Tuborg

Thanks for the comment about my gamesroom, it's a work in progress, took 4 years to complete, and now it's full with the latest addition of a Ripley's pinball on the weekend.

I have been reading the stuff online about the COCOT stuff, and i work for Bell Canada as a field technician, and none of this stuff makes sence to me, i'm not really sure how it works, and to be honest, people get a huge kick out of even seeing it, and everyone always says "do you have to pay to use it?" or "does it really work" and they are always shocked when they pick it up and hear a dial tone, so to make life simple, i'd just mount the phone, wire it up to your home phone line, and just use it as a regular phone / piggybank

Eric

Quoted from jonny_eh

Why do you want to put change into a pay phone at home? Do you also rig your pins to take quarters only? Mine are on free play.

Nostalgia my friend.  In another 20 years, particularly after you start having kids (if you don't already) you will begin to understand and will want to appologize for your ignorance when your kids don't understand why you'd ever want to keep that stupid antiquated XBox (or iPod, or iPhone) you've had all these years.....  

Quoted from Tuborg

OK, I definitely believe you.   But what I don't understand is this:


I'm wondering how they can work on a regular phone line.  The above quote would make me think that a COCOT phone could be setup to accept coins on a regular phone line.   I'm confused as to how an operator could control a coin return?   I spent a bit of time trying to find some manuals at work, but no luck yet.  As to why set it up, no idea really, nostalgia, geek-fun and maybe some fun with the kids who already talk too much on the phone  

Eric you have one of the coolest gamerooms.   I like the coin idea, too, as then you "value" your game more and a special means more.   I'm just oo lazy to get all the coin doors working.  

Just a guess, but I think the purpose here is to make teenagers, for example, responsible for the cost and use of a home phone line.  Or in a situation like a bar where the phone is used as a money making device.  Such that the phone records the cost of outgoing calls and they must be paid for to work, but I would suspect that the owner still receives a bill from the phone company and he empties the cash box and pays the balance of a discounted bill to the phone company (keeping the profit). The advantage to the phone company is that they don't have to service the phone and collect the cash.

That's my guess.  And if I'm wrong and it's an original idea, I need to go and patent it...

I beleive the phone and booth add to the arcade theme....most arcades had a payphone...same as why do we put gumball/candy machines and popcorn machines in as well? THEME!!


OR a big ol juke or slot machine?  THEME!!

Sure, I'd buy the nostalgia card, but here are some things that are more useful that I'd add before a payphone:
-Popcorn machine (Tuborg's was awesome at his party, would someone ever describe a payphone as awesome?)
-Slurpee machine
-Nacho cheese dispenser (OMG, I think I need to get one now! Good thing I don't have the room)
-Love tester (Why am I always a wet fish?)
-Grip tester
-Jukebox

All I'm saying is that a payphone may seem like a good idea, but I really doubt you'll ever use it. Unless you just want to look at it, which is cool I guess, but I'd rather just put up a cool poster or something.

Mike at The church of the Silverball has a working payphone, not with coins, but I still think it's pretty cool.  

Quoted from jonny_eh

All I'm saying is that a payphone may seem like a good idea, but I really doubt you'll ever use it.

Well, in my case...

   I have a gameroom;
+ I have friends (or pretend I have some);
+ Friends sometimes call me (well, telemarketers do... );
+ When I am in my gameroom, I want (sometimes) to answer the phone;
= I have a payphone in my gameroom.

Like others said, it's about the THEME.  Payphone is 'set to free play'.  I don't have a phone boot (too much real estate) but the payphone takes little room.  And I use it a lot (make and receive calls for free)


Chris

Quoted from RedFive

Like others said, it's about the THEME.  Payphone is 'set to free play'.  I don't have a phone boot (too much real estate) but the payphone takes little room.

A booth is overkill but a pedestal stand takes up very little space and  will add  that extra touch.
You can find them lightly dented for around $40. no guest has ever noticed mine is banged up on one side.
they are too busy saying "way kewl"


http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=5&item=129785

I think my Superman phone is cooler. When someone calls, it plays the Superman theme. Now that's kewl!

Johnny,

You not only described my gameroom, but also what i have in the garage,

I have a

Cotton Candy Machine (Full Size)
Popcorn Machine & Cart (Full Size - not from home outfitters)
Slush Machine (Professional 2 bowl BUNN machine)
Nacho Warmer (No Cheese Warmer, Sorry)


Basement

Love Tester (Stupid .25 cent counter top one)
no grip tester.

So i pretty much have what you are saying would be a cool gameroom yay!

Eric

SOmeone has a phone booth that they want off their property north of Burlington.  I am pretty sure it was a Kijiji ad.  A phone booth would be perfect for any house with teens. Kind of like a cone of silence, you can keep your eyse on them, but also don't have to hear everyword of the conversation.   A heck of a lot better than facebook.

Quoted from websherpa

SOmeone has a phone booth that they want off their property north of Burlington.  I am pretty sure it was a Kijiji ad.  A phone booth would be perfect for any house with teens. Kind of like a cone of silence, you can keep your eyse on them, but also don't have to hear everyword of the conversation.   A heck of a lot better than facebook.

That is until they hit college and they try to cram in as many friends as possible in order to get some kind of record.