BCM450 Need to Implement MOH

[itdev08]

we have a BMC450 Phone System Unit, with (4) 3.5 1/8 inch standard miniature stero 3-Conductor jack, I would like to implement Music On Hold (MOH) as requested by my CEO.
My IT Director told me to buy a external cd player, and play cd, I don't like this idea because it is to manual intense.

Can anyone tell me if a device is out there I could plug in and maybe stream music that I upload to the device, not an MP3 player...

Thanks all

 

[QueBall780]

I have usually gotten a cheap generic MP3 player, set it up to play a recorded on hold message that the company had scripted and recorded professionally. It's actually not terribly expensive to get a professionally voiced on hold message done. Usually it's just emailing a script out to a performer, they might have suggestions for edits and then you get a finished mp3 file back in a few days. Load it up on MP3 player, set it up to loop. Often the cheapest mp3 players are best, just make sure it can run off a wall outlet and not only from battery. The really cheap generic no-name ones with no LCD screen will often be easy to setup to auto play and loop when powered on. The more expensive ones often need you to actualluy press play and select menus to turn on looping.

For just straight music we often use a satellite radio on a business subscription. The business subscription usually includes the required license to play the music channels in public which is required. Playing straight off a radio is often illegal unless you sign up for a yearly licensing with your regional music licensing body. In canada that would be these guys:

http://www.socan.ca/

http://www.socan.ca/tariff/Infocard_15B_EN.pdf

Often easier to just get the satellite subscription rather than the separate license and setting up a radio.

Streaming from an internet source has proven to be problematic. Often if you get something working it breaks in a short time. Or the system requires you to refresh/restart the stream after a period of continuous playing.