Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!van-bc!sl
From: sl@van-bc.UUCP (pri=-10 Stuart Lynne)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.modems
Subject: Re: Telebit FAX mode?
Keywords: FAX, faxcico, uucp, UNIX
Message-ID: <1924@van-bc.UUCP>
Date: 20 Oct 88 22:45:50 GMT
References: <597@pcrat.UUCP> <986@viscous> <600@pcrat.UUCP>
Reply-To: sl@van-bc.UUCP (pri=-10 Stuart Lynne)
Organization: Wimsey Associates, Vancouver, BC.
Lines: 42

In article <600@pcrat.UUCP> rick@pcrat.UUCP (Rick Richardson) writes:
>In article <986@viscous> rosso@sco.COM (Ross Oliver) writes:
>>much work to do on my own.  However, if you're really adventurous,
>>think about this: almost all of these FAX boards (as well as many
>>standalone FAX machines) are based on a two-chip FAX modem from
>>Rockwell.  You can get an evaluation board from Rockwell, then
>>stick a UART on it, or put it on your favorite computer bus, and
>>roll your own FAX device.  For more info, call your local Rockwell

You *could* do this, but on the other hand given the cost of something like
Quadrams JT FAX card you might as well just buy something already built.

Rockwell charges a fair bit for their stuff. There is currently four
different configurations: a three chip board and a two chip board both of
which operate at 9600; a 4800 BPS chip; and a 9600 BPS chip. The single chip
9600 will not be generally available until next year. Expect to pay in the
$175 range for any of the above (or more).

There is at least one other manufacturer which has a fax modem chip set.
Their name escapes me right now.

>Obviously, this could be done.  But what I'd like is to not have to
>dedicate another phone line to a separate FAX modem, be it PC
>based, external, or a complete standalone unit.  I'd like to have
>just the one phone line handle all my data needs: 2400, PEP, and
>FAX, both incoming and outgoing.  Since Telebit has a modem that
>is primarily implemented in software (as I understand it), they
>are the obvious people to do such a thing.  Of course, I suppose
>I could get a DSP, do the PEP protocol and the FAX protocol all
>myself.  But that's a lot more effort.

I think from a business standpoint Telebit should look at joining the
current discussions the other fax modem manufacturers are having with
respect to a command set. They could presumably field a product shortly
after the standard is introduced which will hopefully be spring '89.


With any luck they might even put the ASCII -> G3 conversion right into the
modem! (Maybe even G3 -> ASCII :-) ). 

-- 
Stuart.Lynne@wimsey.bc.ca {ubc-cs,uunet}!van-bc!sl     Vancouver,BC,604-937-7532