Hi Mike,

I MIGHT, I stress *MIGHT* have heard of a jaton modulator internal PCI
modem, but I think they are rare. I've been unhappy with the whole doing
away of ISA to begin with, you CAN get mobo's that support the newest
generation P4 chips that have ISA slots, but they're around $1,000, but
if you want go solid performance like the 'good ol days' but with the
higher speed CPU's and still use dependable true hardware modems, ISA
soundcards, at least there is an option....

All this trend to 'upgrade' by manufactureres for the latest and
greatest hardware and crapware has really got me dismayed, and I for
one, try to avoid playing into it. Heck, I'm sending this message on a
386 dx40 computer with a 14.4 modem, using DOS, the arachne www browser
with the telnet apm to get me into the bbs I'm posting this...

cheers


-> Are there any full controller based PCI slot internal modems except for the USR
-> PCI internal, the Zoom PCI internal and the ActionTek PCI internal products? 
-> The ActionTek works fine under OS/2.  And although the other two are available,
-> external versions of the latest products do not work well here over line and
-> connect compatibility issues in OS/2 boxes in very trashy POTS phone line
-> issues.

-> The USR was my first test choice to work against a complete ZyXel operation
-> from a poor rural phone line site.  It wouldn't connect at all with the IP
-> provider miles back into town,  The Zoom would connect fine to the IP service,
-> but wouldn't connect to the ZyXel modems in this very poor line quality
-> location.  Thus I'm reluctant to test the USR and Zoom PCI internal products,
-> although I'd really like more than the ActionTek product for availability
-> purposes.  ZyXel makes no internal modems I think.

->                                Then ..

-> As a second thought, what comment here would any of you offer relative to
-> future plans from Intel, for example, to do away with the whole now-existing
-> interrupt controller concept, and the loss of any actual harware comm ports on
-> soon to be released new motherboards?

-> What will the really large total number of customers who use hardware serial
-> ports for external technical control of such things as water and oil well field
-> controller operations, and major telecommunications work?  I, for one use four
-> serial ports on PC's at one time under OS/2 for telecommunications site
-> control.  Direct control of everything from modems for the site, direct
-> hardware interface for antenna and site controls for them in merged logging
-> programs, as well as complete control of HF digital CW interfaces, logging, and
-> antenna QSK full break-in service for my KW ham radio site.

-> That means, as does well service use, as I know it, that we must have access to
-> the real line level status and direct UART control for the serial ports.  I do
-> this currently with special ISA buss multiple comm port plug-in cards.  I
-> *THINK* that at least one vendor has this also available in PCI slot versions. 
-> These all have complete sharing drivers and so, if you want them,for OS/2 use
-> although I'm using Ray Gwinn's SIO and SIO2K for a general interface now.

-> But what is going to happen when we have no more actual serial port comm
-> operations?  From what I've been told, but know little about, you can forget
-> doing this with conventional USB to serial port stuff.  And in about another
-> year what do we do when Intel tosses out the whole now current way of handling
-> interrupts for the actual CPU?

-> Inquiring mind wants to know what people think here?

-> Thanks!

-> W5WQN

-> --> Sleep well; OS/2's still awake! ;)

-> Mike {at} 1:117/3001

-> --- Maximus/2 3.01
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