It's a three-way tie! As the lowest-priced board in our roundup the
Aztech Labs AT3300 Audio Telephony ($199) offers great performance
and value. It provides fleet file transfer speeds, has a full plate
of telecommunications features, and pumps out 16-bit stereo audio
with 3-D sound effects. A fast performer, the Hayes Accura 28.8 is
easy to use with its Windows 95 plug-and-play capabilities. Our
high-performance winner, the US Robotics Sportster Voice 28.8, is
also easy to use and has some nice features.
Weighting
Technology 10%
Implementation
40%
Usability 45%
Features 45%
Value 10%
Performance 50%
Price Tech- Imple- Perfor- Usa- Fea- Overall
nol- menta- mance bility tures rating
Aztech Labs AT3300
Audio Telephony $199 *** **** ***** **** **** ****
Hayes Accura 28.8 $259 *** **** ***** **** *** ****
US Robotics Sportster
Voice 28.8 Faxmodem PVM $279 *** **** ***** **** *** ****
Best Data Products Smart
One 2834VLX External $209 *** **** ***** **** *** ****
Spectrum V.34 Office
F/X Modem Board $299 *** *** ***** **** *** ****
Zoom Telephonics ComStar
28.8 Modem Board $229 *** **** **** **** **** ****
KEY
***** Outstanding
**** Very Good
*** Good
** Fair
* Poor
US Robotics Sportster Voice 28.8 Faxmodem PVM The US Robotics
Sportster Voice 28.8 Faxmodem PVM ($279) has a big advantage over the
28.8-Kbps modems with its support for the faster 33.6-Kbps V.34
protocol. As long as you have Sportsters at each end of the
connection, you will see ultrafast file transfers over phone lines.
This external device is a tight little box with an integrated
microphone and full-duplex speaker for hands-free phone
conversations. Telephony services include voice mail with multiple
mailboxes, remote message and fax retrieval and pager notification.
Weighting
Technology 10%
Implementation 40%
Usability 45%
Features 45%
Value 10%
Performance 50%
Price Tech- Imple- Perfor- Usa- Fea- Overall
nol- menta- mance bility tures rating
US Robotics Sportster
Voice 28.8 Faxmodem PVM $279 *** **** ***** **** *** ****
Hayes Accura 28.8
$259 *** **** ***** **** *** ****
Best Data Products Smart
One 2834VLX External $209 *** **** ***** **** *** ****
Aztech Labs AT3300 Audio
Telephony $199 *** **** ***** **** **** ****
Spectrum V.34 Office
F/X Modem Board $299 *** *** ***** **** *** ****
KEY
***** Outstanding
**** Very Good
*** Good
** Fair
* Poor
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Telephony Board Ratings
