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I used to have a modem that was a little black cube about 1.25" on each side. Maybe a little bigger. 19.2Kbaud I think. I can't remember the name of the company or the model or anything and searches haven't found anything. Does anyone remember this one?

It was a really strange form factor - especially considering most modems of the time were just in extruded aluminum cases of one kind or another. For some reason I've been thinking of it lately.

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  • Probably more likely 19.2kbps than 19.2kbaud.
    – user
    Nov 24, 2017 at 9:28
  • @MichaelKjörling - you're right - back in the real early days when I learned about this stuff everything was baud and baud = bits and I still have a bad habit about that.
    – davidbak
    Nov 24, 2017 at 22:59
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    Inspired by this question, I bought one of these modems (and I have it connected to this system, with a live connection to a Linux dial-up console, as I type.) Mine is a 9600 bps v.32 modem. It has a Mac-style mini-DIN serial connector and comes with serial cables that connect that to both Mac mini-DIN or PC-style DE-9 ports. A power supply is included, and as mentioned in the other answer, the modem can also run for a few hours on a 9-volt battery, which is interesting. The modem is indeed small. It and all its accessories pack into a nice zippered cloth bag which is included with the modem.
    – Jim MacKenzie
    Mar 3, 2018 at 21:09

1 Answer 1

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You're looking for the Telebit QBlazer.

It wasn't just 19.2k, but a 9.6k V32 or 14.4k V32bis as QBlazer+. Your confusion might originate in their claims to run up to 38.4k ... available due to compression.

It also was more like 2.3 inch (6cm) on each side. But yeah, small and portable and still a full figured desktop modem. The ability to be powered from a single 9V block did add to this.

The QBlazer was first shipped for Christmas 1991 at 700+ USD, but dropped a year later down to 300 USD - right when the QBlazer+ came out.

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    You're right - I just looked at a ruler and 1.25" would have been pretty darn small. 2" or so is right. And I was also confused about 19.2 - it was 9.6. I sure as hell didn't pay $700 for it though! But modems were expensive then ... I might have paid around $300. (I wish I had kept it, just for fun. I wish I had kept a lot of my old gear, but oh well.) Thanks!
    – davidbak
    Nov 24, 2017 at 22:58
  • Neat modem. This is the first I've ever heard of it, and I've been interested in modems since 1984.
    – Jim MacKenzie
    Nov 27, 2017 at 17:24

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