Kitz Forum

Internet => Interesting Websites => Topic started by: sheddyian on August 17, 2012, 04:55:05 PM

Title: The Secret Life of The Telephone
Post by: sheddyian on August 17, 2012, 04:55:05 PM

You may remember Tim Hunkin's wonderful series of programmes on Channel 4 in the late 80's/early 90's, The Secret Life of Machines, where he'd take things apart and show you how they worked, and described their history.

I was just watching his programme on the telephone, and realised that it might interest folk on here.

Although I've got copies downloaded off the net (as encouraged by Tim Hunkin himself on his own website), they also appear to be on YouTube.

Here's the links to the programme about telephones, though all his shows are good

part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpNG4s04Dfg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpNG4s04Dfg)
part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0twYRgSQN0 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0twYRgSQN0)
part 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xxu6UYRWNz4 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xxu6UYRWNz4)

and Mr Hunkin's own site.  He now mostly makes unusual slot machines, which you can try out at his permanent exhibition on Southwold Pier in Suffolk.  http://www.timhunkin.com/ (http://www.timhunkin.com/)

Ian

Title: Re: The Secret Life of The Telephone
Post by: burakkucat on August 17, 2012, 05:37:41 PM

Thank you for those links, Sheddy.

I'm sure that those who are unaware of the background history of the telephone will find the links quite interesting.

Title: Re: The Secret Life of The Telephone
Post by: kitz on August 17, 2012, 06:58:59 PM

Thanks for the linkies,  I may put them through the ATV later - some light watching before bedtime :)

Title: Re: The Secret Life of The Telephone
Post by: silversurfer44 on August 17, 2012, 08:33:35 PM

Gee, thanks for that Sheddyian. I've just enjoyed watching all the clips. :thumbs:

Title: Re: The Secret Life of The Telephone
Post by: kitz on August 17, 2012, 11:23:57 PM

Just watched them thank you

....  and just discovered for the 1st time by accident that the ipad does allow multi-taking whilst sending youtube to the atv.....  as its gone on to autoplay the one about washing machines...  which Im currently finding massively amusing to see what happens when they take the concrete block out .... and it starts going walkabout  :lol:

sigh... simple things..  ;D

Title: Re: The Secret Life of The Telephone
Post by: sheddyian on August 18, 2012, 02:28:37 PM

Quote from: kitz on August 17, 2012, 11:23:57 PM

sigh... simple things..  ;D

Thats what I like about all of them though, they're simple, quirky and (for me) fascinating.  Even if you know all about the thing Tim Hunkin is talking about, his demonstration and weird models are excellent.

In the programme about the fax machine (yeah, the programmes seem a little dated now!) he turns his lathe into a primitive fax machine to send a picture to his friend, on his lathe. 

Secert Life of the Office : the fax machine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaCfs5Xb-EI (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaCfs5Xb-EI)

Ian