 A PCI Winmodem/Softmodem (on the left) next to a traditional ISA modem (on the right). Notice the less complex circuitry of the modem on the left. A Softmodem, or software modem, is a modem with minimal hardware capacities, designed to use a host computer's resources (mostly CPU power and RAM but sometimes even audio hardware) to perform most of the tasks performed by dedicated hardware in a traditional modem. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2592x1944, 1557 KB) Summary An image I took of a 56k (v. ...
Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2592x1944, 1557 KB) Summary An image I took of a 56k (v. ...
A modem (from modulate and demodulate) is a device that modulates an analog carrier signal to encode digital information, and also demodulates such a carrier signal to decode the transmitted information. ...
Die of an Intel 80486DX2 microprocessor (actual size: 12×6. ...
Random access memory (usually known by its acronym, RAM) is a type of data storage used in computers. ...
A sound card is a computer expansion card that can input and output sound under control of computer programs. ...
They are also referred to as a Winmodem because the first commercially available softmodems mostly targeted the Microsoft Windows operating system running on IBM-PC compatibles. Although their usage has become more widespread over other operating systems and machines e.g. embedded systems and Linux, they are still difficult to use on operating systems besides Windows due to lack of vendor support and lack of a standard device interface. The term "Winmodem" is a trademark of U.S. Robotics but it is usually used to describe other modems with similar technologies. Microsoft Windows is the name of several families of proprietary software operating systems by Microsoft. ...
An operating system (OS) is a set of computer programs that manage the hardware and software resources of a computer. ...
The IBM PC (Personal Computer), was the original version and progenitor of the IBM PC compatible hardware platform. ...
It has been suggested that Embedded System Design in an FPGA be merged into this article or section. ...
It has been suggested that Criticism of Linux be merged into this article or section. ...
U.S. Robotics (popularly referred to by its acronym USR) is a company that makes computer modems and related technologies. ...
Evolution and technology
As PSTN modem technology advanced, the modulation and encoding schemes became more and more complex, thus making the hardware used by the modems themselves increase in complexity. The public switched telephone network (PSTN) is the concatenation of the worlds public circuit-switched telephone networks, in much the same way that the Internet is the concatenation of the worlds public IP-based packet-switched networks. ...
In fact, the first generations of modems (including acoustic couplers) and their protocols used relatively simple modulation techniques such as FSK or ASK at low speeds and with inefficient use of the telephone line's bandwidth. Under these conditions, modems could be built even with the analog discrete component technology still used during the late 70s and early 80s. The Novation CAT acoustically coupled modem In telecommunications, the term acoustic coupler has the following meanings: An interface device for coupling electrical signals by acoustical means--usually into and out of a telephone instrument. ...
Frequency-shift keying (FSK) is frequency modulation in which the modulating signal shifts the output frequency between predetermined values. ...
Amplitude-shift keying (ASK) is a form of modulation which represents digital data as variations in the amplitude of a carrier wave. ...
In electronics, a discrete component is an individual device, either passive (resistor, capacitor, inductor, diode) or active (transistor or vacuum tube), other than an integrated circuit. ...
As more sophisticated transmission schemes were devised, the circuits grew in complexity, mixing analog with digital parts and eventually incorporating multiple ICs such as logical gates, PLL's and microcontrollers, while the techniques used in modern v34, v90 and v92 protocols (like 1024-QAM) are so complex that implementing a modem supporting them with discrete components or general purpose IC's would be very impractical, and a dedicated DSP or ASIC is used instead, effectively turning the modem into a special embedded system, a dedicated computer on its own right. Integrated circuit showing memory blocks, logic and input/output pads around the periphery Microchips with a transparent window, showing the integrated circuit inside. ...
Many electronic systems use internal clocks which are required to be phase-aligned to and/or frequency multiples of some external reference clock. ...
It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with embedded microprocessor. ...
V.34 (also known as V.Fast) is the communication protocol from International Telecommunication Union for 28. ...
V.90 is an ITU-T recommendation for a modem, allowing 56 kbit/s download and 33. ...
V.92 is an ITU-T recommendation, titled , that establishes a modem standard allowing near 56 kbit/s download and 48 kbit/s upload rates. ...
Quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) is a modulation scheme which conveys data by changing (modulating) the amplitude of two carrier waves. ...
The term DSP, when used by itself, can refer to: // Underground Bhangra DJ Short for Deathlike Silence Productions. ...
The acronym ASIC, depending on context, may stand for: Application-specific integrated circuit ASIC programming language Australian Securities and Investments Commission This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...
It has been suggested that Embedded System Design in an FPGA be merged into this article or section. ...
Furthermore, improved compression and error corrections schemes were introduced in the newest protocols, requiring some processing power by the modem itself and which made, de-facto, the construction of a mainly analog/discrete component modem impossible, especially when trying to achieve compatibility with older protocols using completely different modulation schemes.
This also meant that modems supporting those standards were becoming steadily more complex and expensive themselves, not to mention the existence of several conflicting standards in the early days of the various 33.6K (v34) and 56K protocols, which led to incompatibilities and the construction of modems with upgradeable firmware, which did all of the processing via a programmable DSP. V.34 (also known as V.Fast) is the communication protocol from International Telecommunication Union for 28. ...
56K modems are analog modems capable of speeds near 56 kbit/s when connecting to a service that has a digital connection to the phone network. ...
A digital signal processor (DSP) is a specialized microprocessor designed specifically for digital signal processing, generally in real-time. ...
This is where software based modems really kicked in, offering (or claiming to offer) the same functionality as a (relatively expensive) hardware modem at a fraction of the price and (theoretically) unlimited upgradeability although they would require significant advances in home PC's CPU power in order to really compete with hardware modems in terms of performance and reliability.
Advantages Having most of the modulation functions delegated to software does serve to provide the advantage of easier upgradability to newer modem standards. However, this is hardly an advantage as of 2005, with the latest V.92 56K protocol practically bearing the maximum achievable performance for a normal PSTN modem and telephone line and no significant plans future improvements/advancements seeming possible. Nevertheless this is not yet the case with the more recent software-based DSL modems, whose easy upgradeability can still be an advantage, DSL being a younger technology. This doesn't mean however that softmodems can be "upgraded" to support DSL, since DSL uses frequencies beyond the 300-3400 Hz telephone band where the hardware part of softmodems is designed to operate. Look up Upgrade on Wiktionary, the free dictionary Upgrading is the process of replacing an older thing with a newer thing. ...
Standardization, in the context related to technologies and industries, is the process of establishing a technical standard among competing entities in a market, where this will bring benefits without hurting competition. ...
2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
The public switched telephone network (PSTN) is the concatenation of the worlds public circuit-switched telephone networks, in much the same way that the Internet is the concatenation of the worlds public IP-based packet-switched networks. ...
A DSL Modem DSL or xDSL, is a family of technologies that provide digital data transmission over the wires of a local telephone network. ...
The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the SI unit of frequency. ...
More commonly however, softmodem drivers are usually enhanced in regard to their performance and to eliminate possible software bugs.
A more practical advantage of softmodems is given by the considerable reductions in production costs, component count, size, weight and power requirements compared to a "true" hardware modem, whether external or internal, to the point that most portable computer systems' (including high-end laptops and PDAs) integrated modems are softmodems, due to the single-chip design (or physical size) of most softmodems. In economics, the cost-of-production theory of value is the theory that the price of an object is determined by the sum of the cost of the resources that went into making it. ...
You may be looking for one of the following: Dimensions: length, width, height Clothing measurements such as shoe size or dress size Geometry Measurement Gelatinous or glutinous substance made from glue, wax, clay or similar Or the following command-line Unix tool: Size (Unix) This is a disambiguation page: a...
A spring scale measures the weight of an object In the physical sciences, weight is a measurement of the gravitational force acting on an object. ...
Laptop with touchpad. ...
Personal digital assistants (PDAs) are handheld computers that were originally designed as personal organizers, but became much more versatile over the years. ...
Because they do so little by themselves, a computer program could use a Softmodem as something other than a modem; for example, it could emulate an answering machine or a signal generator. ...
A signal generator, also known variously as a test signal generator, tone generator (in audio only), waveform generator, or frequency generator is an electronic instrument that generates repeating electronic signals (in either the analog or digital domains). ...
Disadvantages Winmodems have earned a certain notoriety for slowing down their host computer systems and for having buggy drivers, although this reputation was largely garnered during the period of their introduction to the mass-market, whereupon they were apt to use substandard drivers, and be found in entry-level computers with slow CPUs. Any such reputation has not, however, halted their market popularity, and it is typical for any internal 56k-modem produced today to be a software-based modem. What is yet to be seen is how the recently introduced software-based DSL modems will fare in a similar context. A computer bug is an error, flaw, mistake, failure, or fault in a computer program that prevents it from working as intended, or produces an incorrect result. ...
Their most serious drawback is that they cannot always be used on other operating systems and host machines because the driver support requires far more effort to produce (they are, in fact, operating system and machine dependent). In computing, an operating system (OS) is the system software responsible for the direct control and management of hardware and basic system operations. ...
Windows XP loading drivers during a Safe Mode bootup A device driver, or a software driver is a specific type of computer software, typically developed to allow interaction with hardware devices. ...
In addition, they consume some of the CPU cycles on the computer to which they are attached, which can slow down application software on older computers. (They are sometimes referred to as a "port-on-a-stick.") Die of an Intel 80486DX2 microprocessor (actual size: 12×6. ...
A BlueGene supercomputer cabinet. ...
This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...
Computer software (or simply software) refers to one or more computer programs and data held in the storage of a computer for some purpose. ...
The advantage of software upgradeability is diminished when many newer 'hardware modems', which also have the ability to upgrade firmware to support new standards, though limited by the capability for the modem's processors and memory capacity. Modems such as those made by U.S. Robotics used generic digital signal processors architecture, which achieves the flexibility of softmodems, without sacrificing compatibility. U.S. Robotics (popularly referred to by its acronym USR) is a company that makes computer modems and related technologies. ...
A digital signal processor (DSP) is a specialized microprocessor designed specifically for digital signal processing, generally in real-time. ...
Categories Softmodems can be separated into two clear classes: controllerless modems and pure software modems. Controllerless modems, such as those made by Lucent and Motorola, perform much of the modem work on the card, and require only small amounts of CPU power to complete. Conexant's HCF standard also falls into the controllerless category. Pure software modems perform the entire emulation of a hardware modem on the main CPU, with Conexant's HSF standard being the most common. In 1996, AT&T spun off its Systems and Technology units, along with the famous Bell Laboratories, to form a new company named Lucent Technologies (NYSE: LU). ...
Motorola (NYSE: MOT) is an American multinational communications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, a Chicago suburb. ...
Conexant is a publicly listed NASDAQ: CNXT semiconductor company, which was formerly the semiconductor division of Rockwell International. ...
Another way of classifying softmodems is by means of their communication interface with the host computer: on desktop systems the most common option is an internal PCI or ISA expansion card, which can be easily be told apart from an internal "hardware" modem by the significantly reduced size and component count. Desktop computer with several common peripherals (Monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers, microphone and a printer) A desktop computer is a personal computer made for use on a desk in an office or home and is distinguished from portable computers such as laptops or PDAs. ...
This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...
This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...
Softmodems can also be integrated in MiniPCI and PC cards for use in a portable computer, such as a laptop or palmtop computer, or connected via USB. Mini PCI is an adaptation of the Peripheral Component Interconnect bus. ...
The PCMCIA is the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association, an industry trade association that creates standards for notebook computer peripheral devices. ...
An ultraportable IBM X31 with 12 screen on an IBM T43 Thin & Light laptop with a 14 screen A laptop computer, or simply laptop (also notebook computer or notebook), is a small mobile computer, which usually weighs 2. ...
Palm IIIxe PDA Personal digital assistants (PDAs or palmtops) are handheld devices that were originally designed as personal organizers, but became much more versatile over the years. ...
Note: USB may also mean upper sideband in radio. ...
DSL softmodems Although the term has historically been used to indicate the traditional "analog" PSTN software modems, there are some software-based DSL modems or even routers, which work on the same principles as their PSTN ancestors, only on a larger bandwidth and on a more complex signal. One of the first software based DSL modem chipsets was Motorola's SoftDSL chipset, for which similar considerations as "ordinary" PSTN modems can be made. A new term, WinDSL has started to show up on technology sites like Slashdot regarding the new trend [1]. The public switched telephone network (PSTN) is the concatenation of the worlds public circuit-switched telephone networks, in much the same way that the Internet is the concatenation of the worlds public IP-based packet-switched networks. ...
A DSL Modem DSL or xDSL, is a family of technologies that provide digital data transmission over the wires of a local telephone network. ...
This article describes the computer networking device. ...
Motorola (NYSE: MOT) is an American multinational communications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, a Chicago suburb. ...
Slashdot, often abbreviated as /., is a science, science fiction, and technology-related news website which features user-submitted and editor-evaluated current affairs news with a nerdy slant. ...
However, the increasing popularity of home networking is likely to limit the prospects for DSL softmodems -- the trend is for a household or small business to have a router connected to the DSL modem, and all their computers are connected by various types of wired or wireless networks to that router. A large core router used for major networks. ...
General description Often, the term "Winmodem" or "softmodem" is used in a derogatory manner, as opposed to hardware or "real" modems. The argument is that a softmodem isn't a real modem at all, but rather a simple electrical interface between computer and phone line, limiting itself to very basic functions such as voltage/current adaptation and functioning essentially as a DAC/ADC, much like a sound card which handles pure PCM and analog signals from and to the telephone line, while the host's CPU does the actual job of synthesizing or analyzing all necessary waveforms (carrier, dialing tones) and applying all necessary DSP techniques (FSK, QAM, PSK etc.) to a "virtual" signal, in order to encode and decode inbound or outbound data. In electronics, a digital-to-analog converter (DAC or D-to-A) is a device for converting a digital (usually binary) code to an analog signal (current, voltage or electric charge). ...
An analog-to-digital converter (abbreviated ADC, A/D or A to D) is an electronic circuit that converts continuous signals to discrete digital numbers. ...
A sound card is a computer expansion card that can input and output sound under control of computer programs. ...
Digital signal processing (DSP) is the study of signals in a digital representation and the processing methods of these signals. ...
Frequency-shift keying (FSK) is frequency modulation in which the modulating signal shifts the output frequency between predetermined values. ...
Quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) is a modulation scheme which conveys data by changing (modulating) the amplitude of two carrier waves. ...
In telecommunication, the term phase-shift keying (PSK) has the following meanings: 1. ...
This means that at least the simplest softmodem is nothing more than a special purpose sound card with mono DAC/ADC's and a telephone line interface, while all actual signal encoding/decoding (as well as compression/decompression, error correction etc.) is done by the host machine, hence the terms HAM (Host Assisted Modulation) or HSP (Host Signal Processing). Many of the latest softmodem chipsets, e.g., the Intel Ambient, are even built around a standard AC'97 audio codec interface. A sound card is a computer expansion card that can input and output sound under control of computer programs. ...
In electronics, a digital-to-analog converter (DAC or D-to-A) is a device for converting a digital (usually binary) code to an analog signal (current, voltage or electric charge). ...
An analog-to-digital converter (abbreviated ADC, A/D or A to D) is an electronic circuit that converts continuous signals to discrete digital numbers. ...
A heat shock protein (HSP) is a group of proteins which increase their expression when the cells which contain them are exposed to elevated temperatures. ...
AC97 (short for Audio Codec 97) is Intel Corporations Audio Codec standard developed by the Intel Architecture Labs in 1997, and used mainly in on-motherboards, modems, and sound cards. ...
Software & Soundcard projects The first softmodem-related announcements were made by Motorola, Intel and other companies, back in 1997, claiming that an ordinary sound card and some CPU power would be enough to emulate the functionality of an actual modem, although "sound card telephone adapters" and related software was never released or at least never caught on. Motorola (NYSE: MOT) is an American multinational communications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, a Chicago suburb. ...
Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC, SEHK: 4335), founded in 1968 as Integrated Electronics Corporation, is an American multinational corporation that is best known for designing and manufacturing microprocessors and specialized integrated circuits. ...
1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
Reasons for that might have been the lack of standardized and fully functional audio card standards by 1997 (AC'97 was not standardized yet, and most sound cards were partially functioning "Soundblaster clones" which lacked even full duplex capabilities) and the lack of CPU power on entry-level PC's. AC97 (short for Audio Codec 97) is Intel Corporations Audio Codec standard developed by the Intel Architecture Labs in 1997, and used mainly in on-motherboards, modems, and sound cards. ...
The approach of using a standard sound card was used by an experimental open-source 96 kbit/s leased-line softmodem called AuDSL in 1999. A sound card is a computer expansion card that can input and output sound under control of computer programs. ...
Winmodem as a brand name Although "Winmodem" is actually a specific brand of U.S. Robotics modem, the term has now come to mean any software-based modem (in the same way that Xerox refers to any brand of copy machine). The term linmodem is often used to denote a winmodem with support for Linux. U.S. Robotics (popularly referred to by its acronym USR) is a company that makes computer modems and related technologies. ...
Xerox Corporation (NYSE: XRX) is an American document management company, which manufactures and sells a range of color and black-and-white printers, multifunction systems, photo copiers, digital production printing presses, and related consulting services and supplies. ...
A small, much-used Xerox copier in a high school library. ...
It has been suggested that Criticism of Linux be merged into this article or section. ...
See also GDI is short for Graphics Device Interface or Graphical Device Interface, and is one of the three core components or subsystems of Microsoft Windows. ...
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