Reboot, is this a hard modem?

[DavidX]

Jim (reboot)
You're the modem specialist round here and I'm hoping that perhaps you can tell me . . . (though helpful comments from anyone would be appreciated)

I understand that merely because my modem is ISA doesn't necessarily mean that it's a 'hard' modem. I bought it used and have no idea who manufactured it (no FCC number but I tracked down some drivers - firmware and inf files - from the Radicom site that seem to suit it fine though). It is ISA Plug&Play, uses the Rockwell RCVDL 56 ACF/SP chipset and has flash ROM. Can you confirm that it is a 'hard' modem from that information?

Does it support SVD? Any other comments?

DavidX

(I originally posted this question on someone else's thread but felt that was unfair.)

[This message has been edited by DavidX (edited 06-17-99).]

[smunzli]

does the modem work in DOS? winmodems don't work in DOS!!

[cobain1crt]

I have an ISA modem (or at least had) it was a Winmodem. I cannot be sure, just telling you my own experience.

[DavidX]

smunzli
According to what I've read about this chipset on other modems I think it will. But it wouldn't be easy to test on this machine as I had to set the serial port to COM 3 and the IRQ to 9 (both the real serial ports have mice on them. Don't ask why! There is a reason.) And I really can't be bothered to reset it to standard settings just to test. Plus the fact that I can't remember if I have any DOS programs to use to test it with. Plus the fact that I think some split hard/soft modems (not pure Winmodems) will still work in DOS anyway. (Could be wrong on that last point.)

Hmmm. On second thoughts, maybe I'm just being lazy. Perhaps I should give DOS a whirl just to check.

Cobain
Yeah, I know some ISA modems are soft modems. That's why I'm asking. I believe the Rockwell "winmodems" were RPI though, not the ACF chipset.

[This message has been edited by DavidX (edited 06-17-99).]

[Bleeding Edge]

DavidX.

Open the DosPrompt window. type: tracert www.anysite.com

Where 'anysite.com' is the name of the web site you will be tracing.

If it traces the route there, I'd presume it works in Dos, no?

[DavidX]

Bleeding Edge
Right, thanks! I'll give it a go. BRB

Back again. Yes, it works when I set it to COM 2 with I/O 02F8 and IRQ 3 in a DOS window . . . but does that necessarily prove anything? After all, it's only the DOS prompt and still really under Windows, not true DOS. Or am I wrong?

[This message has been edited by DavidX (edited 06-17-99).]

[Comtech]

Had to re-register. BBS screwed up. This is reboot.
Look on the modem. If it's got 2 big chips (about 1" square) it's a hard modem. If it only has one little chip, it's a winmodem.

[DavidX]

Hi Reboot! (Comtech sounds good though)

Comparing this ISA modem to my old PCI, this ISA modem is on a much bigger PCB overall and has a lot more chips. Only one flat black chip on the PCI, four flat black chips on the ISA.

The two biggest chips on the ISA modem are both Rockwell chips, one really big chip (the main one) about an inch or so square like you said, but the second Rockwell chip is a lot smaller, only just over about half an inch square. (The other two flat black chips are by other makers, one by Galvantech.)

Does the fact that the second Rockwell chip is smaller than the main one mean that this is a soft modem?

[This message has been edited by DavidX (edited 06-18-99).]

[magk9]

I've never had a card without an FCC#....that's pretty unusual, I would think??

[DavidX]

magk9
I live in the UK. The nearest British equivalent to FCC is a BABT number but unfortunately it doesn't have that either! http://www.sysopt.com/forum/frown.gif

It does say: "AMI-RA05 VER:CA Mfg:C" on a white label together with "P/N 55.12008.001" and a serial number, but I find nothing similar on web searches. (Presumably AMI just made the ROM chip.) I tried the website of every modem maker beginning with "C" but nothing matches the part number. I need Sherlock Holmes on this one!

[Comtech]

OEM stuff does not always have an FCC #.
The modem has 2 chips, it's a hard modem. winmodems usually only have 1 little one.

[DavidX]

Jim (Comtech)

Many thanks for your reply. I have finally gone to the effort of booting the PC into DOS 5 from a floppy (true DOS beyond a doubt) and dug up an old 1988 vintage comms program just to see if the modem will work. It does! So I guess that doubly proves the point.

These little modems are fascinating - but the technology is dauntingly complex. The more I research (and I've been doing alot) the more I realise how little I really know about them. I'm off to see if I can order a specialist book on them from the library. This insatiable curiosity will be the death of me . . .

Many thanks to all who replied.


[This message has been edited by DavidX (edited 06-21-99).]

[DavidX]

Found out who made it! (And the answer was staring me in the face.) AMI has nothing to do with the BIOS maker; it stands for "Acer Modem Internal" and the model number is "RA05/06/07". www.acernetxus.com.tw/products/modem.htm (http://www.acernetxus.com.tw/products/modem.htm) The correct drivers and upgrade are in the Support section.

I just fed "AMI modem" into a search engine; Acer's site didn't show (strangely) but a Russian forum site did. I don't understand a word of Russian but the only words in the Latin alphabet stood out: "Acer 56Kbps Internal modem . . . Model: AMI-RA05". Eureka! It's so nice when things just lock into place when you're researching something http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by DavidX (edited 06-23-99).]