barry@wolman.prime.com (12/11/90)
Several weeks ago I posted the following query regarding FAX modems: >We have an Appletalk network where a number of the users frequently send >FAXes. So far, the procedure has been to laser print the document to be >sent and then use a conventional FAX machine. I'd like to use a FAX >modem that can be shared by all users on the net; basically, I'd like to >"print" to the FAX modem. Receiving incoming FAXes is not a >requirement. > >I'm looking for feedback on FAX modems that come with a Chooser >selectable driver and don't require an email interface. Please send me >your experiences (good and bad); I'll post a summary. > This posting summarizes the responses I received. Due to Yet Another Reduction in Force at Prime Computer, I'm now looking for another job, so the answer to this question is now of academic interest only as far I'm personally concerned. I hope the rest of you still find the information useful. I received several responses that cited positive experiences with FaxGate Plus from Solutions, Inc. However, this requires that the outgoing FAX originate from an email package such as CE Software QuickMail or Microsoft Mail, which isn't the "chooser device" type of configuration I asked about. I also got a positive response regarding the Abaton Interface 24/96 FAX modem, but this isn't directly Appletalk sharable. Several responses cited positive experiences with the FaxPro modem from Cypress Research, which costs about $1000. For a net with > 4 users who often send FAXes, this would appear to be the most economical way to go since a non-sharable FAX modem costs about $250. If you already had an appropriate file sharing mechanism in place, e.g. Appleshare, TOPS, Public Folder, ...., and didn't mind the hassle of sending all FAXes from a single node, you probably could get by with a single FAX non-sharable FAX modem. My secretary wouldn't mind sending an occasional FAX, but would quickly get upset with having to send all department FAXes from her Mac, which is why a sharable modem or individual modems seems desirable. The 11/20 issue of MacWeek contained an ad from MacCorporate (part of MacWarehouse) for the Prometheus Products Network Maxfax. This $1069 unit appears similar to the FaxxPro described above. The FaxPro comes with software to manage cover sheets, distribution lists, delayed transmission, etc.; I wasn't able to ascertain what type of software comes with the Maxfax. Individual replies follow: ------------------------------ From: bmug@garnet.berkeley.edu (BMUG) Organization: University of California, Berkeley I briefly tried out the FaxPro by Cypress Research (it has previously been well-reviewed in either PCWeek or PC Magazine -- can't remember which). It seems to work just fine. It's a 9600 baud networked faxmodem with a Chooser driver, networking software which runs either on top of AppleShare or by itself, address books, and a lot of other bells and whistles. It's main drawback (currently) seems to be that you can't make a default custom cover sheet, but I understand that's being worked on. Cypress has a 30 Net purchasing policy, so you can try one out and return it if you're not completely satisfied. It's also a little pricey at about $1000, but if you amortize the cost among several users, it's not too much. If you purchase one and use it a lot, I'd be interested in your evaluation. John Heckendorn ------------------------------ From: rjb1@gte.com (Richard J. Brandau) In case you don't otherwise hear about this configuration, I'll tell you what we've recently done. Unfortunately, we're still getting the bugs out of it, so I don't have much experience with it. The FAX machine is a Canon 705 with an RS232 interface, AppleTalked via a Shiva NetSerial, and controlled by MacFacsimile S/W on the Macs. It's a nice setup, because the FAX remains usable as a regular FAX when no Macs are using it. MacFacsimile is not quite Chooser-selectable: A special Chooser device can be selected for printing, but it just generates a FAX-able document that can be sent from the MacFax application. Received (or scanned-in) documents can be transfered from the 705's memory to Mac files in PICT, Paint, TIFF (for OCR), or FAX-storage formats. Scheduled-send and multiple-recipient FAXs can be controlled from the S/W. (The bug I mentioned, by the way, is apparently due to our having somehow gotten a very old version of the Canon ROMs, which Canon will be replacing shortly.) Although this solution offers a number of advantages over the simple Dove NetFAX approach: a regular, walk-up-to-and-use FAX machine that can be used without a Mac, and the ability to use it as a 300dpi scanner, this is a relatively $pricey$ configuration. -- Rich Brandau ------------------------------ ------------------------------ From: jjwcmp@ultb.isc.rit.edu (Jeff Wasilko) Organization: RIT Communications There is a fax modem called teh FaxPro that will do what you need. It has a fax modem that attaches to a machine that will be a server. Each user gets a chooser driver that deposits the fax image in a 'Fax Out' folder on the server with fax info. The server notices the Fax image, and sends it on its way. The modem doesn't place much load on the server machine since all rasterizing is done at the user's machine. There is some delay on the client during the end of each page due to some strict timing requirements). If you don't have a TOPS or AppleShare server, they also sell some server software tah will just serve faxes. The modem costs around $1000, and includes a site license for the user's software. If I can get you more info, let me know. I don't have anything to do with them other owning one. If you get me your fax number, I'll fax you a sample page. Jeff ------------------------------ From: Jeff Wasilko <jjwcmp@ULTB.ISC.RIT.EDU> I haven't had any problems. We use ATM to generate the correct size bitmaps. The modem doesn't have any large bitmaps--they suggest getting the LQ fonts from your dealer. The only other real annoyance (and it's common to all fax modems) is that EPS art prints as a scaled bitmap, but what can you do unless you run a PS interpreter? I'll fax you a sampling of pages from a couple of documents--XPress with EPS art, MS Word, and maybe something from FileMaker. I'll try to send it out tomorrow, but I'm only working a 1/2 day (-; Jeff ------------------------------ From: khaw@parcplace.com (Mike Khaw) The only one that exists now that I know of is Cypress Research's FaxPro modem and software. The modem is a 9600 bps FAX/ 2400 bps data modem. The software works over Localtalk (and is also supposed to work with TOPS and Novell), makes the modem look like a Chooser level printer on your network, and does not require email software. We're currently using one here. We have our Macs hooked up via a Cayman Gatorbox to our Sun ethernet. There is an Appleshare server on the net. The faxmodem hangs off a Mac II (not the Appleshare server). Most people send FAXes by printing from MS-Word. When you do that, your local copy of the FaxPro software copies a TIFF version of your Word doc. to a public folder on the Appleshare server. The FaxPro software on the modem-server periodically polls the folder on the file server and when it notices new faxes queued up, it copies them to a local folder on the fax-server and attempts to send them. FaxPro is designed to run in the background on the modem-server, but we noticed that it seemed to have hiccups if someone were actively using the modem-server Mac. We have not attempted to use FaxPro for incoming FAXes for a variety of reasons, including (a) we already have hardcopy FAX machines, (b) we've heard from a number of sources that incoming FAXes don't easily convert to machine-manipulable files (i.e., they are TIFF format bitmaps) and take a lot of disk space, and (c) FaxPro's facilities for routing received FAXes to the proper recipient appears to require quite a bit of manual intervention. The FaxPro software includes an application that lets you monitor the status of the FAX queues and send a FAX to multiple recipients, a DA to keep a directory of FAX numbers (like a simple Rolodex) and an INIT/CDEV and a Chooser document. List price is about $1000. FaxPro was reviewed in PC Week 5/28/90. Cypress Research Corp. 766 San Aleso Drive Sunnyvale, CA 94086 408/752-2700 fax: 408/745-7017 Disclaimer: I'm just a customer who uses FaxPro (still on a probationary basis. We haven't quite decided whether we're keeping it, but I think we're leaning in the "keep" direction). -- Mike Khaw ------------------------------ End of responses Barry ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Barry Wolman | barry@s66.prime.com ex-Principal Technical Consultant | 500 Old Connecticut Path Prime Computer | Framingham, MA 01701 | 508/620-2800, ext. 1100 ------------------------------------------------------------------------