🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <146d26b47@expl.demon.co.uk>, Michael Sanders
<URL:mailto:Michael@expl.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> The whole point about ISDN is that its a digital transmission network
> therefore the conventional MODEM-PSTN-MODEM setup is useless because you
> don't need to convert to analouge, you just send the straight digital data
> stream down the line.  
> 
> The TA (Terminal adapter) connects your computer to the ISDN line at a very
> fast data rate, upto 128Kbaud per sec if using X25 and both data channels on
> ISDN 2! It also dials the number and sets the line up (using the D channel
> I believe).  Therefor to use ISDN you need a suitable TA card to link
> computer to ISDN and a software, like ISDN manager on the Mac, to control
> said TA.  Your comms s/w must also support the ISDN card.  
> 
> I may be wrong but I didn't think there was any s/w on the Acorn that could
> do this, I hope I'm wrong!

Yes, you're wrong ;-)

The point is that computers with external modems talk digital down the serial
cable to the modem, which them does the digital<->analog conversion for the
phone line. 

ISDN terminal adaptors (generally) also talk digital down a serial line,
and emulate the AT command set of a modem, so as far as the application
on the computer is concerned, it's talking to a fast analog modem. The
difference is that the ISDN TA then talks digital all the way to the 
remote end (your ISP).

So *all* Acorn Internet packages should work with suitable ISDN TA's, so 
long as they are configured correctly. You'll need an ISP that provides
ISDN dialup lines. eg, Demon Internet.

In addition to this many ISDN TA's also support true V.34 analog 
connections, voice mail and fax.

If you want to get the maximum possible speed out of your ISDN feed
you'll probably want a fast serial card. eg, Atomwide's card which
does 460Kbaud. http://www.atomwide.co.uk/

Cheers,

Nick.
-- 
Nick Smith, Cambridge UK. http://bi.org/~nas/