Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!ncar!oddjob!sphinx!pre1
From: pre1@sphinx.uchicago.edu (Grant Prellwitz)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: ZOOM 2400 Baud Modem
Message-ID: <3792@sphinx.uchicago.edu>
Date: 22 Mar 88 07:30:14 GMT
References: <1513@homxc.UUCP> <810@gethen.UUCP>
Reply-To: pre1@sphinx.uchicago.edu.UUCP (Grant Prellwitz)
Organization: U Chicago Computation Center
Lines: 60

In article <810@gethen.UUCP> isaac@gethen.UUCP (Isaac Rabinovitch) writes:
>In article <1513@homxc.UUCP>, mchin@homxc.UUCP (M.CHIN) writes:
>> 
>> I just received a promotional in the mail from ZOOM Telephonics, Inc.  It's
>> advertising a 2400 Baud modem for $199.  If I get it now, it'll only cost me
>> $169.  What I'd like to know is if anyone has had any experience with any of
>> ZOOM's earlier modems.  From the advertisement, it sounds like a good deal.
>> It includes a 2-yr. warranty, and 30-day money-back guarantee.  Technically,
>> it allows for 4 com port addressing, "latest" in digital signal processing
>> and adaptive equalization, a high-speed UART.
>About 1 1/2 years ago I got a similar "limited time offer" blurb from
>ZOOM.  Then it was $300 for the 2400 bps version, and they didn't
>mention adaptive equalization.  As always, "the price is only good for a
>limited time!" is a marketing phrase you should ignore.
>
>I'd never heard of ZOOM and I'm a hardware idiot, so I decided to go
>with a name brand and a local vendor:  a USR 2400 for slightly more
>purchased at a local store.  It's worked out, but in hindsight it may
>not have been the best choice.  ZOOM seems to now have enough history to
>count as a legitimate company.  They also take credit-card orders, which
>gives you some legal protection.  Wish I knew why they don't sell
>through standard channels.

Zoom has been around since the late seventies manufacturing telecommunication
equipment in Boston.  They are the company that invented the "Demon Dialer"
that you always hear about (though they don't support it's illegitimate uses).

I should make very clear that the 2400bps version that was available over a 
year ago for about $300 is NOT the same as the 2400bps modem that is currently
advertised for $199 ($165 special).  The new one is a half card and does NOT
HAVE THE MODULAR COMSTRUCTION.  The old one is still available.  

As to the modem being available through standard channels, it is.  The store 
where I used to work carried them on a regular basis.  (We sold them for about
$169).  They appear to be very well built modems and come with Procomm 2.4.2
telecommunications software.  

If I had not already bought a Practical Peripherals 2400SA (external) for $140,
I would have bought the Zoom myself, even though I couldn't switch it between 
my two computers as easily.

>One feature that sounds interesting is the modem's modularity.  If
>I outgrow my current modem, I have to replace the whole thing.  ZOOM
>claims to be able to add features by adding chips.
>


I hope that this helps present some of the facts in a way that will help 
people.  E-mail me if you have any further questions.  I should further state 
that I am in no way connected with any of the companies mentioned except as a
satisfied user or observer.

		Grant Prellwitz
		Prellwitz Computing Services

-- 
=====================Grant Prellwitz==========================
!ihnp4!gargoyle!sphinx!pre1          pre1@sphinx.UChicago.UUCP 
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