56 k, Coming to an Amiga near you

The latest modem developments have meant that we have two alternatives for faster access. Chris Hanretty investigates, trying to source out a possible winner

On one side, respected manufacturers and grand-daddies of the modem world Hayes, along with chip makers Motorola, Pace, Zoom and Compaq, with their K56 Flex standard, created by Lucent technologies.

On the other side, US Robotics/3Com, makers of speedy but pricy modems (IMHO!), supported by two clone makers, Packard Bell and NEC.

How it works

The theoretical maximum speed for data transmission over phone lines is around 35k (Shannon`s Law) Therefore, it would seem to be impossible to go any faster than this without something like ISDN. And it would, if all of the phone network was analog. Fortunately for us, it`s not. In most case, the only parts of the phone network that are analog are the small lines of wire going to your house.56K technology uses this fact to its advantage.

x2 Technology takes advantage of a special network configuration found when an analog client connects to a digitally connected server. By eliminating the analog-to-digital conversion in the downstream path, x2 can use the practical maximum amount of the available 64 Kbps bandwidth. This technique makes modems with x2 fundamentally different from other high-speed modems. In fact, downloads could more accurately be described as encoded, rather than modulated. To cut to the chase , it doesn`t DEM (from MOdulator DEModulator). It sends it as digitally encoded, which means that at your server end, they have to do more hard work.

However, this speed injection is like anabolic steroids: has some major drawbacks.

The most obvious one is that the figure of 56K is one way only. Unless you habitually upload massive files to Aminet or elsewhere, most of the data will be going from your ISP to you.

So then, a speed increase would be of most benefit if it was coming to your computer. And that`s what both K56 and x2 do. Its one way only because both methods eliminate the analog-to-digital conversion, when you upload, it`s different

Secondly, 56K should mean what it means, 56K. However, this is would be simplifying it so the people behind K56 have kindly said that only 5% of connects are made at 56K. Most 56K lines are actually made between 40 and 56 K, the average being around 50K. Then again, who can say that their modem continually transfers at 14.4, 28.8 or 33.6 continually? And also, there is the limiting factor of the Internet itself, busy servers, bad lines, etc.

This though, proves that we can only stave off digital connections for the short term, remember ISDN guarantees 64K. ISDN is now available to Amiga owners too, Eyetech have advertised a Zorro ISDN adapter. it doesn`t get much print space, but it works, because those lucky lucky people down at CU use an ISDN connection (Russa fussa, more money than sense, russa fussa mussa)

Get standardized!

Amiga support

Fortunately (thank goodness for "buts"!), Amiga owners can get their grubby little paws on a piece of genuwine top quality, faster than a dog with a rocket up its ass, 56K modem. Right now!

Active Software in the UK, the ones that sell NetConnect, are doing deals. NetConnect plus Dyna link K56 Flex modems for £149.95. If you`re not keen on ditching you existing net software (why not, NetConnect looks great!), then you can get the modem for 5 pennies short of 120 pounds

Just for a laugh though, I decided to phone USR and ask them whether their modems are Amiga compatible. I expected to find no knowledge of Amigas, possibly even the famous "I didn`t know they could get on the internet!". I have a friend who used to believe this, until of course, I put him straight!

Wahey! Recognition! Even stopped to ask me the model number! Although I don`t exactly know if they have in-depth info re: the Amiga. But Hey! Who cares, they works. US Robotics/3Com say so

I don`t think there will be any problems with 56K modems and Amigas. It all happens in the modems anyway. Thanks to the Amiga`s nice OS and logical devices, it should work OK, but you might need an enhanced serial port to get the best out of these fast modems, something like PortPlus, Whippet, HyperCom or any of a range of High speed Zorro cards should do the trick.

Increased Speed Perhaps?

Interesting reading, yes/no? It seems that only Wirenet is a biggish Amiga friendly ISP that supports both schemes, but feel free to mail me if you feel differently.

Obviously Demon and Wirenet have made executive decisions to support one or the other, but both say that they`ll support whichever becomes standard. It`s interesting though, that although Wirenet may be smaller than Demon or Netcom and hence have, presumably less money, that they have managed to shell out to support both. Good for them.

For non-Amiga friendly ISPs, Pipex Dial and Global Internet both calim to be the first supporting both technologies

56k Supporting ISPs K56 Flex supporting ISPs x2 supporting ISPs ISPs supporting both

The global picture, though, will decide the outcome. I took all the x2 supporting ISPs in USR`s list, and all the K56Flex supporting ISPs in K56`s list (both for North America, which I`m extrapolating to the world), cross matched them, and this is what I found You must remember that these figures have only been taken from a portion of the total no. of ISPs from USR and K56Flex lists, and of that, that small group is only from N. America. Also, it`s still early in the game. If anyone has more accurate lists (and not just PR spiel!), mail me, address at the bottom

And the Winner is?

The K56 team, headed by Hayes and Motorola, have a big grounding in modem manufacture and chip making respectively. You`ve not forgotten who makes the bread and butter 680x0s and the lovely PPCs, have you?

Hayes did have some financial problems though, filing for Chapter 13 (CBM buy-out watchers, remember that?) in 1994, but now they`re okay. Motorola also have made their own modems for a while. Pace also are prolific modem makers. Zoom, never heard of them really, but they make modems, and Compaq, well. All I can say about Compaq is that they have a plant in my home town. Shades of the nuclear reactor plant in Springfield. Well, I don`t like them, OK?

I think as well as ISP support, units shifted will prove an important part in the ITUs collective mindset. They don`t want to annoy a whole lot of people, including especially those new to the Internet.

So, bearing this all in mind, my prediction is (drumroll please maestro :-) ) that K56 Flex will become the new standard. It has been designed by a pretty clever bunch of people, and has enough industy support behind it, with the majoirty of ISPs supporting it over x2. More modems are being made for the standard, whereas with x2 it`s solely USR pushing it all the way. We have seen with IBM contemptibles that mass coverage oftens wins out over superior technology, although really both systems have very little between them. If I`m wrong, we`ll find out in September, won`t we?

The author (Chris Hanretty, a.k.a. "Obscure Reference") can be reached at 100720.1325@compuserve.com. The text of this article is copyright 1997 Chris Hanretty

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