AT&T Genesis Telesystem with Bob Vila 1985

Bob Vila learns about the new AT&T Genesis Telesystem in this clip from "This Old House" Season 6 "In and Around Boston" Episode 26 "An Artful Apartment Part 4". Originally aired March 29th, 1985.
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[@Coloradohomestead22]

The bonus is that would fit nicely in a very large pocket on his tool belt so he can walk halfway across a room before the landline pulls tight. These old clips are great!

[@jasonsvendsen3917]

I wonder if any of these units are even in use any more. It's amazing that this was state of the art 35 years ago, and now it's completely obsolete.

[@RoastBeefSandwich]

I'd imagine there's at least a handful of stubborn receptionists or secretaries out there who won't give up the phone they know how to use!

[@spookypen]

Probably at the federal tax office who apparently never update anything. 😄

[@PatrickWagz]

0:10 "more and more people" 0:25 "many many features" 1:05 "very very easy" 1:10 "very very simple"

[@timjilman3295]

And just like that, it was obsolete without anybody having ever seen one.

[@oldtwinsna8347]

$300 for the phone and $200 for that electronic directory module, in 1984 prices so equivalent to $750 and $500 in today's dollars, respectively.

[@MrWolfSnack]

In 1983, 2 years before this was filmed, the Genesis Telesystem was $680.

[@alec4672]

"it won't be obsolete because it's modular" oh God they were using that marketing wank back then too 🤣

[@Scrapla1]

It's so cringe cause you know they don't really believe it but they just use it to sell crap

[@dLimboStick]

They believe their turn-key solution is a whole new paradigm that is synergistic with the vertical space, and at the end of the day it will remain viable until the market is saturated.

[@apl175]

1:45 she was a bit surprised that Bob's number was already stored in the memory of the phone - perhaps during an earlier rehearsal, or perhaps because the home owners had already stored it.

[@chevy6299]

And today we all carry a tiny computer in our pockets that makes calls with the sound of our voice.

[@TheArfdog]

Are you serious???

[@skliros9235]

Where do I buy one Bob?

[@CarolFitzpatrickk]

Something about these videos are very relaxing to watch

[@woodlandgoblin2057]

Bob Vila: “ Do I really need all of this??” 80’s lady: Stares at him, “Lots of people do Bob”.

[@SenileOtaku]

80’s lady: "no, Bob. Only people who do actual WORK need one."

[@greyman419]

"There are other components that will be coming that will change the function of the telephone..." She wasn't wrong

[@jkvelasquez84]

Remote work was a thing even in the 80s!

[@ryanroberts1104]

OMG where do I get such a technological marvel?! Every time I'm in the kitchen making lunch the phone never fails to ring...so annoying! And dialing those numbers, always been so hard! You think they'll make a 5g version? *This was literally before 911 was a thing.*

[@MrWolfSnack]

No it was not. 911 was introduced in 1968. Some people live where there isn't 911, you have to actually call the police department's phone number.

[@ryanroberts1104]

@@MrWolfSnack *Wrong.* 911 was implemented at different times all over the country, some not until the mid '90s. There is nowhere in the US today that does not have 911 service, period. Literally everything you said was entirely wrong.

[@isaiahguity4861]

Ols School

[@georgecoffey9387]

To be fair I do think I hear a prowler

[@r0nr197]

Wait...you can work from home?

[@trustone8540]

I'm going to call Bob's office😂😂✌👊

[@Vanilla_Icecream1231]

Hahahh

[@benkeysor7576]

The crazy thing is that this system was probably obsolete within 2-3 years after it was featured on the show. I'm guessing this type of thing was probably replaced by something that was an all-in-one unit that didn't need cartridge based storage or expansion components to do different functions. Plus I bet this thing probably used expensive 9-volt batteries in the main unit and just ate them for lunch all the time.

[@jblyon2]

Don't forget losing everything you've programmed into it every time it loses power for 2 seconds

[@liornachmias8980]

All people on this video are probably in nursering homes...

[@Mrmudbone_gaming]

Hahaha she said people need them. It’s 2020. Not anymore. It’s obsolete haha

[@DSC800]

The number one feature: there's no way to play stupid candy crush on that machine.

[@juliof970]

Oh the future.

[@palletwizard]

I still use mine to this day.

[@mph5896]

Where can I get a smart phone module for it?

[@PatrickWagz]

I saw some at BestBuy.

[@Boofatcha]

RadioShack

[@bewarethedecks]

The main unit has similarities to the Classic Merlin telephones from the same era (minus the tiltable VFD). About 10 years later, Philips produced the 930 & 932 telephones...for Lucent Technologies...that provided the same features as the Genesis. The 930 was a single line telephone while the 932 was a two-line version. They were nice telephones. The main feature all three telephones lack is Caller ID, which wasn't available to consumers in the 1980's and was rare in the 1990's.

[@bobwhammer4237]

I'm sold!

[@woodlandgoblin2057]

Bob Vila calls his office: 80’s secretary: “Good afternoon Bob Vilas office”..... Bob Vila: “Hi Patty its Bob. Just checking out a new phone system, I’ll see you later”. 80’s secretary “Okaayy bye”. 80’s secretary hangs up. “What a lame o’ freak.”

[@SenileOtaku]

80’s secretary (hollers across the office): "The asshole called again..."

[@jwglista]

Imagine a time when this was actually impressive.

[@danpettis1675]

ahhh land lines

[@MingweiZhang]

I guess this system should sell well here in 2020

[@josephgus5638]

Ask Norm or Richard