This MacNews Category Review looks at ISDN products for Mac OS X. Products covered include Alexon Alex-TD580 ISDN Terminal Adapter, Donatello Memory, DuoPan, ISDN Router MN 128-SOHO SL11, MarcoSL, miniVigor128 USB ISDN TA, Palladio Twin ISDN, Tintoretto USB and WebShuttle ISDN.

But let's back up: ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) is a circuit-switched telephone network system, designed to allow digital transmission of voice and data over ordinary telephone copper wires. It's also a set of protocols for establishing and breaking circuit switched connections, and for advanced call features for the user. ISDN devices are like dial-up modems, but five times faster. They require special telephone lines, which cost a little (or a lot, depending on your phone company) more than normal phone lines. ISDN supports data transfer rates of 64 Kbps (64,000 bits per second). They're also becoming rarer due to faster options such as cable, DSL, etc. Okay, now on to the products:

Alexon Alex-TD580 ISDN Terminal Adapter

The [url=http://www.alexon.co.jp/]Alexon Alex-TD580 ISDN Terminal Adapter[/url] is an ISDN terminal adaptor with three analog ports. The same Asian company also makes the Alexon Alex-TD 780 ISDN Terminal Adapter, an automatic recognition terminal adapter with two analog lines.

Donatello Memory

[url=http://www.digicom.it/]Donatell Memory[/url] is an ISDN fax/voice/speakerphone modem. Thanks to its Memory capabilities it can store faxes and voice messages even when your Mac is turned off.
DuoPan

The [url=http://www.hermstedt.de/]DuoPan[/url] add-on board offers fax or modem functionality for Leonardo XL. The [url=http://www.hermstedt.de/]Leonardo USB ISDN adapter[/url] is a multifunctional ISDN communications solution for every USB equipped Macintosh with support for both analog and digital communication. It offers "plug and play" technology for your Internet, file transfer, fax and Remote Access requirements. You can use up to eight Leonardo USB devices on a single Mac for a maximum of 32 B channels, all 32 of which can be used also with data/fax modem. Traditional modem applications can now also be used with ISDN. There is a choice of three Leonardo USB devices from dual ISDN channels and one fax/data modem, four ISDN channels with single fax/data modem and, the highest specification, with four ISDN channels and four modems. The package comes complete with ISDN drivers and a software license for Leonardo Express file transfer software.

ISDN Router MN 128-SOHO SL11

[url=http://www.bug.co.jp/]ISDN Router MN 128-SOHO SL11[/url] is an ISDN SOHO router with ISDN TA, 10 Base-T Ethernet HUB and analog ports. It works as ISDN router when connected to an Ethernet port, and works as an ISDN TA when connected to a DTE port.

Marco SL

The [url=http://www.hermstedt.de/]Marco SL[/url] is an active 128 kbit/s PC-Card for high-performance file transfer.

miniVigor128 USB ISDN TA

The [url=http://www.draytek.com.tw/]miniVigor128 USB ISDN TA[/url] offers data operation at either 64Kbps or full 128Kbps with automatic bandwidth-on-demand facility. It's designed for connectivity to a corporate intranet, remote offices, video conferencing and file transfer.

Palladio Twin ISDN

The [url=http://www.digicom.it/]Palladio Twin ISDN[/url] is a solution designed for PowerBook users already integrating a V90 Fax/Modem. This active card can connect to the ISDN (2x64Kbps) and the GSM networks.

Tintoretto USB

The [url=http://www.digicom.it/]Tintoretto USB[/url] is an active ISDN terminal adaptor (modem) for BRI (2x64Kbps) connection. It sports an USB interface, connections up to 128 Kbps, and support for such ISDN protocols as V.110, V.120, V,42bis, PPP and MLPPP

WebShuttle ISDN

[url=http://www.hermstedt.de/]WebShuttle ISDN[/url] is an active two-channel USB ISDN adapter the can handle connections at up to 128 kbits/sec. Features include: an integrated POTS interface, support for the computer's USB and Multilink PPP.