Please Uniden - A decent Remote head digital scanner - Stat!

I'm not talking about the 536HP with it's silly wifi app, I'm talking about a real remote head digital scanner with 'real' hardware controls, a simple 5m long cable interface and a relatively compact (less than DIN sized) remote head - with an on/off switch this time

It doesn't need all the bells and whistles of the x36HP. In fact, it really doesn't need to be any more complex than the XT(P2) - It must however incorporate true NFM filtering.

This, I believe, is what a lot of us are waiting for and is also why many of us will race out and purchase the WS-1095 when it is released (despite it's likely less than stellar RF performance).

Come on Uniden! You produce numerous remote head radios from Marine to UHF with remote heads and controllers. You have the technology and it would possibly only require minor re-tooling of an existing product...

I think your definition of "a lot of us" and Uniden's are worlds apart.

As Paul has stated, the previous remote head for the 996 sold poorly, in fact I don't think they recouped engineering costs.

phask said:

I think your definition of "a lot of us" and Uniden's are worlds apart.

As Paul has stated, the previous remote head for the 996 sold poorly, in fact I don't think they recouped engineering costs.

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And was it any wonder?

They managed to produce a remote head that was the same width/height as the original full sized scanner and with no ON/OFF switch!

In other words, a remote head that offered little net size benefit (other than depth), actually complicated the mobile installation process and was still too big to fit into the more compact vehicles being sold in the last 10 years.

I'm sure Uniden did this to keep costs down by using the same faceplate, display, buttons and other hardare as the 996X/T, but honestly, it was destined to fail before it even left the drawing board.

Now, if you want to talk about recouping engineering costs, don't get me started on the 536HP..

I'd like to see a remote head radio like this too. I would also like to see the use of touch screens like we have on smartphones. Unfortunately scannerists are small in number compared to those that buy smart phones and commercial radios, or even marine radios, so I think the problem is the lack of hobbyists that would spend the extra money for these features. We hams are lucky to see remote-head radios probably only because the major manufacturers all make related commercial gear from which they can borrow technology.

Borrowing technology is the key.

Uniden currently produce several remote head and controller mic style transceivers for different global markets. All are now produced in their manufacturing facility in Vietnam.

I guess it does all come down to demand.

How many people actually want to install a fixed scanner into their vehicle nowadays, bearing in mind a lot of people are probably content to use a handheld or HP1/2 style scanner with a cig lighter lead?
&
How many people would still purchase a remote head style scanner for mobile or home base use if that scanner had true NFM filtering, excellent RF performance, discriminator output and the relatively bulletproof XT style operating system? In other words, if it were marketed as having class leading RF performance (sensitivity and filtering) for use in high RF density environments and with limited bells and whistles?

Improving the RF and IF filtering of existing designs, adding a discriminator output, (re)adding an audio line output and maybe even adding bluetooth would not cost a lot of money. It may add only $50 to final product cost.

Costs of the remote head/controller would be offset somewhat by the total elimination of the user interface on the main (radio) unit, which would simply be a plain box roughly 6" square and a little more than 1" thick.

I'd buy two units straight away. One for home and one for the car

DIN is dead!!

Upman is well aware of my wish for a good scanner with a remote head, but I'll publicly add my vote here, again. In the past, it's been said there wasn't enough market and the cost was too high. My suggestion is to not reinvent the remote head for every scanner that comes out, but use common basic controls that can be mapped to more than one model scanner. That would keep cost reasonable, and build in brand loyalty, so that you just change out the scanner(not the remote head), when a newer model scanner comes along.
Also, I want buttons and knobs, not a "smart device" that would be more difficult and dangerous to operate while moving. With my RH-96 I can keep my eyes on the road, and still perform basic scanning functions. I'll probably be giving the Whistler WS-1095 a shot when it's available. It looks promising.

Oh, it would be nice if the scanner could be powered on/off with the vehicle's ignition without any special process or worry about corrupting memory.

I'm in!

I would buy two as well! Maybe even three. Can't forget the workshop.

If they could just integrate Bluetooth connectivity into their products, then 3rd parties could take care of the rest.

I mean FFS, Uniden's own motto is "A WORLD WITHOUT WIRES" !!! :roll:

Why not go the Motorola route with one brick that can be flashed to different functions? Or, just make an RH96 that IS the radio. The 396 guts would fit in it. There is no need for the huge box behind it.

KE5TLF said:

If they could just integrate Bluetooth connectivity into their products, then 3rd parties could take care of the rest.

I mean FFS, Uniden's own motto is "A WORLD WITHOUT WIRES" !!! :roll:

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Hey, I asked for Bluetooth few times now recently in another thread, I think "what we want in next scanner" but someone replied that is just too hard because of interference and the rest. Wow I didn't expect answer like that in 2015 ! Even cheapest Cellphone have it, other radios already (I think Icom) implemented Bluetooth in the handheld, you can plug in external transmitter to scanner speaker connection most likely producing more interference but today we can implement chip cost few dollars into design purely for the convenience of remote listening. As most vehicle radios now have BT receivers it would be great. I just don't believe it cannot be done. My understanding is that BT occupying 2.4 GHz ISM hopping frequency well outside capability of current scanners (bar few) Its just lazy engineers answer or what, where we will be in the world today if all engineers say "just too hard", i don't buy it,
ps Currently I am using Belkin FM transmitter with my radios in the vehicles until someone implement BT into the scanner.

KE5TLF said:

If they could just integrate Bluetooth connectivity into their products, then 3rd parties could take care of the rest.

I mean FFS, Uniden's own motto is "A WORLD WITHOUT WIRES" !!! :roll:

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^^^ This ^^^^

Glad to see someone else gets it

Priorities:

#1 Get the RF/IF design right - spend another $20 on filters if necessary!
#2 Get the form factor right (remote head for the mobile, good battery life and tough, compact design for the portable).. Do some market research next time!
#3 Incorporate bluetooth, discriminator output & USB port for external logging/comms/apps.
#4 Publish the command set for developers - Open source the control software side of things.
#5 Forget about trying to do too much with underpowered cpu's. Leave the more advanced analysis features to external devices/apps.
#6 Let others worry about developing the external 'bells and whistles'.

Only in this way will Uniden be able to produce a 'robust' product that they can virtually walk away from (software support anyway) after the product's release date.

IMHO, the release of the 536HP was a total failure for Uniden. This one product has effectively stalled most ongoing firmware support for other Uniden scanner products, including the 436HP and has the potential to bleed Uniden of money for years to come through ongoing firmware and hardware problems (recalls) and even the potential for future legal action.

KE5TLF said:

If they could just integrate Bluetooth connectivity into their products, then 3rd parties could take care of the rest.

I mean FFS, Uniden's own motto is "A WORLD WITHOUT WIRES" !!! :roll:

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Yea - because everyone knows WiFi isn't wireless and everyone's router supports BT. :roll:

Voyager said:

Yea - because everyone knows WiFi isn't wireless and everyone's router supports BT. :roll:

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Yea - because everyone knows, everyone has a WiFi network installed in their vehicles, as opposed to just a great many people with BT enabled devices. :roll:
(or who could very cheaply acquire a BT enabled device for the task)
(or who could dust off an old, otherwise unused, BT enabled device for the task.)

The ultimate "Dream Machine"
for those that seem not to "get it"

Scanner w/ BT connectivity
Smart device w/ BT connectivity and necessary software.
Smart device sending GPS data to scanner. (or a discreet BT GPS device)
Smart device mirroring scanner display. (main screen)
Smart device controlling scanner functions when need be. (alternate screen(s) tor phablet or smaller. All on one screen for ~7 inch or larger tabkets)

Possible Audio options.
Traditional hardwired remote speaker.
BT connected remote speaker.
Vehicle audio system BT connectivity
BT audio connection between scanner and smart device, w/ smart device wired connection to amplified speaker or vehicle audio system.

....and probably some other things that don't come to mind atm.

Well I paid $10.00 for a BT transmitter now any scanner I own with a headphone plug works with my BT headset that was a cheap fix. I had a Delorme wireless BT device would work for about 5 hours on a charge back then. If you want to see what adding high tech options to radios cost look at the new Kenwood NX5000 radio line.

I've used BT transmitters for several years. It's not as if you can't add it to the scanner.

And for the argument that even cellphones have them, please tell me the model of cellphone you have that covers 25-1300 MHz.

Yes of course you can have external BT or FM transmitter, it is not the issue. We simply pointing that decent scanner in 2015 could have easy implemented internal transmitter chip as it would not add that much to cost of the scanner, purely for convenience reason.
I rather have all in one unit running from one batteries than "piggy back" external transmitter with separate battery and rig-moral of charging both. External transmitter is just a "work around" the shortcomings

questnz said:

Yes of course you can have external BT or FM transmitter, it is not the issue. We simply pointing that decent scanner in 2015 could have easy implemented internal transmitter chip as it would not add that much to cost of the scanner, purely for convenience reason.
I rather have all in one unit running from one batteries than "piggy back" external transmitter with separate battery and rig-moral of charging both. External transmitter is just a "work around" the shortcomings

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http://forums.radioreference.com/2150557-post17.html

.

Yes I seen this before, Its commonly known as a "cop out". Increase the size, increase the cost and Interference? This come from global electronic company Uniden or some backyard
hobbyist playing with electronics in the car garage? Size should not increase, BT chip cost next to nothing in relation what we paying for the scanners.
Sorry, rest my case
Have a good day.

What not just mount a Uniden Home Patrol where you planned to mount a remote head?