BCD436HP Screen pretty dissapointing

Not sure what it is, that materials, the angle, the reflectivity but the screen on the 436HP is basically unusable without the backlight on. I noticed it from the second I put the batteries in and turned it on. I couldn't read a thing on the screen in normal room light. Within 10 minutes of using it I was already searching for how to get the backlight adjusted. It's unusable without the backlight. It's profound. I don't think I've come across any of my other gadgets where the screen is so poor.

Now the problem is, setting the thing up to have the backlight on for long periods will have an effect on battery life.

I can't put my find on it, but it's definitely one of the harder screens I've ever looked at. I guess once you are in normal operation maybe it's not that important but for first impressions it left a bad one.

Roveer

Uniden choose the cheapest LCD screen available... A passive LCD technology from the early 70's. So it doesn't surprise me that your having problems seeing the screen with no backlight.

Unless I'm in a brightly lit room, the Whistler/GRE 1080/800/RS668 are just about as bad. At work, the only light I have most of the night is from my desk light, and I can't read anything on my scanners with the cases on them, except to tell they are on or not, so I'm constantly using the backlight, which kills battery life. I have other devices and they are all easily read with the desk light.

Set it to turn on for any keypress or turn on when squelch is open.... a great feature some of the GRE's do not have at all

Then the light will only be on if you press a key or if a transmission/squelch is opened

torontokris said:

Set it to turn on for any keypress or turn on when squelch is open.... a great feature some of the GRE's do not have at all

Then the light will only be on if you press a key or if a transmission/squelch is opened

Click to expand...

At this point that's what I've done. Now like everyone else I'm suffering a battery deficit because the backlight will be on a lot more because the display is unusable without it. Poor choice in component selection results in inferior product. Not the end of the world, but one more area where the product falls short.

Roveer.

The backlight on won't affect the battery life more than 10%, so it's not as bad as some would have you believe.

Also, even some of the newer Motorola units have the same issue, and with those you cannot turn the backlight on and leave it on.

Roveer said:

Now like everyone else I'm suffering a battery deficit because the backlight will be on a lot more because the display is unusable without it.

Click to expand...

Well, not "everyone". I can't see past the end of my nose without my glasses on and I have no problem reading the display under normal lighting conditions.

I have no problem reading the display under normal or bright lighting. I also wear glasses.

For those having a problem a larger font might help. Maybe the larger font could be achieved with firmware.

My argument is not one size fits all. Of course there are going to be some that feel the screen is just fine and dandy. When I compare it to several other LCD products that I own I find this screen to be really on the low end of readability. Not just the font, just seeing the text. Unless you have a lot of light shining on the display everything seems dark. The backlight helps but you pay a price for that. I'm just saying that for a product that has been around as long as it has, and costs what it does (Uniden scanners are some of the most expensive out there), shortcuts should not have been taken with things like displays. It could be better, much better. I have to stop talking about this now as nothing is going to change for me. I just have to get used to what it is and move on. I just hope someone from Uniden is following along and understanding that this (and my other threads) convey that we are very in-tune with not only the quality of the individual parts that go into our expensive scanners but also the quality that goes into the design engineering and usability of these products as well. I've been a little harsh in my criticism of the problems that I've been having and I'm sure that has put some people off but the degree of my intensity has its reasons. First, I am actually frustrated that these things would be happening in what I consider mature products. So my frustration shows. Secondly, I really want to get my point across and sometimes you have to make some smoke in order to do it. Want to be the very best, than you have to produce the very best an that takes a lot of work and sometimes you have to take a few dings as well. Endless obsession over perfection will usually yield a superior product. I'm assuming Uniden does product testing with actual users, not just the guys in the shop? Consumers have design input beyond just a suggestion box?

One of my posts had a picture of a Camero or Charger with the user stating that he wasn't about to mount his scanner into the side of his dashboard. Yup, I agree. This is where we are is modern electronics and industrial design. You have to be up with what's going on.

So now I'm done. I've exhausted all of my energy being frustrated over what these products will not do. I've made my case and learned my lessons. Let's see what changes. I'm going to see if dropping a few models might give me what I want. Hopefully I can recoup some of what I spent via auction.

Roveer

The 436HP is a good scanner with a lot of nice features. But let's be honest. They went el cheapo on the screen, plastic belt clip, and SD card holder. I would gladly pay a few bucks more for better quality. One of my 436HP screens is getting dimmer, and the plastic belt clip broke on my other 436HP.

The clips have been the same since the 396T, and I agree they could be much better. I've never had one last more than a month. I ended up getting a case to carry the 436 since it would not fit in my shirt pocket as well as the 396s.

The 436HP should of at least had a bright backlight like the psr-800/whistler 1080.
Even with the backlight on the 436 is hard to read. The fonts are too small they should have eliminated some of the channel information making less lines but larger fonts. The 536HP has a screen for 3 lines
and the fonts get larger something the 436 should also have.

There have been many times when I'm in a dark room (or theater) and been embarrassed by the backlight being so bright. Also never had any issues with fonts yet, but my eyes aren't all that old yet.

I do wish the font size was changeable like the HP-x series. That would accommodate everyone.

Your laptop and your desktop LCD display does not work well when the backlight is not on either. You turn the light off to not shine in your eyes at night with the vol down while logging info. I am 57 with bifocals and have no problems reading my screen on my 536 or 436.

minasha said:

The 436HP should of at least had a bright backlight like the psr-800/whistler 1080.
Even with the backlight on the 436 is hard to read. The fonts are too small they should have eliminated some of the channel information making less lines but larger fonts. The 536HP has a screen for 3 lines
and the fonts get larger something the 436 should also have.

Click to expand...

I think many of us requested bigger fonts for the 436HP over 13 months ago. I wish UPMan would poll the RR members and ask us what are our Top 5 request's to enhance the useability of the 436HP.
Mine:

1. Larger Fonts
2. Analyze
3. Record Any Channel
4. Better Sensitivity (Analog)
5. Longer LED Alert

Analyze is a non-issue, as it's coming (likely very soon).

The longer LED issue has been hashed several times. Uniden can't simply violate the patents held by others.

The sensitivity could be better, but that would increase overload making the scanner hear less.

User-settable fonts and record any channel? I'm all for those.