#new modem advice
23 messages in this thread
After a long wait, my local compuserve node is finally being upgraded to
14.4kbps this month. So now I am in the market for a new modem to replace
my 2400, and I am looking for advice.
– Do you think it is worthwhile to jump all the way to 28.8kbps and be
ready for the future? (I think some of the Internet providers are
already using 28.8) I guess this partially depends on the price
difference.
– Are there any real differences in features or reliability between
manufacturers?
– Would anyone care to make any brand or model recommendations?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
— Lowell
Lowell,
I haven't bought a 28800 modem yet, but I think it is the way things will be
for the next several years. Always get the fastest you can afford.
I've had remarkably good luck with my PPI modems (Practical Peripherals). I
began with a 2400, then a 9600, then a 14400, and I've also had their 2400 PKT
and 14400 PKT modems to work with my laptop. All have given wonderful service
– and they come with lifetime guarantee. They have a forum here on CIS for
support – GO PPIFORUM.
—Betty
PPI has laid off most of it's workers as part of it's and it's parent company,
Hayes brankruptcy problems. PPI as you know it will no longer exist in all
liklihood.
-Jonathan
MAC Quadra/486PC compatible courtesy Amiga, Emplant and BB. Emplant beta
tester. Running AP v1.77. E-mail: JonathanB@delrina.com
Their modems are excellent, all the same
—Betty
If PPI is going under, I guess that would make their service reputation
and lifetime guarantee much less meaningful. Where have you heard about
this? It would be just my luck to buy more hardware just in time for its
maker to disappear.
— Lowell
I work in the communications industry and the parent company to PPI (Practical
Peripherals) Hayes, filed chapter 11 and just recently, all but very few of the
employees working at PPI were laid off. Hayes will maintain a PPI branded
product but the subsidiary no longer exists and whatever resources PPI had
(R&D, etc..) are being integrated into Hayes while the company tries to pull
out of bankruptcy.
-Jonathan
MAC Quadra/486PC compatible courtesy Amiga, Emplant and BB. Emplant beta
tester. Running AP v1.77. E-mail: JonathanB@delrina.com
Hopfully then, PPI (Hayes) will still be around and have a valid warranty.
— Lowell
PPI will be a brand name of Hayes and and as far as I've been told, you will
get all the support and lifetime warranty from the company. I love PPI
products, but unfortunately, the consolidation means that I lose my tech
support job at PPI.
— Christian
Sorry to hear the news. Any chance you get a new tech support job at Hayes?
//daniel
\X/ AP 1.77
It's good that PPI will still be supported in some form, but it's too bad
that you had to lose your job in the process.
— Lowell
Betty,
Thanks for the advice and endorsement. I will go immediately and check
out PPIForum.
My current 2400, and 1200 before that are Supra. I was a little wary of
them, as it sounded like they had some problems because they tried to jump
into market early on the 9600/14400 before the bugs were out of the
chipset they were using.
— Lowell
>>>My current 2400, and 1200 before that are Supra. I was a little wary of
them, as it sounded like they had some problems because they tried to jump into
market early on the 9600/14400 before the bugs were out of the chipset they
were using.<<<
My SupraFaxModem v.32bis has been working flawlessly since I acquired it in
November 1993.
//daniel on
\X/ AutoPilot 1.77
Lowell,
Unless your budget is a very serious consideration…I'd go for the
28.8 modem if I bought one now. They're more expensive than a 14.4, but worth
it. Make sure it's v.34 (the approved standard) and from a major modem vendor.
I agree with Betty…I've had nothing but good luck with PPI modems.
Don
Don,
It looks like the 28.8 modems are in the $200 range right now, which is
within my price range. Yes, I have heard to avoid the V.fast in favor of
the V.34. Thanks for your PPI endorsement.
— Lowell
Lowell
I would like to suggest you also look at the Supra 28800 V.34 modems. They
are less expensive than most others with similar features (fax, caller id,
upgrade via flashroms) and have worked very well. I use one on my BBS to
talk to all types of modems and other owners are telling me their Supras
work just as well as mine. On such an immature technology the flashrom
feature could be a major advantage and save shipping it back.
(I don't work for Supra or sell their modems. They are not under any
threat of extinction as far as I have heard, either).
Tom Jones
alternate: jonest@hfsi.com
I never met a man I didn't like…Will Rogers
Tom,
Have you used your Supra 28800 for FAX yet? Someone told me that Supra's
require special software because they use their own chipset rather than
the common Rockwell one.
— Lowell
Hi Lowell
> Have you used your Supra 28800 for FAX yet?
No, I haven't. It is on the Amiga and I don't have fax software for it
yet. It did come with fax S/W for the PC's and I installed that on my
486/66 platform. It works just fine with the Zoom VFC 28800 that lives on
that one, so I doubt the software is special for the Supra. Nothing in the
books say it needs special fax software as far as I can recall.
There was a "special" edition of GPfax for the Supra 144, perhaps that is
what you are thinking about. Actually I thought the Supra _was_ rockwell
based, but maybe not. It can definately talk to VFC class modems.
Tom
alternate: jonest@hfsi.com
I never met a man I didn't like…Will Rogers
Supra uses the Rockwell v.34 chipset, but modifies the firmware to add Supra
specific features. I have several of their v.34 modems and they work quite
well.
-Jonathan
MAC Quadra/486PC compatible courtesy Amiga, Emplant and BB. Emplant beta
tester. Running AP v1.77. E-mail: JonathanB@delrina.com
Ditto!
Mine works well, also and I love the features.
I don't know if this is theirs or not but the ability to tell the modem to 'Try
Harder' to connect to another at high speeds is a great idea.
Zeddock
Thanks for the clarification on the Supra's chipset.
Since you have a lot of Supra experience, I thought of another question.
Have you done any Flash ROM updates yet? Can you do it from an Amiga
(without bridgeboard or Emplant), or can you only do it from a PeeCee/Mac?
— Lowell
I have run the flashrom utility under the Emplant emulation. There are other
ways to do it under the Amiga, but it is very difficult. There is someone at
Supra working on an Amiga flasher last time I talked to them.
-Jonathan
MAC Quadra/486PC compatible courtesy Amiga, Emplant and BB. Emplant beta
tester. Running AP v1.77. E-mail: JonathanB@delrina.com
Contrary to what many people think, most modems are the same… using canned
boiler plates and chipsets from one of the major modem chipset vendors 70+ % of
the time being Rockwell. If you want to get a good modem, make sure it is
v.34, class 1 and 2 capable and has an upgradeable ROM (preferrably FLASH)..
-Jonathan
MAC Quadra/486PC compatible courtesy Amiga, Emplant and BB. Emplant beta
tester. Running AP v1.77. E-mail: JonathanB@delrina.com
>> It looks like the 28.8 modems are in the $200 range right now
<shaking head> I still grimace when I think of my purchase of a Rixon 212A for
$595 a few years ago.
-sja