Do you have a crappy "winmodem" taking up a valuable PCI slot whch you need ?

[MegalosSkylaki]

Check out this doubtlessly crappy "Host" AMR slot "Q-Lity" modem for $5.95. Sadly, it may not be worse --or much worse--than the winmodem you have now ! Supports k56Flex and V90.

You may have an AMR (not to be confused with CNR) slot on your Mobo and forgotten it .

Or, look at these external --which (here) doesn't mean hi-end or "hardmodem"--it means outside of your valuable PCI slot atGetOutofThe Box.

USB, serial--SupraExpress and even an out-of-stock US Robotics-.

Save your valuable PCI slot if you are short of one.
Pull that errr..less than hi-end softmodem and replace it with an external err..less than hi-end external softmodem.

If you can't or don't want to afford an mid-to- topnotch external Hardmodem ($60--$300), maybe this site will help you out.

And say "deD G sent ya!"

[BobViper]

ALOHA
Sorry but MY "CRAPPY" bought with a REBATE~WinModem Pulls consistant 48,000-52,000 !!!
Its Too bad its Crappy!~I guess I lost an Extra 1,000 if I only spent $100 more!!

Aloha~BobViper

[MrLuigi]

Ummm....no driver or manual with this purchase.
It'll make a great paper weight.

Product Specification:
- V.90 AMR Host Fax/Modem 56Kbps (K56Flex and V.90) Host Modem
- FEATURES V.34, V.32bis. V.22bis, V.21, Bell 103/Bell 212
- V.42bis and MNP 5 data compression
- V.42 LAPM and MNP 2-4 error correction
- Voice/Fax/Modem distinction
- Supports Class 1 standards: V.17, V.29 and V.27 ter
- Fully software upgradable

This great little modem will free up a PCI slot in your Q-Lity Barebones! No drivers are needed as they are included with your Q-Lity Barebones Driver disk.

Package Content: Modem only, no drivers or manual.

[Cruez]

I had one in mine built in with the soundcard.....what a piece of crap....stopped responding after a few minutes or a hour...depending when it decided to. After a clean install of win98se It decided not to work with the provided drivers....kinda hard to download new drivers WHEN YOU CANT CONNECT TO THE INTERNET!!.......

[Bullion]

Back in the day when 56k was blazing fast, i invested in a winmodem, mistake and a half, worked for maybe 5 mins b4 it dropped the connection, data rate of max 33000, (and no its not the phone lines fault). So after much cursing, afew different driver and many phone calls later i bought an external acer, consistent 53333 connection and never dropped the connection. Conclusion; WIN MODEMS BITE.

[MegalosSkylaki]

Sorry to disabuse you guys !
But your "winmodem" is ONLY "pulling" your Interface i.e. plug-in the telephone.

It borrows the DSPDigital Signal Processor N maybe Controler from your System Resourses--you know that nice CPU of yours !

So all its pullin' is a telephone line !

The term is "software solution" as in "Economical"--in money , not on your CPU etc.

The issue is not "soft vs hard modems--but where to locate the interface (telephine plug in) of the soft modem if you don't see the need for a hard modem or want spend the coin. The $5.95 was more facetious , but they have the 19.95 --$30 Supramax externals and maybe they'll get a Us Robotics in again !

It's alright to have that powerful CPU doing almost all the work for your "modem", but the point I was making is if you are short of PCI slots, an easy way to open one up is to take that "plug 'in for the telephone"--which is pretty much what it is-- and move it outside the box.

This frees a needed slot PCI slot--if you do need one--amd letting your CPU go on doing the real work for the "softmodem"--which now resides outside the box !.

And if your machine is low on power, why not use one that has its own external power supply, taking part of one load off the PCI bus !

RESIDESOUTSIDETHEBOXDOOOG

P.S. Many softies work quite satisfactory in the context they are used and make their proud owners quite happy. of course there are differents context. And a low-end extenal soft-modem probably won't do any better under conditions that degrade in performance. The singular advantage is the one I noted.

[TOAD6147]

My question(s) would be this: You don't really need a Q-lity board to use this, right? I mean, it's an industry standard slot and circutry so it should work, right?

[MegalosSkylaki]

I'm not sure if i entirely get your question, but the Q-lity internal modem uses an AMR slot. This like the CNR are usually used for OEM mobos but are hard to find in the Consumer after-market. Sometimes they come bundled with a mobo.

The advantage to one is that many mobo's--because they are also used as OEM mobos (albeit with a rev. Bios)--have these very slots which generally go to waste.

The main advantage if you have such a mobo--and a "soft modem" in a PCI slot, you could replace it with a amr or cnr slot-type "softmobo" and free up that PCI slot. Note: each is not interchangable with the other.

Look first for expansion slots on case, and how the cards are arrayed. By that I mean some 6 slot mobos may have difficulty with six cards due to to size, height,cords,fans etc. Also, expansion slots are not always "level" with how the cards fit in --or so it seems. A six on six mobo is a crowded place ! Sometimes with IRQ conflicts and poor card ventilation.

The idea is that a softmodem is essentially an interface for your telephone plugs and then some. If you are short a PCI slot, one solution is to either get an external "softmodem" on the cheap, or a cnr or amr card modem likewise.

One free PCI slot coming up !

I am thinking of changing my PCI modem for an external to put in a slot fan in a proprietary minicase.

Another solution is an external hardmodem ($60--$300), but these tend to be costly--as are internal hardmodems. They use up a serial port typically, and require configuration. Their firmware--always check this out before you buy--are upgradable. They older ones required an actual change of firmware--by purchase.

Cable modem can work off your NIC I think, but many people might still want a dial-up modem as a backup.

And yes, AMR and CNR card have been stadardized by the industry. I think there is also a third form whose name escapes me. Audio modem riser and communications network riser or such are their full names.

My guess is people tend to overlook or forget about these after a while. They look a little like short AGP slots and are usually found way on the bottom of mobo or on the top , near the AGP slot, but less wide.

[TOAD6147]

http://www.pcmech.com/show/modems/10
Note: edited to meet the 2000 character limit.

With today's Winmodem technology, which provides a cheap physical modem that uses the processing power of the CPU, the ISA slot and interface circuitry is a waste of money. Intel, along with others, have made a new slot standard that is intended to phase out the ISA bus, in order for cheaper, and smaller modems to be used. The Audio/Modem Riser Slot, or AMR for short, is basically just an interface between the motherboard and the phone line. The card that is intended to plug into the AMR has no onboard processing power at all. For all functions, it uses the CPU's processing power. Although this provides for cheap and easy-to-make modems, this cuts about 20% of the CPU power off from the user. Without a hardwired controlling chip, the card relies on special software drivers, to make it work. This is contrary to how a normal modem works. A normal hardmodem, has an onboard processor that does all the work and rarely needs to bother the CPU. An AMR modem also provides for an easy upgrades. No Firmware flashing and no chip replacing. They are using the same card and the same phone line, just different drivers. An AMR is very cheap, but you get what you pay for. An AMR modem is only recommended for someone that doesn't want to play online games, because, while playing the game online, about 20% of the Processing power, used to kick out the Frame Rates, will be sucked up by the modem. If you're a gamer, you'll want to stay with a hardware modem. An AMR modem is fine for that person looking for the cheap PC to get on the Internet and use e-mail, being it's so cheap and easy to upgrade.

I knew there was a reason for still keeping a couple of external serial modems around for when stuff breaks -

as we speak - I am on a 28.8 usrobo - sitting on the shelf - picked it up for $5 at a yard sale - best speed form here is 28.8 but then you havee to hope that you don't get the crapped out modem at the phone com talking to you - it will hang up whne ever - 26.4 runns well - no hiccups - slow as heck though!

as for amr's that is good to know - this place is a weath of knowledge.

wiz