any incoming phone call. I've checked and double-checked every possible setting. And no other application (i.e., Fax, Jon's Phone Tool) is competing with Silica for modem monitoring.
My modem info is as follows:
Modem Model: Jump
Interface Type: I2S
Modulation: V.92
Hardware Version: Version 1.0
Driver: MotorolaSM56K.kext (v1.3.2)
Country: 42 (Germany)
Can anyone help? I'm dying to get this to work -- especially now that Silica has Growl support!
To developer: could you be kind to confirm the following modem's compatibility and add it to the appropriate table (compatible/not compatible) on your modem compatibility page?
Modem Model: LastDash
Interface Type: USB
Modulation: V.92
SKU Name: UCJ
Hardware Version: 4.0
Firmware Version: APPLE VERSION 2.6.6
Driver: InternalUSBModem.kext (v2.6.6)
Country: B5 (United States, Latin America)
It's found in Powerbook G4 17" 1.5GHz, and others that were released in Spring 2004. Notice the LastDash vs. MicroDash which is listed as compatible in your table.
That would resolve all the doubletalk and uncertainities. Thanks.
... and I forgot to ask:
Might Growl support mean that Silica takes up even less resources? The notification featured on your screenshot looks an awful lot like a Growl-type notification window.
I think a lot of people will want to know if the Apple internal modem is caller ID-capable.
I'd read that most models after 2004 should be, but this isn't something that's very well publicized. Can you perhaps post a list of known caller ID-capable modems that Silica -- very cool app, by the way -- will work with?
I'd very much like it if people who have modems that don't work with Silica would contact me at the included support address (or provide contact information in their feedback here). I will certainly work with people to get their modems supported.
Great idea, however it doesn't work on my 17" Powabook (OS X 10.4.1 / 1.33 GHz G4).
Modem Model: LastDash
Interface Type: USB
Modulation: V.92
SKU Name: UCJ
Hardware Version: 4.0
Firmware Version: APPLE VERSION 2.6.6
Driver: InternalUSBModem.kext (v2.6.6)
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