IBM Aptiva Mxx Review
B. Ford 2-4-97
[email protected]
http://www.soltec.net/~b76302
The IBM Aptiva computer system has recieved much attention since it's first appearance and it deserves it. Well, a portion of it. The slick appearance of the system and the wonderful audio quality at the store puts it aside from others, except when the case falls off due to IBM's dumb case design idea. The price tag was a bit steep, but what could you expect from IBM? The system was easy to install and it's flaws went unnoticed for a few days. Unfortunately, there was one evil demon waiting to attack, Mwave. IBM sure let a lot of serious on-line users down when they put the Mwave card in these systems. The modem seemed to work good when I used it. It would connect at 26,400 or 28,800. As I mentioned earlier, the audio quality on the system is very good and midi files sound wonderful due to the Wavetable capabilities. When we go on-line and play audio, however, this demon is released.
The Mwave card is based on the dsp2780 chip. The advantage of having this card seemed enormous. For one, there's a good sound card and a high speed software upgradeable modem all in one card. Second, the dsp2780 processor which is built into the card controls the sound and modem, ridding those tasks from the computers processor so it can deal with everything else. Unfortunately, while on-line, the dsp2780 processor is working with the modem and when a request for sound comes in the entire system delays. If the user doesn't use Qsound or any of the sound features that make the audio quality sound great then the problem can be partially corrected. Still, when on-line, midi quality is terrible and there isn't a thing to do about it. Second, and most dissappointing to myself, applications such as web phone, Microsoft Netmeeting, etc... are unable to use voice. IBM's upgrade is a help in reliable on-line connections, but helps none in the other categories. Since IBM has terrible technical support, asking them for help is a joke.
On the positive side, there are some possibilities. The user could buy a seperate modem and sound card, which would be undoubtedly the best solution, but most people that spend some thousands of dollars on an Aptiva would want to do this. My alternative was to remove all the Mwave software and to attempt to use the Mwave Dynalink drivers that I found at Mwave at Watson on the internet. This, with some exceptions, has greatly increased my satisfactory with the card in my Aptiva M-51. I can use applications like web phone now and they work pretty good. I have also purchased an external modem so I can use the sound card and be on-line at the same time. The only disadvantage to using Dynalink drivers is you cannot also use rapid resume. If so, the modem will stop responding, another reason why I purchased another modem. If IBM had only installed a Sound Blaster card and a modem they could have saved numerous IBM customers a lot of pain.
The computer seems to perform quite well. I leave my system on most of the time without many problems. It also seems quite versatile in upgradeability. I had many hours of frustration when adding things, but in the long run they proved an advantage in fully understanding the system. If not for Mwave, the addition of my tv-card, scanner, and pilot organizer would have been a breeze. I still managed, with some clever ideas and many days of work, to make it all work. I also installed more ram and am proud to say that nothing went wrong there.
IBM was very generous when choosing the software selections to come bundled with the Aptiva. Unfortunately, if you call IBM with even the simplest software problem there solution is to reload all the software from the Aptiva recovery CD.
As an experienced computer user I am happy with this system. The Aptiva is like the enterprise of computer systems to me. I use it continually and am always at the cutting edge in software. The Aptiva seems to display a sense of power and superiority. This system will go until the cows come home, but if you are not going to spend your time learning it's personality then it should be left at the store.
B. Ford
. DON5408's Unofficial Aptiva Support Site
© 1998, Don Schneider