undefined | Better HN

0 pointsSlartie3y ago0 comments

> Pay phones mitigated this in a low tech way - by software muting the handset.

So does this mean that there was a dedicated second microphone hidden somewhere within the payphone body, that would continue to record the sound the coins made?

0 comments

genewitch3y ago

The coins weren't recorded, it was just a short tone that indicated 5¢. A quarter was five quick tones. A dime two.

I used to mess with the proctor test set (dialing 117 in the US at least on GTE) and only ever convinced it I inserted a nickel even with many tries using a digital recorder or a computer speaker.

baobrien3y ago

In early 3-slot North American payphones, there literally was a bell that the coins struck and a transducer inside the payphone body.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 comments

genewitch3y ago

The coins weren't recorded, it was just a short tone that indicated 5¢. A quarter was five quick tones. A dime two.

I used to mess with the proctor test set (dialing 117 in the US at least on GTE) and only ever convinced it I inserted a nickel even with many tries using a digital recorder or a computer speaker.

baobrien3y ago

In early 3-slot North American payphones, there literally was a bell that the coins struck and a transducer inside the payphone body.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse