atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Other TDM Phone Systems 1A2 and Comkey Telephones & Systems Letterman and Regis on 2564s

Just noticed the other night that Letterman took a call "on air" from a beige 2564.

Regis Philbin has a red one on his desk on the "Live with Regis and Kelly" show. One time Ripa complained about the "old" phone on the desk. Said something along the lines that you would think they could afford a new phone.

It is easier to integrate a 1A2 telephone system to ON AIR wiring schemes than later electronic sets.

Thanks for that Arthur If possible, could you provide me with a little run-down why that is so?

Also, I am wondering who maintains these systems? Are there still some old-timers out in the field grumbling about how the new techs couldn't crimp an RJ11 connector, grinning at the bewildered faces of the young, semi-pubescent know-it-alls who go pale when faced with a true to life, ANALOG electro-mechanical device!?

" Also, I am wondering who maintains these systems?"
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Sorry if I beat you to it Arthur, but I COULD NOT RESIST!!!! Cat 6, NOBODY MAINTAINS THE SYSTEMS, THEY DON"T BREAK, IF THEY ARE LEFT ALONE!!!!

That's just awesome. Far cry from our new "lean and mean" products. As I've said before, I'm still looking for the "mean". But since the equipment didn't belong to the end user back in the day (that's what I heard), it was in the telco's best interest to have stuff that doesn't break, since it would be them picking up the tab if it did.

But come to think of it, in the world of the ISP's, the modems and routers etc are often rented equipment as well, but they kind of suck most of the time, so I'm a little confused.

The answer is:

The phones can easily be wired for 4-wire service, so that on-air amplification/isolation can be easily engineered, the A leads provide an easy way of determining off/on hook status, parts are bullet-proof and easily swapped out, no finicky electronics, and any real tech can work on them.

The Bell System did not want to have to repair anything, it looked bad in the customer's eyes! (Of course a lot of other stuff besides phones was built better 40 years ago!) 1A2 systems went in with the legitimate expectation that 25 years was a minimum wear out point. The weakest part was the interrupter. Motor driven cam that operated contacts for ringing line lamp flash, on-hold line lamp flash, and audible (ringing). The weak part is the motor, but they normally lasted at least 10 years! No contact ever carried the current they were capable of, relays are 'underloaded', there is just enough stress in the equipment to keep it working! The 5 line phones would bust your foot if they fell on it, but they would STILL work! You could drive nails with them, except they were awfully heavy, (5 pounds) and very awkward to swing! Ahhh, the good old days.

Thanks Arthur.

Lightninghorse, then I would have to say that Bell (Bell Canada) doesn't care all that much anymore about looking bad in their customer's eyes, because their internet equipment is pretty much for the birds.

So basically the 1A2 equipment was "overengineered". Good stuff!

Actually, a British scientist wrote a book about that subject in particular. The book is called "Low Tech: A Manifesto for an Overwound World". He takes about "robustness" or rather the modern LACK of it, and how, at the end of the day, it is BAD business sense to "underengineer", which is the case most of time today.

The 1A2 phone has long been a Letterman trademark. Even when he was with NBC.

About 2 months ago, there was an episode where they changed Dave's phone to a "new" state of the art phone.

Needless to say, Dave screwed up the call at every turn. Even having to have an "instant replay" to see if Dave accidently pressed a button that cut the caller off. He did press the button.

I noticed ever since that one episode, the beige 2564 or 5 sits on his desk.

It is my understanding that converting a digital phone system to analog for broadcast on the air is much more complicated electronically and practically. Many radio stations still use 1A2 systems because they're analog end-to-end and interface with the station's control board seamlessly.