Dolls Eye Indicators - Telephone Tuesdays

Today on Telephone Tuesday @hackmodular talks about Dolls Eye Indicators!
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LMNC / Museum Patreon: / lookmumnocomputer
Mitch / Hack Modular Patreon: / hackmodular
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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-not-obsolete.c...
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#vintage #telephoneexchange #restoration #telephony #telephonetuesdays

[@Graham_Rule]

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]

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

[@tommcewan7936]

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.

[@MattMcIrvin]

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.

[@alexcranmer8317]

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.

[@dieseldragon6756]

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! 🙃

[@CableWrestler]

These were fun to play with as a kid

[@Nev-1957]

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

[@hackmodular]

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]

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

[@hal_aetus]

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!

[@LogicalNiko]

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.

[@Wraithss]

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

[@jackiechan8840]

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

[@michaelhaig1317]

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

[@zebo-the-fat]

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

[@robertkeddie]

The wasp nest at 1:42 was terrifying.

[@doomsdayrule]

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

[@hackmodular]

I’m just glad the wasps have moved out 😅

[@linandy1]

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

[@codebeat4192]

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

[@dieseldragon6756]

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! ⚡☕😉

[@hippynurd]

LOL see you next tuesday!

[@hippynurd]

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

[@lwilton]

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.

[@rivertees]

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

[@Richardincancale]

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]

Indeed, perhaps variable speed would be fun too…

[@derkeksinator17]

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]

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

[@derkeksinator17]

@@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.

[@SubTroppo]

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).

[@tombarry9897]

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]

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]

@@dieseldragon6756 yes but zeros and nines were difficult!

[@dieseldragon6756]

@@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.)

[@MichaelEhling]

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

[@R3TR0R4V3]

Those are Rad 😎

[@dcallan812]

Blinking heck, 🤣 Great update 2x👍

[@mickcoleman5396]

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

[@hackmodular]

Another win for electro-magnets =)

[@curtishoffmann6956]

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

[@TheEmbeddedHobbyist]

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

[@daccrowell4776]

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]

Huh very interesting! Will have to investigate

[@klassisch3039]

Wow great video! Really interesting.

[@andyscott5978]

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

[@ianbelletti6241]

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.

[@theawfulmrbird]

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

[@KeritechElectronics]

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

[@himselfe]

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

[@codebeat4192]

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

[@ianhighley-zo3es]

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

[@ShellacScrubber]

fabulous stuff !!

[@Bills200]

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

[@SuLokify]

Need to see Bad Apple playing on some of those

[@jonathanpalmer5505]

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

[@youbecha64]

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

[@FrancSchiphorst]

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.

[@mzaite]

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

[@sivoltage]

wonderful

[@U014B]

Now wire it up to work like a VU meter.

[@zfrenchy1716]

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

[@ibanezleftyclub]

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

[@DasGanon]

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

[@localhost4460]

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

[@kschleic9053]

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]

@@kschleic9053 gotcha! That makes a lot of sense

[@whitelion7976]

Does lowering the voltage on the relays alter the speed?

[@hackmodular]

It does!

[@AMPProf]

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

[@sparkyprojects]

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]

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!

[@Wtfinc]

All the cool stuff is in the UK

[@AMPProf]

MI6 iterconect

[@moshly64]

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

[@hackmodular]

Maybe variable speed would be a cool mod in time…

[@o_-_o]

The electricity bill must be enormous.

[@AnonymousAnarchist2]

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]

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]

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

[@Bills200]

C u next Tuesday, that is just rude 😂

[@THISMUSEUMISNOTOBSOLETE]

see you next tuesday!

[@AMPProf]

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

[@deadscenedotcom]

90% wasps' nest, LOL.