Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ncar!ames!amelia!seeba
From: seeba@amelia.nas.nasa.gov (Thomas D. Seeba)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: JDR's 2400 baud modem/4800 baud fax card
Message-ID: <5292@amelia.nas.nasa.gov>
Date: 22 Mar 90 22:11:20 GMT
References: <9495@shlump.nac.dec.com>
Reply-To: seeba@amelia.nas.nasa.gov (Thomas D. Seeba)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
Lines: 65

In article <9495@shlump.nac.dec.com> sreekanth@rgb.dec.com
(Jon Sreekanth) writes:
>
>JDR Microdevices (1-800-538-5000) has a combined 2400 baud modem
>4800 baud fax card for PC XT's and AT's, for $119.95
>
>It's described as 4800 baud Group 3 transmit only fax, 
>2400 baud V.22bis modem
>
>It does not say the magic words Hayes compatible.
>
  The JDR modem/fax card is made by Prometheus, to the best of my
  knowledge.  I have a 2400 bps Prometheus modem, and it IS Hayes
  compatible, so I think you will find this for the JDR modem as well.
  Being Hayes compatible, it works with most comm programs; I use my
  Prometheus with ProComm+.
>
>About the fax part, I do my letters on a Brother HR15 daisywheel printer 
>(it's said to be Diablo 630 compatible). If I have a file with Brother 
>specific escape codes (f.i. to set characters per inch pitch), 
>will the fax card software send a faithful replica ? (I don't mind
>if it's not the same font). 
>
  In another machine, I have a a 2400 bps modem/fax card; it is the
  one put out by Zoom.  I have been extremely well pleased by its
  performance.  It is a send only fax (same as the JDR combo), and
  uses software from Bit Software, Inc. for the transmission of
  faxes at 4800 bps.  These fax cards will send ASCII files, and
  usually work with graphic files in TIFf and PCX formats, but those
  details are software dependent.  A word processor file will generally
  not work, because the software may not be set up to recognize the
  embedded codes, or the escape characters that are being sent to the
  printer.  Software is coming out now to overcome these limitations.  The
  Frecom fax board (which sends AND receives faxes - but has no modem
  [$195 from Fremont Communications, Fremont, CA]) has announced a product
  to send a faithful reproduction of fonts that would be produced by an
  HP Laserjet II.  This product has not yet been delivered, and will only
  work with their software (I suppose).  Also, Bit Software is supposed to
  have a product that intercepts the stream going to the printer, and will
  then send that; I have no knowledge of how that works, or with what
  models of printer.  So, the answer to the second inquiry is that you'll
  probably have to print to an ASCII file, then send that with the fax
  card, at least for now.

  The only glitch I have run into so far is this:  I have the Zoom
  modem/fax card in one 80286 machine, and the Frecom Fax96 fax card in
  another almost identical PC.  When I attempt to fax from the Zoom
  modem/fax to the Frecom Fax96, the cover sheet transmits, but the
  process aborts before the actual fax contents are sent.  Tried several
  times, then referred the problem to tech support at Frecom and Bit
  Software . . . no answer on that yet.

  I have sent numerous faxes to the world at large, and haven't had a
  failure yet.  I think these fax boards are great!

  BTW, JDR has a BBS --- 408-559-0253.  I have no connection with them,
  and in fact, bought my modems elsewhere (these last to at the West
  Coast Computer Faire).  I have purchased other things from them, and
  found them to be a pleasure to deal with.

  ---------------------------------------------------------------------
  Tom Seeba
  seeba@prandtl.nas.nasa.gov
  You can FAX me at 415-755-4522
  ======================================================================