Radio shack pro 668 update

[pallen444]

Hello,

Thank you for contacting Whistler. At this time, the DMR update is only available for the Whistler brand scanners. Although the RadioShack branded scanners are manufactured by our company, we do not control all decisions regarding those products. We continue to support these RadioShack models with updates for issues pertaining to the original product features.

 

[plato]

Pro-668 Upgrades

Typical Stupid answer!!!! As I said before, from now on buy a Whistler Brand Scanner, not a Radio Shack Rebadge!!! That way you'll get Whistler's support for all upgrades!!! Not the above stupid answers!!!!! Whistler should support the Pro-668. They openly admitted they made it for Radio Shack!! They should support it!!!!!!! Period!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[NC1]

So..... their answer is NO to the 668.

That is the answer. They won't say it, but that is what it means.

Those of us who are a little older, and a little wiser, know that this is their current mindset.

 

[marcotor]

Call the Wahhhhhumblance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And can you point all of us to where it says Whistler is responsible for supporting a device they produced, under contract, for another party? This sense of entitlement (and stupid use of exclamation points like that makes it even MORE important) has to end.

RS will or will not support it. Vote with your wallet. My 668's serve their purpose just fine the way they are. Until RS speaks, there's not much sense in getting your shorts bunched.

 

[sjgostovich]

I'd have to agree with the last poster. I bought mine to do what it does not and I got it at a massive discount like many others. If it does get a DMR update, great. If not, oh well. I still have a really good P2 digital scanner.

 

[wbswetnam]

Typical Stupid answer!!!! As I said before, from now on buy a Whistler Brand Scanner, not a Radio Shack Rebadge!!! That way you'll get Whistler's support for all upgrades!!! Not the above stupid answers!!!!! Whistler should support the Pro-668. They openly admitted they made it for Radio Shack!! They should support it!!!!!!! Period!!!!!!!!!!!

Why should Whistler support it, if they have fulfilled their contractual obligation to Radio Shack? I also work under contracts, and if a particular work assignment comes up and they want me to do it, I expect extra payment - I don't work just out of the goodness of my heart.

Same with Whistler... OK so there is an improvement to the unit; but, that is not a part of their original contract with Radio Shack. Why should Whistler provide this improvement "just because you have a product they manufactured"? I'm certain that Whistler is having to pay a royalty to Motorola for this DMR firmware upgrade - why provide this as a freebie when there is no compensation to their end? Again, it was not a part of their manufacturing contract with Radio Shack.

I have an orphaned Pro-668, too. It's a very good hand-held scanner and it does what it was advertised to do, and I bought it at a cut-rate price last year. Stop with the entitlement tantrums already.

 

[SCPD]

Whistler rebranded radio shack scanners

Why should Whistler support it, if they have fulfilled their contractual obligation to Radio Shack? I also work under contracts, and if a particular work assignment comes up and they want me to do it, I expect extra payment - I don't work just out of the goodness of my heart.

Same with Whistler... OK so there is an improvement to the unit; but, that is not a part of their original contract with Radio Shack. Why should Whistler provide this improvement "just because you have a product they manufactured"? I'm certain that Whistler is having to pay a royalty to Motorola for this DMR firmware upgrade - why provide this as a freebie when there is no compensation to their end? Again, it was not a part of their manufacturing contract with Radio Shack.

I have an orphaned Pro-668, too. It's a very good hand-held scanner and it does what it was advertised to do, and I bought it at a cut-rate price last year. Stop with the entitlement tantrums already.

Yes but if they rebrand their product and they dont support it,then guess what ?Why would anyone buy a rebranded product from them in the future?And knowing it IS a WHISTLER PRODUCT just makes one think about it the next time they buy a new scanner,its hey I got screwed on a rebrand.They should support their product! At the least provide an upgrade or unlock firmware so it becomes a WHISTLER if its not supported under the Radio shack badge.If you want to get screwed,thats your business,but a $499 product should be supported!

 

[buddrousa]

I paid full price to get a 668 the day it was released and if I get DMR for it great but no were did it say I would get DMR if I bought it. I just bought a TRX-2 because that is what I wanted. If you worked for a tire company building tires and one was flat you should go air it up for the customer or fix the flat.

 

[goldvrx]

I purchased my 668 at a greatly discounted price knowing that there may be no future support for this product. I could have spent 2 to 3 times the price for the similar Whistler scanner but chose the RS brand.
It would be nice if Whistler supported it but they have no obligation to provide the firmware updates,. Radio Shack is responsible to provide the updates. If enough people email RS about the support issue they may realize there is still a customer base willing to purchase their scanners ensuring future sales.

 

[pinhead]

well I have 4 pro-668 if no update these are the last scanners I ever buy ,,no more money spent on scanners,,,,I done,,,,,,,my money going to a new hobby,,,,an that's how I feel,,,,,,,

 

[buddrousa]

Sorry you feel this way but we Radio Shack 668 owners were never promised anything more than what we have now. New golf clubs come out 2 times a year $500 for 1 driver, $350 for a 3 Wood, $1000 for a set of irons. Fishing new boat $20,000, place to store the boat, rod and reels you get the idea. Drag racing $100,000 race car, trailer upkeep. We have a good hobby.

 

[SCPD]

you could

well I have 4 pro-668 if no update these are the last scanners I ever buy ,,no more money spent on scanners,,,,I done,,,,,,,my money going to a new hobby,,,,an that's how I feel,,,,,,,

You could always get a Uniden ........

 

[dkf435]

Well, Radio Shack better with the stock left, either discount these radios greatly to move them, or send them back to the warehouse and defect them out so Whistler can play with them or steam roll them, because the PRO668 is just about WORTHLESS.

Forced obsolescence of perfectly good equipment by Whistler and Radio Shack because of greed and BS issues will be noted in future purchases.

David

 

[NYG]

well I have 4 pro-668 if no update these are the last scanners I ever buy ,,no more money spent on scanners,,,,I done,,,,,,,my money going to a new hobby,,,,an that's how I feel,,,,,,,

I have 2 PRO-668s. Update or no update I don't plan on buying any more scanners unless there is a really big reason for it. I only use a scanner bedside for law enforcement, everything else has been SDR for me.

 

[zzdiesel]

I can understand Whistler not wanting to update our 668's for free, but they could at least offer to sell us an update if RS won't help us.

 

[buddrousa]

It may get to that but it will have to be worked out by Whistler and Radio Shack. It all will depend on if Radio Shack will pay a fee for each scanner bought for the DMR License

 

[cobraDIHO]

That's fine. I'm content with my much more versatile DSDPlus setup for DMR/NXDN anyway.

 

[Boy77777777777]

Yeah. I'd pay for an update.

 

[zzdiesel]

I would pay too because I'm not smart enough to figure out DSD & etc.

 

[hiegtx]

I can understand Whistler not wanting to update our 668's for free, but they could at least offer to sell us an update if RS won't help us.

The unknown factor here is the terms of the agreement for Whistler to produce the Radio Shack labeled Pro-668. That may preclude Whistler from "supporting" Radio Shack labeled units due to a non-compete clause. They may be restricted from 'interfering' with The Shack's customer base by offering services that were not delivered through Radio Shack itself.

Remember that old GRE would not 'support' the Radio Shack version of the PSR-800, the Pro-18, and the Pro-18 was also missing features, such as recording/playback, that was part of the PSR-800 series. Firmware updates for the Pro-18, as well as the Pro-106/-197, also had to be 'provided' by Radio Shack. That may have (speculation here) involved some sort of fee for service for the then-GRE to provide a tentative update for Radio Shack, which either they used as is, or modified to fit their specifications.

As noted, this is merely speculation on my part, and I have no way of knowing the exact state of the relationship between Whistler and Radio Shack. And none of us know whether, or how much, Whistler may have had to write off for products furnished to Radio Shack before completion of the bankruptcy last year.