Hamilton CapTel 840i Captioned Telephone — How-To Guide

How-To Guide for the Hamilton CapTel 840i Captioned Telephone — covers setup, making and answering calls, viewing/reviewing captions, Call History, the built-in Answering Machine, Phone Book, Speed Dial, and every Settings option, plus troubleshooting and safety information.

How CapTel Works

The CapTel 840i connects to both your telephone service and your Internet service. Every call uses the Internet connection to reach a free Captioning Service; an operator there uses voice recognition technology to generate captions of everything your caller says and sends them back to the phone in real time. The phone does not generate captions on its own — it relies entirely on the Captioning Service over the Internet connection.

Box Contents

• CapTel 840i Phone
• Telephone Cord
• Power Adapter (use only the adapter that came in the box)
• Ethernet Cable (not necessary for WiFi installations)
• CapTel Setup Guide and How-to Guide
• Warranty Card

Phone Overview — Buttons & Controls

• Display Screen — shows captions, Caller ID, Answering Machine messages, Phone Book entries, and more.
• Information Bar — gives instructions and helpful tips.
• YES Button — selects highlighted items, answers "Yes" to prompts.
• UP Button — moves up through lists/entries; also reviews captions that have scrolled off-screen.
• NO (Exit) Button — answers "No," exits the Options list.
• DOWN Button — moves down through lists/entries; scrolls down through captions when reviewing.
• CUSTOMER SERVICE Button — auto-dials the CapTel help line (dial 9 first if needed from an office). Available 24/7; help also at www.CapTel.com.
• SPEED DIAL Buttons (3) — quick-dial up to three frequently-called numbers.
• REDIAL Button — lifting the handset and pressing REDIAL dials the last number called; with the handset down, it lets you review/dial from the last 10 numbers called.
• FLASH Button — sends a brief "hook flash" for features like Call Waiting.
• MUTE Button — silences your outgoing audio (red light on); you still hear/receive captions of the caller. Press again to unmute.
• TONE Button — cycles the sound setting between LOW, MEDIUM, and HIGH frequency emphasis.
• CAPTIONS Button — toggles live captioning on/off during a call (red light = on). Captions can be switched at any point in a call.
• VOLUME Bar — up to 40 dB gain on captioned calls (18 dB gain max with captions off), 12 levels. Warning: maximum volume is extremely loud; volume resets to mid-range every time you hang up.

Back (Top) Edge Connections

1. Telephone Line (RJ11 jack) — supports analog, VOIP, FIOS, or Digital Cable phone service; not compatible with digital PBX unless an analog port is available.
2. Ethernet Jack — for wired Internet; not needed if using WiFi.
3. Ethernet Status Light (LNK/ACT) — indicates connection/activity; does not light for WiFi connections.
4. Power Jack — use only the included AC adapter.

Headset / Neckloop: plug an optional headset, neckloop, or other assistive listening device into the 2.5mm or 3.5mm audio jack on the right edge (open the protective cover to access).

Setting Up Your CapTel 840i

Requirements: high-speed Internet (DSL/Digital Cable modem via WiFi or Ethernet, possibly a router); telephone service (analog, DSL with filter, VOIP, FIOS, or Digital Cable — not compatible with digital PBX unless an analog port exists); standard AC power.

Choosing a location: near an Ethernet jack/wireless router, a telephone jack, and an electrical outlet; on a stable surface; away from excessive heat or humidity. If your Internet access is in a different room, WiFi setup is recommended.

1. Connect to telephone service: plug the telephone cord into the "Line 1" jack, then into a wall telephone outlet.
2. Connect to power: plug the power adapter into the "Power" jack, then into a wall outlet or surge protector (recommended for lightning/voltage protection). The display lights up once power is connected, and CapTel automatically checks that everything is working.
3. Connect to the Internet — two options:
   • Wired: plug the included Ethernet cable into the "Ethernet" jack and the other end into your modem/router/wall jack. The LNK/ACT light glows when connected properly. If your modem lacks a spare Ethernet jack, use a DHCP-capable router or switch between the modem and CapTel.
   • Wireless/WiFi: no Ethernet cable needed — you'll need your network name (SSID) and password.
     1. Press YES for WiFi Setup when prompted.
     2. CapTel checks for previously-saved networks, or scans for available networks.
     3. Select your SSID from the list (ordered by signal strength) using UP/DOWN, then press YES. If your network isn't listed, move closer to the router and select "Refresh Network List."
     4. Enter the WiFi password using the dialing pad (letters are grouped on number keys, similar to texting on an old cell phone). Press UP to shift-lock capital letters; press again to return to lowercase. Press YES to accept.
     5. CapTel saves the network settings and connects. It automatically checks for and installs the latest software update over the connection — watch the display for progress; the phone may reboot as part of the update.
4. Set the time and date: use UP/DOWN to move the highlight, then the dialing pad to enter digits (2 = AM, 7 = PM). Press YES to save.

For complete setup instructions, see the separate CapTel 840i Setup Guide.

Making and Answering Calls

Dialing Directly

1. Confirm the CAPTIONS button state (red light) matches whether you want captions.
2. Lift the handset and dial the number (remember 1+ area code for long distance).
3. The display shows connection status to the Captioning Service ("Waiting for Captions... Stage X of 8").
4. Watch the Signal Meter for when someone answers, and read captions as they appear. Hang up when done.

Speed Dial / Phone Book Dialing

Numbers must be saved first (see Phone Book and Speed Dial sections below). For Speed Dial: press the SPEED DIAL button, then lift the handset to auto-dial. For the Phone Book: with the handset down, press YES for Options, select "Dial from Phone Book," scroll with UP/DOWN to the desired contact, then lift the handset to dial.

Answering a Call

The display lights up on an incoming call (with Caller ID name/number if subscribed). Pick up and answer normally; confirm the CAPTIONS button state for the call. Tip: if you answer on an extension phone and want captions, pick up the CapTel handset and press any number key to connect to the Captioning Service.

Volume & Tone During a Call

Press the right/left side of the VOLUME bar to increase/decrease volume (up to 40 dB gain with captions on, 18 dB with captions off). Press TONE repeatedly to cycle Low/Medium/High frequency emphasis, adjustable during, before, or after a call — the setting persists until changed.

Signal & Outgoing Volume Meters

The Signal Meter lights to indicate sound on the handset (caller's voice, busy signal, etc.) — it expands with volume, so a full box means very loud sound. The Outgoing Volume Meter shows how loudly you're speaking; if it fills completely or turns red, you may be speaking too loudly.

Viewing & Reviewing Captions

• Corrections: word errors from voice recognition may be corrected mid-call; corrected words appear in a different color (customizable) so you know a fix was made.
• Reviewing during a call: press UP to scroll back through earlier captions while still talking/listening; press NO to return to live captions.
• Reviewing after hanging up: Options > Conversations > Review Conversations shows up to 500 lines of saved captions, most recent at the bottom.
• Saving conversations: Options > Conversations > Save Conversations toggles whether captions persist after hangup (default: on). Turning it off erases all captions at every hangup.
• Erasing all conversations: Options > Conversations > Erase All Conversations, then confirm with YES.
• Font size: Options > Settings > Display Settings > Set Conversation Font Size (Small/Medium/Large/Extra Large). Must be changed before or after a call, not during. Warning: changing font size deletes all previously saved conversations.
• Caption colors: Options > Settings > Display Settings > Set Conversation Colors — choose Text, Background, and Correction colors independently (White, Red, Green, Blue, Cyan, Magenta, Gray, Black, Orange, Yellow). Must be set before/after a call.
• Scroll style: Options > Settings > Display Settings > Conversation Smooth Scroll — On rolls captions continuously line-by-line; Off (default) shows word-by-word.
• Display brightness: Options > Settings > Display Settings > LCD Brightness (Minimum/Medium/Maximum). Must be set before/after a call.

Call History

Requires Caller ID service from your phone company. New/missed calls appear as "New Calls" — press DOWN to review. Previous calls: Options > Call History lists calls most-recent-first; scroll with UP/DOWN, and press YES while viewing an entry to delete it. To clear all Caller ID records at once: Options > Call History > Clear All Caller ID, then confirm with YES.

Answering Machine

Records both voice and captions for up to 60 messages, 2 minutes each.

• Turn on/off: Options > Answering Machine > Answering Machine On/Off. The Answering Machine icon shows on the idle display when it's on.
• Play messages: either lift the handset when "X New Messages" appears on the idle display and press UP, or go through Options > Answering Machine > Play Messages. While playing, press YES to erase, NO to replay, or use UP/DOWN to move between messages.
• Clear all messages: Options > Answering Machine > Clear All Messages, confirm with YES.
• Personal greeting: Options > Answering Machine > Greeting Message > Record New Greeting. Lift the handset, speak when prompted, press YES to stop, review the playback, and hang up to save (or press NO to re-record). Default greeting if none is recorded: "Hello. No one is available to take your call. Please leave a message after the tone."
• Rings before answering: Options > Answering Machine > Answer Ring Count — 3 to 8 rings (default 4). May vary slightly on phone systems using distinctive ring patterns.
• Incoming message audibility: Options > Answering Machine > Incoming Messages — Audible plays messages aloud as they're recorded (for screening); Muted (default) takes them silently.

Phone Book

Stores up to 97 names and phone numbers, sorted alphabetically by first letter of name.

• Add a contact: Options > Edit Phone Book > Add a New Contact. Enter the name using the dialing pad (letters grouped on keys — press repeatedly to cycle letters; UP for shift-lock caps, DOWN for backspace, # for space), press YES to move to the number field, enter the number (include any outside-line dialing prefix first; UP inserts a 2-second delay), then YES to save.
• Dial from Phone Book: Options > Dial from Phone Book, scroll to the entry with UP/DOWN, then lift the handset to auto-dial.
• Edit a contact: Options > Edit Phone Book > Edit Existing Contact, scroll to the entry, press YES, edit name then number using the same key conventions, and save.
• Remove a contact: Options > Edit Phone Book > Remove a Contact, scroll to the entry, press YES to delete.

Speed Dial Buttons

Three programmable buttons for frequently-called numbers (e.g. emergency contacts).

• Save a number: with the handset down, press the target SPEED DIAL button, then YES to edit. Enter the name (dialing-pad letter entry), press YES to move to the number field, enter the number (with prefix and optional 2-second delay if needed), then YES to save.
• Edit a number: press the SPEED DIAL button, then YES to edit the name and/or number the same way.
• Dial: confirm CAPTIONS is set as desired, press the SPEED DIAL button, then lift the handset to auto-dial.

Settings

• Captions Default (Caption Settings > Captions Button): On (default) — every call auto-connects to captioning; Off — calls are normal until you manually press CAPTIONS. You can always override with the CAPTIONS button mid-call. Note: with the CAPTIONS button off, max amplification (40 dB) is unavailable.
• Spanish Captions (Caption Settings > Spanish Captions): enables Spanish-to-Spanish caption display (also switches the Options menu to Spanish) — does not translate English to Spanish. Available daily 7:00 a.m.–11:00 p.m. CST. Spanish-language support: 1-866-670-9134.
• Ringer Volume (Phone Settings > Ringer Volume): Mute, Minimum (105 dB), Medium (111 dB), or Maximum (117 dB).
• Ringer Pitch (Phone Settings > Ringer Pitch): Low, Medium, or High frequency.
• Keypad Lights (Phone Settings > Keypad Lights): Always On, or Timeout (lights off after ~60 seconds of non-use display blanking).
• Save Captions Volume (Phone Settings > Save Captions Volume): remembers your preferred volume for every captioned call rather than resetting to mid-range at each hangup (applies only when Captions is on).
• Tone/Pulse Dialing (Phone Settings > Tone or Pulse Dialing): default is Tone; switch to Pulse if your line requires it.
• Network Settings: View Current Network shows SSID, security type, channel, and signal power. Change Network Connection lets you leave the current network to reconfigure — this erases all saved network info and re-runs WiFi/Ethernet setup.
• Set the Time and Date: same UP/DOWN + keypad entry method as initial setup.
• Update Phone (Settings > Update Phone): manually check for and install the latest CapTel software over the Internet; the phone reboots automatically when done.

Call Waiting & 911

Call Waiting: listen for a beep or "(TONES)" in the captions to detect an incoming call. Inform the current caller, then press FLASH to switch — you'll get captions on the second call too. Press FLASH again to return to the first call.

Dialing 911: handled exactly like any other phone connected to your service, plus you get captions of the call. Dial 911, ensure CAPTIONS is on for captions of the call-taker, then state your emergency and location. If you turn captions on mid-call, there's a brief connection delay — tell the call-taker you're reading captions if needed.

Problem Solving

Using a signaler or life-line device on the same line: plug it into a spare telephone extension jack, or use a "Y-jack" (duplex jack) to share the same jack as the CapTel.

Care & Safety

Cleaning: never use liquid or aerosol cleaners. Unplug the CapTel and wipe with a damp cloth (mild dish soap if needed).

Key safety precautions: read and follow all warnings; unplug before cleaning; do not use near water (bathtub, sink, wet basement, pool); do not place on an unstable surface; use only the specified power source; do not let anything rest on or walk over the power cord; do not overload outlets/extension cords; do not disassemble — take to a qualified service person for repair (opening covers risks exposure to dangerous voltages, and incorrect reassembly risks electric shock); avoid using a non-cordless phone during an electrical storm (remote lightning shock risk); pressing the volume button may expose you to dangerous volume levels; unplug and get qualified service if the cord/plug is damaged, liquid is spilled on it, it's been exposed to rain/water, it doesn't operate normally, it's been dropped/damaged, or performance changes distinctly; do not use the telephone to report a gas leak in the vicinity of the leak.

FCC / Regulatory

Complies with FCC Part 15 (Class B) and Part 68 rules. FCC registration number: US:D8KTE00BCAPTEL840. REN (Ringer Equivalence Number): 0.6B — total RENs on a line should generally not exceed 5.0; contact your telephone company to confirm. Not for use with public coin phone service; party line connection is subject to state tariffs. The CapTel has no user-serviceable parts — unauthorized modification can void your authority to operate the equipment.

Customer Service

Ultratec, Inc. / CapTel — 450 Science Drive, Madison, WI 53711. Phone: 1-888-269-7477 (V/TTY, 24/7) · Spanish: 1-866-670-9134 · Fax: (608) 204-6167 · Email: CapTel@CapTel.com · Web: www.CapTel.com