Re: Pulse dialing overhead, was: ANI vs. Caller ID [Telecom]

Michael Grigoni 17 years ago

>

>
>>>I also wonder which was retired last--No. 1 crossbar or Panel.
>>
>>1XB outlasted Panel.
>>
>>1XB also outlasted some 5XB switches. It was a heavy-hitter, while 5XB >>would lock up.
>
>
> Thanks for the info. Would you know why the old Bell literature
> seemed to wax poetic about No. 5 but mostly ignored No. 1? Were the
> differences that significant?

In a very interesting 1963 short film, Ray Bradbury tours what appears to be a 1XB office, and also describes the story development for the haunting tale "Dial Double Zero", about spontaneous emergence of intelligence in a telephone switch. I recommend downloading the MP4 or OGG video here:

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I have strong memories of seeing a complete film version of "Dial Double Zero" but cannot find any references to a release, either on film or other media. Does anyone else have a recollection of it or know more about it?

Michael

***** Moderator's Note *****

I was just talking about that film the other day: my friend called me and asked if I knew where he could get a copy, but then this strange sound came on the line ...

Bill Horne Temporary Moderator

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John F. Morse 17 years ago

It was indeed an interesting story.

I would say this is a 4XB office though (4A-CTS), instead of a 1XB. It didn't look like any 1XB I've seen.

I couldn't clearly make out the characters, but the stenciling on the end guards appears different than any 1XB end guard I've seen. I base this on the long equipment lineup appearing too "clean" and not like a normal mix of various kinds of bays in an aisle, which is common in a

1XB office that has gone through several additions. I would guess this aisle is Incoming Link or Outgoing Link frames.

Reinforcing this view, Bradbury did mention at 12:31 into this story, he was visiting a "long distance telephone switching center."

Then he is given a tour of the toll testboard room, where there are many toll testboard and make-busy positions. Not something you'd find in a Class 5 1XB end office. I'll forward the link to a retired toll testboardman (repeaterman) and see if he recognizes the board models. They are definitely not Local Test Desk #14 nor LTD #16.

The proof of 4XB is at 12:48, where there is a clear display of an operating Magnetic Card Translator, which is a 4A-CTS component (before

4A-ETS).

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Scott Dorsey 17 years ago

We hope to be showing a 16mm print of this film at the Arisia Science Fiction Convention in January.

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I don't know. WGBH adapted a number of Bradbury stories in the early

1970s. This one would be an interesting one to do. I don't see any reference to it in any of the 1970s directories of educational films that I have here, though.

--scott

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