rees@apollo.uucp (Jim Rees) (08/05/85)
Any idea where I can find a working or restoreable pair of Western Electric Picturephones? I'm looking for the real thing, not a work-alike. They are all phone company property, I know, but regular phones have leaked out, so why not picturephones? All suggestions, including pointers to a more suitable newsgroup (I posted here because hams are so resourceful) are welcome. n7ahz
larry@kitty.UUCP (Larry Lippman) (08/07/85)
> Any idea where I can find a working or restoreable pair of Western Electric > Picturephones? I'm looking for the real thing, not a work-alike. They are > all phone company property, I know, but regular phones have leaked out, so > why not picturephones? I too would love to tinker with some Picturephones (tm), but alas, I think they are AT&T's best kept secret - perhaps to hide what was a rather bad marketing blunder. I understand that there are *large* quantities of unused Picturephones along with anciliary apparatus like Picturephone line repeaters, special KTU equipment, etc. which are still squirreled away by AT&T Technologies and the [former] Bell System operating companies. Since the Picturephone was introduced ~1965, the electronic technology used in the apparatus is quite outdated by today's standards; the Bell System never sold enough systems to justify any newer design. If my data is correct, the Picturephone apparatus used *all* discrete components! As far as I have been able to observe, the Picturephone "Tele-conferencing Service" which is still offered by some of the [former] Bell System operating companies uses no apparatus in common with the original Picturephone station concept. I would be interested in obtaining some Picturephones to play with if someone knows of a legitimate source. Larry Lippman Recognition Research Corp. Clarence, New York UUCP {decvax,dual,rocksanne,rocksvax,watmath}!sunybcs!kitty!larry {rice,shell}!baylor!/ syr!buf!/ VOICE 716/741-9185 TELEX {via WUI} 69-71461 answerback: ELGECOMCLR "Have you hugged your cat today?"
WBD.TYM@OFFICE-2 (William Daul / McDonnell-Douglas / APD-ASD) (08/09/85)
I would like to suggest you send your note to human-nets@rutgers.arpa. I would also like to know what you learn. Thanks, --Bi\\