macy@oddjob.uucp (11/30/89)
[Moderator's Note: Mr. Hallock sends a copy of a reply to someone else. The original discussion on this was not in the Digest. PT] >You may also wish to look at products from American Power Conversion. >We use their products behind the computer and phone systems we sell. I sent him mail on the APC product. I have been using a 1200VX for sometime without problems. I tried TrippLite, but when i pulled the plug on it, the system locked up. I guess it was not fast enough. One question, the large units can tell the computer that power is out, do you know just what is done? I think there is a small jack on the back, but there is no docs on how to use it. Is it just a connection to a computers RS232 port (DTR?) or what? Per your recent reply to my posting in USENET: I, too, have been disapointed by TrippLite. The OMNI series systems have worked OK for us on the computer and most of the phone systems we put in. There have been a few odd things that have happened in the field with TrippLite that have shaken my confidence. (Fuses blowing on power failures, slow transfer, etc.) So we have standardized on APC. Seems like they are much more dedicated to providing quality products and service. We get much better technical support and sense a concern for details. Time will tell... The APC systems from the 520 and larger have a DB-9 jack on the rear of the unit that gives that provides both rs-232 and contact closures on power fail. APC reccomends the use of a dumb serial port for use with this interface. The diagrams and descriptions are on the last page of your APC owner's manual. I will provide the diagram if you need it. APC sells nice power failure software for many different unixen and other operatiing systems, at reasonable cost. For example, their Powerchute software for SCO Xenix lists for $99.00, you should be able to buy it for around $70-80(from a dist). Seems to be nicely done. APC can be called at (800) 443-4519. If you are interested in a less expensive, do-it-yourself solution, there is a file with a shell script and C program to do nearly the same thing on the Alphacm BBS run by Sandy Zelkovitz in CA. The file name is blackout . Alphacm is running SCO Xenix and will support uucp as well as regular bbs type access. Good stuff! Info on alphcm is below. Hope this helps. Feel free to e-mail me with questions. I am often on the road and away from fmsysm. Don't be surprised if it takes a few days to get a reply. I always reply...often I get to my mail on Saturdays. Regards, and good luck. Macy M. Hallock, Jr. macy@NCoast.ORG uunet!aablue!fmsystm!macy F M Systems, Inc. {uunet!backbone}!cwjcc.cwru.edu!ncoast!fmsystm!macy 150 Highland Drive Voice: +1 216 723-3000 Ext 251 Fax: +1 216 723-3223 Medina, Ohio 44256 USA Cleveland:273-3000 Akron:239-4994 (Dial 251 at tone)