From: alen@crash.cts.com (Alen Shapiro)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.comm
Subject: Ultima report (story so far(long)) was: prometheus modem - comments
Date: 28 Aug 92 03:06:34 GMT

In <92240.144326HARM@SLACVM.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU> HARM@SLACVM.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU writes:

>I am considering purchasing the prometheus modem.
>Please post comments if you have experience with this machine.
>I am wondering if it is as good as it looks and worth the cost.
>In particular, how is the message taking process?
>     take up alot of space on disk?
>     Messages intelligible?
>Compatible with Power books and LC s?

I have a Prometheus Promodem Ultima Home Office. I like it!!! It has a
few rough edges but on the whole it give me good service. I've got a dozen or
so faxes stored in my fax folder, takes about 2Mbytes including the mailbox
messages (about 400k for the greetings etc.) There are 3 grades of message
taking quality, each with progressively higher data requirements. I'm using
the middle grade (quite adequate) but delete my incomming messages
once I've heard them so I don't see much space taken by them.

The messaging system takes over the mac while it is recording, if you
are printing at the same time, the printer gives a communications error.
If you are loading a large program when a message comes in, expect the
message software not to notice the call till it is too late (the fax
mode cuts in (fired from an init)). These problems happen infrequently
with my mode of use and I'm not sure what can be done about them anyway
(ideas anyone)?

Message software allows non-hierarchical multi voice-mailbox storage, i.e.
like MFS but for voice-mailboxes. You could fake an HFS-like structure
but a user would be able to get at any mbox at any time. You can associate
a different greeting with any mbox you set up. You can designate any mbox
to be a fax-initiator (i.e. jump into fax mode for incomming). CNG tones
ARE supported (they auto jump into fax-mode). The fax-initiator-type mboxes
are for incomming fax machines that do not generate CNG.

I'm in regular touch with Prometheus tech support about ongoing
problems that need to be cleared up. They do not affect normal modem
operation but here they are (for completeness).

1) noisy (but still voice-grade) lines are not coped with properly,
   (in data mode). Ultima recognises high speed carrier but fails
   to recognise LAP-M or v42.bis, the resulting connect is unusable.
   On good lines, this is not a problem and LAP-M and v42 are correctly
   recognised. I restrict my noisy connects to 9600 baud (max) which
   gets around the problem till Prometheus can get the negotiation
   sequence right. I'm pretty sure this is a "noisy-line" problem
   since I can reliably connect using my long distance carrier (SPRINT)
   at 14400 with LAP-M recognised just fine. Shame to spend the bucks on
   a local connect though. When I see a failure to connect at 14400
   I redial with max-speed set to 9600. I only get this problem when I dial
   a certain area (El-Cajon from Ramona).
2) Can't maintain a v32bis connect with Pratical Peripherals 9600SA
   (14400FXSA works just fine though). Modem connects but hangs-up
   after a stream of ZMODEM characters come at it (into Ultima). I've
   seen this problem before, something to do with not coping with variable
   packet sizes for streamed v.32 data.
3) Can't re-establish data receive after an ATO following a +++ break.
   I can transmit ok but see nothing comming back. May not be the
   Ultima but it happens with all modems I've connected to.
4) Can't set S11 less than 100 (time between tones being dialed,) I like
   55 (snappy).
5) Modem has been known to freeze while sending the 6th digit of a
   dial string. Has only happened 5 times in the last 3 months. The
   modem sits there generating a tone till it is turned off!!
6) Modem has been known to go on the blink (literally). Modem ops
   freeze and all the lower lights flash VERY fast. Has only happened 4
   or 5 times in the last 3 months. (I use the modem for several hours
   every day).
7) Modem recognises BUSY but only after 12 tones. Not good for those
   phone services that assume a connect after 6 ring-times.

FAX
8) The only problem I'm having with the Fax side right now is an
   ocasional failure to notice a page-transition signal from a remote
   fax. I can't be more precise but I don't think the remote fax has
   dropped carrier. The ultima sometimes just fails to see the transition
   (when sending out a fax) and gives up on the call. I tend to send faxes
   with just a few pages as a result. I'll investigate this when I get
   a tame fax machine so I can ship pages without bugging someone.

I am having a great deal of fun with this modem and it is not even
disrupting my work schedule too badly (quite a feat for bleading-edge
technology)...it's getting close to stable and reliable. Time to start
experimenting with V.Fast don't you think? :-)

I am not connected with Prometheus except as a (mostly) happy customer
(who will be even happier when these few remaining problems are ironed
out). Tech support is friendly and responsive. They are developing
their ROMs in-house so we're playing ROM-swap games every two or three
weeks (I think I must be an unofficial beta site cos these are not
production ROMS, just what my tech support contact is currently trying out).

Ultima uses Rockwell data pumps (anyone know what these do for the modem?
e.g. are they responsible for the noisy-negotiation sequences, i.e. will
all rockwell-equipped modem fare equally under the noisy-line syndrome
above?)

More to follow when these problems get fixed.

--alen
alen@crash.cts.com