Subject: REVIEW: Vector Connection board, version 2.7
From: [email-masked] (Metin Savignano)
Date: 9 Jul 1995 22:08:25 GMT
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.reviews

PRODUCT NAME

	Vector Connection board, version 2.7

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

	A multi-I/O, Zorro-II board for Amiga 2000/3000/4000. It features up
to 2 parallel and up to 4 serial ports at speeds up to 115200 baud.

AUTHOR/COMPANY INFORMATION

	Name:		HK-Computer GmbH
	Address:	Hoeninger Weg 220
			D 50969 Koeln
			Germany

	Telephone:	+49-221-369062
	FAX:		+49-221-369065
	BBS:		+49-221-369024

LIST PRICE

	DM 299,-.  Approximately $215 (US).

SPECIAL HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS

	HARDWARE

		A Zorro-II compatible slot is required for the board.
		I recommend at least an 68020 for higher serial speeds.

	SOFTWARE

		The older software will run under AmigaDOS 1.3.  However,
		the latest software version requires at least AmigaDOS 2.0.

COPY PROTECTION

	None.
	(Unless you refer to the board itself as a dongle. ;-))

MACHINE USED FOR TESTING

	Amiga 2000 Rev. 4.4 and Rev. 6.2.
	A2630 25 MHz accelerator w/ 4MB RAM.
	DKB-2632 w/ 8 MB.
	Masoboshi MC702 SCSI host adapter.
	Picasso-II RTG graphics board.
	AmigaDOS 2.1 and 3.1.

INSTALLATION

	Of course, the board has to be plugged into any free Zorro slot.  The
back cover of the board has two serial ports.  Two additional slot covers,
each with a serial and a parallel port can be installed if more ports are
required.  Their cables will then have to be plugged onto the board.

	Software installation is done by the standard Installer (new
version), or a custom installer (old 1.3 compatible version).

	I found installation to be easy in the 2.0 version, but erroneous in
the 1.3 compatible version. A manual correction was required!

REVIEW

	Due to the quite different concepts in the old 1.3 compatible
software version and the newer one which requires AmigaDOS 2.0, I will
describe them separately.

	The old software requires some changes in your user-startup file.
Most utilities are CLI based programs. Only the preferences editor is GUI
based.  The installation was incomplete when I did it (approximately 2 years
ago).  The software is stable.

	The latest software gets installed very nicely.  There is no more
need to know and use CLI utilities.  The software fits perfectly in the OS.
Earlier versions of the new software were buggy, but the last version I have
tested (2.2) did not produce any problems any more.

	Of those two serial ports on the slot cover at the back of the card,
one is standard 25-pin, and all additional ones are small 9-pin ports. No
adapters are supplied with the card.

	After installing the software, your application programs can use the
new ports by using the new devices and units.  The standard serial and/or
parallel port can also be redirected to the Vector board, so even software
that was not designed to use custom devices can now use the ports of the
board.

	The current version of the Vector Connections allows for up to
115200 baud on each port.  Each two ports share one serial driver and one
4-byte FIFO buffer.  As a result, the baud rates have some restrictions.
According to the manual, two ports using the same driver cannot be used at
115200 and 76800 at the same time.  They can, however, be used at the same
speed without problems.  I myself found that they _would_ work at 115200 and
76800 at the same time, but not at 115200 and 57600.

	I used up to three serial ports for about two years, and I never had
any problems that were due to the board.  I had tried a parallel port once,
and it worked, but I did not use it regularly.

DOCUMENTATION

	The board comes with a printed manual.  It contains all you need to
know to install and operate the board, and I suppose that it is
understandable for beginners and experts alike.

	Since I bought my board in Germany, I got a German manual. I do not
know if an English version is available.

LIKES

	I like the easy way to get four additional serial high speed ports. I
like the new software, too.

DISLIKES AND SUGGESTIONS

	I do not like the fact that they do not include adapters for the
small 9-pin ports. They should be included.  A 16-byte FIFO buffer would be
very nice, and after all, this is the reason why, after having used the
board for two years, I sold it and bought myself a GVP I/O Extender.

COMPARISON TO OTHER SIMILAR PRODUCTS

	I had used a A2232 serial card before.  Even though the Vector
Connection does not provide seven additional ports, like the A2232 does, I
would always prefer a board that allows up to 115200 baud on four ports.  If
you want to use V.34 modems, you have no choice anyway.

	I am currently using a GVP I/O Extender.  I decided to get one
because I hoped that the 16-byte FIFO buffer would leave more CPU available
during downloads.  Even though it really does, the difference is smaller
than I had thought.  IMHO, you get more for your money if you buy a Vector
Connection, as one GVP I/O Extender will give you only two additional serial
ports.

BUGS

	I didn't find any.

VENDOR SUPPORT

	I did not have any problems with my installation, so I did not
contact the vendor directly.  I called the BBS once, asking for help, but
never got an answer.  Fortunately, I was able to solve the problem on my own.

	The new software, however, is freely distributable, which IMO is a
good product support.

WARRANTY

	In Germany, there is a minimum warranty of six months required by
the law.  HK-Computer does not extend this warranty.

CONCLUSIONS

	I found the Vector Connection to be a good product, sold at a fair
price.  I would recommend it if I was asked by a friend.

	I rate this product 4 stars out of 5.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

	Copyright 1995 Metin Savignano.
	This review is freely distributable, but not for profit.

Metin Savignano
UUCP:	[email-masked]
Fido:	Metin Savignano @ 2:246/2248

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