#Modem differences
13 messages in this thread
PC magazine would recommend the v.everything. They are so Dos/Windows oriented
that what FidoNet nodes are running probably would be really important to them.
What kind of testing did they do?
dale@iam.com http://www.iam.com
Intangible Assets Manufacturing
The actual tests are:
Telephone Network Simulation
Throughput Vs. File Type
Call Connect Reliability
Block Ackwnowledge Delay
These were done for each of the 16 tested modems both as straight-ahead
performance tests and as interoperability tests with 5 different modems –
Archtek V.34; Cardinal V32.terbo; Microcom V.FC; Motorola V.34; USRobotics
Courier V.34.
In addition, they provided graphs for each modem of its throughput under line
conditions varying from perfect to awful. The very best performer under
perfect and perfectly awful conditions was the AT&T Comsphere 3810Plus, which
with its $1095 list price and concommitant features isn't of much use to most
people. And furthermore it didn't do that well on bad line conditions – it
just trailed off better. Interestingly enough, the Practical Peripherals modem
wins on the Most Bang For The Buch chart, though it does _not_ have flash ROM.
Mr. Zombie – now 76375,1776
Dale,
PC Magazine's bias aside, don't knock the US Robotics modems, especially
the V.everything. It's a hell of a modem.
-jack-
> PC Magazine's bias aside, don't knock the US Robotics modems,
>especially the V.everything. It's a hell of a modem.
Jack,
Sorry, but I will knock US Robotics. There V.34 modems were released with
bugs in the ROMS and while I am sure they would have fixed the problems, I did
not have the time to wait for the new roms. They told me 3-4 weeks, but alot of
folks have waited months. I returned the modem and bough a PPI V.34 minitower
and it has been working fine. This whole situation was very inconvenient for me
as I had to travel from Tucson to Pheonix twice, once the buy the USR and once
to return it and buy the PPI.
I sure there modems are still good products, but they sure have left a bad
taste in my mouth.
._ _ _ INTERNET: mshea@math.arizona.edu
| | |ichael _>hea COMPUSERVE: 76665,3360
I remember the same problems with the early HST's and again with the
V.32 Dual Standards. It's pretty much the same with any modem manufacturer as
well when a new standard comes out, that's why alot of them are going to flash
ROM technology. USR has done the same for their rack mounted modems, assumed
the stand alones were the same (I've not upgraded my 16.8 duals yet).
-jack-
Well, I really think I would have liked the USR better if I could have waited
for the new ROM. But I couldn't.
._ _ _ INTERNET: mshea@math.arizona.edu
| | |ichael _>hea COMPUSERVE: 76665,3360
Well, that's kind of the downside to a company with a popular product,
it bogs down their response time… 😉
-jack-
And PPI didn't have any upgrade problems? PPI originally stated that the
V.FC to V.34 upgrade would be available in November. Now at the beginning
of this month, they are finally available. And I can assure you, the
PM288MT II V.FC modem I purchased last August has it's own set of annoying
bugs. I was finally able to get ahold of someone at tech support last
Friday to get this V.FC modem upgraded, but it was hell trying to get
through for awhile. PPI is no saint, that is for sure.
// John (Warp 4040 & Emplant Quadra 840)
\X/ Mercury@ins.infonet.net
You could have worked through PPIFORUM right here on CompuServe. They're
great.
—Betty
Betty: Well I have been to the PPI forum, and unless they have changed
their policy, they were not handling V.34 upgrades. I found most of the
people over there to be friendly and tried to be helpful. But overall, I
think PPI has handled the V.FC to V.34 upgrades rather poorly.
// John (Warp 4040 & Emplant Quadra 840)
\X/ Mercury@ins.infonet.net
What do you mean "They are so Dos/Windows oriented that what FidoNet nodes are
running probably would be really important to them." ???
Mr. Zombie – now 76375,1776
v.34 is all that matters to most people. Having an "everything" modem only
matters if you need something else. Most goofy FidoNet nodes run USRs, many
with their goofy proprietary mode as the highest speed. Most of the rest of
the world is pretty well standardized on the standards (except maybe PEP and
protocol spoofing in Telebits which were once the standard in UUCP).
FidoNet seems most important to the DOS/Windows crowd, so of course it was
important to PC magazine.
dale@iam.com http://www.iam.com
Intangible Assets Manufacturing
I see. They didn't mention any proprietary modes. The main thing seemed to be
its performance and call connect reliability, which were impressive. Of course
it's also got a high list price, so it really depends what the list price is.
Mr. Zombie – now 76375,1776