Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!lll-lcc!styx!ames!ucbcad!ucbvax!decvax!tektronix!reed!psu-cs!omepd!perry From: perry@inteloa.intel.com (Perry The Cynic) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.modems,comp.sys.ibm.pc Subject: Re: us robotics Message-ID: <634@omepd> Date: Mon, 4-May-87 16:22:16 EDT Article-I.D.: omepd.634 Posted: Mon May 4 16:22:16 1987 Date-Received: Tue, 5-May-87 06:36:55 EDT References: <635@pbhyc.UUCP> Sender: news@omepd Reply-To: perry@inteloa.intel.com (Perry The Cynic) Organization: Intel Corp., Hillsboro Lines: 48 Summary: Not the best, but quite good for its price Xref: mnetor comp.dcom.modems:541 comp.sys.ibm.pc:3763 In article <635@pbhyc.UUCP> jdf@pbhyc.UUCP (Jack Fine) writes: >Lately I have seen some mail order ads for the us robotics 2400 bps modem >for under 200 bucks. In fact one was for 179. That seems like an awful >good price for a 2400 bps modem. Has anyone used one? with an apple? with >an ibm compatible? How good are they? The ad said hayes compatible. Is >this true? If you have one and have used it for awhile would you recommend >it? How do the switches compare with hayes? Thanks for the info. >Jack I guess everybody will answer that, but for once I'll do it too... In the last months, I was forced to go through a succession of 2400 bps modems (because each one did Bad Things to me...). I was looking for a low-cost solution (surprise!) and I've ended up with an USR 2400. Short summary: It's not the best around (a Hayes 2400 beats it hands down), but for its price I haven't found anything better. Its functionality and noise-resistance are (in my opinion) adequate. Longer summary: I have used one and am using it and having no (unreasonable) problems. I use the internal version on an XT clone. The command set is compatible with the Hayes 1200 (no AT&... commands, no stable store, everything with switches), except that the L (sound level), Y (long space disconnect) and B (CCITT/1200 protocoll) commands are missing. It has the extended dial codes (/!@W) (I think - don't nail me). The commonly used S-registers work, though the bit-mapped ones are missing (so what's new?). In exchange, it has (almost) the full switch complement of the EXTERNAL Hayes 1200. Great if you run a BBS, rather useless if you call out, but it's all there if you want it... As for the Real Criterion: its noise-resistance at 2400 is fair but not overly great. I have a VERY noisy local connection to a particular BBS (probably a marginal exchange) that used to kill my previous modems every 30 minutes on average; a Hayes 2400 just burped and kept on going; the USR2400 dies rarely (perhaps once a month), though it sometimes sprouts gibberish for some seconds before getting its grip on reality... So, if you're looking for a 2400 bps modem for under $200, I think the USR is a fair buy (perhaps the best - I haven't found any better). It's the work-horse type of modem (no frills). USR has run a promotion giving special prices to BBS sysops, with the result that most BBS systems around here (Oregon) are using USR2400 modems for call-ins. I've talked (well, written) with some of these sysops, and no one had any bad things to say about it. Perhaps that's some kind of an assurance... I hope that helps -- perry ------------------------------------------------------------------------ << Perry The Cynic >> =>> perry@inteloa.intel.com <<= ...!tektronix!ogcvax!omepd!inteloa!perry (Peter Kiehtreiber) ...!verdix!omepd!inteloa!perry