Talk:Trimphone

Latest comment: 12 years ago by Retrowow in topic The famous ringer problem

(Comment section header added) edit

Removal of popular culture reference? Why does my entry of the trimphone being featured as part of a headpiece in the Lady GaGa telephone video keep getting removed? It is a very valid point. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 77.101.132.198 (talk) 11:38, 9 October 2011 (UTC)Reply


Could Someone post a sound sample of the 'electronic warble' ringer sound?

Thanks, Ewan. 86.11.142.24 23:18, 7 April 2007 (UTC)Reply

Tone dial keypad? edit

The first Trimphone keypads were pulse dialling only. They had 10 buttons, in a square of 9 with 0 centrally below them.

Was there ever a version for MF tone dialling? They were already falling from favour by the time tone dialling was becoming possible in the UK and I don't recall ever seeing one. I certainly don't recall a Trimphone with a fullsic, yes I know about ABCD 12 key layout including * and #, as that would have required a case change too. Andy Dingley (talk) 09:19, 1 May 2010 (UTC)Reply

Interesting. This: http://www.retrowow.co.uk/retro_technology/telephone/push_button_trimphone.php suggests that BT only did 10 buttons (presumably pulse) and that although STC did a 12 button DTMF, it required a higher case moulding to fit the circuitry inside. Andy Dingley (talk) 09:34, 5 May 2010 (UTC)Reply

Hi, yes there was a version of the Trimphone for MF dialing the 786 (or 8786 if fitted with Plug and socket connector). It had the extra # and * keys as you would expected. I've looked again at my article and it describes the difference between the STC version and the GEC versions. Both STC (Standard Telephone Company) and GEC supplied phones to the GPO and BT.

My article shows the STC version of the 786 and the GEC version of the 766. There is a difference in the design of the case as you can see from the pictures. That was because GEC did not want to make new mouldings. STC took a different approach, but the phone was more like a brick.

I hope this helps. Let me know if you need more information. Retrowow (talk) 17:02, 18 April 2012 (UTC)Reply

The famous ringer problem edit

Trimphones had one fatal flaw. Their ring sounded exactly the same as a common bird, which proved a right nuisance, and made them an object of ridicule for some people. Tabby (talk) 00:37, 14 June 2010 (UTC)Reply

It was actually the birds that imitated the Trimphone. The original warble was designed not to be confused with bird song. See 'Mr Benn introduces the Warlber', the Guardian May 11 1965 and 'Calling the bird's tune' also in the Guardian from May 22 1984. Retrowow (talk) 18:18, 18 April 2012 (UTC)Reply