How a Fax Machine Works
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Fax Systems
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A fax machine is used to send documents to other locations without exchanging the physical versions of the document. The information is instead converted to an electronic signal and sent through a phone line to the other location. Scanning and email capabilities are slowly replacing fax machines, but it is still a necessary device for most offices, especially in businesses where documents need to be signed.
There are several components required for a successful fax machine process. First, there must be two different fax machines that can communicate with each other, each with their own private phone number, known as a fax number. Fax numbers are dialed to send faxes to a particular location, just like inputting a phone number. Smaller offices have only one fax machine, so receiving multiple orders can take some time--most fax machines only print out one page at a time. There are various models of fax machines, and generally only those of the same generation can communicate with one another, although some modern models are backwards compatible.
Sending Faxes
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When sending a document through a fax machine, the user puts the paper in a scanner device and inputs the correct fax number. The scanning machine then reads the paper, dividing it into lines of information that show where the paper is dark and where it is white. Most fax machines send only black and white information, though some models can also read color. Once the document has been scanned, the fax machine sends the information through the phone line to the fax machine specified by the fax number.
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Receiving Faxes
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Fax machines are created to respond to incoming faxes automatically. They receive the incoming signal, and translate it back into black and white (or color) markings. The information is then replicated by the fax machine's printer section. The information tells the printer what part of the paper should be black and which should be white, dot by dot. More modern fax machines can send detailed information for a high dot-per-inch quality, but traditional fax machines have around 200 dpi quality.
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