Msg: 214 *Conference*

07-12-91 09:06:06

From: DREW BLANCHAR

To : JAMES FIELDS

Subj: REPLY TO MSG #187 (RS232/MODEM)

#1, the UART as used in the MDL100 is an old fashioned beast but very sturdy in
its limited way.  They're a little difficult to come by but very easy to use
since the UART conditions (word length, parity, etc) are set up externally
rather than by commands to the chip.
 
#2, Disk Power does allow you to be in Telcom mode and pop over to TEXT (to
edit a file before sending it or just to check your file directory) or to BASIC
(the reason for this I never did understand).  But even DISK-POWER will not
allow you to access the RS-232 port for disk transfer while you're using the
UART for TELCOM interfacing.  A 2nd UART tying through the bar code port? I
don't think that port has the bandwidth and it definitely is serial (already)
with only one line (no out-band handshaking). Novel idea but I still wonder if
making the parallel port bi-directional is impossible.
-dB