How to possibly connect analog paging/intercom system into VOIP FreePBX system

General Help
1

We have an old paging/intercom system at one of our schools that needs to be replaced. I am exploring how to use our new FreePBX VOIP system to take over that functionality and only using the phone speakers themselves is not going to do it.

Does a multi-channel (30-40 channels exist)? For example, each analog speakers should connect to a box so that I could configure an extension that would only broadcast over that particular speaker. Or am I thinking of this wrong and there is a better way of accomplishing the use of the speakers by the VOIP system while maintaining the ability to use them individually.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

2

Assuming your phones are not ancient, pretty much every device of quality in the last 10 years supports multicast paging.

A combination of direct multicast and the built in paging module will handle most things.

3

Thank you Jared, but I am not referring to multicast. I am referring to having multiple channels (physical connections) for multiple speakers so that I may send a page to only ONE classroom if I choose.

4

You can separately multicast on multiple ip addresses and/or ports it is up to the listener as to what it will play

5

Yes, that is why I said a combination of multicast and the built in paging module.

For 1 to 1, you can even use intercom.

6

further , you can use your phones to page/intercom as per and use ffmpeg or similar to play scheduled bells and automatically triggered announcements bypassing the PBX , even when if it is not working.

Grandstream, Algo, Viking and a few others offer wall and ceiling mount poe IP ‘speakers’ to supplement desk phones.

7

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