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Diamond
SupraExpress 56 USB
Posted: June
19, 1999
Written by:
Chris
Burek
Estimated Retail
Price: $99 from Pricewatch.
Although 56K modems have been readily available
for quite some time now, just recently have they
made the transition to USB form. We've seen various
modems with the same tired features, ranging from
ISA, PCI, and external (serial), however, USB-based
modems do boast of promising new quirks.
- Mac & PC Compatible
- Data/Fax
- Caller ID (PC Only)
- Flash ROM Upgradable
- 56K ITU Standard (V.90) Support
- k56Flex Support
Diamond's new SupraExpress 56 USB modem, an external
modem, has a compact design, surrounded by a semi-transparent
teal outer casing allowing you to view its innards
. Atop the unit sit four red lights that signal
the sending and recieving of data, power usage,
and connection. The SupraExpress comes bundled
with a phone cord, USB connector, and driver/utility
CD.
Because the modem is USB-based, installation was nothing
more than a snap. Being an external unit, you don't
have to open up your PC and use up a slot, just plug
in one end of the USB cable into the modem, and the
other into your USB port, then you're set. And, there's
no power cord because the modem receives its power feed
directly through the USB cable. Two standard phone jacks
are located on the rear, where you plug in the included
phone cord, and the other for optionally connecting
a phone. Luckily, the SupraExpress is small, meaing
it won't take up lots of desktop space. As in our case,
Windows 98 should detect the modem as soon as it's plugged
in and prompt you for the driver CD. This is easily
done right during a Windows session. If that sounds
all too complicated for you, don't fret, Diamond has
included and easy-to-follow installation manual to guide
you.
The SupraExpress 56 USB supports both the V.90
ITU standard and K56flex protocals, giving us
the best of both worlds. But, a large number of
us know chances of actually reaching a connection
speed of 56kbps is far-fetched, as many just don't
have the proper phone line quality required. With
the SupraExpress, our connections maxed out at
around 46kbps, but thats not to say you're going
to get a connection that slow, or even that fast.
It's not the product at fault, it's either your
ISP or telco. Other than that we witnessed flawless
operation from the modem. Just a little note about
the speaker in the modem -- it's not the highest
quality at all, and noises seem garbled when dialing
and connecting, though that doesn't at all take
away from the performance or functionality of
the SupraExpress.
If high-speed Internet access is not available
in your area, or you're just looking to upgrade
your 14.4 or 28.8 modems, we can recommend Diamond's
SupraExpress 56 USB as a product not to dismiss.
While you can find 56K modems cheaper than $99,
the SupraExpress comes packed with a useful software,
has a simple and painless installation, and best
of all, it's USB-based.
[+] Good
- USB-based
- k56Flex & V.90 support
- Good software bundle
- Simple installation
- Compact size
[-] Bad
| SupraExpress
56 USB |
Score |
| Value |
9.0 |
| Performance
|
8.0 |
| Features
|
9.0 |
| Quality |
8.5 |
| Overall |
8.5 |
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your opinions on USB modems at the discussion
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