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File Name: Speed_Up.zip Description: $169 9.6K Modem, the AFFORDABLE standard Product Information...High Speed Issues COMPUCOM SPEEDMODEM...THE AFFORDABLE STANDARD SPEEDMODEM CHAMP (tm) * 300 to 9600 bps true raw speed * CompuCom Speed Protocol, CSP-3, throughput up to 38,400bps * MNP 5 at data speeds of 300-4800 bps * $169...unprecented performance to price ratio * Dynamic Impedance Stabilization, (DIS), for noisy telephone lines * IBM internal card supports 8 COM port addresses and 5 interrupts * Made in America * Five year warranty * 30 Day money back trial. Additional features offered by the SPEEDMODEM COMBO (tm) * Full featured 9600-bps send/receive Fax with background operation * Voice mail low cost upgrade available July 1991. Upgrade is with- out cost on orders placed before April 30. * Only $279 Dear BBS user: Every BBS user wants a high speed modem...the problem is, they cost too much. Everyone doing busness these days needs Fax capability. Fax has become the universal standard for electronic business communications. The problem is, Fax equipment isn't cheap either. What the PC user really needs is total communications capability at an affordable price. That's why we developed the SpeedModems. For over three years we have been providing modem solutions to satisfied customers around the world. We ship large quantities of modems to Europe on an OEM basis. In fact we are one of a few non-German companies to produce a modem which has successfully passed the stringent qualifications of the Deutsche Bundespost- possibly the toughest testing organization in the world. We are proud of our customer base which includes many prestigious in- stitutions including Fortune 100 companies. Even the U.S. Government Department of Defense has awarded us R&D contracts. The SpeedModem's performance to price ratio is unprecented. To the PC user it means total communications capability; to the BBS user it means time and money saved*; and, to the SysOp it means a faster, more efficient, and popular BBS service. The response to the SpeedModem introduction has been over- whelming. The SpeedModem is the only affordable standard for high speed modem communications. If you aren't totally satisfied, you may return it in 30 days for a full product price refund! *lower telephone cost, even lower than PC-Pursuit in many instances. 800 ACT ON IT (800) 228-6648, (408) 732-4500, Fax (408) 732-4570 Below is product information about the SpeedModem followed by two high speed modem articles. The first article,"High Speed Modem Issues and Information" should be read by anyone considering the purchase of a high speed modem. The second article discusses the need for an "Affordable Standard" for high speed modems. SPEEDMODEM PRODUCT INFORMATION World-Class 9,600 bps DISmodem and Fax All at a Breakthrough Price $169-$279 From CompuCom Corporation comes a telecomputing breakthrough: the 9,600 bps SpeedModem Combo. This versatile internal PC modem doesn't just deliver MNP 5 and world-class data speeds. It's the first high-speed modem to offer a full- featured, 9,600 bps Fax with send-and-receive capabilities. Factor in the Speed- Modem Combo's highly competitive price and you'll see it adds up to an impres- sive value. The SpeedModem's throughput is just as impressive ─ up to 38,400 bps with its 4:1 data compression software protocol. And it can maintain error-free transmis- sion at these high data rates, thanks to the powerful, hardware error-correction and CompuCom Speed Protocol (CSP)(tm). Better yet, the SpeedModem's built-in Dynamic Impedance Stabilization(tm), DIS(tm), feature enhances throughput even more. That's because CompuCom's unique DIS allows the SpeedModem Combo to main- tain the highest level of signal quality on your phone lines. The result: the best possible performance at all times and all speeds ─ and DIS operates in either data or Fax mode. DIS works totally transparent to the user ─ until you see the difference in your telephone bill! No other modem can match it on a noisy phone line. Of course, the SpeedModem supports the Hayes AT command set and maintains full backward compatibility with other modems at 2,400, 1,200 and 300 bps. It also includes the Microcom Networking Protocol for hardware-based MNP 5 compression and error correction at data speeds of 4,800 bps or less. And built-in DIS line-conditioning gives you a powerful telecomputing edge. Dynamic Impedance Stabilization (DIS) The SpeedModem Combo doesn't simply establish data and Fax connections ─ it's designed to actually improve them. The reason is DIS, CompuCom's unique telephone interface. DIS automatically compensates for real-world impedance variations on your phone line. How? The villains of high-speed file transfers ─ line noise and interference ─ are significantly reduced by DIS's ability to deliver a strong, clear signal down the telephone line. That's why DISmodems can punch your data down the "comway" better than other modems. Further, DIS provides benefits even if it is only on one end of the connection. It all means faster, more efficient data transfers and optimal use of your communications resources. DIS technology protects your pocketbook by maximizing throughput under adverse conditions ─ where other modems will waste time and your long-distance dollars. DIS should not be confused with adaptive equalization or filtering techniques, very important functions in any modem, including ours. Neither AE nor filtering effect any signal-to-noise improvement on a telephone line. That's why we inven- ted DIS. 9,600 bps Group III Facsimile Now you can have total high-speed communications capability on one card. Fax machines are universal in today's business world ─ but standalone Fax machines are almost impossible to integrate into your electronic information system. The solution is a Fax card that can harness your technology power! And, with the SpeedModem Combo you can have a 9,600 bps Fax that gives you the best of both worlds. Transfer your information files in the most efficient manner, either data or Fax, as your business needs dictate. Streamline your operation by eliminating unnecessary printouts and time wasted in Fax lines. Best of all, benefit from print quality that is far better than the scanned images produced on those $400 to $1800-plus Fax machines. Leverage your present technology in- vestment and save time and operating costs. Access standalone fax machines any- where in the world to gain the benefit of desktop-publishing-quality remote printing. When you use the high-performance SpeedModem Combo, you also get powerful soft- ware which operates totally in the background, for sending and receiving Faxes. With the Combo's delayed transmission support, you can Fax inexpensively and automatically to hundreds of recipients in the middle of the night ─ while you're home asleep. SPEEDMODEM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Does the world really need another high-speed modem technology? When the technology is this good, yes! No other modem comes close to meeting SpeedModem Combo's price, performance and versatility for the average PC user. Before, no matter where modem users looked, they could only find very costly high speed modems. Only a small percentage of users can afford these high- priced units. The SpeedModem Combo changes that; it opens up a vast communications arena ─ all at considerable savings in communications costs and time. Why shouldn't I buy a v.32 modem? Multiple vendors offer v.32 modems. In fact, v.32 has received a considerable amount of press ─ much in the same vein as during the introduction of IBM's Micro-Channel architecture. Since v .32 is a recognized high speed modem standard, it will be used in ap- plications where cost is not an issue. Unfortunately, we feel that v.32 has not met its' performance expectations on real-world telephone connections. A v.32 modem must estimate and generate an exact inverse of the multiple echoes receiv- ed on its telephone connection. Any error in the process results in selfgener- ated noise and interference. Perfect echo cancellation of the complex echoes present on many long distance lines is simply not achievable ─ a severe limita- tion of v.32 technology. What makes the SpeedModem more versatile than other modems? It supports 8 COM port addresses and 5 interrupts, so you get the flexibility to accommodate present peripherals or future expansion. The result: 5 to 7 SpeedModem Combo's can be configured on a single motherboard. It's also the first 9600 bps general purpose modem with a Fax combination and, soon it will support voice mail. Why is high-speed Fax capability so important? Fax has become the de facto standard for electronic business communications. It's not surprising that PC users are realizing its necessity. You can reach out instantly to businesses around the world. And do it without waiting until the witching hour for the best long-distance rates. With SpeedModem Combo, you get the ultimate convenience: high-speed Fax communications right from your desk. Imagine, you can request and receive data sheets for products in minutes. Faxing is already far more cost-efficient than overnight mail services, so people are always saying, "I'll Fax it to you" or "Fax it to me." The majority of 9,600 bps BBSs I call use HST Couriers. So why should I purchase a SpeedModem? Over 90% of the BBS community still communicates at 2,400 bps. Most BBS users can't purchase the HST──the price is prohibitive. Further, the HST doesn't provide a Fax solution. SPEEDMODEM benefits...To the PC user it means affordable, total communications capability. To the BBS user it means time and money saved. To the SysOp it means increased call-capacity and a more popular BBS. Even SysOps who support the HST, realize that the vast majority of their callers are stuck at 2400 bps, because they can't afford an HST. For the majority of BBS users the SPEEDMODEM is their only opportunity to join the ranks of the "TOP GUNS". The majority of people deserve a choice...lots of SysOps agree, and are adding phone lines to support the SPEEDMODEM. FUNCTIONAL SPECIFICATIONS Raw Transmission Speeds 300 to 9,600 bps are achieved without compression. Data Compression Yields an effective throughput up to 38,400 bps over dial-up telephone lines using CSP-3 External Software Protocol. Industry Standards Backward compatibility with CCITT v.21, v.22/v.22bis, and Bell 103/212A modula- tions. Full Hayes AT compatibility. MNP 1-5. Group III, CCITT Fax. IBM internal card. Dynamic Impedance Stabilization (DIS) Overrides line noise and increases data throughput under adverse conditions; compensates for speed losses where other modems fail; provides cost savings and improved data integrity. Built-in CSP and MNP 1-5 Both provide transparent, hardware-based error correction. MNP 5 is provided at data rates up to 4,800 bps; CSP provides error correction for the raw modem speed of 9,600 bps. CSP is considerably more efficient than MNP 5 and provides data throughput up to 38,400 bps. Configuration Flexibility Eight independent COM port addresses and support for interrupts 3, 4, 5, 7 and 2 or 9 provide unequaled installation flexibility. Configuration without con- flict with other hardware is always possible with the SPEEDMODEM. This flex- ibility allows up to eight speedmodems to be configured on a single motherboard. Dialing Functions Pulse and tone, auto and manual, as well as auto-redial-on-busy, matches user needs. Result codes displayed on the terminal provide immediate feedback regarding transmission status. Audible Feedback Speaker volume is adjustable, both under program control and via a manual, externally accessible volume control. Other Functions 40-character command buffer ─ Auto answer and auto dial ─ Programmable number of rings before answer and/or time before hang-up. Diagnostic Test Facilities Supports self-test as well as digital, analog, local and remote loopback tests to ensure reliable performance. 9,600 bps Facsimile Full-featured send-and-receive 9,600 bps, Group III Fax functionality resident on the same card. Fax incorporates an on board CPU which offloads host CPU demands required by competitive products. The SPEEDMODEM is easy to configure and use. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS 300, 1,200, 2,400 and 9,600 bps Hardware Speeds Data Compression Ratio: MNP 5, 2:1 and CSP, 4:1 CCITT v.22, v.22bis, v.21 and Bell 103, 212A Hayes AT Command Set Dynamic Impedance Stabilization 600 to 2500 ohms Full- and Half-Duplex COM 1-8, INT 3, 4, 5, 7 and 2 or 9 Extensive Diagnostics 40-Character Command Buffer Flow Control: RTS/CTS Transmit Signal Level -9.5dBm Transmit Frequency Tolerance 0.01% Received Signal Level -8dBm to -48dBm Carrier Detect Level - 43dBm Carrier Reject Level - 48dBm Dynamic Range >40dB Fax: CCITT v.27ter and v.29, Group III ─ 2,400 bps, 4,800 bps, 7,200 bps, and 9,600 bps * Sophisticated Performance * Unprecedented Flexibility * Unprecedented Performance to Price Ratio * Five-Year Warranty * 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee * Made in the U.S.A. NOTE...The SPEEDMODEM CHAMP HAS ALL THE MODEM FEATURES OF THE SPEEDMODEM COMBO, IT DOES NOT HAVE FAX CAPABILITY, VOICE MAIL UPGRADE CAPABILITY, OR ANY FURTHER FUNCTIONALITY UPGRADE CAPABILITY. FIRMWARE UPGRADES ON THE PRESENT MODEM FUNCTIONS OF THE SPEEDMODEM CHAMP WILL BE SUPPORTED. UPGRADE FEATURES IN DEVELOPMENT Additional functionality to be added to the SpeedModem Combo is under development. When released, these features will be made available as low cost software or firmware upgrades. BBS Fax integration: The SpeedModem Combo makes it possible for a BBS to not only receive the mail - but also to deliver it! We are presently designing a software interface standard which will facilitate this function. One scenario is that of the front end mail program. The Fax mail is automatically separated out and sent to local (toll free) fax machines. This software interface will be made available for authors to incorporate into their software programs. Fax/ Data Automatic Switchover: The Speedmodem Combo can be programmed to automatically determine whether the incoming call is Fax or Data. It will then make the connection and deliver the appropriate fax or data result message. At this time there isn't viable software support to take advantage of this functionality. Communications programs and fax programs generally run solo and are not designed to interact with each other. The solution, again, is a front end program. Voice Mail: Firmware to support voice mail functions on the Speedmodem Combo is due in July. The objective is to allow one phone line to be used for automatic switchover between voice, voice mail, fax and data. Obviously this is a complex issue with many of the factors beyond our control. For example, it will depend to some extent on the user's choice of software. Although there are some practical limitations to this functionality, our solution should be more useful and certainly lower in cost than present methods. (External boxes which attempt, at best, to achieve this result cost $100-$250.) Anyone who purchases the Speedmodem Combo before April 30, 1991 is entitled to the voice mail firmware as a no cost upgrade, when available. HIGH SPEED MODEM ISSUES AND INFORMATION CompuCom Corporation has just introduced a 300-9600-(38,400 with data compression) bps modem. The SPEEDMODEM(tm) costs $169-$279 and includes 9600 bps send-receive Fax capability. CompuCom has received an overwhelming response, both from SysOps and general modem users. Many people have responded with surprise that the SPEEDMODEM COMBO offers such an unprecedented performance to cost ratio. Others are critical of it for lack of v.32 compatibility above 2400 bps. Thus we are providing more detailed information on performance and compatibility versus cost. CompuCom's commitment: CompuCom Corporation is committed to bring high speed communications to ALL modem users, not just the few who can presently afford it! In our high speed modem development program we carefully examined the possible technologies. Although our engineers had developed v.32 technology we concluded that v.32 would not be cost effective for the vast majority of modem users. We then took a bold step...to go in a direction contrary to the industry trend. Frankly, any company can manufacture a v.32 modem - buy a chip set (as most do) and a canned design. Place it's name on it, and it's in the v.32 business. Making it cost effective for the average modem user...well...well that is a different matter. SPEEDMODEM technology is half the cost of v.32 technology, yet it maintains high performance levels. The sale cost will track at half the cost of v.32 even should prices erode. Compatibility versus cost: Most modems can communicate at 2400 bps and many support MNP. However, there is no modem which can communicate at high speed with another modem using a different kind of high speed technology. Many people think that the US Robotics HST is compatible with v.32 modems at high speed...this is wrong. The only modem which can communicate with both, is the US Robotics Dual Standard. It incorporates two modem types in one box, v.32 and US Robotics HST. Its list price is $1295. Discount price is probably around $800. For comparison, U S Robotics HST or v.32 are each priced at $995. Discount is probably around $650. The Dual Standard still will not communicate at high speed with the Telebit TrailBlazer or the CompuCom SPEEDMODEM. The most popular high speed modem types selling today are: US Robotics, HST; CompuCom, SPEEEDMODEM; Telebit, TrailBlazer; and v.32. NOT ONE of these modem types will communicate at high speed with any other one! They must be one of the SAME KIND. If one buys a v.32 modem, one still can't communicate with the majority of BBSs which support high speed. The HST has been around a while and most high speed BBSs still use it. However if one buys an HST; it is still an expensive modem which isn't v.32 compatible...What a dilemma! v.32 is CCITT approved so it will be around a while, for better or worse. The HST has a large installed base but we expect its sales to decline rapidly. The SPEEDMODEM (modem /fax) COMBO offers the widest variety of features with more features coming either as free or low cost upgrades. It is the only selection which makes economic sense for the masses. It is the AFFORDABLE STANDARD! Multiline BBSs will, by necessity, be supporting all three modem types. SysOps are seeing it that way too. They are looking for a broader con- stituency and are adding the SPEEDMODEM to their service. This guarantees wide support for the SPEEDMODEN. v.32...What about v.32bis?...and what about v.42bis? The v.32 standard originates from The International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee, CCITT. Thus, it has been overwhelm- ingly endorsed by the press, and various manufacturers are building v.32 modems. Unfortunately, the v.32 standard reflects many of the problems associated with committee mentality. The committee overlooked something important...YOU...the PC user. It was biased toward main frame, not PC communications, thus cost wasn't an issue. Although v.32 modems generally perform satisfactorily, they are not the panacea that they are often made out to be. v.32 technology has neither lived up to its expected inter-manufacturer compatibility level nor its real world phone connection performance level. The heart of the V.32 modem is called the data pump. There are four or five notable sources of these complex and costly chip sets. They are presently being manufactured at large economies of scale and are reaching their potential lower end costs. Rockwell has the largest market share. Even though many manufacturers use the same Rockwell data pump chip set, there are still numerous variables and parameters influenced by the manufacturer's interpretation and/or discretion. The result; less than optimal data speed between various manufacturers products and very complex configuration issues. v.32 is being portrayed as a technological achievement...well it is definitely a technological challenge. It works well in the engineering laboratory, but in the real world of Ma Bell we often see rather lackluster performance. One commonly hears many echos while speaking on long distance connections. Echos are also present on short connections, but the ear doesn't detect these short time differences. As a mater of fact, there are usually several echos, most too subtle for the ear to detect. Echos are the nemesis of v.32 communications. For proper functioning, a v.32 modem must perfectly cancel all these echos. To do this, it must estimate, with precision, the exact inverse of each of the received echos and subtract these estimates from the distant signal. Any error in this process results in self generated noise and interference. Perfect cancellation of the multiple echos present on many connections is simply not achievable. Under these circumstances a v.32 modem is likely to fall back to its secondary speed of 4800 bps or otherwise perform poorly. To add insult to injury, all of this echo cancelling hardware can easily be more than half the cost of the v.32 data pump. Furthermore modulation techniques other than those used in v.32 technology provide significant improvements on real world phone connections. CompuCom Corporation has developed modem techniques with much higher performance to cost ratios than any v.32/v.32bis technologies. It is our commitment to continue this effort. Furthermore, the CompuCom SPEEDMODEM uses a hyper-bus hardware architecture. This provides total access to all the hardware capability, including the analog to digital and digital to analog converters. This allows diverse features and functions (e.g. voice mail) to be added with simple, low cost firmware upgrades. The data pump, (closed architecture) approach used in v.32 modems is too constrained to allow this kind of flexibility. SPEEDMODEM technology is not only more cost effective, it also provides additional functionality not found in higher cost products. v.32bis is the next CCITT high speed modem waiting in the wings. It is downward compatible with v.32 at 9600 bps. Its speed is 14,400 bps on paper. On real world telephone lines...? Two things are certain. It will be very costly. And, the modulation points are very closely spaced causing great vulnerability to noise and errors in echo cancelling. Thus, the problems associated with normal v.32 will be somewhat more problematic with v.32bis. We predict that v.32bis will meet its performance expectations only on pristine telephone connections. There is much confusion about v.42/42bis. Many people think it is the next new modem technology after v.32. v.42 is not a modem technology; it is a CCITT approved error correction and data compression protocol package. In a practical sense it is similar to MNP levels 1-9. Just as Xmodem, it may be used with any modem technology. Some modem vendors are placing v.42bis on 2400 bps modems and referring to the modem as 9600 bps. Even if two modems both support v.42, there is no assurance that they can communicate with each other. For compatibility they must also support the same modem technology. For example a v.32/v.42 should communicate with any other v.32/v42 modem. However, it will not communi- cate with a US Robotics HST/v.42 above 2400 bps raw speed, since 2400 is their highest level of mutual modem technology. The SPEEDMODEM supports a 4:1 external data compression protocol called CSP-3. It is slightly more efficient than v.42bis and provides speeds up to 38,400 bps depending on data type. A word of caution: Data compression techniques, whether CSP-3, MNP 5-9, or v.42bis are convenient for transferring data files in their natural state, uncompressed. However, they provide little, if any, value in transferring already compressed or archived files, the kind most often downloaded from a BBS. The RAW SPEED of the modem is what really counts, not its data compression speed. A 2400 bps modem with v.42bis is of little value to the BBS user since its raw speed is still only 2400 bps. NOTE...Some mail order vendors who advertise 9600 bps modems are selling cheap 2400 bps modems along with a data compression software package. Again, the raw speed of these modems is only 2400 bps. The SPEEDMODEM's raw speed is 9600 bps. HIGH COST STANDARDS OR AN AFFORDABLE STANDARD WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO THE BBS USER? Many BBSs support 9600 bps modems. Yet, 90% of their constituency still call in at 2400 bps...they can't afford $500+ for a modem! V.32 technology is receiving enormous amounts of press because it is the CCITT standard for a 9600 bps modem. Numerous authors are climbing on the bandwagon and claiming it is the only way to go. Authors and promoters of these costly modems are overlooking some very important points: One; the average BBS user buys his equipment from his own pocketbook, not the corporate budget. Two; fax has become a mass media for electronic communications. The integration of fax and modem technology is a natural next step for the BBS community. Many SysOps are considering augmenting their electronic mail with fax capability. Not only will they be receiving the mail...soon they will be delivering it. Also overlooked, is by far the largest segment of modem users...the silent majority. These people aren't active on the networks and in conferences. They are the largest active segment on many local and large commercial BBSs. They are very important to these BBSs and represent a driving force in the marketplace. These people use their PC for both business and personal reasons. They demand more than just a modem. They need total communications capability, including fax, at an affordable price ($169-$279). V.32/42 and the HST modems are inherently costly to manufacture. These products and the chips inside them are already being manufactured at large economies of scale. Thus, their prices are not likely to erode rapidly. Either way, the SPEEDMODEM will always remain half the cost of an HST or v.32/42 modem. It is a technology breakthrough...performance/price and unique functionality. Although most modems are compatible up through 2400 bps and MNP-5; there is no modem which can communicate with all other high speed modems at 9600 bps. Furthermore, such a modem is unlikely to evolve since most of the high speed modem designs are owned exclusively by their respective manufacturers. The majority of multi-line BBSs will, by necessity, be supporting three separate modem technologies which are incompatible at high speed: the US Robotics HST, because of it's installed base; v.32, because it is CCITT approved; and the CompuCom SPEEDMODEM, because people can afford it. Furthermore the SPEEDMODEM will carry most of the traffic, and become the AFFORDABLE STANDARD because, it is the only alternative to 2400 bps for 90% of the BBS users. The SPEEDMODEM is the only choice which makes economic sense for most people. Economic sense ultimately drives the marketplace (both users and SysOps who support a large user base). The vast majority of BBS users deserve a choice ...to be in the ranks of the Top Guns...SysOps (including those who have HSTs) are seeing it that way too and are adding the SPEEDMODEM to their service. What is important to the BBS user?...COST! For 90% of the them...the NUMBERS speak louder than words! Remember... If you aren't totally satisfied, you may return the SPEEDMODEM in 30 days for a full product price refund! See for yourself...CALL NOW 800 ACT ON IT (800) 228-6648, (408) 732-4500, Fax (408) 732-4570 Latest information...CompuCom Support BBS (408) 738-4990 CompuCom Corporation 1180-J Miraloma Wy Sunnyvale, CA 94086 IBM is registered trademark of International Business Machines. Hayes is a registered trademark of Hayes Microcomputer Products. MNP is a registered trademark of Microcom Inc. SPEEDMODEM, COMBO, CHAMP, DISmodem, DIS, Dynamic Impedance Stabilization, CSP, CompuCom Speed Protocol, Total Communications Capability, and SpeedCom are trademarks of CompuCom Corporation.