I'm thinking of buying a 9600 baud or faster modem.  Anyone have
any suggestions?

I just received a catalog from Computer Discount Warehouse advertising
a Hayes Optima 96/V.32 for $350.  The description says it does MNP 5
error control and V.42 error control.  It sounds like a good deal as
others that do this seem to cost around $500.

46 responses total.

Get a V.32bis modem.  The prices are not that much higher than V.32
modems, and you get 14.4Kbps FDX in the bargain.

Supra is supposed to have a good cheap modem, but it isn't shipping
yet.

Practical Peripherals and Intel are thought fairly highly of, and they
*are* shipping.

If you want the absolute top-of-the-line, get a Telebit T3000.  Be
aware that a T3000 will cost more money, though -- it's running
around $575 dealer, which means you probably won't find one below
$600 to $650 from a mail-order joint.

I probably could get you something close to that price from US Robotics.

Here are a couple more prices from the catalog:
 
Intel 14.4Kbaud..........................$510
US Robotics 14.4Kb0 v.32bis..............$568
Practical Periph 9600 internal, v.32bis..$372
 
They don't sell the Telebits, though.

this probably isn't much help, dan, because i don't know that they'll sell
to folks who don't own a system. but gateway makes a 14.4k baud modem with
v3.2bis and fax capabilities. it comes with crosstalk and winfax. it's 
$195. i believe there's also a free trial membership to compuserve. 

One piece of information to add to that: It appears that Gateway went
into Chapter 11 bankruptcy, as of about two weeks ago.  Chapter 11
is protection from creditors and reorganization, not liquidation,
but still I'd be a bit leery of purchasing anything from them.

(I think that was Northgate, not Gateway.)

How do we find out the definitive answer?

It's definitely Northgate, but Gateway just had a bunch of top-level
executives leave the company.

Anyone know anything else about modems?

   I think it would be a Good Thing to wait just a little bit a see the
New Crop of modei like the new Supra.  If you can wait, ya might spend
a lot less in the next 6 months.  If Supra is really comming out with a
modem in the $380 range it'll start driving the price of the other more
expensive ones.

I am planning to get a 9600 myself, probably with mnp1-5 and v42bis.

Looks like US Robotics Sportster for about $405.- to me.

Supra has been anouncing this and postponing it again over and over.
I have a Supra now, it works fine.  Sometimes although, it seems either
MCI has problems with their mnp5 modems or mine, I keep getting $ signs
instead of real information.  I believe it is their setup, since it will
be like that for a couple of days, then normal again.

I called the Hayes BBS last night, and downloaded this information.
Like I said earlier, Computer DiscountWarehouse sells this model for
only $349.

Hayes Smartmodem OPTIMA 9600
 
The Hayes Smartmodem OPTIMA 9600 is the affordable choice for every
high-speed personal communications application including access to
information systems, bulletin boards and corporate host computers.  OPTIMA
96 includes a complete set of the most advanced CCITT standards and
supports the most frequently-used modem industry technologies.  OPTIMA 96
provides standard CCITT V.32 connectivity for 9600 bps line speeds and
CCITT V.42bis for up to 38,400 bps throughput on the public switched
telephone network.
 
MODULATION
 
CCITT V.32 - Adopted by the CCITT in October 1984, this standard is now
becoming the mainstream business standard for high speed modems,
overtaking CCITT V.22bis.  CCITT V.32 provides high-speed 9600 and 4800
bps communications.  Supports V.32 Automode procedure and EIA/TIA IS-63
for fallback to lower speeds.
 
International Data Transmission Standards - In addition to CCITT V.32
(9600 and 4800 bps) compliance, OPTIMA 96 also supports V.22bis (2400
bps), V.22 (1200bps).
 
Data Transmission Compatibility - OPTIMA 96 also supports communication
with 103 (300 bps) and 212A (1200 bps) modems.
 
ERROR CONTROL
 
CCITT V.42 - Supports standardized, point-to-point error-control
communications using the CCITT V.42 LAPM (Link Access Procedure for
Modems) protocol.  CCITT V.42's alternative protocol provides backward
compatibility with modems using MNP 2-4.
 
DATA COMPRESSION
 
CCITT V.42bis - CCITT V.42bis international data compression standard for
use by modems incorporating the V.42 LAPM error-control standard provides
compression capabilities to 4:1 enabling OPTIMA 96 to achieve throughput
to 38.4 Kbps.
 
MNP 5 - OPTIMA 96 provides a migration path to V.42bis data compression
by supporting backward compatibility with modems using MNP 5 for up to 2:1
compression.
 
TELEPHONE LINE INTERFACE
 
Dial-up Line - Provides pulse or tone dialing out and auto answering for
Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) operation.
 
PABX and Business Line Support - OPTIMA 96 operates in a variety of PABX
environments and has selectable features for operation with business
telephone lines.
 
MODEM CONTROL AND OPERATION
 
Hayes Standard AT Command Set - Full support for this industry standard
enables OPTIMA 96 to operate with the large installed worldwide base of
communications software.
 
Hayes Escape Sequence with Guard Time - Allows the modem to reliably
escape from the on-line mode of operation (receiving/transmitting data) to
the command mode (interpreting the Hayes Standard AT Command Set) without
being accidentally triggered by transmitted data.  U.S. Patent 4,549,302
was granted to Hayes on October 22, 1985.
 
Automatic Feature Negotiation -  OPTIMA 96 automatically negotiates with
other modems to analyze all features available (modulation, error-control,
data compression, etc.) to establish the most efficient communications
session.  This powerful capability is implemented transparently, making
OPTIMA 96 exceptionally easy to use even though its feature set offers a
wide range of capabilities and communications options.
 
Automode - Procedures defined in an appendix to CCITT Recommendation V.32
that allow modems with both V.32 and V.22bis modulation to reliably
interwork with other modems which have either or both of these
modulations, at the highest speed in common between the modems.
 
Automatic Speed Buffering -  This enables the modem to communicate at
varying speeds with other modems while communicating at a fixed interface
speed if required by its attached DTE (mainframe, mini-computer, or PC).
 
Flow Control - Works with systems equipped with flow control to manage
the interface between the modem and the system to control buffers and
preserve data integrity, preventing inadvertent data loss between the
modem and the system.
 
TRANSMISSION MODES
 
Asynchronous Hardware Mode - Supports standard asynchronous
communications for dial-up communications with value added networks,
on-line services, and personal computers.
 
Synchronous Hardware Mode - The modem supports SDLC, HDLC and Bisync
synchronous transmission for connections to mainframes and mini-computers.
 A PC using a synchronous adapter card is also supported.
 
Hayes AutoSync -  OPTIMA 96 can use the system's standard asynchronous
communications port for synchronous communications, eliminating the
additional expense of a synchronous adapter card for
SDLC or Bisync.  This convenient feature brings both asynchronous and
synchronous data transfer capability to your system in one communications
device.
 
SERVICE AND SUPPORT
 
Technical Support -- Technical support for OPTIMA 96 is available through
Hayes Customer Service in the U.S. at 404/441-1617 and in Canada at
416/283-2627.
 
Electronic Support -- Unlimited, free technical assistance is available
electronically through Hayes Bulletin Board System at 404/HI MODEM or
800/US HAYES, as well as Hayes Forums on CompuServe and GEnie information
services.
 
Product Warranty -- OPTIMA 96 holds a two year limited performance
warranty.  If the product does not perform as stated in the manual, Hayes
will repair or replace the product at no cost.  Hayes also offers an
extended two year warranty for US$100 and CN$120.

Sounds like a perfect 9600 bd modem.  Good price too. Thanks for uploading it.

It does sound like a good deal, doesn't it?  Almost too good to be true.

Probably, once you get it, you'll find you've been transported somewhere
where the only phones are hard-wired and have so much noise you couldn't
get anything through them anyway. Then Rod Serling's ghost will appear
and say something pithy about man's greed and how some deals are too good
to be true...

That happened to me once...

But wait, there's more......

The PC Magazine I got today advertised the SupraFax 14.4 Kb modem for
only $399 list, while PC Connection has the new Practical Peripherals
14.4 Kb modem also for only $399.  The PP modem does fax, too.

Supra seems not to ship.  I heard some people having trouble with fax
modems, they say it gets confused when talking to modems that go up to
9600, and do all the fancy protocolls.  It results in no connect.
I don't know if it is only for a particular model, or if it is a problem
with the system.

   Well, Hayes is going to have one hell of a killer product if they
can get it out.  Hayes has been known for good, but real pricy equipment.
It seems that they want Market Share, and are going to start the price
off at a hobbyist level.   Pretty smart if they can pull it off.

I always wondered what made them that expensive, especially for the high-end
modems.

   Research and Development?  Patent royalities for some functionality?

But they had price differences of 100% or even more sometimes with the lower
baud modems.  I think their strategy makes more dollars per modem and
producing not too many, they canmanage things much better.  Since the
corporate clients and government sites probably would not buy Supra
(I always spotted Hayes or some other long known brand name)
they probably covered most of that market, price seemed not to make a
big difference there, since it has to be really reliable.

Here's the latest (and maybe the last) word in my modem researches.

Zoom is now producing a 14.4 kbaud modem that can also send and receive
faxes. It is capable of both v.32 bis and v.42 bis.  Egghead is now
selling them for $300.  I called them earlier this week, and they were
out of them, but supposedly they will be getting more Monday.

Wow... this sounds pretty good.

I swapped some mail with people that actually have them.  One guy says
his gets a little hot and acts flakey.  The other two say they work
great.  I might go for one Monday.

We all get a little hot and act flakey sometimes. No big deal.

Well, it only took me five months, but I finally ordered a Digicom
Scout Plus.  A guy on the Internet is selling them for $289, including
shipping.  It does all the V.* protocols and can send and receive
faxes.  I should get it this week, and I'll report again later on how
well it works.

  Internal or external?  What made you choose that particular modem
over other low-priced competitors?

It's an external, although they also sell an internal version.

I went with the Digicom because the company has been around for a 
while; they have made commercial-grade data comm equipment for years.
Another reason was that there were very few complaints about the 
modem on comp.dcom.modems.  Of course, that could be because very
few people actually use them.

Speaking of faxes too, what do people think about the fax software,
both send and receive? And how difficult would it be to write 
some sort of beastie for a machine that doesn't have 10 tons of
current commercial appeal? i.e., the Commodore, Apple //, and maybe
older IBM pc's? Anybody have experience with send/receive fax.
  
I'm not asking abouot OCR -> text file stuff, just the graphic image.

The FAX interface stuff is standardized and documented.  From what I've
seen, the interface is pretty simple, and it should be relatively
easy to write something for a computer that doesn't have a lot of support.
There is a piece of free software for BSD Unix, NetFax, that supports
Class 2 FAXmodems.  You might be able to crib some code from it, or just
get clarifications on how things work.

Spource code I ppresume? Where to download from, please? 

Yep, source code.  Not very well-written source, from the look I got,
but source nonetheless.

If you have FTP access, you can download it from prep.ai.mit.edu
in /pub/gnu/fax-3.2.1.tar.Z.  Otherwise, I will try to UUCP it
over to Grex.  (If I do this, it will likely only hang around a
day or two, since the tar file is 130K and space on /usr/spool is
very tight now.)

Ummm, I was testing uucp and I thought I could transfer fax-3.2.1.tar.Z
to grex in the process.  It landed in /usr/spool/uucp instead of
uucppublic.  And the permissions are no read to others, uucp owns
it.  You could download it from here, as soon as mju could fix the
place and the permissions, as well the ownership.  Sorry about that.

How does one set the ownership the file gets on the destination system, and
the permissions when using the uucp command?

Ownership is always "uucp"".  The permissions can be specified in
the UUCP "S" command string; most uucp(1) implementations set
the file's permissions to 666 on the destination system.  (Horrors!
The number of the beast!)

Should now be in ~uucp/fax-3.2.1.tar.Z, owned by mistik and
permitted 644.

Zounds, thankxx, I'll get a copy one way or the other. Can't do
it right this minute though. At least if it dissapeears from here
I (and the rest of Grex too) knows where to find it. Thankxx again!

Thanks Marc!

Last year I had a contract to write a network fax product and unless you
have a lot of time on your hands, you would be better off buying a cheap xt
for a fax machine than modifing that group 2 code to run on your machine.  
Most fax machines in use today are group 3 and there is quite a bit of
difference in the two stanards.

- Backtalk version 1.3.30 - Copyright 1996-2006, Jan Wolter and Steve Weiss