Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!apple!radius!lemke From: lemke@radius.com (Steve Lemke) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.hardware Subject: Re: Mac FaxModem Keywords: Fax Modem Message-ID: <1324@radius.com> Date: 5 Sep 90 17:16:17 GMT References: <2050001@wdl1.wdl.fac.com> <3ad102bc02Ki01@JUTS.ccc.amdahl.com> <1990Sep5.114336.12315@hayes.fai.alaska.edu> Lines: 48 fswrr@acad3.fai.alaska.edu (rector walter r) writes: >This is mostly vapor, but may be applicable. > >I saw a few ads reacently for the Teleport modem from Global Village >Communications (at least I think that's the companies name). They have a >2400 baud MNP-5 modem the plugs into your ADB port (i.e. no extra power >supply and it doesn't tie up your serial port). While I haven't seen this unit yet, I was talking with some Mac hardware gurus, and they really questioned the ability of such a device to sustain 2400 baud throughput (let alone 4800 baud FAX) through the Apple Desktop Bus. The normal methods of talking on the Bus do not allow for large block transfers, and thus the transfer overhead would really be quite large. However, the possibility was mentioned that they could be doing their OWN protocol over the bus, ignoring the normal ADB protocol, which would allow them to run faster, but might also annoy other devices you have on the ADB. So, I think I'll stick to regular serial devices, especially for FAX. The reason I thought of this in the first place was a little INIT that appeared on comp.binaries.mac a short while back - it basically flashed the lights on an extended keyboard in some fashion (ala Knight Rider). I never tried it myself, but a friend who tried it on an SE/30 said that it really slowed down the responsiveness of the mouse and keyboard, due to all of the data that it was sending over the ADB. Then, when I heard about the FaxModem that ran on the ADB, I started to really wonder just how fast they could go, and how much they would slow down keyboard/mouse input. Again, I haven't seen the ADB FaxModem, so if someone plays with one and says it works great, you can nullify the above comments. >I am going to purchase one as soon as he gets approved to accept Amex cards. >Has anyone else out there got one yet??? How does it work? Yes - if someone tries one, please post your comments to this group! >Disclaimer: I could be wrong. Me too. > -Reed > fswrr@acad3.fai.alaska.edu (internet) --Steve -- ----- Steve Lemke, Engineering Quality Assurance, Radius Inc., San Jose ----- ----- Reply to: lemke@radius.com (Note: NEW domain-style address!!) -----