Jonathan de Boyne Pollard,

25-Aug-99 08:24:12, Jonathan de Boyne Pollard wrote to Eddy Thilleman
          Subject: PCI(?) modem and OS/2 Warp 4

 ET>> Why not a external modem hooked up to a decent serial port which
 ET>> supports at least 115200bps DCE-CTE speeds (any decent mainboard
 ET>> has such serial ports) ?

 JdBP> I'm not looking at external modems for the two reasons that I
 JdBP> gave before. Briefly: An external modem requires surface space
 JdBP> to sit on, and I have none; and an external modem requires a
 JdBP> separate power supply and extra cabling, and I already have too
 JdBP> much of that as it is.

Ok
Not to mention that the external is going to be more expensive to cover the
extra power supply, cables and case.

 JdBP> Andy Roberts also mentioned that external modems tend to have greater
 JdBP> heat problems than internal modems

Well let me qualify that.  The cheap external modems have had that reputation.
OTOH the Courier is not cheap and hasn't had that problem in many years, since
before the V.Everything (pre-V.34 pre-V.90).  Still I would not want to pile
paper all over it.

I've had both external and internal modems.  Contrary to what someone else
said, I didn't find any significant difference in volume, even with the
external modem up front and open.  But that becomes even less of a
consideration when you stick the external modem back behind the tower case or
behind and under the monitor.  In fact with an internal modem in an ATX case
that has a lot more holes in the side of the case, I had to lower the volume,
because it was too loud.  All my newer modems in the last 10-15 years have
been internal.  It's not that I can't find the space for an external.  But
desk space is like HD space, you never have enough.  So eventually unless you
are very neat, even if you put the external modem on edge, if it is in reach,
then papers will likely smother it.

OTOH I've never heard of any of the internal modems by any brand having a heat
build up problem.  And without the extra power supply stuff on the internal
they will be cooler anyway.

So IMO the only useful gain for an external is the lights (which software can
compensate for) and saving a slot.

     Thanks and Good Luck,        Andy Roberts
                                  andy@shentel.net
--- Terminate 5.00/Pro*at