Comm/help
13 messages in this thread
Hi, I need advice on setting up my Amiga for downldg files. I have an A3000
w/100 mg HD, 6 mg Ram, using Amiga 1680 modem to go on line.What should I
use for settings, ie… Baud rate. I am set for CompuServ B, 8 ,even and 1.
Anything I am missing? I have tried to dwnld files before and it seems like
it takes forever and I never get a file. I have been told that I should get
Whap and LHARC first, that wu That will help for future downloading. Your
assistance is appreciated.
Chris J.
Chris,
You should be using 8 data bits, NO parity, 1 stop bit. Chances are that's
the problem.
Try 8N1 and see what happens. You didn't mention what terminal program
you're using. If you seem to get garbage after typing the control-C where
CIS prompts for User ID:, go ahead and type in your User ID: and hit
return. The text will clear up on the Password: line after CIS adapts.
Hope this helps, 8)
David
Thanks, David. I am using AmigaTerm. My other ? was baud rate. It seems
some of the files are large, so what do you recommend? Also, during the
dwnld of a file, there is a readout of data (blocks) how is this related to
bytes? Any other recommendations for getting on line? ie…other PD sftwre
or commercial I should consider, besides Whap, Lharc? What about graphics
files, is there a special setup I should use for viewingand/or dwnldg
files? Can I view files on line? Again,Thks. Chris J.
Chris,
1200 baud is the fastest your modem (1680) will go. I'd highly recommend
that you get at least a 2400 baud modem (CompuServe rates for 1200 and 2400
are the same, and since 2400 is twice as fast as 1200 your spending will be
50% less).
-sja
Thanks, Steve Later…. chris j.
Chris,
You're quite welcome. 8)
As a general rule, you should use the fastest speed available to you when
downloading, and the slowest speed available when doing interactive things
like reading/replying to messages and on-line conferencing. Unless network
delays bog down your downloading, the baud rate rule-of-thumb mentioned
above will result in the minimum charges.
Backtalk is a very nice and freely distributable communications program.
It's available here in the Communications library (lib 5) as BT151.LZH.
A functional demo of Whap!, an automated CIS access program for the Amiga,
is available in the ATI section of the AmigaVendor forum. It will save
money for you by minimizing your on-line time for Forum messages,
downloading, and Compuserve Mail.
Almost all of the files in the libraries, including graphics files, have
been compressed by one method or other. LHARC is the most common program
used for this and is a good one to start with. Pick up the others as you
need them. In general, you'll need to decompress graphics files before
viewing them using the proper archiving program.
At the moment, I'm unaware of a program that will let you view on-line
graphics on the Amiga. There hasn't been much demand for this since most
of the graphic files are quite large in uncompressed form. It's much more
economical for people to download a compressed file and then view it
offline.
Try to get either Backtalk or Whap!, or some other program that will
support CIS-B+ or CIS-QuickB protocol as soon as possible. This will speed
up your downloading quite a bit, and won't make downloading large files
quite as painful. As to specific recommendations beyond that, I'd have to
know a little more about your setup and desired use. I wouldn't want to
recommend something that you have no use for, or something that wouldn't
run on your machine configuration. One program I can definitely recommend
to you now is the program called Switcher, which lets you easily swap
screens, even if you can't get to them via depth gadgets or the
<continued>
On the online-viewer software: I do remember a version of CShow
(PC-based) that would display the incoming .gif file even as it was being
downloaded/saved to disk, and during copy functions as well, a TSR that
simply sat in the background and waited for GIF information to pass in
front of it. Has anyone incorporated such into their terminal software, or
is there an add-on like that?
Peter
Peter,
I don't believe that a communication program that supports viewing .gif
files while downloading exists for the Amiga at this time. (Of course,
that doesn't mean that it doesn't exist, just that I'm unaware of it.)
David
David,
I don't know if the program is still available, but, VTX On-line by Michron
has real time GIF viewing capabilities. However, the program has a number
of huge holes in what is expected in a commercial product that it really
isn't worthwhile to try to find even if it is still being published.
-sja
Peter,
On a machine which inherently multi-tasks (the Amiga does), you can do
anything while you're downloading files….including viewing them with any
viewer you may happen to have. I know of no 'term' program which has the
capability to view messages as it receives them. BTW, here in Amigadom, we
refer to TSRs as 'programs'.
screen swap hot keys. It's in this forum as SWITCH.LZH, in LIB 13, I
believe.
The packet size is dependent on the various protocols and options available
to that protocol. As such, there really isn't a blanket statement that I
can make about how blocks are related to bytes. I believe, though, that
CIS-B, which Amigaterm uses, is 512 bytes/block.
Hope this helps, 8)
David
Chris,
Actually, SWITCH.LZH turns out to be in LIB 15 of this forum.
David
David, yes this helps. I'll try some downldg tonite for the recommended
files. Tks alot. C.J.