Good old TTY...

B

blairtheblur

New Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2009
Messages
22
Reaction score
0
So I am a hearie taking a class called Deaf Culture. Last class we went on a field trip to experience the city as our professor does (who is deaf). One of the things we did was go to a train station that had a pay phone TTY.

At first the class had no idea how this would work... as the TTY keyboard was not visible. After our teacher dialed 711, the keyboard magically came out by itself. :)

Of course, us hearies were in awe over the amazingness of it. We then had a relayed conversation using my phone.

Does anyone ever get a response like that from hearing people when they see the coolness of video phone, online relay, etc?

I thought it was funny.
 
Perhaps my class was just very sheltered? We talked about how cool it was for about ten minutes.
 
Those TTY days, the 711 is used for relay service, nowadays most deaf people now use videophone, and faster communication through sign language.

I have not used TTY since several years. It's collecting dust in the storage shed.. :lol:
 
I have never seen, nor do I know how to use a TTY. I googled it and of course know what it looks like. I've never seen one for real though...

I am for myself more amazed at how much I am learning from the Deaf Culture ever since I joined AD (four months ago) as well as the technology that lays behind CIs and HAs, education, personal life stories, etc. (not sure how to express myself here).

But as a hearie myself I guess I would be pretty much amazed too if anybody were to show me how to use a TTY :giggle:

Jamie
 
My TTY sits on my kitchen counter and I use it often!...And people usually assume it's some kind of computer or something like that!

I do have a Video Phone, and use it to call my friends, the ones I'm closest to....I rarely use an agent!

I email a lot also...3 ways to communicate.

Most of my deaf friends don't use their old TTY's anymore. And my family never would accept calls via TTY from me....said they were talking to a machine!...So it's email!

Hearies are in awe of TTY's and Video Phones! One person asked me how much my "high-tech security system cost"!...Kids think they're on TV, too!
 
Not too long ago there was a thread about TTYs... I think with the technology many people (especially the new generation) doesn't use TTYs that often anymore. Text messaging and emailing as well as online video cams work so well that TTY are not so much being used... :shrug:

Jamie
 
TTY's are old news.

Everyone I know seems to have a blackberry or Sidekick now lol
 
Videophones and blackberries already taken over our lives and it is MUCH better
 
JClarke said:
Videophones and blackberries already taken over our lives and it is MUCH better
Click to expand...

I was kind of wondering if the teacher is some ancient guy with no Blackberry or Sidekick, or if he just wanted to show them history. :lol:
 
Hey! Hey! What about me? I am using the TTY/TDD to communicate with my Deaf friends or relay to hearing people. It is sitting on the folding table in my office close to my computer here. Yeah, of course I used the e-mail to send messages to my family and friends. Also I have MSN Messenger to communicate with them, too. Anyway, I would not part with my TTY/TDD or to throw that away. I love it and would keep in case if I need to use it again and again. As a matter of fact, I do not have a videophone but I use the ooVoo to communicate with Deaf friends. I only use it once because I am not use to on the video before. I am use to TTY/TDD better. Okay, I am old fashioned old lady or elder. Geez. :roll:
 
When I was a kid, I had one of those gigantic, green TTYs that were real TTYs, with the daisy wheel and the yellow paper. It made noise when it was on, and I still remember the smell of it. Comparing that huge thing with a BlackBerry is like comparing a '50s computer that took up an entire room with a modern PC or laptop. It's amazing how much technology has advanced in such a relatively short time.

Here's a photo: Photo # NH 104251 picture data
 
eh I never thought of that til if I see a pay phone have tty with it I will try dialing 711 but if that doesn't exist here in california then go figures :P
 
Bebonang said:
Hey! Hey! What about me? I am using the TTY/TDD to communicate with my Deaf friends or relay to hearing people. It is sitting on the folding table in my office close to my computer here. Yeah, of course I used the e-mail to send messages to my family and friends. Also I have MSN Messenger to communicate with them, too. Anyway, I would not part with my TTY/TDD or to throw that away. I love it and would keep in case if I need to use it again and again. As a matter of fact, I do not have a videophone but I use the ooVoo to communicate with Deaf friends. I only use it once because I am not use to on the video before. I am use to TTY/TDD better. Okay, I am old fashioned old lady or elder. Geez. :roll:
Click to expand...

I wasn't leaving you out sweetie :hug: Just speaking what I think about TTYs and of course I never wanted to imply that people are no longer using them, which I know isn't true! Because they do...

Just saying that the new generation more likely prefers using other ways to communicate (new technology)...

But I understood what you meant... you're no old lady! :cool2: Whatever works better/easier for you is the best anyway... ;) That's the way I see it...

Jamie
 
Videophones and mobile PDAs are much better than tty. I have portable tty but never use it in several months. Last 20 years ago, I was business to install green Teletype Corp. model 28 with PhoneTTY corp. modem for customers till ending in 1990's. Then I was selling Ultratec corp. portable tty but tty sales was slow business when Sorenson VP was stating last several year ago. I had worked for SorensonVRS to intalling VP in three years then switched to Purple (Hovrs) right now.
 
There are still deaf people who use TTY and relay service. They can't afford the cost of cable internet for VP or email, and they can't afford texting phones or pagers. The state organization provides free TTYs, so that's what they can afford. The state will also provide VPs but the deaf person has to pay for the internet service. The state does not provide mobile phones or pagers.
 
JamieLynn said:
I wasn't leaving you out sweetie :hug: Just speaking what I think about TTYs and of course I never wanted to imply that people are no longer using them, which I know isn't true! Because they do...

Just saying that the new generation more likely prefers using other ways to communicate (new technology)...

But I understood what you meant... you're no old lady! :cool2: Whatever works better/easier for you is the best anyway... ;) That's the way I see it...

Jamie
Click to expand...

:ty:, Jamie. Sigh. I have to think positive about the changing the technologies which they are going too fast for us to adapt and trying to get use to working with them.

As for flyingace, I do remembered the big giant green teletypewriters back in 1970 and this machines do not move until you are planning on moving to a new home. We called the green teletypewriters the "Monster" and it is really an old fashioned way to send and receive just like the telephone. Also I remembered that the newspapers use the old TTY for news whether to send or receive for breaking news. Yep, things have changed a lot. For me, I just love the little compact TTY/TDD because it is light and easy to carry around instead of that big "Monster". :cool2:
 
I have my TeleBraille III (Braille TTY) from 1995 and it still works perfectly. I keep it in the event that my computer needs to be sent in for repair and I can't use IP relay.

Speaking of old technology, I remember seeing an old TeleBraille II at my local deafblind center. It was larger than my TeleBraille III and much slower as well.
 
Reba said:
There are still deaf people who use TTY and relay service. They can't afford the cost of cable internet for VP or email, and they can't afford texting phones or pagers. The state organization provides free TTYs, so that's what they can afford. The state will also provide VPs but the deaf person has to pay for the internet service. The state does not provide mobile phones or pagers.
Click to expand...

Good point, Reba. I received my TeleBraille through my state's telephone assistance program. If it were not for their help, I would have had to find a way to pay $5,000 out of pocket for it.
 
Back
Top