jlapsley%D.CC%berkeley@sri-unix.UUCP (12/09/83)
From: Phil Lapsley <jlapsley%D.CC@berkeley> I recently sent a request to Info-CPM about the U.S. Robotics S-100 autodial modem, which is being advertised just about everywhere for very low (< $400) prices. I got a number of responses, and was also sent a collection of reviews of various cheap 1200 baud modems. Anyway, I just thought I'd add my reactions to the USR 1200 baud S-100 modem to the dung heap... First, *FLAME ON!* -- they didn't include schematics with the creature. To me, this is inexcusable. When I get an S-100 board, I like to know what's in it, and I like to have a schematic around to modify it if it comes down to that. I have sent them a letter about this, and we shall see whether it's simply an oversight or if it's against their policy to include schematics, or what. Second, the thing powers up in auto-answer mode. While I'm sure a lot of people like this, I don't. I'd rather not have the modem answer until I tell it to. The manual suggests that I could put something in my BIOS to disable this feature. Well, I could do that, sure. But I'd rather have an on-board switch which would enable/disable auto-answer upon reset or power up. As it is now, whenever I have my computer on and somebody calls, I have to tell them to either hang up (and I'll call back) or ride out the 17 odd seconds while the machine waits for a response. Third, the manual reminds me a lot of the things I got with our old IMSAI. They are poorly written, poorly organized, and seem to be photocopies, stapled together at one corner. Still, it does contain the information -- it's just a matter of finding it. Fourth, the on-board "speaker" (it looks like more of a buzzer) produces some rather raspy noises which are alleged to be the sounds of the call in progress. Well, maybe, but I'd rather listen through a small 8 ohm speaker, which I intend to hook up later this evening. Finally, when the board powers up, it is in the "off-hook" state. That is, it has the phone line off hook. This means, of course, that until you tell it to "drop" the line, your line is busy and cannot be used even for outgoing calls, as the modem puts a rather annoying hiss on the line. The manual was good enough to suggest a fix for this -- it mentions a diode which can be cut out. I have done this, and it now behaves a bit better. It [the manual] also points out that this could be fixed by adding something to one's BIOS. Now comes the surprising part: It's really a pretty good product. My flaming above is really about some pretty trivial matters. I have the feeling that U.S.R. will come across with a schematic for the beast, and then I can sit down and do some modifications. So, the end result is something like this: If you don't mind the aforementioned things, and/or if you are looking for an inexpensive S-100 1200 baud modem, the U.S.R. S-100 might be worth looking into. Phil (jlapsley%D.CC@Berkeley)
MMOON.ES@PARC-MAXC.ARPA (12/13/83)
Coupla questions. Did you bring up a vanilla USR/DCH MDM714 on the beast? & if so, do all the goodies like auto-dial & the NM overlay work unmolested? I would appreciate any response as I've been salivating over one of those boards ever since I saw it in the Priority One catalog. --MMoon.es
jlapsley%D.CC%berkeley@sri-unix.UUCP (12/19/83)
From: The tty of Phil Lapsley <jlapsley%D.CC@berkeley> I have not yet brought up a MDM712/714 on the beast, but I intend to do so shortly. I have been using another terminal program of mine which dials ala D.C. Hayes, and it works fine. The way the thing is set up, it responds to pretty much all the D.C. Hayes commands except most of the "ATSx=y" commands, since they tend to be a bit on the useless side, with a few exceptions. So any command in the form "ATDTnumber" followed by a return will work with the U.S.R. just fine. When/if I get 714 running on it, I will let you know what happens. Phil <jlapsley%D.CC@Berkeley>