Synchronous Modems

Synchronous modems operates in the audio domain, at rates up to 28800 bps in audio lines, used in telephones systems (using synchronous data). The usual modulation methods are the phase modulation and integrated phase and amplitude (at higher rates than 4800 bps).

In synchronous modems, equalizers are used, in order to offset the misfit of the telephone lines. These equalizers are inserted in addition to the equalizers, that sometimes already exist in the telephone lines.

These equalizers an be classified into three main groups:

1. Fixed/statistical equalizer - these equalizers offset the signal according to the average of the known attenuation in each frequency. Tuning the equalizer is sometimes done in the factory and stays fixed, usually they are used to operate at low rates in a dial up line.
2. Manually adjusted equalizer - these equalizers can be tuned to optimal performance to a given line. These equalizers should be re-tuned when the line is replaced and periodically. Specially, it should be tuned frequently when the line is of a low quality and it's parameters are changed frequently. Tuning is done using a button inside the modem (or on the external board).
3. Automatic equalizer - these equalizers are tuned automatically when the connection is established. Depending on the line quality in a specific moment, in a process of about 15ms to 25ms, after the first tuning, the equalizer samples the line continually and adjusts itself to the changed conditions, so the modem operates at each moment under optimal conditions. The fitness process operates, in some modems, at rates of 2400 times in a second.

Synchronous modems operate in the same manner asynchronous modems. However, synchronous modems operates at higher rates and since the requirements to transmit at these rates is increasing, most of the innovations are implemented for synchronous modems.

In synchronous modems the channel can be split for several consumers at various speeds. Modems who have this ability are called SSM - Split System Modem. These modems can use a simple split or a split using multipoint connection.

Synchronous data is accompanied by a clock signal. Synchronous data is almost always grouped in blocks, and it is the responsibility of the data source to assemble those blocks with framing codes and any extra bits needed for error detecting and/or correcting according to one of many different protocols (BISYNC, SDLC, HDLC, etc.). The data source and destination expect the modem to be transparent to this type of data, conversely, the modem can ignore the blocking of the data.