Firmware upgrade for 436?
- Thread starter Hulca
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RT48
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In post #7 of this thread, Paul says the following:
"Firmware-wise, our next focus will be to complete the analysis functionality for both the BCD436HP and BCD536HP. Some work has been done on this, but it will take much more to have a release. We expect to release this in the March time frame. As with the app, we might have something to try, sooner."
http://forums.radioreference.com/uniden-forums/291260-siren-update.html
"Firmware-wise, our next focus will be to complete the analysis functionality for both the BCD436HP and BCD536HP. Some work has been done on this, but it will take much more to have a release. We expect to release this in the March time frame. As with the app, we might have something to try, sooner."
http://forums.radioreference.com/uniden-forums/291260-siren-update.html
Keep in mind that the 436 is a different radio than the 536 in more ways than just the shape. With the 396/996 and similarly designed handheld and mobile radios, they could likely just change the code for the display part of the firmware to fit the different radio, and that was all they had to do. The 536 has the wifi feature and a couple of other things that won't translate into the 436.
Furthermore, which would you rather they do - push a tiny update containing only the minor changes we saw in the 536 update, and then have to start the whole update process over from step 1 to improve upon those small changes, making the next update even later, or wait a little bit and get the whole thing in one shot in March (or thereabouts)? I'm in favor of the latter.
Furthermore, which would you rather they do - push a tiny update containing only the minor changes we saw in the 536 update, and then have to start the whole update process over from step 1 to improve upon those small changes, making the next update even later, or wait a little bit and get the whole thing in one shot in March (or thereabouts)? I'm in favor of the latter.
What issues are you experiencing with your 436 that requires a firmware update?
Come on now, even I wouldn't give people that line... there are features in the 536's latest update that would prove to be immensely beneficial to 436 users, and both radios stand to gain some improvements to features that have yet to be delivered from the product rollout.
Not trolling, but what in the current 536 firmware would benefit my 436? Just curious.
The command set has been expanded and improved, for one. The programs by Vonskie and Deskins that display x36HP and HP-1 data on your PC? They use the GLG command over serial, which has a limited amount of data available. The RH536 program Uniden puts out uses a new command available in the 536 update called PSI (and its cousin GSI) which delivers a lot more information in a much better format.
Also, there is a rudimentary amount of analyze function working in the 536 update. You can access some of it from the RH536 program (the menu options in the upper left corner, beside File, it's Tools IIRC), and some of it can only be accessed via serial mode (for now).
If Uniden can work on releasing the HP2 and x36 scanners at the same time, then they can also choose to support them all at the same time, not 1 by 1.
Firmware updates should be done on a regular basis for new models.
It demonstrates commitment. Especially when Uniden knows of issues to be fixed.
Not doing any firmware upgrades for a year on the 436 is Uniden's choice.
Don't understand their decision.
Uniden wasn't working on the x36 and HP2 at the same time. The x36s were released in January, 2014. The HP2 was released in October, 2014.
True, they were "working" on the dongle firmware, but they didn't get a working copy until December, 2014, so it's highly unlikely they were working on more than one project at a time - at least not any significant work for the dongle aside from seeing that it still didn't work. Who knows - if everything had gone according to plan, the HP-2 might not be out yet, or just be announced.
From December, 2014 to current, it's pretty obvious they have been working on the dongle firmware and Siren app.
I don't know why they haven't had any updates for the 436 either, but I'm sure once they do it will be obvious as to why not. I bet a lot of it has to do with the unfinished code for the dongle which is likely shared in the development between both x36 models since they are nearly identical. So, it may not have been Uniden's choice.
As for what should be done, well, Uniden should have gotten the dongle firmware in December 2013, not December 2014, but that obviously didn't happen.
True, they were "working" on the dongle firmware, but they didn't get a working copy until December, 2014, so it's highly unlikely they were working on more than one project at a time - at least not any significant work for the dongle aside from seeing that it still didn't work. Who knows - if everything had gone according to plan, the HP-2 might not be out yet, or just be announced.
From December, 2014 to current, it's pretty obvious they have been working on the dongle firmware and Siren app.
I don't know why they haven't had any updates for the 436 either, but I'm sure once they do it will be obvious as to why not. I bet a lot of it has to do with the unfinished code for the dongle which is likely shared in the development between both x36 models since they are nearly identical. So, it may not have been Uniden's choice.
As for what should be done, well, Uniden should have gotten the dongle firmware in December 2013, not December 2014, but that obviously didn't happen.
Thanks Jay, I tend to not pay much attention to all the chatter unless there is some official news, excuses, updates, or releases
If there's one thing I've learned from supporting anything (be it software, hardware, procedures and policy, or anything else), it's that you can never win, no matter what you do.
If Uniden had put out anything more than the weekly database updates for the 436 while this wifi problem was being sorted out, all the knuckleheads would have come out of the woodwork complaining about how "OMFG 'Undone' is wasting time on other stuff instead of fixing the 536HD that I paid SIX HUNNERT DOLLARSES for!!!1!!!1!!!".
The reality is they have 1 maybe 2 people who work on these things. In addition they probably also support all the marine radios, cordless phones and god knows what else. You can probably count the number of hours they spend a month on the firmware for the scanners on one hand.
fourthhorseman
Member
true,
Lets just hope when the 436 firmware update comes out it has some tangible significance,,Analyze would
be a nice surprise..
If not a whole lotta folks are going to have a belly fulla unhappiness...Some of us still have faith in Uniden,despite the shortfalls they've suffered.
Lets just hope when the 436 firmware update comes out it has some tangible significance,,Analyze would
be a nice surprise..
If not a whole lotta folks are going to have a belly fulla unhappiness...Some of us still have faith in Uniden,despite the shortfalls they've suffered.
Analyze is working in the 536 to an extent right now. And Paul has stated that that's what they're working on now. So it's a safe bet that it will only be a surprise to those who aren't paying attention.
Analyze is working in the 536 to an extent right now. And Paul has stated that that's what they're working on now. So it's a safe bet that it will only be a surprise to those who aren't paying attention.
Where is Analyze working? They removed it from the menu with that last batch of software.
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