300 Baud Modem
An acoustic coupler is an interface device for coupling electrical signals by acoustical means—usually into and out of a telephone.
The link is achieved through converting electric signals from the phone line to sound and reconvert sound to electric signals needed for the end terminal, such as a teletypewriter, and back, rather than through direct electrical connection.
Prior to its breakup in 1984, Bell System's legal monopoly over telephony in the United States allowed the company to impose strict rules on how consumers could access their network. Customers were prohibited from connecting equipment not made or sold by Bell to the network.
It was not until a landmark court ruling regarding the Hush-A-Phone in 1956 that the use of a phone attachment (by a third party vendor) was allowed for the first time.
In 1963 Robert Weitbrecht developed a coupling device that converted sound from the ear piece of the telephone handset to electrical signals, and converts the electrical pulses coming from the teletypewriter to sound that goes into the mouth piece of the telephone handset.
This General Electric 300 Baud Modem is from the 1980s. I remember entering Weather Channel text that moved across the bottom of the screen from the local cable company. You would type…and then wait for the text to appear (watching the actual channel), to make sure you didn’t make a mistake.
Early times in my 20’s.
300 Baud Modem
An acoustic coupler is an interface device for coupling electrical signals by acoustical means—usually into and out of a telephone.
The link is achieved through converting electric signals from the phone line to sound and reconvert sound to electric signals needed for the end terminal, such as a teletypewriter, and back, rather than through direct electrical connection.
Prior to its breakup in 1984, Bell System's legal monopoly over telephony in the United States allowed the company to impose strict rules on how consumers could access their network. Customers were prohibited from connecting equipment not made or sold by Bell to the network.
It was not until a landmark court ruling regarding the Hush-A-Phone in 1956 that the use of a phone attachment (by a third party vendor) was allowed for the first time.
In 1963 Robert Weitbrecht developed a coupling device that converted sound from the ear piece of the telephone handset to electrical signals, and converts the electrical pulses coming from the teletypewriter to sound that goes into the mouth piece of the telephone handset.
This General Electric 300 Baud Modem is from the 1980s. I remember entering Weather Channel text that moved across the bottom of the screen from the local cable company. You would type…and then wait for the text to appear (watching the actual channel), to make sure you didn’t make a mistake.
Early times in my 20’s.