From: tpang@fraser.sfu.ca (Tsui Ting Debbie Pang)
Subject: Mod. ZyXEL 1496E ext. audio & faster 68000? Manual ver?
Summary: Is the modification plausible? Void warranty? Manual version?
Keywords: external audio, headphone jack, 68000,speed,ZyXEL 1496E,hack,manual
Organization: Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., Canada
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 08:55:32 GMT

I have just bought a ZyXEL U-1496E from the BBS Screen Contest discount,
after some confusion and misunderstanding (and never got return e-mail from
Mr. Tyronne), finally got it, and am very happy with both their services
(finally! not initially) and the modem itself.

On opening the case, (yes, I am always curious, an electronic hobbist since
high school, and an EE/CS), I found there is a place between the RS-232
socket and the telephone RJ-11 socket, which says headphone or something,
with all the traces somewhat leading to audio section (long traces). But
the plug is not there. I am wondering if this was meant for an external
audio output connection, but was taken off due to some reason? I am
interested in soldering the jack but I think this action might void the
warranty. I think I was reading here earlier and they provided user
rom upgrade, so opening the case would not void the warranty. But when
someone was talking about modifying the older PCB to take newer 1MB rom,
Mr. Tyronne warned those that this action will void the warranty.

2nd question: The side of the PCB printed ZyXEL U-1496E+, but the letter
'+' was marked off with a permanant marker. I am guessing that the '+'
model has at least the same PCB if not more. So lead to this question:
what else is different? I remember someone posted that the 68000 will
be 20MHz version, but I don't know about the DSP chips? are they a faster
version too? If this is only the 68000, is it worth the 'hack' :) when
the new upgrade ROM came out in Jan. 93? Again, I understand removing
and soldering a new 68000 and crystal WILL void the warranty. I am just
looking at theoretical possibility now. So anybody knows what are the
differences between the + model and the one without?

I also read a post here that ZyXEL was coming out with a new manual. My
manual version is 2.1, is it the newest? or there will be a newer version
still? Mr. Tyronne, can you tell us about this?

Is there going to be a upgrade/trade up policy to + or S or S+ model when
the upgrade ROMs come out in Jan 93?

Again, I am very happy with my modem, and ZeroOne (still can have some room
for improvement). I am not advocating anybody to hack the modem, nor I
have any connection with ZyXEL or ZeroOne, besides a happy customer (and
a BBS Contestor).

Last: what fax software do you recommand for Mac and Amiga? I use an Amiga
A3000 with an AMaxII Macintosh emulator.  I tried ZFax on the PCTask PC
software emulator (kind of like SoftPC for Mac/NeXT/Sun) but it doesn't
work either fax or voice. I specifically want to try the voice, since there
is no software out there doing this yet. May be I should write one but I
need some pointer to start. Or I should get a PC clone just to use ZFax voice
. :)

Thanks,
David Tse

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| David Tse      E-mail: tpang@sfu.ca (Internet)                           |
| Snail Mail: P.O. Box 26052, Richmond, BC, V6Y 1Z3, Canada                |
| Home: Amiga A3000/25 + AMaxII (Macintosh emulation) + PCTask (MS-DOS)    |
| Modem: ZyXEL U-1496E (16.8k/V.32bis/14.4kFax/Voice-digitizing/DTMF)      |
| Portable: HP48SX  ; Next to TV: Amiga A1000 (Nintendo killer)            |
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Newsgroups: comp.dcom.modems