GET ON THE NETWORK

Modem House
£119.90

Do you feel trapped in your computer room? Do you feel the need to communicate with sentient beings? If you do then a modem could be just what you're looking for.

The next mountain to climb is the substantial heap of jargon and the capital outlay, or that's how it used to be before the VTX 711/Voyager package came along. Modem House's latest unit is a little gem in many ways but it does seem to have one main flaw. I discovered this when I tried to plug it into my Spectrum Plus - it doesn't fit! To be fair the software does allow for printer dumps so I presume they intended the VTX 711 interface to be connected to some sort of motherboard - but not everyone has a printer or a motherboard.

Apart from this irritation, the package is extremely versatile and offers facilities which more expensive comms packages lack.

The interface is accompanied by a software package which incorporates three programs. The first is Viewterm which is a Prestel terminal emulator. Then comes Newterm, a full duplex system, and a Prestel telesoftware downloader called Teleterm.

Teleterm is the simplest of the three programs and requires the ability to use a telephone to call up your local Prestel number. For some people this may mean buying a two-way adaptor but if you have an extension phone this would do instead.

The other two packages include autodial systems and, once you've entered your most used numbers, the whole program can be re-saved with the new directory safely stored inside it. This greatly simplifies the task of logging on and this is further aided by allowing macros to be stored too.

A macro is a command string, such as your personal code, which simplifies the tedious task of logging on, or it can include codes to help you reach your favourite screen quickly.

These programs also allow you to save, load or printer dump your favourite screens. The Prestel version additionally allows you to carousel up to 26 screens in the computer's memory. Beyond this the Prestel program does little else and is ideal for novices.

As your knowledge of systems increases the Newterm program will become your main form of entertainment. The program can cope with whatever parity, data bits or slip bits need to be set for a particular system. In addition local echo, screen scrolling and ASCII file transmission or reception can be accessed. The program differs from Viewterm by its lack of double height characters and colour, but Prestel can still be called up using Newterm.

Although the specifications for this system are impressive, the actual hardware could be better designed. The interface has an Amphenol output lead which is positioned at the top, left hand side of the unit with Baud rate transmit/receive switches positioned beneath it. If these positions were swapped the switches would be easier to reach and the stability of the interface improved.

The mains lead to the Voyager is also annoying. When I placed the unit on the edge of my desk the lead did not reach the floor. I ended up with the modem on the floor and the computer precariously balanced on the edge of the desk. The telephone connector is amply long enough so why skimp on the mains lead?

I still recommend the system very strongly despite these niggling oversights, after all they are easily surmounted. Further details may be obtained from Modem House, 70 Longbrook Street, Exeter, Devon EX4 6AP.

MODEM ROUTE TO SUCCESS

A good modem can cost as much as a computer. Anthony Thompson investigates.

Price: £79
Baud Rate: A, B, C, D
Auto Dial As Standard: Yes

Every branch of computing has its own set of jargon. With word-processors you can cut, paste, insert or zap. With joysticks you can have auto-fire, pistol grips and microswitches and with monitors you can have RGBs, dual frequency and monochrome display. In most cases, common sense will give you a rough idea of what the jargon means but there is one area of computing where you might need a little help.

Communications is an area filled with seemingly meaningless phrases but one which offers rich rewards to those who dare to enter; to link your computer to the world of unlimited telephone bills, all you need is a modem.

The word modem is an abbreviation of modulator-demodulator. It is a device which translates the electronic language of a computer into a series of sound waves and vice versa. Those sounds are then sent down a telephone line to whatever service you choose.

All modems require software to work. With some models such as the Miracle Technology 64 multimodem it is built-in, while others like the Datastar Magic modem require a separate package. Software varies in price depending on the machine and the number of features you want.

AUTO-DIALLING

More expensive systems may incorporate more facilities such as auto-dialling and answering, on-screen clocks and memory buffers to store incoming data. Such features are really worth buying only if you intend to make full use of them. An auto-answer machine, combined with the correct software package, will allow you to create your own bulletin board with whatever services you like, but unless you do not use your telephone a great deal, it is best to have a separate line installed.

Modems in the same price range tend to have similar functions. The more expensive models have several additional features but the value is dependent on the purpose for which you intend to use it most.

The baud rate, the speed at which the modem sends and receives data, is an important consideration. Some systems send and receive data at 300/300 baud, the equivalent of 30 characters per second, but more recently many viewdata and bulletin board systems have adopted the Prestel standard of 1,200/75. While more and more systems are using that speed, the number still using 300/300 is sufficient to justify buying a modem which can handle both.

Faster speeds are available but they cost considerably more and can really be used only with the commercial electronic mail systems; they are geared more towards business than home users.

Most modern modems connect directly into the telephone socket. For those whose homes use older-type connections, acoustically-coupled modems which incorporate rubber cups to fit on the handset are available but they are often more difficult to use.

Modems capable of faster speeds such as 1,200/1,200 are available but they cost considerably more and can really be used only with commercial electronic mail systems which are geared more towards business rather than home users.

The operating speed of a modem is sometimes defined by the V system. That relates to a set of recommendations for data transmission by telephone made by the United Nations technical committee. V21 refers to the 300/300 system while V23 includes 1,200/75. There is also V22, the 1,200/1,200 system, and others which define modems which can auto-dial, auto-answer and so on.

Modems are sometimes also defined as being intelligent or Hayes-compatible; the latter refers to an American standard and the AT command set which some software packages use. Using this system, to dial a number from the keyboard, you type ATD followed by the number and return. The AT command attracts the attention of the modem while the D tells the modem to dial. Variations of the command set include help functions and dialling from memory.

Most modern modems connect directly into a telephone socket. For those whose homes use older-type connections, acoustically-coupled modems which incorporate rubber cups to fit on the handset are available but they are often more difficult to use.

A final point to mention is to ensure that the modem you buy is BABT-approved. If it is, it will display the green approval sticker - it is a criminal offence to use a non-approved modem on the BT network.

HARD FACTS SPECIAL

Are you having a hard time choosing the right hardware? Hard but Steve Adams has the lowdown on the latest hardware. And it's all under £100.

Modem House
£79.95

Now this is a neat little box of tricks. It's compatible with the Interface 1 and features autodial answer, even though this isn't automatic as it's carried out by the software. Mind you, this does mean that manual dialling is possible, though you'll need a double telephone adaptor jack socket since it isn't included in the package. A rotary switch at the front changes the baud rate and has a facility that tests the cable at 300 baud. It can also be left switched to the speed you want to use as the on-line switching is controlled by the software from the interface itself.