BCDx36 owners, how as this experience affected your future purchases?

I'm posting this because I think Uniden needs to see how their response to the all the BCDx36 issues (Wifi, clock, extended features) has affected our buying decisions moving forward. Considering how many scanner owners are repeat buyers, I can't even begin to understand why they do the things they did.

Despite the uproar when the HP-2 came out, I did come to the decision to sell my HP-1 and buy an HP-2 (Overall, I Have been happy with my HP-1). However when the time came, I did not feel comfortable spending another $500 with this company. I then decided to buy a new desktop computer instead (spending just a bit more than I would have with Uniden).

Fast forward 2 weeks later, the Pro-668 got closed out and picked up one of those too.

nosoup4u said:

I'm posting this because I think Uniden needs to see how their response to the all the BCDx36 issues (Wifi, clock, extended features) has affected our buying decisions moving forward. Considering how many scanner owners are repeat buyers, I can't even begin to understand why they do the things they did.

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Well, I got a 536HP with the headphone issue, got that fixed and then the scanner didn't have any audio at all after about a week. Got that 536 replaced. And after all that I still got a 996P2 by trading in one of my 996XT's. Being UNIDEN for something like 40 years. OK it was Electra way back, but I digress. I am considering the new whistler with the detachable head for mobile. Makes sense since most mobile ham gear has detachable remote heads.

I bought a BCD436HP last May. I have not had the slightest problem with it. I bought it because I had read my local PD was about to transition to P25. I can hear them very clearly, so it does exactly what I bought it for.

Since I didn't even know about the Analyze feature at the time of purchase, even that not being there doesn't bother me.

After my experience with the 436HP, I will NEVER buy a Uniden radio when its first released. I will wait at least 1 year before buying.

The 436HP has really soured my opinion on Uniden.

I got one of the first 536 radios. It's been fine except that the screen has dimmed about 50% in the last year.

I did get a 996P2 and I like that radio a lot as I have always thought the 996xt a great radio. I'm waiting on the WS1095 instead of another 536 because I don't know if I am going to be looking at a blank screen in a while and also because the font on the 536 is so small.

Mark
536HP/HP1e/HP2e/996P2/996XT
996T/396XT(2)/PSR800/PRO668

The only thing keeping me from buying a 436 is $. Yes the scanners have had issues, but I'm sure Uniden will resolve them as soon as they can. Might need a little patience, but good things come to he who waits.

It hasn't. As long as we live in a throw away electronics age, demand $15/hour minimum wages for workers in the US and pay our CEOs exorbitant salaries, we will all settle for subpar products. If you want something of real quality, you will pay at least 10x more than you are now. If you think $600 for a scanner is a ridiculous price in the 21st century, you should rethink your hobby. Good luck with changing any of that.

BCD436HP is my last Uniden scanner. I had been using Radio Shacks line and thought to try Uniden, mistake. Sorry

I left Uniden when I got my hands on my first GRE (PSR-500). My primary radio at that time was the Uniden BCD396T (which by the way was also sent back in a recall).

I fought and fought with that 396 trying to get good digital voice reception on that 396 and got so frustrated. Then, I got my PSR500 ... man what a difference! Been a GRE (now Whistler) fan ever since.

When the slick x36 announcement video came out in November 2013, I was interested but really wanted to wait and see what others thought first. After a couple of weeks of not really knowing what to believe, I decided to get one for myself. I now know that if I do this again, it will only be under condition that I can return it for a full refund.

While there are a few things I like about the x36 radios (quick keys, some intermittent but inconsistent 'distant' reception, etc.), I still find myself coming to the conclusion that in the end, given everything, I'm unlikely to make another Uniden purchase for some time to come if at all. The overall reception and decode quality is still lacking. The x36's may do a "slightly" better job with digital simulcast, but overall, I still prefer my GRE/Whistler radios - none of which have ever been recalled. And with exception of the digital simulcast issues, the GRE/Whistler radios can't be beat when it comes to clear and consistent reception and digital decoding.

In addition, I really don't like the display on these radios with their tiny text, poor backlighting, and generally hard to read display (and for those who question that - I too used to question that - but wait until you get a little older - you'll see what others before me have said and I now completely understand).

And I'm not even going to go into the delays in features and releases of fixes through firmware updates...

Uniden won't see any more of my money for quite some time to come.

Not at all. I own both the 536 and 436 and they do precisely what I bought them for, namely receive radio signals. Just fine too.

I own a Whistler WS 1080 also and it's a fine scanner in it's own right. But I see nothing in it that would make me consider it superior to the 436.

Happy with all my purchases.

Always been a Uniden fan until I got ripped off buying the 436Hp for its Analyze functionality almost 12 months ago. I don't even have any phase 2 around here.

I dislike the size of the 436Hp and the fact that it still does not do a CC search, so I take my reliable little 396xt everywhere I go, while the 436 stays at home on the bedside table, permanently connected to a usb power supply and with no aa batteries installed.. I never use the replay function and the wifi function of the 536hp was always going to be a gimmick in my view, so I never bothered with that model.

After I purchased the 436Hp I was driven to purchase a PSR600 and a PRO668. So in effect, my poor experience with Uniden's 'flagship' scanner actually drove me to purchase some of their competitors products.

I may purchase another Uniden scanner again, but it won't be any of the current crop of products.

Uniden needs to start listening to what we want..

I own the 436 and the 536. My 536 has the headphone issue, but that is neither here nor there for me. My 536 does what I want it to do. Some of the complaints about the 436 reception are because, quite frankly, the stock antenna sucks. Different antenna, and I'm happy. No clock issue so far. I also own RS scanners, and I am happy with them as well. Have my Pro 668 in case the clock issue does appear on my 436. So I guess my answer is yes, I will buy Uniden again if it does what I need it to do.

JoeyC said:

It hasn't. As long as we live in a throw away electronics age, demand $15/hour minimum wages for workers in the US and pay our CEOs exorbitant salaries, we will all settle for subpar products. If you want something of real quality, you will pay at least 10x more than you are now. If you think $600 for a scanner is a ridiculous price in the 21st century, you should rethink your hobby. Good luck with changing any of that.

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Very well said.

The 436HP will be the last scanner I buy from Uniden for quite awhile. Not a good buying experience and it's missing a key feature I was promised when it was released. I also think they went cheap/cheesy with a lot of things (display, battery charging, etc.).

JoeyC said:

It hasn't. As long as we live in a throw away electronics age, demand $15/hour minimum wages for workers in the US and pay our CEOs exorbitant salaries, we will all settle for subpar products. If you want something of real quality, you will pay at least 10x more than you are now. If you think $600 for a scanner is a ridiculous price in the 21st century, you should rethink your hobby. Good luck with changing any of that.

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This is so true, people today think they are entitled. They sure make themselves more valuable to companies and get a education, or learn a skill, if they want to earn more. Even 15$ an hour for this type of job, considering inflation is absurd. It was design to be stepping stone, temporary, not a career and to support a full family. Plus if they started making that much, they won't qualify for welfare and end up worst then they were before. half the employee's would more likely lose their jobs and one still working would have to work even harder, due to for most franchise owners, profits are razor thin. Even if they state that the goal is to get off of welfare. I am pretty sure most of them didn't consider the repercussions. This generation think they are entitled to everything and don't want to contribute, or better themselves, which is actually a shame. You can make more money, but can't get time back, knowledge is valuable. CEO's and other controlling officers in large corporations, don't even get me started, as would make for a very long thread. Let just say I consider them to be in the same category as high priced prostitutes. I take that back as they are a insult to prostitutes, as prostitutes would more likely accomplish more then some of these idiots, that just drain the companies they are at. .

McDonald's Workers Slam $1 Raise 'Stunt' Ahead Of Planned Mass Walkout


Back to the subject

I would wait next time and not buy one when it's first released. If I did read good reviews, specs were good and did what it suppose to do and bugs were resolve quicker in the future. I would buy the new model, if it suited what I needed. Any company can design a bad product once in a while. You can't based your opinion on one model, or series. Just didn't care for the way they handle the situation. Pretty sure Uniden hopefully learned, only in time we will know.

I would still

Would be nice if Uniden refunded our money on their "flagship" garbage scanners.

Bugs galore
Display dimming
Failing RTC

What next? Uniden can't keep up with all the problems / issues with this junk. Do the right thing Uniden and offer refunds to those who want it. We've waited long enough, and with NO timeline for any problems and issues being fixed, just offer a refund. I'm done waiting for vaporware!!!

I have 2 BCD536HPs. Got the first on the 1st day it came out, I had pre-ordered it from HRO. I bought my second 536HP 2 weeks later. I was at first disappointed in the P25 Ph II performance BUT when I heard at the dispatchers and units in the field complain about the audio I felt better.

I know that there are users that expect better performance from the scanners for the amount paid performance should be better. As for the missing features I could care less. My 2 scanners are setup for exactly the reasons I bought them for. Very rarely is the programming changed. I have though used for work monitoring several frequencies and services and they performed and accomplished what I needed great.

There are some minor things I wish Uniden did different. So I'm not going to write off Uniden.

Really?!?!?

Boatanchor said:

I dislike the size of the 436Hp and the fact that it still does not do a CC search,

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Deleted message.

It didn't relate to the above quote....Sorry!

Boatanchor is talking about Control Channel search on trunking systems. This feature is missing.

Close Call is working (at least for me) on the 436HP.

OK, thanks for that info.

I deleted my message since I was wrong in my assumption on the CC.