LAVITSKY@BLUE.RUTGERS.EDU@caip.RUTGERS.EDU (02/11/86)
From: Dave Platt <Dave-Platt%LADC@CISL-SERVICE-MULTICS.ARPA>
In re the request for information about modems... I'm posting some
stuff I've clipped out of a file on this subject. The reviews were
done by someone with a Macintosh orientation, and so some of this
article won't be of interest to Amigans; I've edited out those
paragraphs that are entirely Mac-oriented.
I located this article on the MacSystem/NW BBS.
-------------------------
Looking for a Modem?
by Rick Cumings
Mac-to-Mac and Mac-to-mainframe communications has taken off, es-
pecially over the past year. Currently, there are at least seven
Mac-oriented Bulletin Board Systems (BBS) in operation in the San
Francisco Bay Area, (with more on the way), as well as services such
as Compuserve, The Source, and databases.
To get started communicating with these jewels of the phone-lines,
all you need is your Mac, a modem, and communications software. A
modem is, dollar for dollar, perhaps the most valuable peripheral
you can add to your Macintosh. For an investment of from $80 to
several hundred dollars, you can find out the latest Apple scuttlebutt,
make new friends and talk to old ones, or download public domain
software--all with a click of your mouse.
Which modem should you consider purchasing?
Choosing a modem can be a tricky proposition, but usually depends
on your answer to these questions:
(1) how much can you spend?
(2) do you need Hayes compatibility?
(3) do you ever plan to setup a BBS?
(4) do you plan to call up databases, stock quotation services, or
entertainment networks (such as Compuserve and The Source) extensively?
(5) of course you'll answer "yes" to needing a reliable, easy-to-use modem
(6) Can you get a hold of a cable that's compatible with the Macintosh?
it helps if the cable comes bundled with the modem.
The reviews which follow are based on surveys of BBS users from around
the country, extensive tests done by the Portland MUG, and personal
experience with the products. Here are a few of the most popular modems
which work with the Macintosh, according to sales figures compiled by the
A+ 1986 Buyers Guide :
The Anchor Automation Volksmodem--If your spending power is very limited,
it's hard to go wrong with this 300-baud modem--it lists for $79.95. While
it can't automatically redial or store phone numbers, the Volksmodem is
compatible with MacTerminal and other communications software for the
Macintosh. It requires a special "G" cable to operate, which will set
you back around $15-$20.
The Apple Modem 300--lists for $225, but will do autodial and autoanswer
functions, work with MacTerminal, and has documentation on a par with
Apple's MacWrite and other Macintosh manuals. However, the original
Modem 300 isn't fully compatible with Hayes commands, has its on/off
switch and tiny power pin located out of easy reach, at the modem's rear,
and the cable is extra.
Hayes' SmartModem 300 is just as smart as its higher-priced and faster
cousins, the SmartModem 1200 and SmartModem 2400. Like other Hayes modems,
a simple keyboard command will tell it to do almost anything, even make a
date with your Compuserve lover. It's $289 list price puts it at the high-
end of the 300-baud market--you'll need to buy a cable in order to make
this puppy fly.
Moving up to 1200-Baud
Due to the fact that modems are getting smaller and cheaper to build (300
and 1200-baud modems-on-a-chip are already in existence), it's easier to
get more baud for your buck. One 1200-baud modem, the US Robotics Password
1200, has broken the $200 price barrier, if you check into mail order
houses. The Password, which also runs at 300-baud, will auto answer, auto
dial, and is Hayes-compatible. Since Apple modems are actually repackaged
US Robotics' modems, you know you're getting quality--Apple wouldn't settle
for anything less. Like most other modems, the cable's extra, and must be
the same one as for the Hayes.
Ken Peterson and friends from the Portland MUG (PMUG) tested various modems
last summer for their accuracy over extremely noisy Sprint lines. According
to the December issue of Macazine, which made the results very public, "The
e%Yed [o9 the tMted
modeZs]...wBs...compared to the errors that were received on a ...standard
comparison modem." Some of the following 1200- and 2400-baud modems were
tested; if they were given a ranking by the PMUG, I'll indicate it.
The Apple Modem 1200 (original version)--is reliable, does everything the
Modem 300 does, and, of course, is easy to install, but has a few problems:
it only has an 'on' light,q always answers the phone with its high-pitched
squeal (even if it's a friend making a voice call to you), lacks some Hayes
commands, and doesn't include the cable. PMUG said that the Apple received
a large amount of garbage data in its tests. If you're on a budget, the
Modem 1200's list price of $495 will persuade you to look elsewhere.
The Novation Cat Communications System ($449)--gives you a 1200-baud modem
with all the features of the Apple entry, plus some nice extras. The on/off
switch is located at the front, there's a ready light to let you know when
data communication's taking place, and the modem speaker can be adjusted by
hand instead of reaching for the toolbox, as with some modems. The CatComm.
System comes with a cable and communications software, Mite. The CatComm.
System wasn't tested by PMUG, but its sister modem, the SmartCat Plus,
placed second.
The MacModem, by Microcom--another complete system, with software, cable,
phone cord, and a free hour on the Dow Jones News/Retrieval Service. The
MacModem, a 1200-baud device, is upgradable to 2400-baud, a rare option
among modems, and has all the bells and whistles of the Apple 1200.
Additionally, the software allows you to store lots of phone numbers,
logons, passwords, and can call services for you while you sleep. However,
the software (and originally, the MacModem) is run on the "Microcom
Networking Protocol" (MNP), which will cause you fits when you try to down-
or up-load software. It is out-of-phase with Xmodem (see accompanying
sidebar) and thus cuts off much of your fun with most BBS's and other
services. Lately, Microcom has come out with an upgrade to Xmodem
compatibility, which still doesn't justify the package's $699 list price.
I can't recommend the MacModem.
Prometheus' ProModem 1200M MacPac, one of the best selling modems for the
Macintosh, has been given mixed reviews by users. To its credit, owners of
the ProModem like its Hayes compatibility, the built-in clock/calendar, and
its ability to dial a programmed series of phone numbers. On the negative
side, some users complain about the ProModem's rear location of the power
switch and easily-gnarled switches. Sorry to say it, Prometheus fans, but
the ProModem ranked at the bottom in PMUG's testing. It's important to keep
in mind that the lines that PMUG used were noisier than most users will
ever experience. The ProModem lists for $549.
Is the Hayes SmartModem 1200 really smarter than the average bear--I mean,
modem? Yes, it is; this was the first modem to both run at 1200-baud and
be a complete slave to communications software. More terminal programs
are written with the Hayes in mind than any other modem; if a modem isn't
Hayes-compatible these days, it's literally out to lunch. As for the
SmartModem's performance, the only complaint I've heard is that it
sometimes gives off it's carrier tone before the other modem is ready.
The Hayes found itself right smack in the middle in the PMUG try-outs.
Most users of the Hayes would probably sell their Macs before their Hayes,
however--it's that good. If you're looking for a bargain, look elsewhere;
the SmartModem 1200 retails for $599.
Price shoppers will find the SmartTeam Modem, a Hayes clone from Team
Technology of Taiwan, to be a tantalizing bargain. This modem has full
Hayes-compatibility, works fine with Smartcom II or Red Ryder, will redial
until a connection's made, and is a virtual steal at $189.95 (SFMUG & EBMUG
price). Dealers such as Dynatron Associates of Newark admit that the
SmartTeam had a few bugs when it was first introduced, but now offer a
2-year warranty and 48-hour service response time--a sign of increased
confidence. PMUG proclaimed that the SmartTeam placed just above the
cellar; it's not known whether they had an early version or not.
The 2400-baud Modems
In the 2400-baud category, there are two basic choices for Mac modems with
Hayes-compatibility: Hayes' SmartModem 2400, and the US Robotics Courier
2400.
The Courier 2400--a relatively low-priced addition to the high-speed 2400-
baud bracket. The Courier easily responds to any Hayes-type software, can
autodial and autoanswer, and has lights on the front to let you know when
it's receiving and transmitting. Perhaps the most important feature is
its "automatic adaptive equalizer," which takes any noise on the line,
filters it out, and leaves the program or file data intact. The Courier,
like most 2400-baud modems, also works fine at 300 and 1200 baud, and is
able to adjust to a new speed without the user's lifting a finger.
US Robotics has given system operators (sysops) of Bulletin Boards
around the country an excellent deal on the Courier 2400--$350 gets them
the modem and technical support from New Jersey. Most sysops have few
complaints about the Courier, claiming unparal-led reliability with it.
The only complaint I'm aware of came from only one sysop, and that
revolved around the fact that a couple of Password 1200 owners couldn't
communi-cate with his Courier at 1200 baud. For folks who don't intend
to be sysops, the modem lists for $699, but can be had for as low as $387.
The Hayes SmartModem 2400--a product which was brought out before the
technology of "smart" 2400-baud dialup communications had been
perfected--retails for $899, but some large dealers will part with it
for $575. While 2400-baud dumb modems have been around for over 15 years,
it's a hard task to build one that works with all the software, "talks"
over noisy lines, and is also able to automatically adjust to 1200- or
300-baud. This is exactly what Hayes has attempted, and the results have
been mixed. The biggest beefs among users have been that the modem is
sometimes unreliable when downloading, and the 2400 isn't fully "Hayes-
compatible." According to Infoworld's SmartModem 2400 review of August
12, 1985, a Hayes customer representative "confirmed the fact that the
internal commands of the SmartModem 2400 are different from those of the
Hayes standard."
To Hayes' credit, they have recently come out with an upgraded version
which, according to the customer service representative I talked to, has
"new ROMs which make it compatible with the SmartModem 1200." Also, the
2400 will store a dialing sequence in semi-permanent memory which will
remain there after shutdown. In that way, you can keep all your favorite
phone numbers on the modem's "notepad" for easy dialing. If you've got
the bucks and like a name brand, this may be the modem for you.
My Recommendations
My recommendation is to keep in mind what your needs are, because there's
no such thing as the perfect modem for everyone. If you just want to get
started telecommunicating and don't have a lot of spare cash, it's hard to
go wrong with the Volksmodem 300. If you've got the money and want to move
up to a smarter modem with ease of use and connection, the Apple Modem 300
is for you. For talking with others and some short downloading, they're
both fine. It's important to remember that you may run up enormous phone
charges downloading or getting news from databases at long-distance, due to
the inherent slowness of 300 baud.
If you plan to call databases, services such as Compuserve, The W.E.L.L.,
or The Source, or just do a lot of downloading, 1200-baud is the speed
you'll want. In the 1200-baud world of modems, the SmartTeam is hard to
ignore for the budget-conscious. For those who want a reliable modem with
good technical support, the US Robotics Password 1200 should be given
consideration.
Modem enthusiasts or sysops who are in a hurry to transfer programs or
stock quotes should take a long look at US Robotics Courier 2400. For under
$400, you get Hayes-compatibility, noise-reduction, and overall reliability.
* * *
Now, all you have to do is "use the power. Hold it up, high. Wield it.
Bring us light," as Doug Clapp said in the last issue of Show Page. And
what better way than with a modem and your Mac to communicate the way you
feel with literally anyone in the world?
--Rick Cumings has spent over 3 years in the communications business as an
engineer
Special thanks to all those on the BBS's who contributed their views on the
different modems.