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Advice and views on Fax machines?
Does anyone use fax software on their computers,
my fax machine is getting tired and although I don’t use it that often I still receive the odd Remittance Advice etc. by fax.
So, I don’t particularly want to buy a new machine.
I use a G5 Imac, so if anybody has any experience of said software I’d be grateful for some advice.Cheers all.
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20 Replies
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Neil, not being a mac user and not familiar with their operating system or software I can’t really give you an answer but the last 2 PC’s that I have bought that had a modem came with the software to operate a fax system already installed.
I still have a fax machine somewhere but honestly can’t remember the last time I used it, only downside to using a computer is that you would need to leave it turned on all the time if you wanted to use it as a fax machine. -
Could you not look at a bw laser printer with a fax built in. Currently looking at the Brother range…………
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Yes Neil.
We’ve used efax for years and it works a treat. Incoming faxes converted to jpg attachments via email. No cost at all to us – the sender just uses an 0871 number (national rate I believe) but no one has ever complained about that.
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Thanks guys for the replies.
Martin, yes older macs had a fax/print facility but I never used, I looked on the G5 Imac and although it has Print/Fax in System Preferences when opened I can’t find any fax capabilities. But i wouldn’t want to leave my computer on all the time so I guess that’s a no goer.
Graeme, I’d imagine your talking a few hundred plus for a laser printer and I probably wouldn’t use it.
Mark, I saw the sponsored link for efax on google and after going to the site I thought you had to pay a monthly subscription, maybe I’m mistaken but something like that would be ideal. Do you receive faxes as emails?
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Neil
Fax machines are really a thing of the past, but if you do need one, then £40?
http://www.ebuyer.com/store/Peripherals … 4wodDn1KrgPeter
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Try this link Neil. It’s the basic service which you get for free to receive faxes.
http://home.efax.com/s/r/efaxprint
When someone sends you a fax it’s converted into a jpg and emailed to your registered email address as an attachment.
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quote Peter Normington:Neil
Fax machines are really a thing of the past
PeterI know Peter just like my VCR. LOL.
I agree with you, that’s why I don’t want one anymore. But, on the odd occasions that I need to receive a fax I was looking for an up to date alternative.
By the way, I do still have a VCR 😕
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Or this one even. Sorry…previous link was for the US
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Thanks Mark I’ll take a look at that.
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Hi Neil, I use a little app called Mighty Fax (now called RKS Fax) for sending and receiving faxes when needed. It installs a printer driver in Windows and you can send a fax from any Windows app. I have 2 phone lines, one as advertised in Yellow Pages, this is only for in coming calls. The other line is for my broadband, Mighty Fax and all out going calls. This way if I am sending or receiving a fax or ringing a supplier I’m not holding up possible customers.
I do get about 5 or 6 spam faxes a day but all I do is look at them and delete the ones that I don’t want. Here is the link: http://www.rkssoftware.com/Cheers
Steve
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We get all our faxes as pdf attachments by email. This is ideal as you can forward them to as many email addresses as you like, you don’t have to print out every fax you get and you never lose them (as long as you take backups!). Its free too http://www.faxtastic.co.uk .
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Thanks Steve & John, quite a thread this isn’t it.
I’ll have a look at those and hopefully I’ll be able to send the fax machine to wherever ex fax machines go 🙂
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You don’t need any extra software. Just a telephone modem lead. Just connect one end to the phone line and one to the modem socket on the pc, go to the printers and fax box and install the fax. When the phone rings a small balloon comes up in the corner and when you answer if you hear a fax tone then just click on the balloon. You can then view them and only print if you need to. Simples !
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Surely you’d need to have the computer switched on all the time though and be there to take the call?
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Yes but do you need to accept faxes outside of hours ? Its mostly junk.
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quote Neil Davey:quote Peter Normington:Neil
Fax machines are really a thing of the past
PeterI know Peter just like my VCR. LOL.
I agree with you, that’s why I don’t want one anymore. But, on the odd occasions that I need to receive a fax I was looking for an up to date alternative.
By the way, I do still have a VCR 😕
well, like i said, just buy a 40quid fax machine and plug it it…
end of
Peter/my desktop/advice/did he take it?/
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We too use a fax service that converts all our faxes to emails (PDF) which means you only deal with one source and can store them on your PC.
This way you can get faxes on your laptop, mobile phone etc when you are out of the office. Print them email them on etc We only pay a few quid and get an ordinary land line number. Spam faxes can get deleted and most of our faxes don’t get printed so the service is environmentally friendly! No issue with running out of paper!
Works well and we are very happy with it. Cant mind the company but can find out if anyone is interested!
Nigel
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quote Peter Normington:Peter/my desktop/advice/did he take it?/
Peter, Peter, I value your advice but I find the Fax machine a bit of a pain.
I haven’t got a dedicated line so it’s a nuisance when I’ve got the phone on divert.Just thought receiving faxes on the computer would be easier.
Neil/my desktop/advice/taken on board/thanks mate/ 😉
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quote Neil Davey:quote Peter Normington:.
Neil/my desktop/advice/taken on board/thanks mate/ 😉
Come on Neil what you really mean is Recycle bin/Peter/advice/no thanks
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We use an efax like service for inbound and have a basic fax machine for outbound sat on a std feature line.
Why? Cos we get the luxury of a dedicated fax number with copies to everyone who needs it and the ability to send both from the software (not very often) or wander into reception and bung it on the fax scanner…
I was given the fax machine and the whole bundle for the efax is about a tenner a month with a private telephone number in the same number range as our current exchange.
Best of both worlds and cures the annoying inbound faxes on a shared line routine.
Oo
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