SDRSharp breaking support of SDRplay?

Status
Not open for further replies.

NYG

Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2006
Messages
260
I was reading on another forum that the latest update of SDRSharp neutered the ability to use SDRplay. I don't use SDRSharp but find that a pretty lame move if true.

Can anyone confirm this? I just received an SDRplay yesterday and have been using it with SDR console but was considering looking at SDR#.
 

KA2ZEY

Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2004
Messages
511
Location
Brooklyn, NY
maybe they'll build their own SDR software, one that does it all in one program -decode digital,trun track, etc.

And a nice GUI!
 

SCPD

QRT
Joined
Feb 24, 2001
Messages
0
Location
Virginia
SDRplay as a company is focused on improvements in the EXT/IO. This is my person statement. I do not work for SDRPlay.
I'm sure Jon Hudson will make his way to this thread soon
.
 

Andy3

Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2010
Messages
79
Location
Cheshire, England
I may get ticked off for saying this, but judging by his posts on this and other forums, Youssef comes across as a rather precious individual with a very large and fragile ego. He doesn't like his product being compared unfavourably with a competitors and he throws his teddy out of the playpen too often. Sorry, but I had to get that off my chest.
 

SCPD

QRT
Joined
Feb 24, 2001
Messages
0
Location
Virginia
Andy3: You are not along in saying that. He states he is moving to a newer framework that will optimize his code routines and did give notice to all the hardware/plugin developers.... He walks the same walk as the author of Studio 1 SDR.



We have been relying on the .NET Framework 3.5 for quite some time until it's no longer installed by default into the new operating systems. Microsoft also provides minimalist support of this version of the Framework on Windows 10 which handicaped the core and plugin developers in many ways. This also resulted in obscure bugs in the user base. So we moved recently the entire code base to the .NET 4.6 in order to refresh the software and make it compatible with modern operating systems like Windows 10.
This has many implications:
Better performance
Better programming API
Support of Windows 10
Support of Linux and Mac with Mono 4.0 and up
End of support of Windows XP and Vista
End of support of the ExtIO interface (not portable)
We coordinated this migration with all the plugins and front-ends developers so no body misses the boat.
The installation procedure has also changed and now the main package contains a batch file to download the dependencies required to run RTL-SDR.
This might be disturbing for a few, but the overall impact was judged positive and a better investment for the future, especially with the new API offered by .NET 4.6.

Cheers,

The SDR# Team
 

pinkfish457

Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2003
Messages
247
Location
Slidell, Louisiana
I just installed version r1368, and except for the extra installation procedure to run RTL-SDR, I found it seamless, ran right out of the box.

Just look for the Windows bat file that installs the RTL-SDR dll's.

I'm running on Windows 7-Ultimate.
 

pinkfish457

Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2003
Messages
247
Location
Slidell, Louisiana
Because if you try to use this update using an RTL/Dongle, you will receive error messages. I just wanted to help if anyone tried to run the software, "right out of the box" using a SDR/Dongle, it's understood that an additional batch files needs to be run.

I could have started another thread, but the original post from NYG stated he wanted to run SDR#, which I felt might help he on his install.
 

br0adband

Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2005
Messages
1,567
Location
Springfield MO
If you "use this out of the box" you have to run the install-rtlsdr.bat included in the folder along with the rest of the files (which has been duly noted above): that batch file downloads the rtlsdr components so SDR# can access an RTL-based USB stick. Without those DLL files, SDR# is for all intents and purposes "deaf" to an RTL device in a USB port.

For the record, I grabbed the latest sdrsharp.zip an hour ago and had it up and running as a "clean install" in under 1 min so, it's not like this hasn't been done before. ;)
 

NYG

Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2006
Messages
260
Because if you try to use this update using an RTL/Dongle, you will receive error messages. I just wanted to help if anyone tried to run the software, "right out of the box" using a SDR/Dongle, it's understood that an additional batch files needs to be run.

I could have started another thread, but the original post from NYG stated he wanted to run SDR#, which I felt might help he on his install.

For me personally dropping ExtIO support more or less eliminates me from ever looking at SDR# again. I primarily use a Ettus B200, Elad FDM-S2 and now the SDRplay. All of them interface on Windows via ExtIO (except under SDR console I believe).

I have no need to purchase an Airspy or any more of the cheaper dongles which I guess SDR# is limited to now.
 

Voyager

Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2002
Messages
12,060
For me personally dropping ExtIO support

From what I've read on the other forums, it's not that ExtIO was dropped - it's that it won't work with .NET 4.6

The same applies to XP and VISTA - they are not supported in .NET 4.6 which is a Microsoft decision.

Maybe they will come out with a new version that does work - or maybe they will replace ExtIO with something else.
 

jonohudson

Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2014
Messages
122
Location
Bedford, UK
Latest from SDRplay regarding support for SDR# users

I was reading on another forum that the latest update of SDRSharp neutered the ability to use SDRplay. I don't use SDRSharp but find that a pretty lame move if true.

Can anyone confirm this? I just received an SDRplay yesterday and have been using it with SDR console but was considering looking at SDR#.

As many of you are already aware, the decision to move to net framework 4.6 means that SDR sharp no longer supports the ExtIO interface used by the SDRplay RSP. Whilst the authors of SDR sharp also sell a competing hardware product, we acknowledge that their software remains an excellent and highly popular SDR package for a wide range of hardware platforms and we fully respect their right to develop this software however they see fit. As a consequence, we fully intend to continue to develop plugins to provide compatibility with the RSP and will do so by means other than the ExtIO interface. We expect to have a basic solution available very shortly with a more 'full feature' solution to follow in the near future.

Jon (SDRplay maketing)
 

WyoDuner

Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2004
Messages
158
Location
Las Vegas, NV
Jon, Thank you for the update on your efforts to integrate with SDR Sharp. I just bought an SDRplay this week from HRO and really like the unit and have been posting a lot of my thoughts about it on QRZ Satellite forums.

SDR Sharp isn't my "got to" program but it does have a lot of plugins that I like that provide functionality I cannot get in HDSDR or SDR Console so I do hope that the SDR Sharp issue can be resolved for those reasons.

I find it a bit disapointing that the Airspy's #1 competitor is no longer supported by the new version of SDR sharp and personally, think it will only serve to further tarnish the reputation of Airspy/Youssef.
 

KC1UA

Scan New England Janitor/Maintenance
Database Admin
Joined
Oct 27, 2002
Messages
2,038
Location
Marstons Mills, Cape Cod, Massachusetts
I expect this situation will be resolved quickly. I own both devices and enjoy each of them. The Airspy remains at home; the SDRPlay with its more robust USB connector is my portable device.

Right now the simple solution is to not update SDR# if you use it with the SDRPlay. I still have version 1361 if anyone needs it; PM me if so.

SDR#'s plug-ins are what make it my #1 choice for VHF and above use. SDR Console is my #1 HF software and I use it with my NetSDR.
 

Boatanchor

Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2011
Messages
991
I agree about the plugins for SDR#.

Using the various scanner & tone decoder plugins, with DSD+, turns SDR# into a powerful V/UHF monitoring tool.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that someone can develop a dedicated & refined scanner software package so that I/We can do away with SDR# altogether, but until that time comes, SDR# with it's Russian derived scanner plugins is hard to beat..

I was running SDR# with the 'Frequency Scanner' plugin today across 8Mhz worth of Aircraft band.
It is just amazing! Old school scanners, just can't compete with this.
 
D

DaveNF2G

Guest
I think SDRSharp is ultimately going to be Airspy-only software.
 

wd9ewk

Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2014
Messages
148
Location
Arizona USA
I think SDRSharp is ultimately going to be Airspy-only software.

I hope you're wrong, but it is interesting how SDR# is responding to what has been happening with SDRplay users. The SDR# Twitter feed this morning even went as far as accusing SDRplay of redistributing an old version of SDR#:

https://twitter.com/sdrsharp/status/644901990716284928

It was actually coming from someone on the unofficial Facebook group for the SDRplay. I'm all for respecting software licensing, but anger/frustration should be pointed in the proper direction.

I don't use SDR# for much more than general listening. I use HDSDR more, especially when working amateur satellites, but like to have different options for software. At this point, I can use all of my SDR devices (SDRplay, FUNcube Dongle Pro+, HackRF One, HackRF Blue) with HDSDR, and now all but the SDRplay work with SDR#. I also have SDR-Radio on my Win7 laptop and Win10 tablets, but I can't run SDR-Radio to its fullest on the tablets (works great on the more powerful laptop).
 

br0adband

Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2005
Messages
1,567
Location
Springfield MO
This is becoming not much more than some childish bickering and it's souring me on the potential Airspy purchase I had been contemplating for some time now - I understand the technical reasons at this point why SDR# doesn't support SDRPlay, that's a given and it isn't difficult to grasp. Even the maker of the Frequency Manager+Scanner plugin suite for SDR# mentions something similar in one of the documentation files for his software (to bring it in line with SDR# build 1368 and the .NET 4.6 aspects) that with respect to SDR# any changes made to the app will more than likely break his plugins and it's up to him to resolve updating his software to work with SDR# when necessary.

I'm on the fence presently as to where to spend the money I've saved on a more capable SDR device than the trusty RTL sticks I've been using for close to 2 years now, and it's about time to get a move on things. I'd love to get a HackRF but that's still not within the realm of possibility for me but, an Airspy or an SDRPlay are definitely possible.

I've never really had issues with SDR#, and I personally still feel that the price of the Airspy is a bit high even in spite of the performance it offers but I can understand it's still generally a niche product when compared to the vastly more popular (and cheaper) RTL stick solutions even considering their limitations by comparison.

I suppose I need to look into SDRPlay and see what it's truly capable of, look for some comparison reviews for both devices and then go from there.

But honestly, to the creator(s) of SDR# and Airspy, all I can say is this:

You're not making it easy to support you if you're going to be childish in this situation. So .NET 4.6 is eventual and breaks things, so be it, but if people wish to continue using an older version of SDR# that works with SDRPlay, is it really that big of a deal to start tossing out accusations on Twitter? Seriously?

This is what comes to mind in this situation:

The appropriate response

Anybody else feel the same at this point? :D
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top