Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!att!pacbell!ames!ncar!asuvax!hrc!gtephx!covertr
From: covertr@gtephx.UUCP (Richard E. Covert)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Double Click's New MultiPort card
Summary: And I don't want to pay extra for RTS/CTS Either
Keywords: double click, serial io, atari st     The June/July issue of ST EXPRESS magazine has an ad from Double
Message-ID: <44e3d740.14a1f@gtephx.UUCP>
Date: 7 Aug 89 17:33:36 GMT
References: <448e5c73.14a1f@gtephx.UUCP> <817@uhnix2.uh.edu> <189@swituc.UUCP>
Organization: AG Communication Systems, Phoenix, Arizona
Lines: 44

In article <189@swituc.UUCP>, pmb@swituc.UUCP (Pat Berry) writes:
> In article <44c0b061.14a1f@gtephx.UUCP>, covertr@gtephx.UUCP (Richard E. Covert) writes:
> > 	Is there any chance that DC PORT will be redesigned to add hardware
> > RTS/CTS?? I am not interested in buying such a product until it does include
> > hardware RTS/CTS.
> 
> I echo Richard's sentiment... the board would be of no use to us without
> properly functioning RTS/CTS lines.  We also use US Robotics HST modems.
> 
> -- 
> Pat Berry KN7B
> pmb%swituc.uucp@arizona.edu
> KN7B @ WB7TLS.AZ packet radio


	At one point DC SOFTWARE stated that RTS/CTS could be 'added' to their
DC PORT pc board. I guess that this means kludging up a p[c board by adding
chips, jumpers, etc. I, for one, don't wat to buy a hacked up pc board. And the
idea of paying extra for hardware RTS/CTS seems kind of strange, almost like 
paying extra for the 1488/1489 RS-232 line drivers. I mean, RTS/CTS seems to be
a basic,fundamental, part of the serial port design, and leaving it out makes me
wonder where else DC SOFTWARE scimped to save money.
	
	All in all, if DC SOFTWARE had asked before committing to a final pc
baord, they would have KNOWN that hardware RTS/CTS is a requirement, and not
just an afterthought. Heck, all of the FoReM ST BBSes are just crying for a
working TOS with hardware flow control. The USR 9600 HST modem will xfer data
at 14400 baud if you have hardware flow control. And just ask US Robotics about
sells of the USR 9600 HST mdoem!! IT IS HOT!!!

	So, I repeat, sell me a clean, nicely layed out, pc board DC PORT with
hardware RTS/CTS, with software drivers that also support the hardware RTS/CTS
and you will have one BIG market. If DC PORT worked at 38.4 KBPS with RTS/CTS
you would have FoReM/USR owners begging for DC PORT.

	I guess to summarize, I think that RTS/CTS should have been part of the
basic design of DC PORT. I do not want to buy a DC PORT that was hacked up to 
support RTS/CTS. And DC SOFTWARE needs to provide system software drivers, which
run on all version of TOS, to support the RTS/CTS signals. If DC SOFTWARE could
do this, then the DC PORT would be a smashing success. Until then, I will withold
ordering one myself.

	Thanks for the forum to discuss this product.
Richard (gtephx!covertr) Covert