Re: Network Device for GS?

["Roger Johnstone" <bhmhome@es.co.nz>]

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In article
<Pine.GSO.3.95.iB1.0.991025004322.9764J-100000@halifax.chebucto.ns.ca>, Tony
Cianfaglione <ab616@chebucto.ns.ca> wrote:


>
>I picked a strange looking device in a thrift store called: Apple GeoPort
>Telecom Interface  Model# 1694.  It's about 6" x 4" x 1" thick with a 
>bulbous appearance and rounded edges, and is Mac/GS-style platinum in
>color.  It has 2 phone plug sockets on one end and a serial(?) connector 8
>pin mini din cable on the other end.
>
>Is this just a fancy AppleTalk connector as I have a Farallon connector
>and the connections look similar?
>

I believe this is a "software" modem, for the Mac only. Similar to the
so-called Winmodems on PCs it uses the computer's CPU to run it instead of
using an internal CPU. The box is essentially just an interface between the
serial port and phone line. The theory is that it is cheaper to produce than
a full "hardware" modem, but at the expense of a hit on the processor (not
really a problem with modern fast processors). However, being an Apple
product, I think they sold for more than the full-featured modems from other
name-brand manufacturers.

Roger Johnstone