What is this device for? -> MagiCall Dialler Programmer

[deedubya3800]

Here is a picture of a device. What does it connect to?

[Wallphone]

That is a dial unit that goes to a Magicall automatic dialing system. There should be two more pieces to the system, a transformer and a desk top directory with scroll type paper that you write the phone numbers on.
Doug Pav

[AE_Collector]

And the scrolling roll of paper is really recording tape on the back that a recording head travels across to record and playback(dial) the phone number.

Terry

[teka-bb]

There is a picture of the British version on this page:

http://www.britishtelephones.com/auto201.htm

[rdelius]

That  dial is motor driven back when dialed.Have a dasa magicall in my collection
Robby

[troydog]

Have not seen one of them in years. The school used them in the main office. Think of it as speed dial.

[Adam]

Here is the full Magicall set in pictures that I stole borrowed from eBay.

[bakerbrett741]

I don't see why we don't still use these. Oh wait- we buy a new elcetronic device made in China every year.

[GG]

Why we don't use those now:

Think of alphabetizing your phone number list.  Now think of having to shift entries every time you have to add a new entry.

Albuquerque
All-American Industries
Allen
Alvarez

Now try adding "Alcatraz" to that list, and you have to shift everything below "Albuquerque."

It's enough of a pain in the buttski when the entries are on a computer screen, but on a Magicall dialer tape you would have to change out the tape: Not Fun and spare parts are difficult to come by. 

These devices were sold largely during a time when phone numbers were far more stable than they are today (people didn't change numbers as often) and when a user could be pretty sure of getting all of their listings right from one year to the next, e.g. a school district, a company with a bunch of branch offices and affiliates, and so on.

Presumably the speed-dial features on modern cellphones (I don't have a cellphone) have the ability to automatically alphabetize correctly.  That would be a major strength of those systems.  Though of course the corresponding weakness is that people are losing their ability to remember phone numbers, including their own.   It's all "dial by caller ID name." 

And soon enough there will be voice-recognition dialing. 
Too bad it won't say "Number, please?"

[bingster]

I also doubt the Magicall is all that much faster than dialing with your finger.  You have to do the motorized scroll to get close to the right number, fine tune it manually to get the number lined up just right, hit dial, and then wait for it to dial.  It was probably popular in busy offices, but most likely not for speed.  Rather, it was probably intended to eliminate the fatigue of repetitive dialing.

Still, they're really neat, and I'd certainly like to have one.

Also, just a point about the photo above (and to dispel a common misconception):  The dial is not a typical adjunct dial.  In other words the dial is only used for number entry, and then is disconnected.  The unit won't work with the dial left plugged in.

[ESalter]

They definitely are really cool.  We have one, but I believe the motor is cooked so it doesn't work, sadly. 

[GG]

Magicall saves the time to look up the number when one is dealing with a long numbers list.  Would also have been good for calling a bunch of people in succession, e.g. for a school district to call teachers to let them know there's a snow day, or for the public works department to call snowplow operators to report to their HQs during a snow storm.

Hmm.  Snowstorms as a cause of Magicall Dialer usage:-)

[Babybearjs]

OK, thanks for the info... now, does anyone want the dial- in unit I have... without the rest of the system, its useless to me unless I scrap it out for parts, and I dont want to do that because it is new.   John

[AE_Collector]

What color is your dial in unit and is it marked Western Electric or unmarked? These were made by the Dasa Corporation.

Terry

[Adam]

useless to me unless I scrap it out for parts

Scrap it out for what parts?  The dial is unique to that device and could NOT be transplanted into any other phone with a similar size dial, like a Princess phone.