Subject: REVIEW: HyperCOM1 serial port for A1200
From: [email-masked] (Gideon Zenz)
Date: 24 Oct 1996 00:35:06 GMT
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.reviews

PRODUCT NAME

	HyperCOM1

	[MODERATOR'S NOTE:  This review was updated on 16 November 1996.
	Search for the text "[UPDATE" to find updated information.
	-Dan]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

	This is a internal high-speed serial port for the A1200, giving
you up to 460000 bps without high CPU load.

AUTHOR/COMPANY INFORMATION

	Name:		VMC Harald Frank
	Address:	Spargelstr. 8
			68809 Neulu=DFheim
			GERMANY

	Telephone:	++49-6205-392065
	Support BBS:	++49-6205-392066	[UPDATE]
	FAX:		++49-6205-392067

	E-mail:		[email-masked]	[UPDATE]

LIST PRICE

	DM 99 (~=3DUS$ 66)

MACHINE USED FOR TESTING

	Old C=3D-A1200, Blizzard IV (`030-50), SCSI-Kit, 24MB Fast
RAM, Kickstart and Workbench 3.1.  Modem used was a US Robotics Courier
V.34+.

INSTALLATION

	This is something special.  It doesn't plug into PCMCIA or the
normal expansion slot!  There is a small connector left inside the
A1200 where it's plugged in.  The serial connector is put in the
trapdoor under the floppy.

	Some notes to this connector: According to the manufacturer,
this was intentionally for plugging the 2nd meg of CHIP RAM in the
A1200, as it should have shipped with only 1MB CHIP.  Probably more
known is a battery clock by a 3th-party-company which was put in here.

REVIEW

	The package came with a two-page "manual" that described
briefly how to install it, a disk with the serial device, and a
registration card, and - of course - the hardware itself.  It's a tiny
2*4cm board with a 64(!) byte FIFO and some other stuff on it.

	Installation was really easy: just open the A1200 and plug it
into that connector.  As my trapdoor is already used by my SCSI, I
made a small slot into my A1200's case. So much for the hardware side.
Software was even more easy: just copy a HyperCOM1.device to DEVS: and
use it in the terminal program.  For those who need it, an
Installer script is provided.  :^)

	Until now I used my internal serial port with my 33,6kbps
modem, so I was used to the general slowdown while sending/receiving
something.  Now it's really cool!  115200 bps, downloading a text file
with 5492 cps, and the HyperCOM device just eats 2.14% CPU time!
(measured by Top/Executive package, downloading /dev/zero %-).
Haven't tested the 460000bps mode though, as I don't have anything
which could deal with such a high speed.  While using a normal
PPP connection, it ate around 1.42% CPU.  Just one drawback here:
ppp.device doesn't work with 115200 bps, but this seems to be a bug in
my ppp.device, as everything else works fine with it.

	[UPDATE: New drivers are available from the Support BBS.
	They use less CPU and are more stable.  In addition, the
	problem with 1152000 bps was due to user error:  the reviewer
	set his ppp.device to 57600 instead of 115200.  He changed
	the setting to 115200, and now 1152000 bps works fine.]

	For those who need it, there is a HyperCOM 3 (2 serial, one
parallel) and a HyperCOM 4 (4 serial, one parallel, but as a Z2 card)
available.

	As I ordered the thing I was asked by Mr Frank whether I want
some pictures of the cards. I said yes and he called me and sent 6
pics of the HyperCOM's.  On the evening I got the card he rung me up
again and asked if I'm happy with the card and whether everything is
OK.  Now that is what I call service. :)

	If anyone wants these, just contact me, but Mr Frank told me
he'll put up on a web server soon, so you'll probably find them there,
soon.

	One word to the phone service: Every time I called, Mr Frank
himself was on the phone, and as he's himself the developer he could
answer all the question I asked him.  Nothing to add.

DOCUMENTATION

	2 copied pages: one for disclaimer, another for installing the
thing (German only).

	I myself had been happy if there had been some technical
specs, something about the software...

	The installation guide itself is pretty easy to follow,
shouldn't be a problem.

LIKES

	- CHEAP! Even compared to similar PC products!
	- Easy to install and to use
	- Doesn't need either PCMCIA or the expansion port
	- The fastest serial for the Amiga I know about
	- Doesn't  eat	CPU  while  transferring (thanks to the 64 byte buffer,
	the original serial had just 1!)
	- Good hotline!

DISLIKES AND SUGGESTIONS

	- Poor manual, although it covers the hardware installation
	quite good

	- If you have problems while uploading with NComm and any device
	other than serial.device: It's a problem of your
	xprzmodem.library, try another one.

COMPARISON TO OTHER SIMILAR PRODUCTS

	There isn't any real competition, as far as I see.  Only the
Surf Squirrel, but this is mainly a SCSI host adaptor, and the serial
only goes up to 115200 and is much more expensive.

	The only other card I know of which could come up to the specs
of this one was the GVP IO Extender, which goes up to 230000bps, but
was much more expensive (and is for Zorro Amigas only).

WARRANTY

	There is a registration card.  Don't know anything about
warranty, but as a matter of law (in my country) it has to be at least
6 months.

CONCLUSIONS

	This product is perfect for all who want to get rid of the bad
internal serial, especially owners of the A1200.  It's not very
expensive and gives you a very fast additional serial port.  So I can
recommend it to everybody who uses a modem.

	The larger HyperCOM's are probably quite interesting for
Sysops, as there is a Zorro version.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

	Copyright 1996 by Gideon Zenz <[email-masked]>

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