Hi All,
Thought i might try posting this here, to see if anyone has accomplished this and at a reasonable price.
Im looking at this current sensing device that would go in series with the phone line which would provide a contact closure, which in turn i would like to have activate a taught IR command to mute the TV, and of course unmute when phone is hung up.
Does anyone know if such a device exists that could handle this without getting into expensive home automation equipment?

This is a thread from the alt.home.automation newsgroup where i posted originally.

[Link: groups.google.com]

The part you want is made by Viking, called the ldb-2.
It can be used to detect ringing and or in use. I would suggest avoiding the ir trick, however. You will probably have greater success by using some sort of voltage activated ab switch (read Niles SAS-1) through the tape monitor circuit. With this scenario, you would ALWAYS leave the tape monitor on, and loop the signal through the sas-1. When voltage hits the sas-1, it would switch to the priority inputs, which in our case would be open. Muting occurs, and no ir bugs to worry about. It would be cheaper then using a contact close ir generating device.

Thanks Fred!
I found a deal on a Niles SPK-1:
[Link: nilesaudio.com]
Seems as thought it should work using the 12VDC input.
Found the LDB-2 here for a decent price:
[Link: homenetworkgear.com]
Do you see any problems going this route?
And do you know of any other low cost Ring/Loop detectors with 12VDC output capability?

The Viking is the one I know about.
The spk-1 is speaker rather then line level voltage activated priority switching. If you are only driving two speakers, it will work. If you use the SAS-1 as described, it would mute all speakers in a surround mode.
I have no experience with the vendors cited. Those who know me understand my allegiance to another distributor.

Fred,

Keep in mind though, that the configuration you are suggesting (the same way I would do it also though)
may NOT work on a digital audio input. Most surround processors do not convert the digital inputs to an analog signal for a tape output. I have run across this "quirk" with some systems that are installed with Equalizers on the tape loops. they simply did not function in digital inputs, and were totally bypassed.

Therefore, the tape loop suggestion would NOT work with a digital audio input from say a DVD player, nor a satellite receiver.

The IR Mute would be the only way to do this in that case, and would also give you a "pause" capability through the IR macro's to pause the video tape or dvd playing during phone usage.

I have also used the viking part, and it works well.

Lo-