Invention of Fax Machine: How Was It First Made and History

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A fax machine is a document copier that speaks in telephone tones. It scans a page into a simple black-and-white map, squeezes that map with compression, then sends it through a normal line so another device can rebuild the same printable image. The clever part is not just the scan or the print—it is the standard handshake that lets two machines agree on speed, detail, and error control before the first line is sent.

How Fax Transmission Works

1. Scan the sheet line by line (flatbed or ADF), producing a bitmap of black and white dots.
2. Normalize the image: the device picks a resolution and builds a consistent page grid so both sides interpret the dots the same way.
3. Negotiate using handshake tones: the machines agree on speed, coding, and error handling.
4. Compress long runs of white space and repeated patterns with fax coding so a mostly blank page does not waste time.
5. Modulate the compressed bits into audio suitable for the line, then send and receive in controlled blocks.
6. Rebuild the bitmap at the far end, then print or store it in memory so the message survives even if the line drops right after.

Stage	What Happens	Why It Matters
Call Setup	A standard phone call is established over the PSTN.	Fax uses a familiar path that exists in many buildings already.
Negotiation	Devices trade capabilities: resolution, coding, speed.	Compatibility stays high, even between an old unit and a newer MFP.
Page Transfer	Compressed raster data is sent as tones with defined framing.	It remains readable with ordinary line quality—though a noisy line can slow things down.
Reproduction	The receiver decompresses and prints, or stores the page in memory.	A fax can recieve pages even when no one is standing next to it.

A Closer Look At The “Fax Sounds”

The squeals and chirps are not random. They are modem tones that carry structured information: “Here is my speed,” “Here is my coding,” “Here is a page block.” When both sides agree, the sender streams a compressed bitonal image so the receiver can rebuild the page exactly.

That negotiation is a big reason fax became dependable in offices. A machine that only supports basic settings can still complete a call by falling back to a more modest mode. It feels old-fashioned, yet the design is quietly robust and very predictable under real phone-line conditions.

Key Parts Inside A Fax Device

Fax Standards And Compatibility

Fax works globally because it behaves like a polite guest: it asks what the other side can do, then sticks to a shared set of rules. Those rules are formal telecom recommendations that define the call “conversation,” the page coding, and—today—the bridge between fax and IP networks. If you understand three names, you understand most of the modern fax world: T.30, T.4, and T.38.

Standard	Defines	Where You See It
ITU-T T.30	The procedure for a fax call: negotiation, control signals, and orderly page transfer.	Every classic Group 3 fax session over a standard phone line.
ITU-T T.4	How the page is coded, including classic MH and optional 2D methods.	Most office faxes and fax modems, especially for text-heavy pages.
ITU-T T.6 (related)	Group 4 coding control functions, including MMR for efficient 2D compression.	Higher-efficiency error-controlled workflows and some digital fax environments.
ITU-T T.38	Real-time fax over IP, designed to carry fax reliably across packet networks.	Gateways, VoIP systems, and “FoIP” deployments that still must talk to G3 devices.

Fax Types And Subtypes

The word fax covers a family of devices. Some are built as dedicated hardware, others are features inside a larger machine, and newer services can act like a fax endpoint without printing anything until you choose. The shared thread is the same: raster scanning, standard negotiation, and a recoverable page delivered across a telecom link.

A Short Technical Timeline

Period	What Changed	Why People Cared
1840s	Bain and Bakewell explored early image telegraph ideas using synchronized motion and conductive patterns.	It proved a page could be treated as data, not just ink.
1860s	Caselli’s pantelegraph enters practical service, transmitting signatures and handwriting.	Secure-looking copies became possible at a distance, which mattered for paperwork.
1964–1966	Xerox moves fax toward modern office life with LDX and then the Magnafax Telecopier on standard lines.	Fax becomes an approachable business tool rather than a specialist lab system.
1980	International standardization of Group 3 facsimile helps create broad interoperability.	Different brands can reliably exchange pages, helping fax spread quickly.
Late 1990s	Fax adapts to the internet era with real-time T.38 methods over IP networks.	Fax survives changes in telecom infrastructure while keeping the same call behavior.

Page Quality, Speed, And Why White Space Helps

Fax compression is built for typical paperwork: lots of white background, sharp text, and repeated horizontal patterns. A page with large blank areas often transmits faster because runs of white dots compress very well. A page filled with heavy shading can take longer because the machine must describe far more changes from dot to dot, even if the message is short. It’s a simple idea with real impact on time and clarity.

Setting	What You Get	Typical Effect
Standard (~203×98 dpi)	Readable text for everyday forms, simple drawings, and clean signatures.	Often faster because fewer scan lines must be described.
Fine (~203×196 dpi)	Sharper small text and tighter line art, especially on dense documents.	More data, usually more time on the same line conditions.
Compression Choice	MH is common; MR/MMR/JBIG can improve efficiency for some pages.	Better compression can reduce on-line time for pages with repeating structure.

Why Fax Still Shows Up In Modern Workflows

Fax persists because it delivers a fixed page image with a predictable delivery pattern. It can be integrated into systems that expect paper-like documents, signatures, stamps, and handwritten notes. Many organizations also value the straightforward point-to-point feel: one device calls another, exchanges capability tones, and transfers a page without needing a shared login or a shared file space. That simplicity can be surprisingly attractive when people want consistency, traceability, and a print-ready record.

Fax is old, yet the idea is timeless: a page becomes a signal, then becomes a page again.