http://groups.google.com/d/topic/comp.dcom.modems/XzDiArpIXpQ/discussion
`comp.dcom.modems ›
`New sportster comments
`12 posts by 7 authors
`Christian Weisgerber
`10/20/94
`ea...@tenrec.cig.mot.com (Brent R. Earl) writes:
`> to lock the modem at 14.4 to get a connection. One strange thing
`> was having ATM[0|1] and ATL[0-4] for speaker control/volume and a
`> pot on the left side of the case for speaker volume. (Not used to
`Well, Mx is for enabling/disabling the speaker during different stages
`of (making the) connection. Some people don't want to listen to the
`modem dialing only to the connection sequence, others want to listen
`throughout the whole connection etc.
`Does Lx actually work with the Sportster? It's a no-op on external
`Couriers, the manual volume control being far more controllable than
`low/medium/high (0=1, 2, 3, there's no 4).
`> Any descriptions of the courier's packaging? Is it something
`> really impressive for another $200?
`I couldn't care less than about the packaging, provided it manages to
`get the device to me undamaged. Which it did. There's nothing remarkable
`about the Courier's packaging. As for included goodies: yes, there is a
`quick reference card, and there is an extensive printed manual. (The
`manual has a few inconsistencies, occasionally shows that it is an
`updated version of the one provided with older models, but basically
`it's okay. Other people think it's excellent.)
`The complete Sportster manual can be downloaded from USR's support BBS.
`Judging from most of the traffic in this group and similar ones, most
`people don't read the manual anyway, i.e. USR's policy seems to be
`justified. :->
`The Courier also comes with a communications/fax software package. Since
`this is UnixLand, I never had the opportunity (nor the desire) to check
`it out. There's also a registration sheet, asking lots of questions
`which are none of USR's business, and says it should be returned with
`proof of purchase (which I don't have) to USR.
`--
`Christian 'naddy' Weisgerber, Germany
`na...@mips.ruessel.sub.org / na...@mips.lu.pfalz.de
`Click here to Reply
`J. Michael Roach
`10/21/94
`>I am one of the few people who got his Supra 14.4 and
`>had no problems.
` - snip -
`>I just went and bought my sportster v.34 last night.
`Sorry to hear about your problems. I've got a question: Who would go from
`Supra to Sportster and expect anything more than a pile of crap?
`j. michael
`J. Michael Roach
`10/21/94
`>The complete Sportster manual can be downloaded from USR's support BBS.
`>Judging from most of the traffic in this group and similar ones, most
`>people don't read the manual anyway, i.e. USR's policy seems to be
`>justified. :->
`There is never any reason for distributing a product without a manual. The
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`unfortunate trend is for people to toss them aside, never read them, call
`technical support and bitch about how the damn thing don't work and about how
`they had to wait so long to get through to tech support.
`This kind of behavior is only encouraged by manufacturers who produce pathetic
`manuals or, worse yet, no manuals at all. VERY few people I know would spend
`the time to download a manual from a BBS and attempt to use it.
`It is one thing for Microsoft to decide not to distribute Word Basic manuals
`with Word 6.0. At least you can call them and they'll send you one free of
`charge. That undoubtedly saves Microsoft a ton of money while still giving
`the customers the documentation they need.
`I hope this does not indicate a trend among hardware and software
`manufacturers.
`j. michael
`Brent R. Earl
`10/13/94
`I am one of the few people who got his Supra 14.4 and
`had no problems. My power supply didn't die, the speaker
`is still fine. I upgraded the roms a few times and still
`manage to work fine with it.
`Just for reference, the supra came in a little aluminum
`case that is a heat sink. It has 4 LEDs on the front and
`a two digit alpha-numeric for showing status stuff. The
`documentation was a quick ref card, full blown manual, some
`errata sheets (plus the rom flyers).
`I just went and bought my sportster v.34 last night. Box
`was a little heavy, so this appeared to be a good sign. Maybe
`I was getting something for my $250 (US). This is the external
`by the way.
`Got home and opened the box. Big wad of what I thought were
`manuals, this little plastic rectangle, and a power supply.
`Okay, I found a "quick start user reference manual", 2 support
`reference cards and the mandatory worthless fax/telecom package
`in the paper stuff. Also included were about ten different
`"Huge savings for connecting with this service" packages. (Out
`of these, 3 had 3.5" disks that I might be able to reuse, the
`rest is waste paper). No product registration card, no quick
`reference command sheet.
`Looked over the included telcom/fax thingy. It has a little
`label saying run this to register your modem. I am in Chicago
`and was told the registration call goes to Skokie, IL, so no
`major problem for me. How many others will be annoyed by this?
`The modem packaging itself was a disappointment after being used
`to supra's. Plastic wedge with a few LEDs hanging out at different
`angles.
`Attempted to connect to work, no luck with the retrain stuff. Had
`to lock the modem at 14.4 to get a connection. One strange thing
`was having ATM[0|1] and ATL[0-4] for speaker control/volume and a
`pot on the left side of the case for speaker volume. (Not used to
`both, it has usually been one way or other with previously owned
`modems)
`I hope to connect to another v.34 tonight and see how that goes.
`Any descriptions of the courier's packaging? Is it something
`really impressive for another $200?
`Oh yeah, anyone want a handful of online service offerings?
`- Brent -
`ea...@rtsg.mot.com (Brent Earl) Motorola CIG +1-708-632-5830
`** Panic! Could not locate coffee - Operator halted **
`Tony Zuccarino
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`10/22/94
`In article <389tbq$f...@mips.ruessel.sub.org>, na...@mips.ruessel.sub.org
`(Christian Weisgerber) wrote:
`> na...@mips.ruessel.sub.org (Christian Weisgerber) writes:
` > Who would expect anything more than a pile of crap from Supra?
`> > (I wouldn't.)
` Hmm. I have to modify this. Once upon a time, Supra made acceptable
`> modems, like the SupraModem 9600 and SupraModem 2400(plus). Those were
`> relabeled Intel modems. Those modems also had very fine manuals,
`> possibly the finest I have ever seen.
` Then Supra marketed their RC144AC-based SupraFAXModem V.42bis and have
`> stuck to gluing Rockwell chipsets ever since. Yuk.
`> --
`Yuk? Please translate into English.. I had trouble finding this word in
`my German <-> English dictionary.
`Anyway, apart from your sentimental memories against Supra modems,
`people in the newsgroup seem to report pretty positive things
`about their 28.8 products. Have you used one lately?
`Also, from looking at the Supra V.FC and 14.4 boxes, I can see
`that they are adding features to the standard Rockwell firmware,
`so I wouldn't classify them as a chipset gluer, whatever that is.
`It's not as easy to design and certify a modem as you would paint it,
`even though Rockwell integration makes the job easier than it was
`five years ago.
`I bet if you were one day to go through the process, even
`though you seem to be one of the most knowledgeable
`posters around here, you would be surprised at the difficulties
`involved.
`Tony
`--
`Tony Zuccarino Internet: tony.zu...@nb.rockwell.com
`Product Marketing
`Rockwell International
`"The above comments do not necessarily represent
` Rockwell International, but are my personal views."
`----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
`-----------------------
`Peter da Silva
`10/24/94
`In article <389sa9$f...@mips.ruessel.sub.org>,
`Christian Weisgerber <na...@mips.lu.pfalz.de> wrote:
`> mro...@bigcat.missouri.edu (J. Michael Roach) writes:
`> > There is never any reason for distributing a product without a manual.
`> Yes, there is. Customers who want THE CHEAPEST product AT ANY COST, i.e.
`> don't care how much costs they suffer from a broken product or lack of
`> documentation etc as long as the product itself bears the minimum price
`> tag in the market.
`OK, how about "there never is any reason for distributing a product without
`a manual when you're already going to the trouble to include just as much
`paper in the form of a puff-sheet 'how to set up your modem' folder". It would
`cost them no more to include adescription of commands and options even in
`teeny print in the back.
`Oh well, at least Sportsters come with lots of funny-labelled blank floppies.
`--
`Peter da Silva `-_-'
`Network Management Technology Incorporated 'U`
`1601 Industrial Blvd. Sugar Land, TX 77478 USA
`+1 713 274 5180 "Hast Du heute schon Deinen Wolf umarmt?"
`Bill Davidsen
`
`>>
`
`>>
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`10/25/94
`In article <389sa9$f...@mips.ruessel.sub.org>,
`Christian Weisgerber <na...@mips.lu.pfalz.de> wrote:
`>mro...@bigcat.missouri.edu (J. Michael Roach) writes:
`> There is never any reason for distributing a product without a manual.
`Yes, there is. Customers who want THE CHEAPEST product AT ANY COST, i.e.
`>don't care how much costs they suffer from a broken product or lack of
`>documentation etc as long as the product itself bears the minimum price
`>tag in the market.
`Typically a site license comes with a single set of docs and many
`copies of the software. I would have ordered Telebits with no manual to
`save money, I have a crate of T2500 manuals, and probably a dozen
`Worldblazer manuals.
`Actually I think they went to the paper drive, but you get the idea.
`--
`Speaking *from* but never *for* Prodigy
` "Pain builds moral fiber" -my dad
` "Pain hurts" -me
`Tony Zuccarino
`10/25/94
`In article <38drh3$g...@mips.ruessel.sub.org>, na...@mips.ruessel.sub.org
`(Christian Weisgerber) wrote:
`> tony.zu...@nb.rockwell.com (Tony Zuccarino) writes:
` > Yuk? Please translate into English..
`
`>>
`
`>>
`
`>>
`
` "Yuk". Or "yuck"? American sound of disgust. Probably not in any
`> dictionary. :-)
`
`>>
`
`>>
`
` > Anyway, apart from your sentimental memories against Supra modems,
`> > people in the newsgroup seem to report pretty positive things
`> > about their 28.8 products. Have you used one lately?
`
` No, I admit I haven't. Actually, I haven't heard much of them over here.
`> Of course, reports in this group are very varied (and most don't appear
`> very knowledgeable to begin with). Choose the set which fits your
`> beliefs. :-(
`
`>>
`
`>>
`
` > It's not as easy to design and certify a modem as you would paint it,
`> > even though Rockwell integration makes the job easier than it was
`> > five years ago.
`
`>>
`
` What is there required beyond the logistics to fabricate PCBs?
`t Minimum:
`Try selecting components that provide required cost/performance and
`layout to meet required performance. Layout issues to meet FCC
`68 and 15 requirements... lots more, believe me. It is NOT
`trivial.
`--
`Tony Zuccarino Internet: tony.zu...@nb.rockwell.com
`Product Marketing
`Rockwell International
`"The above comments do not necessarily represent
` Rockwell International, but are my personal views."
`----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
`-----------------------
`John Navas
`10/26/94
`
`>A
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`Page 4 of 6
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`Tony Zuccarino (tony.zu...@nb.rockwell.com) wrote:
`> At Minimum:
`> Try selecting components that provide required cost/performance and
`> layout to meet required performance. Layout issues to meet FCC
`> 68 and 15 requirements... lots more, believe me. It is NOT
`> trivial.
`Trivial, no; fairly easy, yes (for an engineer skilled in the art).
`--
`Best regards,
`John <JNavas@Netcom.com>
`Tony Zuccarino
`10/27/94
`In article <jnavasCy...@netcom.com>, jna...@netcom.com (John Navas)
`wrote:
`> Tony Zuccarino (tony.zu...@nb.rockwell.com) wrote:
` > At Minimum:
`> > Try selecting components that provide required cost/performance and
`> > layout to meet required performance. Layout issues to meet FCC
`> > 68 and 15 requirements... lots more, believe me. It is NOT
`> > trivial.
` Trivial, no; fairly easy, yes (for an engineer skilled in the art).
`
`>>
`
`>>
`
`>Y
`
`es, I agree, for an engineer skilled and practiced in his/her
`particular art, usually things are 'fairly easy'.
`--
`Tony Zuccarino Internet: tony.zu...@nb.rockwell.com
`Product Marketing
`Rockwell International
`"The above comments do not necessarily represent
` Rockwell International, but are my personal views."
`----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
`-----------------------
`Christian Weisgerber
`10/29/94
`davi...@usenety1.news.prodigy.com (Bill Davidsen) writes:
`> Typically a site license comes with a single set of docs and many
`> copies of the software.
`That's usually okay for software...
`> I would have ordered Telebits with no manual to save money, I have a
`> crate of T2500 manuals, and probably a dozen Worldblazer manuals.
`Some day you decide to retire the modems (terminals, ...). They're still
`in perfect working order, it's just that you have outgrown them etc.
`Instead of putting them into the toxic waste dump you could give them as
`single units to other departments in your organization or sell them off,
`*if* you still had the manuals...
`--
`Christian 'naddy' Weisgerber, Germany
`na...@mips.ruessel.sub.org / na...@mips.lu.pfalz.de
`John Navas
`10/30/94
`Christian Weisgerber (na...@mips.ruessel.sub.org) wrote:
`> davi...@usenety1.news.prodigy.com (Bill Davidsen) writes:
`> > Typically a site license comes with a single set of docs and many
`> > copies of the software.
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`> That's usually okay for software...
`> > I would have ordered Telebits with no manual to save money, I have a
`> > crate of T2500 manuals, and probably a dozen Worldblazer manuals.
`> Some day you decide to retire the modems (terminals, ...). They're still
`> in perfect working order, it's just that you have outgrown them etc.
`> Instead of putting them into the toxic waste dump you could give them as
`> single units to other departments in your organization or sell them off,
`> *if* you still had the manuals...
`Since the Sportster manual is available in machine readable form in a
`variety of formats, that would be no problem.
`Best regards,
`John <JNavas@Netcom.com>
`
`Page 6 of 6