Help Transporter _modem_

[JohnJ76@aol.com]

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  Hello:
There have been, again, some interesting points borough out about
AE's PC Transporter.  I am especially intrigued by one comment:
  
 > mnementh@netcom.com (David R. Villegas) writes in part:
 > Is it possible to trick the PCT into using the Apple's RAM
 > as well? I suppose /RAM could be formatted and a program could
 > add virtual memory to the system.
  
Mr. Villegas, this concept of using the Apple side RAM would be
challenging to me. Would you please give me (us) some pointers as
to how one would implement such a proposal?
  
Mr. Witkin makes some comments that I think are worth passing to
the news group.
  
 > Kenneth Witkin <kwitkin@sytex.com> writes in part:
 > I have found another problem with my PCT.  I was using an
 > AE Vulcan hard drive for the past four years and it was
 > perfectly compatible with my PCT. Recently I bought a
 > Quality Computers Q-drive and now I'm having problems with
 > my PCT software.  ...  I am unable to quit PCT and move
 > back into the Prodos environment.  ...  I called Quality
 > Computer Tech Support and they informed me that they
 > "cannot guarantee that their equipment is comparable with
 > any Applied Engineering product."  So much for tech
 > support!!!!
  
dempson@actrix.gen.nz (David Empson) in comp.sys.apple2 article
72116 writes in part:
  
 > The problem is that every character transmitted and
 > received by the PCT has to be processed by the "portware"
 > code running in the Apple II, and passed through the
 > standard serial firmware.  This adds a MAJOR amount of
 > overhead. 
  
 > I would need to do a lot more work to find out exactly how
 > the portware works, and the structure of the drivers.  I
 > doubt that much could be achieved in the end, because
 > you're still limited by the speed of the serial firmware. 
 > Perhaps if the portware driver also implemented an
 > interrupt driven serial handler, or bypassed the IIgs
 > serial firmware...
  
Mr. Empson:
I am a little confused here.  I am running ProTerm 3.1 and
achieving 14400 with a modem through the build in IIgs serial port.
As you may know; it has been reported that this built in port will
handle speeds up in the neighborhood of 56K.  What is it that is
changing when one utilizes the PC side for communications? Are you
saying that the software interface that joins the two sides is so
poorly written that speeds of above 2400 are not to be expected?
This I could believe, but it would be difficult to believe that the
Apple built in serial port is a hindrance!  Mr. Creager's ( Paul
Creager <wily@svpal.org> ) argument that the restriction comes from
a limitation of the PCT hardware is more palatable.  However,  It
seems to me that it revolves back around to the software interface
between the two systems.  
  
Regards,                          jax@tenet.edu
John A. Jackson                   John.Jackson@lambada.oit.unc.edu
                                  JohnJ76@aol.com