Cat. No. 43-716 OWNER’S MANUAL Please read before using this equipment.
WARNING: To reduce the risk of fire or shock hazard, do not expose this product to rain or moisture. CAUTION RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK. DO NOT OPEN. ! CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE COVER OR BACK. NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL. This symbol is intended to alert you to the presence of uninsulated dangerous voltage within the product’s enclosure that might be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock.
FEATURES Your RadioShack TAD-716 Single Microcassette Answering System is ideal for your home or office. It is easy to use and has the following features. Single Microcassette Operation — lets you store your messages. One Button Operation — easy to use. Remote Operation — lets you use a touch-tone phone (or rotary phone and pocket tone dialer) to enter a 3-digit remote operation security code so you can play back or record messages while you are away from your home or office.
Broken Tape Detection/Indication — sounds a continuous tone to alert you when the tape is broken or not inserted properly. Tape Full Detection — signal caller when the message capacity is full. VOX (Voice-Activated Recording) — stops recording after 7 seconds of silence to conserve tape space for other messages. Auto Reset — stops recording when you pick up any phone on the same phone line and resets to answer the next call.
READ THIS FIRST We have designed the TAD-716 to conform to federal regulations, and you can connect it to most telephone lines. However, each device you connect to the phone line draws power from the phone line. We refer to this power draw as the device's Ringer Equivalence Number, or REN. The REN is on the bottom of the TAD-716. If you are using more than one device on the line, add up all the RENs.
CONTENTS Preparation .................................................................. 7 Selecting a Location ............................................... 7 Loading the Cassette .............................................. 7 Connecting Power .................................................. 9 Recording the Outgoing Message ........................ 10 Connecting to the Phone Line .............................. 11 Basic Operation ........................................................
PREPARATION SELECTING A LOCATION The TAD-716 is designed to rest on a flat surface such as a desktop or countertop. Select a location that is: • near an accessible AC outlet • near a modular telephone line jack If the phone line jack is not a modular jack, you must update the wiring. You can convert the wiring yourself, using jacks and adapters available at your local RadioShack store. Or, you can let the phone company update the wiring for you. The USOC number of the jack to be installed is RJ11C.
1. Turn the supplied cassette's hub with a pencil to take up any tape slack. 2. Lift open the cassette compartment door, then remove and discard the tape card from inside the compartment. 3. Put the cassette in the compartment with its full reel at the left side and its open edge to the left of the TAD-716. 4. Close the compartment door. Notes: • You can turn the tape over and record on the other side. This lets you save any messages recorded on the first side while using the tape to record more messages.
CONNECTING POWER 1. Plug the supplied AC adapter into a standard AC outlet. 2. Rotate VOLUME counterclockwise until it clicks to turn on the TAD-716. The message indicator turns on while the TAD-716 checks for an outgoing message. If an outgoing message is already recorded, the TAD-716 automatically plays it back. If there is no outgoing message, the TAD-716 sounds a beep every 5 seconds until you record a message (see “Recording the Outgoing Message” on Page 10).
RECORDING THE OUTGOING MESSAGE Before you can use the TAD-716, you must record the outgoing message. The maximum length for your outgoing message is 60 seconds. Hint: To help protect your home or office, do not tell callers you are away. Instead, say you cannot come to the phone at this time. Follow these steps to record an outgoing message. 1. If the TAD-716 is off, rotate VOLUME counterclockwise until it clicks to turn it on. The message indicator turns on.
4. When you finish recording, release OGM REC. The TAD-716 plays back the outgoing message to you. Then it is ready to receive incoming calls. 5. Adjust VOLUME to a comfortable listening level. You can press OGM REC at any time to hear the outgoing message. Your outgoing message plays, then the TAD716 resets to answer incoming calls automatically. CONNECTING TO THE PHONE LINE To connect a telephone to the TAD-716, plug the TAD716’s modular cord into a modular phone jack.
BASIC OPERATION Rotate VOLUME on the side of the TAD-716 counterclockwise until it clicks to turn on the TAD-716. When the message indicator lights steadily and no tones sound, the TAD-716 is ready to answer calls. The TAD-716 hangs up and resets to answer the next call when: • the caller hangs up • the maximum message length of about 1 minute is reached • there are more than 7 seconds of silence The TAD-716's supplied tape can record up to about 10 minutes of incoming messages per side.
If the incoming message tape is full, the TAD-716 answers a call after 10 rings, plays back the outgoing message, then waits 7 seconds for you to enter the remote operation security code. If you do not enter the correct code, the TAD-716 beeps and hangs up. Rotate VOLUME counterclockwise to increase the volume, or clockwise to decrease it. To have the TAD-716 not answer calls, turn it off by rotating VOLUME clockwise until it clicks. The message indicator turns off.
PLAYING MESSAGES The maximum length for each message is 60 seconds. The message indicator flashes when you have messages. Press PLAY to hear your messages. The TAD-716 plays back your messages in the order they were received. After the last message has played, playback stops and the message indicator lights steadily. You must save old messages (see “Saving Messages” on Page 15) or new messages will record over them. To Pause During Playback Rotate VOLUME to OFF to pause or stop during playback.
To Fast-Forward During Playback Hold down OGM REC until you reach the message you want. Playback resumes when you release OGM REC. Note: If you hold the key down until the end of the tape, the TAD-716 rewinds and stops. To Rewind During Playback Hold down PLAY. When you reach the message you want, release the key to resume playback. SAVING MESSAGES After the last message plays and the tape rewinds to the beginning, hold down PLAY until the message indicator goes off.
POWER FAILURE PROTECTION If an AC power failure occurs, or the power plug comes out of the wall, the TAD-716 shuts down until power is restored. When power is restored, any messages recorded before the power failure will be saved and the message indicator flashes. If the TAD-716 is still not operating properly when the power is restored, you must reset it (see “Resetting the TAD-716”). RESETTING THE TAD-716 1. Unplug the TAD-716 from the AC outlet and flip the microcassette to the other side. 2.
REMOTE OPERATION While you are away from your home or office, you can operate the TAD-716 using a touch-tone phone or a pulse phone with a pocket tone dialer. Carry the supplied Remote Operation Card in your wallet or purse for reference when using the TAD-716 from a remote location. REMOTE SECURITY CODE A three-digit security code is located on the bottom of your TAD-716. You need this number to get your messages when calling from a remote phone.
REMOTE MESSAGE PLAYBACK 1. Call your phone number from a touch-tone phone. After the TAD-716 answers, it plays the outgoing message, sounds a series of beeps, then one long tone. The length of the beeps depends on the number of messages. You can leave a flag message up to 1 minute long to remind yourself that you have heard all the recorded messages up to this point on the tape. 2. Whether or not you have left a flag message, enter your three-digit security code (see “Remote Security Code” on Page 17).
After 5 seconds, the TAD-716 sounds a single long beep. You can leave a remote memo (up to 1 minute) or enter your three-digit security code to replay the incoming messages again. 3. To end playback, simply hang up. All messages are automatically saved and the TAD-716 resets itself to answer the next incoming call. Note: You cannot use this feature when calling in from a rotary or push-button pulse dial phone without a pocket tone dialer.
TOLL SAVER The TAD-716 has a built-in automatic toll-saving feature. It answers in 4 rings if there are no new or saved messages, or 2 rings if you have messages to review. This feature lets you know if you have received any messages before it answers, thus saving long distance costs. If your phone rings more than twice, you know that you don’t have any messages, so you can hang up on the third ring before the TAD-716 answers and save the cost of the call.
TROUBLESHOOTING We do not expect you to have any problems with the TAD-716, but if you do, be sure you installed the tape correctly and turned on the TAD-716. If you still have a problem, this chart might help. If not, take the TAD-716 to your local RadioShack store for assistance. Problem The TAD-716 does not answer and record callers' messages. Solution Turn on the TAD-716 by rotating VOLUME counterclockwise so the message indicator turns on. Record an outgoing message.
Problem The TAD-716 does not respond to any button. Solution Turn on the TAD-716 by rotating VOLUME counterclockwise so the message indicator lights. Reset the TAD-716 by unplugging the AC adapter from the AC outlet then plugging it in again. Outgoing message sounds distorted. Rerecord the message. Speak clearly into the microphone at a normal volume from about 12 inches away. Incoming messages sound distorted.
Problem Continuous tone sounds. Solution Record an outgoing message (see “Recording the Outgoing Message” on Page 10). Unplug the adapter from the AC outlet, replace the tape, then plug the adapter back into the AC outlet. The message indicator blinks continuously, but there are fewer than five incoming messages. Press PLAY. The TAD-716 plays back any saved messages then any new incoming messages.
CARE AND MAINTENANCE To enjoy your RadioShack TAD-716 Single Microcassette Answering System for a long time: • Keep the TAD-716 dry. If it gets wet, wipe it dry immediately. • Use and store the TAD-716 only in normal temperature environments. • Handle the TAD-716 gently and carefully. Do not drop it. • Keep the TAD-716 away from dust and dirt. • Wipe the TAD-716 with a damp cloth occasionally to keep it looking new.
CLEANING THE TAPE-HANDLING PARTS To restore the sound quality, you must inspect and clean the tape head. Dirt, dust, or particles of the tape's coating can accumulate on the tape heads and other parts that the tape touches. This can greatly reduce the performance of the cassette player. We recommend cleaning the tape head about every 3 months. Rotate VOLUME clockwise to OFF until it clicks to turn off the TAD-716, then remove the cassette.
THE FCC WANTS YOU TO KNOW In the unlikely event that the TAD-716 causes problems on the phone line, the phone company can disconnect your service. The phone company attempts to notify you in advance. If advance notice is not practical, the phone company notifies you of your right to file a complaint with the FCC. Also, the phone company can make changes to its lines, equipment, operations, or procedures that could affect the operation of the TAD-716.
Lightning damage is not common. Nevertheless, if you live in an area that has frequent electrical storms, we suggest that you unplug the TAD-716 during storms to reduce the possibility of damage.
Limited One-Year Warranty This product is warranted by RadioShack against manufacturing defects in material and workmanship under normal use for one (1) year from the date of purchase from RadioShack company-owned stores and authorized RadioShack franchisees and dealers.
