DSD + and Uniden 396T

[Gadgetmann]

I've got DSD+ and lame_enc.dll in a desktop directory. It is on Windows XP machine with SP 2. My 396T has a discriminator tap with a 3.5mm plug and cable hooked up to the mic input on the XP machine. Level on the DSD+ command prompt heading show lvl=4% but jumps all over the place and when I transmit on a portable radio(I have a PV radio) it jumps to 100% then back down to 60%. No data scrolls it just says Mono audio decoding initiated press esc to exit. The only keys that work is "R" and "I", oh and the Esc key lets me close down the program. It will not let me input any of the commands from the user guide.
Not sure if I missed some audio settings.

My screen shows.

DSDPlus Rev 1.023
DSPPlus -h for help summary

Appending synthesized audio to file DSDPlus.wav

audio input device #1 = 'SigmaTel Audio'

audio output device #1 = 'SigmaTel Audio'

audio input device #1 <SigmaTel Audio> initialized
audio output device #1 <SigmaTel Audio> initialized

Mono audio decoding initiated; press Esc to exit..


Any ideas how to make this work?

 

[br0adband]

The "commands" you speak of are what's known as command line switches meaning you enter them by starting the program itself with the dsd.exe entry (or whatever your exe is named, some people use dsdplus,exe, some use dsd.exe, or whatever - and I am referring to DSDPlus aka DSD+, not the original DSD) and adding the relevant "switches" behind it. Say for example you wanted to start DSD+ and have it provide you with verbose logging (the max level) so you see what's going on as well as only decoding P25 content, the full start up command would look like this:

dsd.exe -v4 -f1

dsd.exe starts the program, -v4 tells it to display the maximum verbose information possible (ranges from 1 to 4), and -f1 tells it to decode only P25 signals. If you have different systems you want to monitor with different switches, you can create simple batch files (which are just text files with commands typed out) which would start DSD+ up more quickly than having to type out the specific switches for a given system. That comes in handy for those that you've had a chance to monitor and tune for better quality using dsdtune, another program that works with DSD+ to make use of the tuning capabilities.

Based on what you described I would say it's simply an issue with getting the audio levels set correctly - going from 4% to 100% then averaging or showing 60% seems to be a pretty wide range there when it should just show a somewhat steadier reading as long as there's an actual signal to be decoded.

The biggest issue most people have is using mic inputs and those levels being so off because mic inputs are extremely sensitive to signal voltages and a discriminator tap level is somewhat high - trying the cable in the line input might offer a better signal for decoding purposes, if you're currently using the mic input. You'd also need to ensure the proper input on the audio hardware is the default input. It doesn't look like you have much else to work with based on it being a SigmaTel sound chip (they're not the greatest things to work with in my experience, and quite old too).

Typically you'd see more options there, like several devices for input and output on most machines - there's a chance that you may need to invest in a proper dedicated sound card that would offer more potential (for such an older machine, some old SBLive! or a similar card for a few bucks would do the trick and be far better than the onboard SigmaTel chip, definitely).

 

[Gadgetmann]

Ok, but I must be missing something still on the commands or switches. Since it will not let me type anything in the program once I open it, where do I put this command or switch? ie the
dsd.exe -v4 -f1?
I double click on the dsd.exe and the program opens up with the information that I noted above.

 

[BM82557]

In the attachment see the third line down, that is where I entered dsd -i2 -o1 -v4 -f1 >logfile.txt

Instead of clicking on the dsd application in your folder you should setup a shortcut on your desktop. That is recommended in the DSDPlus text file -


"After copying the zip file contents to the installation folder,
you should probably create a shortcut on your desktop.
The shortcut should run cmd.exe in the installation folder

Shortcut properties:

Target: %windir%\system32\cmd.exe

Start in: <your DSDPlus folder>"

 

[n4yek]

As BM82557 stated, your best route is using desktop shortcuts to start your programs.
You can also open a 'Command Prompt' window and start it from there with the switched you want.

As you see in a snapshot of my desktop, I made batch files with the switches for what I want each to do.
Each batch file references the DSD Plus folder right beside them.

 

[slicerwizard]

when I transmit on a portable radio(I have a PV radio) it jumps to 100% then back down to 60%. No data scrolls

Any ideas how to make this work?

You're supposed to look at the raw audio or get someone else to look at it. That's what the R key is for.

 

[Gadgetmann]

In the attachment see the third line down, that is where I entered dsd -i2 -o1 -v4 -f1 >logfile.txt

Instead of clicking on the dsd application in your folder you should setup a shortcut on your desktop. That is recommended in the DSDPlus text file -


"After copying the zip file contents to the installation folder,
you should probably create a shortcut on your desktop.
The shortcut should run cmd.exe in the installation folder

Shortcut properties:

Target: %windir%\system32\cmd.exe

Start in: <your DSDPlus folder>"

In your 3rd line down, I type that in on my shortcut and it says.........'dsd' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.

Are there some instructions on how to properly make a batch file? I have searched and tried everything and about to give this all up.

 

[n4yek]

Are there some instructions on how to properly make a batch file? I have searched and tried everything and about to give this all up.

Webpages:
https://www.google.com/#q=how+do+i+make+a+.bat+file

Videos:
https://www.google.com/#q=how+do+i+make+a+.bat+file&tbm=vid