# Fax machine sounds from 20 years ago **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 18, 2020, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fax-machine-sounds-from-20-years-ago/854072 "2020-05-18T22:34:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nansbread1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Nansbread1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nansbread1)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2020, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fax-machine-sounds-from-20-years-ago/854072/1 "2020-05-18T22:34:03Z")
We all know that sound from the office faxes from the 90s onwards. What in the faxing process made that actual sound Why did machines from different makes the same sound. Was there an international standard that was agreed so that every machine had this sound built into the machine? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2020, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fax-machine-sounds-from-20-years-ago/854072/2 "2020-05-18T22:41:23Z")
> [@](#): > > Why did machines from different makes the same sound. Was there an international standard that was agreed so that every machine had this sound built into the machine? Of course. It was the modem handshaking. Just the audible tones corresponding to the data being transmitted that told the sender what capabilities the receiver had. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2020, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fax-machine-sounds-from-20-years-ago/854072/3 "2020-05-18T23:20:59Z")
[This page](http://www.windytan.com/2012/11/the-sound-of-dialup-pictured.html) describes the process in the best table and has a great picture of it. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2020, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fax-machine-sounds-from-20-years-ago/854072/4 "2020-05-19T01:18:50Z")
> [@Nansbread1](#): > > We all know that sound from the office faxes from the 90s onwards. > > What in the faxing process made that actual sound You are probably thinking of the modem sound, not the fax sound. I can’t remember what the fax sound was, but it was simpler than the modem sound you are probably thinking of. The modem sound from the 90’s onward was longer and more complex because there was a longer and more complex negotiation. The fax sound was a simple request, which expected a simple reply. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2020, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fax-machine-sounds-from-20-years-ago/854072/5 "2020-05-20T17:29:19Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/qTX1lI8COuQ/hqdefault.jpg "Fax machine sound effect") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTX1lI8COuQ) ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2020, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fax-machine-sounds-from-20-years-ago/854072/6 "2020-05-20T17:38:13Z")
FAX handshake sounds have mostly _not_ changed. It is/was a warble between two pitches after the initial screech. That’s for a 14,400 baud FAX which they never bothered to try to improve on. I honestly don’t know if there was a different sound that would have been heard before the 14.4kb technology was available. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2020, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fax-machine-sounds-from-20-years-ago/854072/7 "2020-05-20T17:39:28Z")
[quote=“Omar\_Little, post:5, topic:854072”] [/QUOTE] That video has a picture of a FAX machine but the sound is a modem connection sound not a FAX connection sound. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fax-machine-sounds-from-20-years-ago/854072/8 "2020-05-21T17:36:43Z")
[This should answer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtOztPBkbYo) all of the OP’s questions