Re: OT Home Highway, is it worth it?

["tefxp" <tony.butler@xxxxxxx>]

Hi Guys,

I have had various flavours of internet access over the years - from
9.6k modems to 56k modems, ISDN, cable modem, and of course, a fat
pipe at work!

ISDN is definitely worth getting over a 56k modem.
Even just using one line @64k (which is uncompressed whereas 56k is
heavily compressed - provided the source data is compressible) I was
very happy with the speed of web pages.  Large downloads are another
matter of course:-)
The biggest advantage of ISDN is the connect time - or lack thereof.
It is near instantaneous so it feels like you have a permanent
connection.
BUT (and it's a big BUT) this is also the biggest problem - because
it is so quick, you are more inclined to log on just for a 'quick
look' at something.  I found my phone bill was hammered, mainly by
lots and lots of minimum call charges.  :-((((  and yes, I did have
it set up right, but inevitably, I would have a quick look @
something just _after_ the line had been dropped, so of course,
another call would be made....

Cable modem, if you can get it, OTOH, is v.cheap and v.fast and, it
seems, more reliable than ADSL from the reports I have heard.

RE: choice of TA:  'Received wisdom' is that external is better
because of being active, whereas cheap internal TA's are passive &
the PC processor has to do all the work - these days though,
processors have more power than the software developers know what to
do with, so it shouldn't be a problem.....

OTOH, going the external route, you can get an ISDN router and
conenct all your PC's/ePODs etc to the web....

HTH,


Tony
(newbie)