BCD436HP/BCD536HP: Changing display size of RadioId's and Talkgroup Data

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SCPD

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Just wondering if it is possible to make the size of the RadioID and Talkgroup Alphatag Information LARGER .. on the screen bottom of the 436HP.

It is really really small in my opinion .. is there any way to make things bigger ?

I am mainly interested in seeing this talkgroup and radio id info .. and would be ok with not showing the department info above it.

Any options on changes would be appreciated. ;)

Thanks
 

lep

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I agree completely that the display characters are TOO small. I have mentioned this several times since purchasing the 436 in March 2014 but Uniden spokes persons(s) have been silent on whether or not there is a solution. I assume it would require a firmware modification but again, no information has been forthcoming. The display is really inferior to that on the HP-1 IMHOP.
 

W6KRU

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I agree as well. There are many unused/unneeded lines and characters that could be eliminated to facilitate a larger font.
 

SCPD

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Thanks .. I am a new 436HP owner and realized that part of the issue is that I use shorter alphatags for some things like talkgroup tags and that does give the appearance of lots of wasted room.

But yes .. the RadioId part at the bottom does seem to have taken a back seat to other things as far as the screen real estate is concerned.

Maybe a Option to have the TG take up one line of large text and the RADIO ID given another line of large text compared to the current 2 lines for the TG info would be a good option.

Uniden you listening, how about this as an option for those of use that want it ? :)

Myself .. I am older, and my eyesight is not what it used to be so this problem is compounded by that. But I can read the bigger text just fine but this is just a bit too small to comfortably read.
 

Boatanchor

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I agree as well. There are many unused/unneeded lines and characters that could be eliminated to facilitate a larger font.


^^^ This ^^^

I thought the display layout looked 'unrefined' when the 436HP was released. I'm not expecting anything to be done about it anytime soon though.

It would seem that Uniden just don't have the human resources to support these products.

One man can only do so much..
 

W6KRU

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I only put on my glasses for reading. I have never needed them to see a scanner before. The 436 is the exception. The alpha tags are too small to see reliably.
 

SCPD

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I thought I was the only one that needed those reading glasses on this scanner ... and I think Uniden underestimated how important the RadioId information is to us scanner users. Other than the recording features it was a major reason for my purchase.

I can fix the tiny TG info at the bottom by adding the TG number to my TG alphatag, but the radio id info there is no evident fix for that.

I also do my RadioId's as following ... RadioId Number then Alfatag Info. That gives me all the info I need. But just so small.

I have commercial radios with a limit of 8 characters for the TG name. So .. 2 lines is a bit much and I hope they change it so we can give the RadioId's the attention they deserve.

I think that we all know our talkgroups well that we do not need 2 lines for that data, but we really do want to see that RadioId info in a state we can actually read.

But I do love that the RadioId info is there at all .. very nice, but it can be better.
 
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W6KRU

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I'm going to disagree on the radioid importance. I couldn't care less about radioids. The only thing I need to see is an alphatag. I could even do without a dept name if I can see my alphatags.
 

iMONITOR

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I find with a lot of scanners using alphanumeric displays, that it sometimes helps to use all upper case. I know this is a sin to use in forums but give it a try on your scanner. It might help a bit.
 

SCPD

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Already done that .. ;-) It is bearable and I will live with it, but it could be so much better if we just had the option as to how we wanted our screen layout a bit more.

Oh .. and re the RadioId part .. there are many people in my opinion that do care and why Unitrunker and such programs are popular here.
 

W6KRU

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I find with a lot of scanners using alphanumeric displays, that it sometimes helps to use all upper case. I know this is a sin to use in forums but give it a try on your scanner. It might help a bit.

That is a good tip that I have been using for years. It doesn't help enough with the 436 though.
 

garys

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I really wish that the displays for both scanners were user configurable. In my case especially the 536HP, but the 436 could use that as well. It seems rather silly to me that there is no way to display trunked site information when the scanner is stopped on a Talk Group. Unless I'm missing something, that is.

In particular I think that displaying the "Service Type" is pretty useless. Maybe that's more useful if you are using location based scanning without programmed Favorite LIsts.
 

garys

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I find with a lot of scanners using alphanumeric displays, that it sometimes helps to use all upper case. I know this is a sin to use in forums but give it a try on your scanner. It might help a bit.

This is what I do for just about everything. Systems, Departments, Sites, Favorite LIsts, etc,. It really makes it easier to see, especially on a mobile.

I hope that when the Siren App comes out, it will have better font sizes. Maybe even programmable font sizes.

I can dream, can't I? :lol:
 

Jay911

Silent Key (April 15th, 2023)
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If you are doing this on a radio that will be stationary (i.e. you're not carrying it around on your hip), you could try one of the two programs which display the screen data on a computer.

Unfortunately neither of these two apps have support for unit ID on the x36 lineup as yet; the command set/protocol for the x36 line hasn't been released yet, and the one command that seems to work (in sending active channel info over the serial connection) doesn't provide unit ID.

ScannerScreen - http://forums.radioreference.com/un...285096-scanner-screen-software-436-536-a.html

Scanner Monitor - http://forums.radioreference.com/un...536-scanner-monitor-app-both-mac-windows.html
 

NWI_Scanner_Guy

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I agree completely that the display characters are TOO small. I have mentioned this several times since purchasing the 436 in March 2014 but Uniden spokes persons(s) have been silent on whether or not there is a solution. I assume it would require a firmware modification but again, no information has been forthcoming. The display is really inferior to that on the HP-1 IMHOP.

The words "Uniden" and "firmware modification" in regards to the x36HP line of scanners should never be seen in the same sentence / paragraph.

However, having said that, a larger font on the 436 would be nice, but I won't be holding my breath.

:)
 

iMONITOR

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The BCD996XT accomplishes larger text by alternating the display, ie:

Romeo Site / Macomb Sheriff

Alternates back and forth, displaying one, then the other, on the same line, allowing for a large font, yet not severely limiting the amount of information.

I no longer have my x36HP scanners, and can't recall if they do this?
 

SCPD

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I am actually borrowing a friends 436HP til mine arrives, but playing with it for the past day ... the RadioID size is the ONLY disappointment in this scanner that I have come across.

The rest of it .. is very well thought out and designed. I love the 436HP scanner (as a previous GRE owner .. it's in a box. Winks) .. however this is really the only big fault in an otherwise pretty flawless scanner.

I have done all I can to make it better .. but this is really the only BIG flaw that it had in my opinion.

Mr Opitz .. if you read this thread, please add this to your list of nice things for this scanner.

I am a part time computer programmer and I am all about design and usability and this could just so be improved with this little change.

What it really needs is just the OPTION of making the 2 lines of Talkgroup tag into 1 line, and allow the 2nd bottom line to be used for RadioId info. Lets face it .. it is just too small to read comfortably.

I would have no problem with only having 23 visible characters for my talkgroup tag as compared to 46. On a handheld 23 is adequate for most things. If your tag is longer than 23 .. it should just be truncated if you would an option like this.

But .. I do not want a ton of PM's telling me that you like the scanner the way that it is .. and not to change it. I am not asking for a wholesale change .. just the OPTION on how that 2nd bottom line can be used.

I believe that this would be a great improvement on this scanner and judging by this thread many people seem to agree.

I know Uniden jumped when GRE was the first to display RadioId information on scanners .. maybe they can do the right thing and make this 436HP a bit more usable .. it is their flagship scanner now after all.
 

Gilligan

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Just out of curiousity, how many of us actually pay attention to the number and service tags while the radio is scanning? Wouldn't it just make sense to have that line gone (as an option) and replaced with the existing radio ID line for a larger display line for radio IDs?
 

NWI_Scanner_Guy

SCANNING THE AIRWAVES SINCE 1987
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Just out of curiosity, how many of us actually pay attention to the number and service tags while the radio is scanning? Wouldn't it just make sense to have that line gone (as an option) and replaced with the existing radio ID line for a larger display line for radio IDs?

I do.

:)
 
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