Dolls Eye Indicators - Telephone Tuesdays

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  • Опубликовано: 2 окт 2024
  • Today on Telephone Tuesday @hackmodular talks about Dolls Eye Indicators!
    -----
    LMNC / Museum Patreon: / lookmumnocomputer
    Mitch / Hack Modular Patreon: / hackmodular
    ------
    We made a sample pack of lots of telephone exchange noises for you to use in your avant-garde ambient masterpieces.:-
    Get it here: this-museum-is...
    ---------
    if you'd like to visit
    information / contact:-
    www.this-museu...
    ---------
    THIS MUSEUM IS NOT OBSOLETE INSTAGRAM :-
    / thismuseumisnotobsolete
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    THANKUS HUMUNGOUSO to :-
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    ---------
    PayPal :-
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    #vintage #telephoneexchange #restoration #telephony #telephonetuesdays

Комментарии • 85

  • @Graham_Rule
    @Graham_Rule 4 месяца назад +45

    These indicators are also tactile. It was quite common to employ blind people, often ex-servicemen, as operators. When one of these eyeballs was activated and the bell sounded they could run a finger along the panel and feel which one had the metal ball rather than just a hole.

    • @hackmodular
      @hackmodular 4 месяца назад

      Ah, I had heard a fair few stories of blind operators, seems so obvious now! Cheers for sharing

  • @tommcewan7936
    @tommcewan7936 4 месяца назад +3

    03:02 Wow, the tapering curved armature on those things is a *really* clever, elegant design; it looks almost as if it shouldn't work, but evidently it does, and absolutely beautifully.

  • @Wraithss
    @Wraithss 4 месяца назад +1

    those are really neat. thanks man. from a heavy machinery mechanic in texas. i like the smaller intricate stuff more.

  • @LogicalNiko
    @LogicalNiko 4 месяца назад +3

    Yep the Tip and Ring connector (TR) was invented by Charles Scribner, and was first put into mass use at either the Boston, Massachusetts or in New Haven, Connecticut constructed in 1877 (there is some debate about which one is "first" as one was constructed first but the other served customers first). Schriber ended up inventing and patenting many of the early telephone system standards.

  • @Nev-1957
    @Nev-1957 4 месяца назад +10

    Thanks for another great video. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to your wonderful museum. Cheers from Neville and Barbara - Australia.

    • @hackmodular
      @hackmodular 4 месяца назад +1

      Hey! I’m really sorry Neville, I remembered your name wrong! Please forgive me. Was great to meet and talk to you both. Hope the rest of your trip was fun!

    • @Nev-1957
      @Nev-1957 4 месяца назад +1

      No offence taken. We enjoyed our time at the museum and meeting all of you.

  • @codebeat4192
    @codebeat4192 4 месяца назад +6

    Countdown: 10,9,8,7,6,5,3,2,1........ (activates confetti machine)..... HAPPY NEW YEAR! 😉👍

    • @dieseldragon6756
      @dieseldragon6756 4 месяца назад

      That has *definitely* got to happen! 🎉💡👍
      Just don't have me wire it up though. We want _confetti_ at the strike of the New Year...Not a _dead-short across two phases_ and a coffee being dispensed! ⚡☕😉

  • @SubTroppo
    @SubTroppo 4 месяца назад +1

    If I get back to the UK next year I hope to come, so keep up the good work (and work faster so there is more to see).

  • @alexcranmer8317
    @alexcranmer8317 4 месяца назад +7

    There’s something spooky about all those dolls eye indicators all going on and off like that. Makes it look like a scene from a horror film shortly before something untoward is about to happen.

  • @MattMcIrvin
    @MattMcIrvin 4 месяца назад +5

    My father grew up in a small town in western Nebraska that bought automated telephone direct-dialing equipment in the 1960s, but waited to install it until the town's switchboard operator was ready to retire. For years, he had to argue with long-distance operators whenever he called home, telling them that, no, he couldn't dial directly. And then they'd get upset that he was chatting with the town operator about goings-on around town and whether his parents were in. The last time I visited the place, they had the old switchboard on display at the town museum--I think it used lamps instead of doll's-eye indicators, but there was definitely a patch panel. There was also a phone book, in which I was able to look up my grandfather's phone number: it had three digits.

  • @zebo-the-fat
    @zebo-the-fat 4 месяца назад +10

    Never seen that type of display... very neat!

  • @andyscott5978
    @andyscott5978 4 месяца назад +1

    Are those 19inch rack modules?! Loved the video and love the work you’re doing.

  • @ianbelletti6241
    @ianbelletti6241 4 месяца назад

    Try adding a buzzer to one of the relays. If you add microelectronic controls you could set up a secondary button so that it could play 765-4309 on the speaker and the numbers move in sync to the music.

  • @robertkeddie
    @robertkeddie 4 месяца назад +9

    The wasp nest at 1:42 was terrifying.

    • @doomsdayrule
      @doomsdayrule 4 месяца назад +1

      Truly, I think it's the biggest I've seen

    • @hackmodular
      @hackmodular 4 месяца назад +1

      I’m just glad the wasps have moved out 😅

  • @derkeksinator17
    @derkeksinator17 4 месяца назад +2

    I love the display case. It's missing the Philips E1T though. I do have a valve based counter with 3 of them, although I'm certain that at least one of the E1Ts is defective. It definitely needs some TLC, but everything is there. If you're interested, I could send it over to you.

    • @THISMUSEUMISNOTOBSOLETE
      @THISMUSEUMISNOTOBSOLETE  4 месяца назад +1

      that does sound fabulous! we have a spare e1t in the display it just so happens :O

    • @derkeksinator17
      @derkeksinator17 4 месяца назад

      @@THISMUSEUMISNOTOBSOLETE I'll get in touch with you guys within the next couple of weeks. I'll have to dig it out of my parents basement, you know the way.

  • @R3TR0R4V3
    @R3TR0R4V3 4 месяца назад +1

    Those are Rad 😎

  • @jackiechan8840
    @jackiechan8840 4 месяца назад +2

    I'll come to museum one day I promise!
    You are an excellent presenter Mitch. Keep up the good work.

  • @hal_aetus
    @hal_aetus 4 месяца назад +1

    I look forward to playing with this in a couple of days! We’ll be visiting (from the US) on Sunday. So… C U Next Sunday!

  • @daccrowell4776
    @daccrowell4776 4 месяца назад +2

    Very cool stuff...sorta like the grandfather of nixies!
    Speaking of phone stuff, I was researching the grand old Western Electric audio systems, and I ran across a reference to strowger switch systems being used as a "mixer" for multichannel audio circa 1930. Apparently this was something that both WE and Warner Bros. was involved with, as the reference popped up in conjunction with WB's "Vitaphone" system for syncing phonograph audio to picture.
    Not sure where you'd start on cobbling together such an interesting monstrosity, mainly since so much of the documentation from the olden days at Bell Labs seems to be scattered to the winds. Still, you guys know analog telephony AND electronic music systems, so if there ever was a bunch who could reconstruct something of that sort, it'd be you guys!

    • @hackmodular
      @hackmodular 4 месяца назад

      Huh very interesting! Will have to investigate

  • @BTTT-c9q
    @BTTT-c9q 4 месяца назад +1

    I have a GPO 1+2 switchboard and with the dolls eyes, it is a buzzer that sounds when a handset of an extension handset is picked up

  • @dieseldragon6756
    @dieseldragon6756 4 месяца назад +1

    As soon as you showed us that operators' panel, I immediately remembered it from older exchange videos I've been watching here over time. With todays materials and the ability to do this with lower power requirements than the GPO equipment you have, this could be a good way of approaching flip-dot displays in high wind/vibration environments! 😁
    That said, I'm not so sure about these fangled „Telephone Exchanges“. Openreach have several in my area and I've been _trying_ to exchange my old Nokia 3310 for an iPhone 15...But they never answer the bloomin' door! 🙃

  • @Richardincancale
    @Richardincancale 4 месяца назад +2

    Very cool! You could slow down the flipping a bit by sticking a capacitor (try 10 uF and experiment) across each relay coil to enhance the experience!

    • @hackmodular
      @hackmodular 4 месяца назад

      Indeed, perhaps variable speed would be fun too…

  • @himselfe
    @himselfe 4 месяца назад +3

    These would be useful for making some sort of electromechanical countdown. For what, I dunno, but it'd be cool!

    • @codebeat4192
      @codebeat4192 4 месяца назад

      10,9,8,7,6,5,3,2,1........ (activates confetti machine)..... HAPPY NEW YEAR! 😉👍

  • @rivertees
    @rivertees 4 месяца назад +2

    I came across one of these exchanges when I joined Post Office Telephones in 1968.

  • @ibanezleftyclub
    @ibanezleftyclub 4 месяца назад +1

    I’d love to see this as a working basic calculator output display. Probably would have to make 10 a 0.

  • @linandy1
    @linandy1 4 месяца назад +2

    Cool man ! Nice to see people putting this old gear on display

  • @KeritechElectronics
    @KeritechElectronics 4 месяца назад +1

    Beautidul and very interesting - I've never heard of these. Damn cool stuff.

  • @michaelhaig1317
    @michaelhaig1317 4 месяца назад +1

    Cool - and didn’t know about patch bays! Thanks

  • @ShellacScrubber
    @ShellacScrubber 4 месяца назад +7

    fabulous stuff !!

  • @FrancSchiphorst
    @FrancSchiphorst 4 месяца назад +1

    If you have another one then perhaps link it to a phone dial so you see the eyes rolling with the dial. Would make for a nice sweep i think.

  • @TheEmbeddedHobbyist
    @TheEmbeddedHobbyist 4 месяца назад +1

    Nice Racal frequency counter @ 0:26 got one of them sitting on my shelf in the toy room.

  • @jonathanpalmer5505
    @jonathanpalmer5505 4 месяца назад +1

    My friend is coming down from the Midlands to visit you soon. I'm very jealous.

  • @klassisch3039
    @klassisch3039 4 месяца назад +2

    Wow great video! Really interesting.

  • @CableWrestler
    @CableWrestler 4 месяца назад +1

    These were fun to play with as a kid

  • @U014B
    @U014B 4 месяца назад +2

    Now wire it up to work like a VU meter.

  • @localhost4460
    @localhost4460 4 месяца назад +2

    Why have this complicated mechanical display and not a light and a label? This is like a battleship to go fishing...

    • @kschleic9053
      @kschleic9053 4 месяца назад +8

      At the time when this was in use, lightbulbs didn't have a very long lifespan, and used a lot of power per unit of light. Imagine maintaining an exchange with 20000 lightbulbs in it as the only indicator that someone is calling ... Every week 20 of them burn out and you have 20 angry customers wondering why their expensive telephone line isn't going through. Reliability was paramount, and this is much more reliable.

    • @localhost4460
      @localhost4460 4 месяца назад +1

      @@kschleic9053 gotcha! That makes a lot of sense

  • @dcallan812
    @dcallan812 4 месяца назад +2

    Blinking heck, 🤣
    Great update 2x👍

  • @curtishoffmann6956
    @curtishoffmann6956 4 месяца назад +1

    Never heard of doll's eye indicators before. Need to put them on Furby.

  • @tombarry9897
    @tombarry9897 4 месяца назад +2

    When I used one the doll’s eyes were extensions in the building. When you picked up your phone it dropped down and if you tapped the buttons it flipped up and down. The operator would answer and say “Don’t flash”.

    • @dieseldragon6756
      @dieseldragon6756 4 месяца назад +1

      Probably glad they didn't have my telephone on that system! It was a cheap one and the keypad failed about a year after I'd bought it. Doing _The British thing_ I didn't bother to replace it...I just dialled manually using the switchhook. 😇
      Once you had a bit of practice you could get the timing bang-on... *And* dial faster than the keypad would! 😁

    • @tombarry9897
      @tombarry9897 4 месяца назад +1

      @@dieseldragon6756 yes but zeros and nines were difficult!

    • @dieseldragon6756
      @dieseldragon6756 4 месяца назад

      @@tombarry9897 In the UK those were 9 and 10 pulses respectively, and pretty easy to do reliably once you'd picked up the knack for it! ☎😇
      (It depends on where you're from: In Aus/NZ pulse/loop-disconnect dialling works completely differently to in Europe, which is why Aus uses 000 as the emergency service number.)

  • @mickcoleman5396
    @mickcoleman5396 4 месяца назад +1

    Dolls eyes indicators were used on small switchboards by blind operators as they can feel the lines that were calling.

    • @hackmodular
      @hackmodular 4 месяца назад

      Another win for electro-magnets =)

  • @hippynurd
    @hippynurd 4 месяца назад +2

    LOL see you next tuesday!

    • @hippynurd
      @hippynurd 4 месяца назад

      Its all about the charisma, uniquness, nerve, and talent!

  • @youbecha64
    @youbecha64 4 месяца назад +1

    Oh man...I didn't realize that was a working demo.

  • @MichaelEhling
    @MichaelEhling 4 месяца назад +1

    Clicky-click-click! Quite satisfying, thank you.

  • @mzaite
    @mzaite 4 месяца назад +1

    Black eyes, dead eyes, like doll’s eyes.

  • @lwilton
    @lwilton 4 месяца назад

    That's a right clever display for those old indicators!
    I hope that waterfall display is triggered and only runs a few cycles on its own. Those indicators weren't designed for continuous movement, and are likely to wear out the pivot bearings very quickly if they sit there flipping for hours.

  • @theawfulmrbird
    @theawfulmrbird 4 месяца назад +1

    Cool stuff - need to visit you if i am in the UK again

  • @sparkyprojects
    @sparkyprojects 4 месяца назад +3

    The reason they drop out quicker is because you remove power to all the relays at the same time
    I built the same circuit using normal 3000 type relays, each relay would operate in sequence, but would drop out at the same time making a big clunk sound

    • @hackmodular
      @hackmodular 4 месяца назад

      Very nearly the same time, though the switch contacts don’t disconnect immediately due to being springy, so there’s still a slight delay between them. It’s a fun circuit - bit like dominos falling over!

  • @ianhighley-zo3es
    @ianhighley-zo3es 4 месяца назад +1

    Very cool. Did not realise that they were that old.

  • @zfrenchy1716
    @zfrenchy1716 4 месяца назад

    how the museum going, can we have a short video about it ?

  • @SuLokify
    @SuLokify 4 месяца назад

    Need to see Bad Apple playing on some of those

  • @sivoltage
    @sivoltage 4 месяца назад +1

    wonderful

  • @AMPProf
    @AMPProf 4 месяца назад

    I'M NOT EVEN goona say it because I'm sure MI6 Already a prime Contact

  • @AMPProf
    @AMPProf 4 месяца назад

    SO IT'S not The Little people?? Awww.. Hmm 🤔 🤔 IST THE CLOCK MAN!

  • @DasGanon
    @DasGanon 4 месяца назад

    Really cool! Didn't know those existed!
    A question I have though is, what's the dimensions of the front of it? It looks like it's rack mount, and I'm curious if it's the same 19" rack that modern networking, server, and music equipment use

  • @whitelion7976
    @whitelion7976 4 месяца назад

    Does lowering the voltage on the relays alter the speed?

  • @moshly64
    @moshly64 4 месяца назад

    You could make them run slower with some high value caps.

    • @hackmodular
      @hackmodular 4 месяца назад

      Maybe variable speed would be a cool mod in time…

  • @BTTT-c9q
    @BTTT-c9q 4 месяца назад

    C u next Tuesday, that is just rude 😂

  • @Wtfinc
    @Wtfinc 4 месяца назад

    All the cool stuff is in the UK

    • @AMPProf
      @AMPProf 4 месяца назад

      MI6 iterconect

  • @o_-_o
    @o_-_o 4 месяца назад

    The electricity bill must be enormous.

    • @AnonymousAnarchist2
      @AnonymousAnarchist2 4 месяца назад

      Im sure it is, but old telecom equipment was designed to run on next to nothing as far as electricity is concerned, thats why its all these clever electromechanicals rather then vacuum tubes.
      I dont know how Britan did it, but the USA had the entire system running off salt water batteries, that where a bit weaker then a potato battery.
      Like you grab a coin and an iron nail and stick it in a potato. Those. Powered all tellecoms in the USA for a while.

    • @alexcranmer8317
      @alexcranmer8317 4 месяца назад +1

      UK exchanges used lead acid batteries to float mains electricity over and provide backup power when cut while the exchange generator started up.
      I was told that the old strowger exchanges used much more power at peak times than “modern” digital exchanges (my landline has just been switched to voip as they decommission my local exchange unit after 35ish years so not that modern ) but very little when few calls were being made, whereas digital exchanges power consumption was almost constant so the overall electricity used wasn’t much different.

    • @AMPProf
      @AMPProf 4 месяца назад

      BUZZY?? HMM wonder if they could get wind or solar