mvg@pnet51.orb.mn.org (Mitchell Gossman) (02/23/91)
I have looked at the Dove DoveFax, Abaton Interfax 24/96, and the
Prometheus 24/96 MSR (aka MaxFax) fax modems. I have also received opinions
from other users of these modems.
I think that the Dove Fax is the winner by far, although it is not perfect.
The major advantage of the Dove is the easy-to-use and elegant software and
the attractive hardware. Here are the major differences between the
modems.
DoveFax advantages:
1. Extremely easy to use, easy to send a fax.
2. Automatically switches from Data to Fax mode and vie-versa
depending on whether or not communications software is being used.
3. Small, tidy, attractive hardware, easy-to-read LED's.
4. A Fax Status DA that shows the sender's station ID, the next
scheduled fax, %fax sent, page number currently being sent, # of
pages to send, ringing/connectiong/confirming/hanging up indicator,
resolution, and an easy-to-use abort button, and even cute graphics
that don't get in the way.
5. Conversion to TIFF, paint, and PICT formats.
6. Flexible cover page with your own graphics and an area that the
software automatically adjusts to reflect the destination, the
person to receive the fax, and the date/time.
7. Great flexibility in setting your various usage preferences.
Disadvantages:
1. A problem when printing faxes on Imagewriter that distorts pixels.
Can get around this by printing the fax after conversion to PICT
format.
2. Fax status DA is brought up automatically when the phone rings
This is a problem common to all fax modems.
3. Compresses faxes to print without offering option to print a fax on
more than one page.
4.
Prometheus advantages:
1. They only make modems, and hence have very knowledgeable technical
support.
2. VERY nice cover page formatting with ability to move each component
anywhere, such as date/time, destination, etc.
3. Will have V.42 and MNP5 upgrade available soon.
4. Rapid response to request for latest software version (v 2.0.1)
with no charge!
5. Resends unsent pages only without resending the entire fax.
6. Easier than Dove to send faxes in one session from several
applications.
Prometheus disadvantages:
1. Can't set your station ID so fax machine LCD's don't tell who's fax
is coming in.
2. Tinny speaker.
3. Frankly BIG, ugly box with hard-to-read LED's.
4. When you quit your data communications application, software does
not automatically go to fax mode. You have to do it yourself, and
it takes awhile.
5. Can't convert fax to PICT format.
6. Clunky fax sending software.
Abaton Advantages:
1. Attractive box, although larger than Dove's, with easy-to-read
LED's'
2. Very nice print options - can truncate large fax to print on paper
that is too small, compress fax to fit, or print at full size on
several pages.
3. Has MNP-5 included!!!! Their ads boast about MNP5 data
correction, but be assured that it DOES have data compression.
Abaton Disadvantages:
1. Their product support was congenial and pretty knowledgable, but I
could not convince them before my purchase that if their modem had
MNP5 data compression as they claimed that the user must set his
data rate to 4800 or 9600 baud!
2. Cover pages were just implemented, but it is dumb, i.e., it does
change to reflect the date/time, destination, etc.
3. No status DA.
4. Doesn't set to fax mode automatically when quitting data
communication program. Could miss faxes easily this way.
5. Compared to Dove, the procedure to incorporate new phone #s and to
select recipients of faxes is extremely painful and tedious.
Please feel free to email me if you have any questions.
Mitchell Gossman
mvg@pnet51.cts.com
MS87091@UMNHSCSNVE.BITNET
orbit!pnet51!mvg
GEnie: M.GOSSMAN1