TECHNICAL BULLETIN #74 - Rev 1.00 (5/13/96)

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TITLE   : Fax Appearance Problems
PRODUCT : PROCOMM PLUS for Windows 2.xx
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This document explains several different procedures you can use to correct
problems with the way fax images appear when they are received by PROCOMM PLUS
for Windows version 2.x.

VERTICAL LINES APPEAR IN THE RECEIVED FAX
If the image you receive consists of a bunch of vertical lines like a bar
code on a product in the grocery store, the problem may be caused by the
flow control setting. This setting can be found in the Fax Connection group
of the Current Setup Window.

1. Activate the Current Setup window in PROCOMM PLUS by clicking on the
   Setup Icon on the Action Bar, or by selecting Setup... from the Setup menu.

2. Scroll through the Setup groups and click on the Fax Connection button.

3. On the right side of the window there is a box labeled Flow control:.
   Set this to either Software or Hardware flow control (whichever option you
   haven't tried yet).

4. Next you must configure your modem to use the same flow control method
   that you selected in the previous step.  Check your modem's user manual to
   determine the correct commands to enable hardware flow control and to enable
   software flow control in your modem.

5. Once you have determined the proper flow control commands for your modem,
   activate the Current Setup's Fax Connection options like you did in step 2.
   Make sure that the modem commands listed in the Fax initialization string:
   field include the modem command that corresponds to the flow control method
   you chose in step 3.  If you decided to try hardware flow control, make sure
   that the hardware flow control enable command for your modem appears in the
   fax initialization string.  If it is not included, add the command to the
   existing set of commands by typing the command sequence for hardware flow
   control immediately before the ^M sequence in the Initialization string
   field.  If you decided to try software flow control, follow the same
   procedure to set up software flow control for your modem.

Note:  The information in the Fax initialization string controls how your
modem will handle flow control.  The setting in the Flow control:  box
determines how PROCOMM PLUS will handle flow control.  Both of these items
must be set to use the same flow control method.

DOTS AND LINES APPEAR IN THE RECEIVED FAX.
Dots and lines appearing in your fax, instead of text, may be caused by a
problem with the bit order of the fax data.  You can adjust the way PROCOMM
PLUS handles the bit order for faxes with a setting in the PW2.INI file.

1. Use the Windows Notepad utility to open the PW2.INI file in the main Windows
   directory (usually called C:\WINDOWS).

2. Scroll down to the [Options] section of the PW2.INI and add FBOR="xy".
   The values for x and y are:

             0 for Use program defaults
             1 for Use Standard bit order
             2 for Use reverse bit order

   The x value is for sending faxes and the y value is for receiving faxes.
   Initially, try FBOR="01". If that doesn't help, try FBOR="02". You must
   include the quote marks.

   Note: If you do not find the [Options] section in PW2.INI, you can add
   this section to the very end of the PW2.INI file.

3. Once you have made your change to PW2.INI, choose Exit from the File menu
   of Notepad. Click on the Yes button when you are prompted to save changes
   to PW2.INI.

4. Verify that the next fax image you receive is correct. If it isn't, try
   one of the other settings for FBOR.


RANDOM 'GLITCHES' AND DEFECTS IN THE FAX IMAGE
If you tend to have sporadic defects in the image of a received fax,
especially over long distance phone calls, the fax may just be suffering from
slight data loss due to noise on the phone line.

1. Try plugging a regular phone into the same line that you are using to
   receive faxes. Pick up the line and dial a few local numbers. If you can
   hear static on the line when you connect with these numbers or when you just
   pick up the handset, then there is a problem with your phone line.

2. If the problem occurs repeatedly when you call certain numbers but not with
   other numbers, a problem may exist with the phone line connected to the
   problematic numbers.

RECEIVED FAXES APPEAR COARSE, OR SLIGHTLY BLURRY WHEN RECEIVED.
Since fax transmissions occur at a much lower resolution than monitors and
printers support (especially laser and inkjet printers), you will often notice
a degradation in the quality of an image once it is received via fax.  This is
a limitation of the current fax technology.  Future fax standards will improve
upon the quality of faxed images.

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         Copyright (c) 1996 Quarterdeck  All rights reserved.
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