★ HARDWARE ★ PERIPHERIQUES CPC - MODEMS ★ MODEM - SKYWAVE MULTIPORT INTERFACE WITH MODEM HOUSE'S VOYAGER 7|Popular Computing Weekly) ★ |
| Modem - Skywave Multiport Interface with Modem House's Voyager 7 | Hardware Peripheriques Cpc - Modems |
This communication package for the Amstrad CPCs consists of Modem House's Voyager 7, connected via the RS232 port of Skywave Software's Multiport interface and controlled by Skycom software supplied in Rom form. Different combinations are possible - the interface can be bought individually if you already have a modem, and vice versa - so it is worth looking at the parts individually. A comma package can also be supplied for the PCW 8256 using the Voyager, but not the multiport. There are much cheaper packages available if you are just interested in Micronet, Prestel or playing MUD. Sky com is aimed at those who want something a little more ambitious or unusual from their micro and who know that the extra is worth paying for.
Voyager 7 plus interface Voyager >> It connects directly into a phone socket, using one of those weird Telecom plugs, so people with older phone systems may have problems. It does, however, give you the potential advantages of auto dialling. It is made special in this particular package by a small extra board that also gives you the facilities of auto-answering supported by the Sky com interface. The only real criticism is that the dial on the front, by which you select the different transmit and receive modes, is so confusingly labelled that they may as well not have bothered. It is also not yet fully approved, a familiar story of red tape and backlogs. For 95% of applications the modem will meet all your needs. Certain American Bulletin Boards use 2400 baud rates which work better across the Atlantic than others, but it's a specialist thing and if you can afford those phone bills, you can afford a bigger modem. Multiport The Multiport interface is a well made, solid, three way port. You are supplied with a standard RS232 D plug useable for all serial interfacing, printing, etc. Software to redirect the print output from the standard parallel port to the RS232 is promised. Something of a bonus, and perhaps unnecessary if you are just interested in communications, is a 24 way parallel port that is said to be ‘quasi BBC User Port compatible'. What this means is that for various chip reasons it is only The final port is the obligatory through connector for disc drive or other peripherals. Inside the multiport are two Rom sockets, but by the time the full Skycom software has been finished both will be used up. The board fits snugly with the 464, but an extension has to be fitted if you have a 664 or 6128. It works well but looks a bit awkward. The senal port can be set to transmit or receive baud rates between 9600 and 75, in a series of seven common combinations. You can also set parity, duplex, stop bits. etc. For most comms uses the appropriate combinations are available as menu options and you don't have to worry about setting them yourself. Skycom The Rom software and manual supplied for this article were just provisional. The first ‘complete' version should be available in a few weeks, but Skywave says that it will be producing upgrades and improvements. The existing package is nice, the equal of much that is around, with a Prestel mode, a Terminal mode (for bulletin boards with 80 column scrolling text) and a Telecom Gold mode. Telesoftware downloading is supported. Although it comes on Rom, you will need a support disc or tape file to hold the phone numbers for auto-dialling, etc. The free memory is used as a buffer for holding characters that you have received, or wish to transmit. You can save the entire buffer, or individual Prestel pages, to disc, edit them, or even retransmit them. However, more interesting than all this are all the extra features that are coming in the software upgrade; features that plug some gaps but are also likely to raise Skycom well above the more usual comms packages. We are promised an auto log on facility and more file transfer options for user to user communication. There will be a format for connecting to the Open University computer and also something that is described as a 'simplified' IBM 3270 format. You will be able to connect to a new 80 column viewdata system called Casper, which will apparently give you access to Yellow Pages amongst other things. There will hopefully be a feature for downloading of CP/ M software from Bulletin Boards. These must represent a tremendous attraction for some specialised or business users and should guarantee Skycom considerable sales. An auto answer system will also be included whereby people who dial will be shown a text file held on disc, as well as possibly being invited to enter a reply a sort of text based answerphone or very simple Bulletin Board. A further Rom is also promised providing extensive software for running a proper Bulletin Board system from your own home, and Skywave promise that this, too, will contain some powerful features. Skywave is planning to set up a Bulletin Board in its own office, but they have already paid for their own page on Prestel (£25886) called Skyclub which gives information for all users of Skycom — a level of customer support that they are justifiably proud of. Tony Kendle , Popular Computing Weekly (1986-02)
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The Voyager 7 is a reasonably sturdy, well built, modem. All common permutations on 75/300/1200 baud rates are offered, including reverse Prestel, as well as a test mode which connects the input with the output to communicate with yourself. It is mains powered and has a row of six LEDs along the front so that you know what is going on at any one time.
