I’m looking to get a single line X100P card to test asterisk with. I see boatloads of “real, not generic clone!” “guaranteed to work with asterisk!” “will cure you of teh genital worts!!!11111 lollerskates roflcopter” kind of products on ebay.
I try not to buy garbage, as I’ve learned my lessons the hard way. Any suggestions as to where I can pick up a quality X100P? I appreciate it.
Ben
isnt this an oxymoron?
The X100 series cards are really just rebadged Intel Tiger Jet series voice modems. The ‘real’ x100 cards have a resistor removed which makes them appear differently to the software (as x100, not x101 or x100 clone).
I have experienced and heard widely of ‘odd’ problems with the x100 series (including the authentic ones), no caller id is a common one.
i would recommend going with a TDMxx series… it may cost more but i believe you will be happier with the result. If you are really budget conscious for the moment, then try one of the clone cards to mess around with. However, I wouldn’t use an x100 card in any sort of production environment. YMMV tho.
I bought an X100 for the princely sum of $18 and have never had any problems with it.
Contast that with a genuine TDM400 that loaded up with channels so it does something cost closer to $300 on which I cant get the fxo ports to work.
Mate if you only want to play it and will be OK with 1 line lash out for the cheapy. What have you got to loose ? No more than the cost of a couple of burgers and fries!
I built my first * system with an X100P from eBay. The card was about $15. I experienced a lot of echo problems and poor sound quality. I ended up spending days trying to resolve. No matter what I tried I could not get the call to sound “normal.” I finally gave up and bought a TDM. I have not had a single problem with the TDM and the sound quality is so much better.
Well, crud. $300 seems like a lot to just play around on. I had not wanted to buy the TDM because I believe I will be using a T1 for connection to the outside world after I’m done playing. I don’t want to have to install a channel bank.
I will have to think on this.
So let me get this straight. The TDM series cards have four ports, but they aren’t active unless you populate the card with an FXO/FXS daughter card, right? Meaning a TDM400 with one FXO installed will only really handle a single analog telephone line, yes?
If you are just trying to get a POTS line in to play with… you might be better served using an ATA like the Grandstream HT-488 or the Sipura SA-3000, which give you FXO and FXS capabilities. I have had limited, but descent luck, with this hardware config.
AND if you are just testing the features of * then an X100P might be a good choice. Just don’t judge the entire system if you experience problems like echo, callerid, or other issues which are probably the cause of the X100P 
what are you hoping to achieve by “playing” with an X100P ?
if you’re not using it for business calls, or anything mission-critical, then it’s a cheap way to get a PSTN connection going.
but if you’re proving the technology and want to build a business case for an Asterisk server, then the comparitively small investment in a TDM card should be a no-brainer. and when you have your T1 installed, you have a “spare” card to continue playing with.
For now, I just plan on using it to get comfortable with asterisk. I plan on getting a phone line for home, with one of the cheaper SIP phones (a Budgetone 101 most likely) and just slap together some old hardware for the machine.
then get the $20 x100 clone and mess around with it. The $50 grandstream budgetone phones are also good for that (many people here including myself learned about VoIP and * using those back when it was the only non-$350 phone you could get…)
I just wouldnt use either of them in a use where it failing could lose somebody money 
Good lord, no! I plan on using the Aastra 9133i phones with a 480i for our receptionist and will most likely connect using a T1 or a couple of TDM cards (the jury is still out on that one)
Sounds to me like you have answered your own question. X100P + Budgtone 101 is the go for now.
Believe me there is a lot more to learn about Asterisk & VoIP. I am located in Australia with many calls to Asia and have found my biggest problem is finding a VoIP service provider than can supply consistently good call quality.
All you experts on this thread I have a question about tdm400 on this forum not working for me with analog extensions that no one has answered yet. Any clues for me please ?
before you starting posting stuff like that, perhaps you should have read the sticky “READ BEFORE POSTING” where it clearly says “Post the relevant configuration files” and “A ‘verbose CLI’ output in your post”. your request for help expects us to be mind readers does it not ?
Thanks for the manners lesson. I did mention it was detailed in a spearate thread.
Dont trouble yourself mate I work it out.