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Flying Kiwi
Tl Posts:
3

United Kingdom
Posted - 1/2/2005 6:50:12 AM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Message
I've recently obtained a 56k V90 External Serial port modem/fax with voice/speakerphone capabilities based on the Ambient/Intel MD5660DT-M-A chipset. It currently displays US as its country code and I want to see if I can change it to the UK (and possibly other countries later). The modem is very generic in nature, with no brand markings at all and the pnp id only shows CIR3100 - which is also generic for the chipset. Can anyone please point me in the direction of how I can change the country code for this modem and also what countries caller id will be supported in? Thanks for any help!
Pi
Tl Posts:
89

USA
Posted - 1/2/2005 10:59:52 AM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Message
Country code can be changed in the "Phone and Modem Options"
http://www.restartoffice.com/windowsXP.htm
"The Modem Country Code May Not Match the Telephony Location,"
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=325801

You might be able to find a AT command manual at one of the makers who used the chipset.
http://www.modem-help.co.uk/chips/amb566.html
Edited by - Pi on 1/2/2005 11:00:34 AM

Flying Kiwi
Tl Posts:
3

United Kingdom
Posted - 1/2/2005 1:24:47 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Message
Many thanks for the super-mega fast reply! The country code that I'm talking about is that generated in response to an ati6 - ie "USA 1" (without the quotes). This is a modem which I want to work at its best within the UK and I'm aware that full hardware modems such as this can have their internal coding changed to suit different countries via a series of AT commands - I've done this before with my Connexant ACF II based ISA modem but I cant remember what the command to use is.

FWIW my XP setup is all AOK re country code selections that are possible (as per the links supplied). With such a modem as this one, these XP settings don't change the ATI6 response. Unfortunately modemhelp.co.uk doesn't contain the required info (and nor do the links from that site that I've followed) and I figure since its a modem with a reference design from America, a US website should be the place to look.

Pi
Tl Posts:
89

USA
Posted - 1/2/2005 10:09:02 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Message
Here is a Cirrus Logic designers guide (date 1997) for the MD 56XX chipset. Includes AT commands.
This PDF file indicates the country specific "firmware" has to be used with the early modems.
http://ftp.gentek.com/gvc/doc/MD56XXDB.PDF
AT*NC?
Should give you the current country code,
AT*NC=?
Should give you "all" possible country codes * if the firmware supports changing the code with AT commands.

AT commands are hard to find for this chipset and are specific to the firmware version.
www.modemsite.com/56k/cirrus.asp'
www.modemsite.com/56k/intel.asp
* Early hardware modems had firmware specific to the country it was used in. The firmware had to be flashed to change to the "country" specific firmware.
Modern hardware modem firmware can change the country codes with AT commands. Your modem may have early firmware and be USA only.
Unless you can track down who actually made the modem and determine if they offered UK firmware you may not be able to change the country code on this modem.

3100 EEPROM ID
http://www.modem-help.uklinux.net/search.php?eeprom=R

http://www.modem-help.co.uk/help/country.html
http://developer.intel.com/design/modems/products/md566x.htm
This modem also uses the MD 566X chipset and indicates V.92 firmware is available but does not have a download for it.
http://www.dism.com/main/btmodem.htm

This post indicates the Trust 56K V92 External Modem uses Intel chipset.
http://www.modemhelp.net/vblite/showthread.php3?threadid=697

http://www.trust.com/products/product.aspx?artnr=12678

The following information is for the Trust 56K V92 External Modem #12678 (12679 is the same modem with a UK power adapter)
This modem uses the MD566X chipset . This firmware "may not" work on your modem and damage the EEPROM.
Modem makers can and often do program firmware not to work on modems that they did not make but use the same chipset;
"BASED ON THE EEPROM ID NUMBER"
If your not willing to risk DAMAGING the modem do not use this firmware.
There might be manufacturing changes to the chipset over the years that might prevent V.92 firmware from working on older chips.
You should do more research before attempting to use the TRUST V.92 firmware.

Trust programers guide (MD566X dated July 2001) for the 12678 Trust 56K """V92""" External Modem. This manual is only valid with the Trust V92 firmware.
Includes AT commands. It appears that country codes can be selected with AT commands with this firmware.
www.trust.com/service/download/manuals.aspx?artnr=12678

Edited by - Pi on 1/2/2005 10:19:13 PM

Flying Kiwi
Tl Posts:
3

United Kingdom
Posted - 1/3/2005 2:42:15 AM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Message
Once again thanks for the fast reply. Those links were exactly what I was looking for - particularly the first one (Cirrus Logic Designers Guide). I tried finding which country codes the firmware is designed for (using the command you provided) and you are correct in that its not gloabl/selectable but just for the USA. Unfortunately Caller ID (as is often the case) is only designed for the US format and the version used here in the UK by BT isn't detectable by the modem (I tested it in terminal mode just to be sure).

I thought I'd look into flashing the firmware but on closer investigation, I suspect the modem contains just an EPROM (as opposed to a more expensive EEPROM - ie its not flashable using conventional flash upgrade programs but only on a special machine designed to program chips.

It's only a backup modem at this stage and most functions seem to work OK as-is so I'll leave it alone. Thanks for all of your help all the same!

Pi
Tl Posts:
89

USA
Posted - 1/3/2005 2:14:02 PM  Show Profile  Email Poster  Edit Message
Country codes can change setting to allow modem to work better in the country they are installed in but CID is not normally part of this.
New firmware might NOT help with Caller ID. BT caller ID support was or is not common in hardware modems.

Links below provide Caller ID info in general and some specific to BT. Two modems listed in one of the links that support the BT caller ID, Pace (out of business) and early USR. One link suggests that all USR supported BT caller ID but it is turned off in the firmware for all modems except ones sold in the UK. Most of the info in these links relating to BT Caller ID is getting out of date and may not apply to current firmware.

http://www.ainslie.org.uk/callerid/cli_faq.htm
"""British Telecom developed their own standard, which wakes up the display with a line reversal, then sends the data as CCITT V23 modem tones in a format similar to MDMF"""
http://www.ainslie.org.uk/callerid.htm
http://www.epanorama.net/documents/telecom/caller_id.html
http://www.modem-help.co.uk/help/clid.html
Edited by - Pi on 1/3/2005 2:15:21 PM

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