December 1997

Shark Multimedia, Inc.
3040 Oakmead Village Drive
Santa Clara, CA 95051
Ph: 408-987-5400; Fx: 408-987-5415
Web site: www.sharkmm.com
E-mail: [email protected]

Price: $159

If only we could browse the Web at the speeds depicted on television commericals. On these commercials, images appear in rapid-fire succession, as though the browser were the visual equivalent of the machine gun. However, back at our own computer monitors, our browsers seem more like muskets. We wait, and wait, and wait. Then, all too often, the darn things misfire: Server timed out! Musket-style Web browsing is bad news for business, where speed of information exchange can make the difference between failure and success. If business is war, corporate soldiers need the best weapons we can give them. Muskets won’t do. But who can afford the latest and greatest in firepower? Businesses torn between the need for speed and the need to save money often look for a reasonable compromise. For many businesses, the most attractive compromise is the 56K modem. There is, however, one problem with today’s 56K modem market: It’s split. On one side, you have the X2 standard, which is promoted by U.S. Robotics. On the other side, you have the K56Flex standard, which is promoted by Rockwell and Lucent. Of course, this split will affect your purchasing decision. (See the sidebar entitled Buying A New 56K Modem? Not So Fast!) In this review, we examine a modem based on the K56Flex standard, the Leopard XT 56K PC External Modem from Shark Multimedia.

FEATURE SUMMARY
Standards

• Rockwell AudioSpan ASVD (Analog Simultaneous Voice and Data).
• ITU V.70 DSVD (Digital Simultaneous Voice and Data) (optional).
• Voice mail mode with ADPCM compression/ decompression (optional).
• V.80 – synchronous access for H.324 videoconferencing.
• Flash ROM for upgrading to future ITU standards.

Voice/Sound

• Full-duplex speakerphone (handsfree operation or handset) with acoustic echo cancellation.
• Separate volume control for microphone and speaker.
• Automatic audio mute/restore on telephone voice call.

Initiating/Receiving Calls

• Caller ID support; call screening; ability to distinguish between voice/data/fax calls; distinctive ring detection.
• Phone book dialing; search & dial; redial.
• Toll saver.
• Conferencing.
• Voice broadcasting.

Voice Mail

• Multiple voice mail boxes supported with password for each mail box.
• User recordable greetings for each mail box; user customizable greetings.
• Automatic paging; call forwarding.
• Remote voice mail access; change remote access.

Data

• Data mode: Data throughput up to 11.5 Kbps.
• Data mode: 56 Kbps(download), 33.6 Kbps, V.34 (28.8 Kbps), V.FC, V.32 bis, V.32, V.22 bis, V.22A/B, V.23, and V.21; Bell 212A and 103.
• Error correction: MNP 204 & V.42LAPM.
• Data compression: MNP 5 and V.42 bis.
• MNP 10 data throughput enhancement (except V.FC).
• Integrated 16C550 UART direct PC BUS interface.
• Host mode modem operation.

Fax

• Send and receive faxes up to 14.4 Kbps.
• FAX Mode: V.17 (14400 bps), V.33, V.29 (9600, 7200), V.27 ter, V.21 Channel 2 (300 bps).
• Class 1 fax interface.
• Automatic fax forwarding; remote access and change fax forwarding number; pager notification.
• Cover sheet customization; banner customization.
• Fax scheduling; fax viewing/editing/ annotation; fax printing.
• Fax-on-demand; private fax-ondemand.
• Group faxing.

INSTALLATION
With the Leopard XT 56K External Modem, installation was a snap, thanks, in part, to the modem’s nifty Yshaped adaptor. This adaptor provides two connectors, a DB-9 connector and a DB-25 connector. These can come in handy since the mouse often uses one of the computer’s COM ports. In our installation, the special Y-adaptor allowed us to connect the modem to either of our COM ports without having to scrape up a special DB-9 to DB-25 adapter to switch from DB-9 to DB-25 or vice-versa. (The Y-adaptor, a simple but handy feature, appears to be a Shark Multimedia exclusive. That is, we haven’t seen it with other external modems.)

After we attached the modem, it was soon detected by Microsoft’s Plug & Play. Then, we were able to install the appropriate drivers without any difficulties.

In the next phase of the installation, we installed Shark’s DialTone, an application that ships with the modem. We didn’t need this software program to use the modem, but it added some nice CTI capabilities that we thought we’d check out. The DialTone installation went flawlessly, like everything else in setting up the modem, so we were happy to give the overall installation a 5.0 rating.

DOCUMENTATION
The documentation consisted of two “quick start” pamphlets and a lengthier work, the main documentation (on a CDROM). The “quick start” pamphlets were very handy. They helped us quickly learn how to send faxes, set up voice mail boxes, and record a main greeting. One of the pamphlets was labeled “Kid Proof.” Considering how quickly we got the modem up and running, we couldn’t argue with Shark’s “Kid Proof” claim. The electronic version of the documentation was broken up into several Word files, an arrangement that prevented us from scanning through or printing the documentation all in one shot. Also, once we figured out which page we needed (to, say, read about a particular feature), after using the Table of Contents Word file, we had to guess which file had that page. To do a global search on a keyword, we had to use the Windows 95 Find Files or Folders utility (to search through multiple files automatically) rather than Word’s built-in find feature, which only searches the current open file. Overall, we gave the documentation a 4.25 rating. This rating would have been higher if the documentation had been contained in a single file, or if a hardcopy version of the documentation had been available.

OPERATIONAL TESTING
Throughput
The most important feature of the Leopard XT 56K is its data throughput. Of course, like all 56K modems, the Leopard XT 56K won’t actually deliver 56 Kbps. The maximum for 56K modems, thanks to FCC regulations, is actually closer to 53.3 Kbps. Furthermore, in real-world tests, download transfer rates for 56K modems range from 40 to 50 Kbps. Evidentally, speeds are limited because of line noise.

We tried connecting to several Internet Service Providers (ISP). (We have Netcom, MindSpring, and Compuserve accounts.) However, none of the local POPs for these ISPs supported the K56Flex standard. They all had X2 modems in their installed base. So, unfortunately, we were unable to test Leopard’s 56K download capability. However, since the Leopard will drop down in speed from 56K to the next lowest speed, we were able to connect at 33.6 Kbps to several of our ISPs.

Voice Features
We tested the speakerphone, which is full-duplex with acoustic echo cancellation, and found the sound quality to be adequate. What’s nice about this speakerphone is that you can use it even when your PC is turned off. All you have to do is press a button on the front of the modem and — voila! — hands-free talking through the modem.

The Leopard XT 56K features virtually unlimited voice mail boxes, with a separate password and unique greeting for each. The modem also provides automatic paging. Thus, the modem can alert you to incoming messages, wherever you happen to be. You can then access your messages remotely, so you’re never out of touch.

The Leopard XT 56K features DSVD (Digital Simultaneous Voice and Data), which allows you to send data while you’re on the phone. Other nice features include call screening, phone book dialing, search and dial, voice broadcasting, call forwarding, conferencing, and caller ID screen pops. Accessing your voice mail (and faxes) is very easy, thanks to the userfriendly GUI.

Dialer Software
Most modems these days ship with a simple dialer program with just a few features. However, Leopard’s DialTone application is a surprisingly featurerich software product. Yet, despite its relative sophistication, the software is quite user-friendly. Using the DialTone program, we were able to send or receive data from the terminal program, send faxes, or broadcast and receive voice mail.

Other useful features include scheduled delivery of voice and fax messages, as well as a built-in fax cover page editor.

Built-In Fax-OnDemand
The DialTone program allows callers to automatically retrieve fax documents, such as a product list or travel directions. After dialing into the modem, the caller will hear whatever descriptions you record for each document. To select a document, the caller presses the appropriate number (049) and then presses the start button on his/her fax machine. The document(s) are then faxed automatically. Each mail box user (numbered 21 and above) can set up his/her own private fax-on-demand service. Documents made available through such a service can only be accessed by callers who know both the mail box number and a password. The private fax-ondemand service can include up to 10 faxes.

User-Definable Settings
The DialTone software has many configurable features, such as toll saver, microphone sensitivity, maximum record length, method of recording prompts (microphone or handset), volume, number of rings before picking up, and many others.

CONCLUSION
We were impressed with Shark Multimedia’s Leopard XT 56K external modem. We liked the software controls for the microphone and speaker volume as well as the manual volume control on the unit itself. We were also impressed with the DialTone software product, particularly with its caller-ID, fax-ondemand, and voice mail capabilities. The Shark Multimedia has Flash ROM, so the migration path to any ITU standard should be very smooth. The Leopard’s simple installation, the easy-touse DialTone software product, the handy Y-adaptor (DB-9 and DB-25 connectors on the same serial cable), and the large feature set make this product worth a look.

Don’t purchase a 56K modem until you are clear on these two points:

1. Make sure you know which 56K standard your local Internet Service Provider supports. Whatever modem you buy should conform to that standard.

Some ISPs claim they support both standards. Don’t be fooled. To our knowledge, there is no modem on the market that can connect using K56 Flex or X2, depending on which type of modem is connecting/dialing into it. The best an ISP can do is purchase modems with firmware which can be updated without having to pop in new firmware chips. Then, when a 56K standard is ratified by the ITU, whether the standard is X2, K56Flex, or some hybrid, the ISP can quickly upgrade their modem banks by simply uploading the latest firmware. This is what an ISP means when it claims to support both X2 and K56Flex.

2. Make sure you buy a 56K modem that has softwareupgradeable firmware. Avoid modems requiring “chip swaps” to accomplish upgrades. Here’s how an upgrade should work: You go to your modem manufacturer’s Web site, download the firmware of any newly ratified 56K standard, and upgrade your modem then and there. All at once, you’ll start using your modem to its fullest potential. Who wants to wait for a new chip to be mailed to you so you can surf the Internet at nearISDN speeds? (Certainly not us.) So, make sure you go with modems with soft-wareupgradeable firmware.