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It's Baaack at the Geeks! External Serial Modem, $16.50 +Shipping.

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The spec sheet for the BestData 56SX-92 also lists a 56SMAC-92 Acrobat Spec Sheet

But I have been unable to find and downloads for the 56SMAC-92.

The 56SMAC-92 is documented class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.bestdata.com/spec_56.htm" target=blank>sales spec sheet</A> with the Conexant logo.

It seems odd that the product is for sale without web support,:disgust: or have I overlooked something.

Peter R

Still expecting the world to be reasonable.
 
Yup, the version of NetWaiting that comes with the Zoom drivers is v.2.03a and the one at BestData is v.2.5.3. And it's a "must have" update as it adds support for v.90 servers so you can at least get notified of a call coming in even though MOH won't work.
. Maybe it's just me but it seems that NW really puts a drag on things. I'll have to keep futzing with it...
.bh.
:moon:
 
I personally have been a huge fan of serial modems since my Duke Nukem days. It was always touch and go getting my internal modem working with the game, but as soon as I brought that old US Robotics 14.4 home from my volunteer computer job (LOADS of old hardware at that place) everything was gravy. Personally I still have a spot in my heart for most any old external modem, as long as it works. (Yes, I do have a 300 baud modem somewhere)

Currently I have an Olitec Self Memory 2000. That's right, my modem was made by the French. It has an answering machine function built in as well, so it's really confusing when people call and they get a message in french when I forget to set it.

Anyway, enough rambling. This looks like a great deal. A good way to put those otherwise overlooked serial ports to use.
 
WDD,
. Perhaps there have been no changes from the initial release of that 56SMac v92 modem. Keep trying other Mac modem companies' web sites until you find one with posted firmware for your chipset. Perhaps you could use some social engineering to wangle the firmware from BD.
. If the modem you have is the Cendyne, it has the CX-6827-1 chip. Good luck. Or you could try flashing with the PC firmware from Zoom.
. Actually it's too late/early for my brain to be functioning. So if you, WDD, could refresh me as to what you have and what you're trying to do, that would help. I found out that the Zoom firmware that works on the Cendyne is for both PC and MAC. So check there.
.bh.
BTW, I seem to have resolved my NetWaiting problem. I guess you need to have NW loaded before ever dialing out, so I'm going to put it in the Startup folder. And you need W0 in the init string so as to get DTE rather than DCE speed reported - I guess so it can interpret the Call Waiting tone. I would rather have DCE but... Now to see if it actually works.
:moon:
 
Zepper wrote:

Actually it's too late/early for my brain to be functioning. So if you, WDD, could refresh me as to what you have and what you're trying to do, that would help. I found out that the Zoom firmware that works on the Cendyne is for both PC and MAC. So check there.
.bh.

-----
Despite a lack of Mac experience, I have been "helping" with the upgrade of a Performa 6400. One of its limitations is the lack of a 56K modem. Having acquired the external CenDyne, the plan is to swap it for the internal 33K Global Village.

BestBata sells the 56KSMAC-92 based on the Conexant but has no support page for the modem. The support pages for BestData's other Mac modems list Apple Scripts -- which brings up two problems. All those scripts are for Rockwell based modems. And, I have not done any scripting (Apple or otherwise).

An additional problem is a suitable calble&/adapter to attach the DB9 of the modem to the Apple serial port.

Before attempting the upgrade, I first want to have all the hardware & software on hand.

Peter R.

 
WDD,
Ok, so the Zoom firmware (PC and Mac in same firmware) should work for you and any Mac related installation info you can glean from the BD or Zoom sites will be useful.
. As for the cable an apple port to 25 pin modem cable can be had for $9.00 along with a DB25-Female to DB9-Male serial adapter for $8.00. That should do it.
. You can get both items at: cablestogo.com - Total of $17. I looked at my other two cable sources and they don't carry the Apple modem cable any more but they do have the DB25F-DB9M adapter for less than CtG - $1.33.
. If you are a true-blue techie (one who doesn't place any value on his time 😉 ) like me, it would be much cheaper to get a DB9 M/F serial cable and a 8-pin miniDIN Male connector, cut the female end off the cable and attach the DIN plug. Cable 6'=$4., 10'=$6. connector 34cents! - both at: Dalco.com. Just a matter of Googling for an- Apple modem cable wiring diagram -(I had no trouble finding several), and a DB9-DB25 adapter diagram.
. Since the DB9F jack on the modem is an atypical (done to save a few cents/modem) implementation (at least I seldom see other than DB25F on modems), you may need to use a DVM to confirm the signal directions (any voltage present relative to signal ground means out, no voltage means in - the signal ground pin never changes. The signal labels in the Apple wiring diagram should be accurate so you should be able to go direct to 9-pin with that.
.bh.
Note: Apple modem cable (mD8M-DB25M), $2.50. DE(B)9M connector 45c, DE(B)9 hood 40c, total- $3.35 at: allelectronics.com . Parts to do it both ways at Jameco.com . DE(B)9M-F monitor cable (6') and mD8M connector, total $5.50. Apple printer cable (mD8M-mD8M) $5, $6 for 6', 10'; DE(B)9M - 55c, DE(B)9 metallized plastic hood - 60c. Total - $6.15 or $7.15. Now just have to check S+H to find best price. Some have min. $25. order - surcharge for less - Jameco, I think, perhaps others. That should be enough options for you
😉 .
. I also found out that the GlobalVillage.com brand (which was acquired long ago by Boca Research) was acquired by Zoom along with Boca Research. We know why Zoom is maintaining the GV brand identity (while Boca is history), don't we? Well, if you don't, Apple/Mac folks are very cliquish and don't like to sully their space with PC affiliated brands.
. So under Global Village's v.92 modem support there is a lot of good Mac material. I would be shocked :Q if the GV and the Z modems were to differ in other than appearance. Use the stuff at your disgression.
.bh.
The :sun: ! The :sun: !
 
interesting info on V.92
http://www.modem.com/qanda.html

How do I take advantage of V. 92?
First, you need a good V.92 modem. Please see below for suggestions.

Second, you need to be 3.5 miles or less from your local telephone company's central telephone office, which you are if you are currently using a V.90 or V.92 modem to connect at speeds between 33,600 and 56,000 bits per second. And to use V.92 to receive phone calls when you are online, you need Call Waiting service from your local telephone service provider.

I'd never heard of a distance limitation on dialup before
 
The distance limitation has something to do with multiple digital/analog conversions if you are further away from the CO. My phone company does not ensure my line quality to be good enough to get any thing higher than 18kbps (or at least that is what I have been told). I have never gotten higher than 28.8kbps at my current home. My same computer/modem got 53.3k at my old apartment, before we bought a house.
 
Looks like all the external modems are gone at the Geeks. Sorry for any that missed out...
.bh.
The :sun: ! The :sun: !
 
Externals are the best, not that anyone uses modems much any more.

I have a US Robotics Courier v.everything that is well over ten years old. I needed it the other day and it worked as well as ever.

 
I wonder if I should bother flashing the Cendyne firmware if I am not too hot on getting call waiting at the moment??
 
I found flashing to Zoom was a dead-end. I haven't been able to get MOH working at all. I have flashed back to the original. If anyone needs the original firmware, let me know.
.bh.
 
I bought one of these and used it with a pci serial card. Unfortunately, my motherboard doesn't have any serial ports. My best connect speed was 31.2kbs. I'm connecting at 41.2k with my internal pci card. Anyone use this with a USB to Serial adapter cable? I would like to know if I can get better connection speeds before I ante up for an adapter.

Thanks,
Randy
 
just got 3 of them - nothing like an external modem wo it will not slow down your machine when you are sending faxes...
 
Randy,
What mobo is that? one of those stupid "legacy free" mobos...
I doubt you will get better speeds w/USB to serial. What chip is used on your PCI serial card? There is a utility called SHSMOD (google for it) that will make sure certain brands of serial chips are set to high speed mode (even higher than you can set with Win control panel! if it's available). Maybe the card came with a utility for setting the port speed - make sure it is set to at least 115.2kb/sec.
I forgot to set my serial port back to high speed once (I had shsmod set it to low speed for flashing the modem's firmware) and couldn't get better than 33.6 out of it. Pulled hair over that for a while - even called the phone co which was useless of course.
.bh.
Where's the :sun: ? Sometimes I really don't like central NY - six months of winter and six months of poor sledding...
 
Zepper,
The motherboard is an Abit IT7-Max2. The serial card is made by Netmos and it has a Netmos chip on it. I'll look at the utility you mentioned.
Thanks,
Randy

 
Randy,
. I'm not sure that SHSMOD will support that chip but it uses a sort of Nantional Semiconductor numbering scheme - if it looks enough alike it might work. Use the shsmod check utility first to detect the chip and assess compatibility.

Anybody need 100 of these Cendyne modems? Acortech is auctioning 100 lots on eBay. Starting bid $1100. ($11. each)...
.bh.
 
Is there anyway tto have windows 2000 pro notify me of the actual connection speed instead of the connection speed from my siig PCI serial card?
 
Originally posted by: gba
Is there anyway tto have windows 2000 pro notify me of the actual connection speed instead of the connection speed from my siig PCI serial card?
Click to expand...

I had to use ATW2 with one of my modems Get the command ref for the chipset used in your modem, and look up the code for returning connect results, you want to set it to return the DCE (modem) connect speed, and not the DTE (serial port) connect speed.
 
Originally posted by: OneStepsAhead
Externals are the best, not that anyone uses modems much any more.

I have a US Robotics Courier v.everything that is well over ten years old. I needed it the other day and it worked as well as ever.
Click to expand...

I have one too, shame that they never released the upgrade for this model to v.92. It started out life as a v.Everything 28.8/33.6 model, 25Mhz DSP. Flashed to X2 upgrade, flashed to v.90 upgrade. USR changed corporate parents a couple of times in the meantime, v.92 was introduced, and their old "lifetime upgradable" v.Everything line was forgotten about. Instead, they introduced a new model with twice the flash memory and a solid-state DAA, same DSP, with v.92-capabilities for $300 retail. But there was never an upgrade for the older modems, their web site has stated "coming soon" for nearly two years now.

If anyone knows where to find a v.92 upgrade, even a "hacked" one, please let me know. MOH is a wonderful feature, if you are stuck using dialup and want to recieve other calls on the same line. I still use my Courier, when the DSL goes down.
 
Originally posted by: VirtualLarry
Originally posted by: gba
Is there anyway tto have windows 2000 pro notify me of the actual connection speed instead of the connection speed from my siig PCI serial card?
Click to expand...

I had to use ATW2 with one of my modems Get the command ref for the chipset used in your modem, and look up the code for returning connect results, you want to set it to return the DCE (modem) connect speed, and not the DTE (serial port) connect speed.
Click to expand...


THX, Virtuallarry. I regret to say that I think I've met my match. I'm stumped 🙁
 
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