patrick@chinet.chi.il.us (Patrick A. Townson) (06/03/91)
> jsaker@zeus.unomaha.edu (Jamie Saker -- Vice President, UNO ACE) writes: >> Would anybody happen to know the proper dip switch settings (say, to hook >> up with a dumb VT220 terminal - the same settings as most micros) for the >> Avatex 1200? The switches work like this: Switch OFF / up ON / down Function 1 8 bits/char 7 bits/char 2 RDL inactive RDL active Remote Digital Loopback 3 DL inactive DL active Digital Loopback 4 ST inactive ST active Self Test 5 AL inactive AL active Analog Loopback 6 DTR high or low DTR held high Data Terminal Ready 7 CD high or low CD held high Carrier Detect 8 CTS high or low CTS held high Clear to Send Generally, you can keep all eight switches up, or put 6, 7, and 8 down if you want. Here is the *complete* command set of the Avatex: Incidentally, the modem prompts with ">" AT Attention Precedes all commands except A/ D Dial with optional <P>ulse, <T>one modifiers. You may dial all digits, including * and #. A comma causes a four second pause. i.e. >ATTD 123-456-7890*,1234 O Put modem in originate mode. i.e. >ATO A Put modem in answer mode. i.e. >ATA AA Put modem in auto-answer mode. i.e. >ATAA This is the default. AD Disable auto-answer mode. i.e. >ATAD Do this after each reset or power up, otherwise ATAA is defaulted and modem will answer. A/ Redials the last telephone number entered. Do not hit RETURN. Z Resets modem to pulse dialing, originate mode, auto-answer mode. And that's it! Pretty skimpy set of commands also. Now the messages from the modem to you: OK The modem has executed your command, the few of them there are. CONNECT A connection has been established at 300 baud. CONNECT 1200 A connection has been established at 1200 baud. NO CARRIER Connection has failed due to busy signal, a voice answer, no answer at all, or loss of carrier in mid-connection. ERROR The modem cannot process your command. When entering a modem command, Control-X will erase the entire line. Backspace or Control-H will erase the last character. This modem is sort of simple-minded. It has several other shortcomings: There is no return to command mode while on line. (No three plussing). How do you disconnect? Well, you toggle DTR via software, that's how! No three plusses, no AT command to disconnect. Note, no ATH command. Your software has to take DTR low for a moment, and provided dipswitch 6 (DTR high/low or DTR forced high) is in the off position, then the connection is dropped. Or you can shut off the modem or let the other end drop carrier on you, etc. If you plan to use it in auto answer at all times, such as running a BBS, then my suggestion is to forget it! The ONLY means for software disconnect after the caller has logged off is by toggling DTR off (which the Avatex has coming in on pin 20) then toggling it back on to enable it to answer the next call. Kinda old-fashioned, no? At least the Avatex CAN detirmine if the incoming call is 300 or 1200 baud. The modem only accepts UPPER CASE 'AT' commands. It only accepts the return key (or a control-M) as the suffix to the command string. This modem does not have a speaker. If you want to hear who it is you are annoying with 3 AM data calls on their voice line in error, you have to plug in an extension phone somewhere and listen. Although the Avatex can automatically detirmine whether it should be in 300/1200 baud when answering a call, you use a push button on the front of the unit to set 300/1200 on calls you originate. Another push button on the front lets you change from data to voice in the middle of a call if you want to. I have an Avatex 1200 ... it has been stored in a cabinet now for three years at least ... I used it all of once or twice after it was *given* to me by someone else who got screwed buying this piece of junk. It depends *heavily* on software / terminal programs to do its thing. The manual comes with more than a dozen routines written in Basic for all sorts of computers so you can use this modem. I called their tech support, perhaps three years ago, and they said to me then 'this is low end stuff' ... 'it is very inconvenient to use without a software package'. I hope this helps a little. Patrick Townson -- Patrick Townson patrick@chinet.chi.il.us / ptownson@eecs.nwu.edu / US Mail: 60690-1570 FIDO: 115/743 / AT&T Mail: 529-6378 (!ptownson) / MCI Mail: 222-4956