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Communication - How Does A Telefax Work?
How does a telefax work?
Telefacsimile (also telefax or facsimile or fax) transmits graphic and textual information from one location to another through telephone lines. A transmitting machine uses a scanner to convert the black and white representations of the image into electrical signals. Those signals are encoded and transmitted through telephone lines to a designated receiving machine. The receiving unit converts the transmission back to an image of the original and prints it.
The fax was invented by Alexander Bain of Scotland in 1842. His crude device, along with scanning systems invented by Frederick Bakewell in 1848, was the forerunner to modern fax machines. In 1924 faxes were first used to transmit wire photos from Cleveland to New York, which provided a great boost to the newspaper industry. The low cost of fax machines accounts for their current widespread use by businesses and individuals. The fax has...
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