Zoom/Modem HC2400S SendFax. (evaluation)
by Clifton Karnes

If you find yourself hemming and hawing every time someone says, "Just fax it to me," the Zoom/Modem HC2400S SendFax may be just the ticket. For a mere $169, you'll get a 2400-bps modem and a 9600-bps Group 3 send-only fax, both in one internal board. Also included with the package is ProComm, probably the most popular telecommunications program around today, and BitFax, software that works with the Zoom board.

To install the Zoom SendFax, all you have to do is decide which COM port it's going to use and set a jumper on the board. Then just slip it in any 8-bit expansion slot, and you're ready to go. (A slightly more expensive external version of the Zoom is also available.)

You'll be able to use the modem for two-way communication and the fax for sending faxes (but you won't be able to receive faxes with this Zoom board).

The modem portion of the Zoom/Modem HC2400S SendFax works flawlessly. It has full Hayes AT-command set compatibility (including support for all the standard Hayes registers), and it boasts a speaker with a tone that you'll find clearer than most.

For telecommunicating, you can either settle in with the ProComm communications software or use ProComm to download an even nicer communications program such as Telix.

For sending faxes, you can get your feet wet with the bundled BitFax, but it's no fun to use, and although you can combine graphics and text in your faxes, you may find the process cumbersome. You won't get many "oohs" and "ahs" for your documents' design at the other end of the telephone line.

There is other send-fax software, however, and the Zoom will work with any program that supports the Sierra chip set. If you're using Microsoft Windows, one excellent program is WinFax (Delrina Technology, 1945 Leslie Street Toronto, Ontario, Canada M3B 2M3; 416-441-3676; $69). With it, you can send beautiful faxes, and doing so is about as easy as printing.

Do I recommend the Zoom SendFax? You bet I do. It has performed flawlessly, and even though I'm not enamored with the bundled software, you just can't beat the Zoom's price.