13 Oct
1999
13 Oct
'99
1:30 p.m.
Please respond to Tim directly at <astrl3(a)uaa.alaska.edu> if you can help...
Date: Mon, 11 Oct 1999 23:18:45 -0800
From: Tim Long <astrl3(a)UAA.ALASKA.EDU>
Subject: Acoustic modems?
Hi! I am interested in purchasing an acoustic modem, but I have not been
able to find one anywhere. First, are there any acoustic modems that are
compatible with modern IBM-clone PCs? Where could I find one? I have
checked most of the local used computer stores, but all I have gotten have
been weird facial expressions from the proprietors, usually followed by,
"No, we haven't had those in YEARS!" Any information you could give me
would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Tim Long
astrl3(a)uaa.alaska.edu
--------------------------------------------------------------------- O-
Uncle Roger "There is pleasure pure in being mad
roger(a)sinasohn.com that none but madmen know."
Roger Louis Sinasohn & Associates
San Francisco, California http://www.sinasohn.com/
14 Oct
14 Oct
5:15 a.m.
At 03:30 PM 10/13/99 -0700, Roger Sinasohn wrote:
Please respond to Tim directly at
<astrl3(a)uaa.alaska.edu> if you can help...
>Date: Mon, 11 Oct 1999 23:18:45 -0800
>From: Tim Long <astrl3(a)UAA.ALASKA.EDU>
>Subject: Acoustic modems?
>
>Hi! I am interested in purchasing an acoustic modem, but I have not been
>able to find one anywhere. First, are there any acoustic modems that are
>compatible with modern IBM-clone PCs?
Certainly the use of a coupler limits the bandwidth of the signal
that can be reliably exchanged. It worked in the days of two-tone
300 baud, but I don't think it would stand a chance at 4800, 9600
or above.
- John
11:18 a.m.
At 03:30 PM 10/13/99 -0700, Roger Sinasohn wrote:
Acoustic couplers, not the earlier ones, but later units made for $$$ and
people who did a lot of "remote" travel worked up to about 4800.
Essentially we are really just talking about a certain level of "fidelity"
between your hardware and the telco hardware.
The real question is WHAT does the person hope to accomplish.
Please respond to Tim directly at
<astrl3(a)uaa.alaska.edu> if you can help...
>Date: Mon, 11 Oct 1999 23:18:45 -0800
>From: Tim Long <astrl3(a)UAA.ALASKA.EDU>
>Subject: Acoustic modems?
>
>Hi! I am interested in purchasing an acoustic modem, but I have not been
>able to find one anywhere. First, are there any acoustic modems that are
>compatible with modern IBM-clone PCs?
Certainly the use of a coupler limits the bandwidth of the signal
that can be reliably exchanged. It worked in the days of two-tone
300 baud, but I don't think it would stand a chance at 4800, 9600
or above.
- John 
11:47 a.m.
At 03:30 PM
10/13/99 -0700, Roger Sinasohn wrote:
Acoustic couplers, not the earlier ones, but later units made for $$$ and
people who did a lot of "remote" travel worked up to about 4800.
Essentially we are really just talking about a certain level of "fidelity"
between your hardware and the telco hardware.
Please respond to Tim directly at
<astrl3(a)uaa.alaska.edu> if you can help...
>Date: Mon, 11 Oct 1999 23:18:45 -0800
>From: Tim Long <astrl3(a)UAA.ALASKA.EDU>
>Subject: Acoustic modems?
>
>Hi! I am interested in purchasing an acoustic modem, but I have not been
>able to find one anywhere. First, are there any acoustic modems that are
>compatible with modern IBM-clone PCs?
Certainly the use of a coupler limits the bandwidth of the signal
that can be reliably exchanged. It worked in the days of two-tone
300 baud, but I don't think it would stand a chance at 4800, 9600
or above.
- John 
11:57 a.m.
I saw but didn't pay much attention to an acoustic coupler located at
Fry's Electronics in Willsonville Oregon about a week ago. Next time
there I'll take another look.
George Rachor
=========================================================
George L. Rachor Jr. george(a)racsys.rt.rain.com
Beaverton, Oregon http://racsys.rt.rain.com
United States of America Amateur Radio : KD7DCX
On Thu, 14 Oct 1999, Mark Green wrote:
You can still buy acoustic couplers, I bought one several years
ago. It definitely does better than 4800. If I recall correctly
mine does 9600 baud and possibly higher. There are two markets
for acoustic couplers. One if traveling sales people. A
acoustic coupler can be used from a pay phone, so they can
connect on the road. The other is for people who do a lot
of traveling outside of North America. Its easier to connect
an acoustic coupler to a phone than to try and find the
appropriate phone jacks. In some hotels, particularly in
Europe, the phones aren't jacked, so unless you take the phone
apart (I have a friend that carries a complete tool kit for
this purpose), an acoustic coupler is your only choice. If
I remember correctly I paid around $150 for mine.
--
Dr. Mark Green mark(a)cs.ualberta.ca
Professor (780) 492-4584
Director, Research Institute for Multimedia Systems (RIMS)
Department of Computing Science (780) 492-1071 (FAX)
University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2H1, Canada
At 03:30 PM 10/13/99 -0700, Roger Sinasohn wrote:
Acoustic couplers, not the earlier ones, but later units made for $$$ and
people who did a lot of "remote" travel worked up to about 4800.
Essentially we are really just talking about a certain level of "fidelity"
between your hardware and the telco hardware.
Please respond to Tim directly at
<astrl3(a)uaa.alaska.edu> if you can help...
>Date: Mon, 11 Oct 1999 23:18:45 -0800
>From: Tim Long <astrl3(a)UAA.ALASKA.EDU>
>Subject: Acoustic modems?
>
>Hi! I am interested in purchasing an acoustic modem, but I have not been
>able to find one anywhere. First, are there any acoustic modems that are
>compatible with modern IBM-clone PCs?
Certainly the use of a coupler limits the bandwidth of the signal
that can be reliably exchanged. It worked in the days of two-tone
300 baud, but I don't think it would stand a chance at 4800, 9600
or above.
- John 
5:19 p.m.
On Thu, 14 Oct 1999, Mike Ford wrote:
I remember the days of being vewwy, vewwy *quiet* while downloading "huge"
80K files with an Atari 830. Then, 78K through, you'd lean back and your
chair would give out a loud "creeaaakkk" and it was all over.
We did all kinds of things to try to insulate from noise; eventually, I
used bathtub caulk and dedicated a cheap phone to the cause...caulking
every place I thought it might leak noise. Then I'd bury the thing in
pillows...
I've seen several devices in the past couple of years for travellers to be
able to have data access in hotels/pay-phones, etc. I know they were at
least 4800b, and I believe some even claimed 9600b. I remember because I
was on a plane to Chicago with a friend who used to geek around Atari's
with me and I wistfully sighed, "Remember back when we were on the Dragon
BBS, trying to download with that acoustic modem?"
Aaron
Certainly the
use of a coupler limits the bandwidth of the signal
that can be reliably exchanged. It worked in the days of two-tone
300 baud, but I don't think it would stand a chance at 4800, 9600
or above.
- John
Acoustic couplers, not the earlier ones, but later units made for $$$ and
people who did a lot of "remote" travel worked up to about 4800.
Essentially we are really just talking about a certain level of "fidelity"
between your hardware and the telco hardware.
9043
days inactive
9044
days old
5 comments
6 participants
participants (6)
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af-list＠is1.wfi-inc.com -
george＠racsys.rt.rain.com -
jfoust＠threedee.com -
mark＠cs.ualberta.ca -
mikeford＠socal.rr.com -
Roger＠Sinasohn.com