Studio1 SDRplay

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DaveNF2G

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The beta testers and others involved with the project have stated repeatedly that no announcements have been made as to pricing. Anything you read about selling the software is someone else's assumptions.

The linked announcement has already been superseded. The software is being renamed to SDRuno.
 

woodpecker

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The beta testers and others involved with the project have stated repeatedly that no announcements have been made as to pricing. Anything you read about selling the software is someone else's assumptions.

The linked announcement has already been superseded. The software is being renamed to SDRuno.

I'm going by the post linked in here which was written by Jon himself and says:-

"We are aiming for the cost to be as low as possible"
 

br0adband

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"...as low as possible"

That would be, free, right? :D

Now I'm not saying it will actually be free, certainly not, but it can't hurt to have another decent software application available, especially if the creators of SDRplay itself can tailor the application to make the most of what SDRplay offers.

When they announce, they announce, all the advanced conjecture really isn't doing much for anybody at this point.
 
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DaveNF2G

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Most of the "official" discussion is taking place on Facebook, in the SDRuno group.
 

jonohudson

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SDRplay is pleased to announce the official release of SDRuno for the RSP. SDRuno is the new name for the RSP compatible version of Studio1, the rights to which we obtained and announced on 28th April. SDRuno contains native support for the SDRplay RSP and no extra plugins are required. Third party hardware can also be supported via the ExtIO interface, but with reduced functionality.
SDRuno provides a rugged and flexible, high performance SDR receiver capability and boasts some excellent features:

• Multiple ‘Virtual Receivers’ which allow for simultaneous reception and demodulation of different types of signals within the same receiver bandwidth.
• A selectivity filter with an ultimate rejection greater than 140 dB.
• A unique distortion-free double stage AGC with fully adjustable parameters.
• Multiple notch filters with BW adjustable down to 1 Hz, Notch Lock feature.
• A unique synchronous AM mode with selectable/adjustable sidebands, dedicated PLL input filter, and selectable PLL time constants.
• SNR (stereo noise reduction), featuring a proprietary noise reduction algorithm for stereo broadcast.
• AFC for FM signals.
• Calibration for receiver frequency errors.

Over time, we plan to add many more features to SDRuno to enhance the user’s experience of this very powerful piece of software. This software runs on Windows and we don’t yet know how easy it will be to migrate it to other platforms but this is something we will be investigating.
SDRuno will be made freely available to all current and future users of the RSP – to download a copy of both the software and the documentation – simply go to
SDRplay - Windows

Our support for SDRuno in no way lessens our commitment to support HDSDR, SDR Console, Cubic SDR or ANY other software solution where the authors are willing to work with us. We fully recognise that many people have strong preferences for particular pieces of software and we do not want to do anything to undermine the options that people have to use their favoured software packages. Indeed, our view is quite the opposite. Our objective remains aim to have our hardware platforms support any and every SDR package out there. This of course may not be possible, but it is our philosophy and part of the ethos of our company.

Best regards,, Jon (SDRplay marketing)

Note to moderator - I did post this earlier, as a new thread, but it is awaiting moderation - if you need to remove one version then please remove the other one.
 

br0adband

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Congrats on the release, Jon, and the best of luck to you and the SDRplay team. I still hope to get an SDRplay sometime this year (excuses, excuses) so this will be something to look forward to when I do. ;)
 

Andy3

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Downloaded this earlier today and after struggling for a while I decided to RTFM. Once I'd done that it all fell into place. It's very nice and extremely flexible. There are one or two issues with it, but this is only to be expected.
And who was it who said the hardware is off-frequency? Mine was within a few Hz at 100 MHz out of the box and was easily corrected from within the HDSDR software.
 

woodpecker

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Downloaded this earlier today and after struggling for a while I decided to RTFM. Once I'd done that it all fell into place. It's very nice and extremely flexible. There are one or two issues with it, but this is only to be expected.
And who was it who said the hardware is off-frequency? Mine was within a few Hz at 100 MHz out of the box and was easily corrected from within the HDSDR software.

I said it was off frequency, they are all off frequency becuase they use a 10ppm crystal and its pot luck what you get, mine has a 3.5 kHz error at 450MHz which is very poor considering the price of the unit, this is not fixable in all software.

Hardly what I would call "World Class", as I've seen the SDRPlay referred to as!

As for SDRUno, I found it quite frustrating to use, so many settings buried deep in different areas of the software, it all seems a bit cobbled together, for VHF/UHF it comes nowhere near to SDRSharp due to the plugins it has etc
 

Andy3

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Thanks, Woodpecker.
Well they obviously weren't *all* off frequency, as mine was pretty well bang on and needed only a tiny tweak in the software to get it on. I use mine a lot around 250, 400 and 1300 MHz and I can't say I've seen any significant drift except during a cold start. It soon settles down though. Perhaps my shack's temperature is very well controlled =).
The new software certainly presents a steep learning curve, but once you've got a few basic settings done and stored, it all feels quite nice. Much better and more friendly than SDR-Console, which had me chewing the furniture.
I agree about SDR#, I kept going back to it because it was so well sorted and easy to understand. HDSDR was similar.
Anyway, I'll persevere with Uno as it promises to be 'the' software dedicated to the Play.
 

br0adband

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As for SDRUno, I found it quite frustrating to use, so many settings buried deep in different areas of the software, it all seems a bit cobbled together, for VHF/UHF it comes nowhere near to SDRSharp due to the plugins it has etc

Can you say "learning curve..."? :D

At one time people were complaining about SDR# too (and some still do) for the same reasons until they got the hang of it, and now since SDR# has been around for many years it's pretty much the defacto standard tool for most people using RTL-based hardware so the usage is second nature for them.

Until yesterday (or mere hours ago), SDRuno aka Studio1 wasn't in the hands of that many people because of it being a commercial product - I myself had heard of it, seen the info about it, but never actually used it and I still haven't used it so far now that it's been reborn as SDRuno but I'm sure once I do get an SDRplay I'll take to it pretty fast without many issues.

And it's basically "new" for most people considering SDRplay now owns it and they could start working on some kind of addon/extension/plugin system as well, who knows.
 

K0OD

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Waiting for Videos too

I've only used the brand new Uno software about two hours. Mine wasn't far off frequency at 10 MHz WWV. There *is* a way to calibrate both the frequencies and the S-meter.

Yes, a learning curve. For example it took me quite a while just to figure out how to crank up the volume (use slider next to the mute marker). SDRPlay's Facebook already answered my main question: Is there a way to make the text bigger? Apparently not, as yet. The "Cookbook" pdf on NN4F's website is useful. A "get started" video would be even better.

I'm not wild about the multi window structure or all the cryptic labels. The appearance of the software is gorgeous and the combo has passed the performance tests I've thrown at it so far. Nice Fathers' Day gift along with the shirt my wife gave me.

Oh yes, thanks to the talented SDRPlay gang for the freebie surprise.

Jeff
K0OD
 

woodpecker

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Well they obviously weren't *all* off frequency, as mine was pretty well bang on and needed only a tiny tweak in the software to get it on.

Well in my book that's off frequency then.

The SDRPlay doesn't drift its the tolerance of the crystal that's the problem, it's a 10ppm tolerance part and its pot luck how far off frequency your unit will be.

As for SDRUno, I'm not impressed the minimum preset bandwidth for NFM is 10 kHz, far too wide and there seems to be no way to customise it other than dragging the filter manually.

I notice also the step doesn't change to a sensible pre-set value when changing mode, ie if you use a 12.5 kHz step on NFM then jump to USB the step should change to 1,10 or 100Hz not stay at 12.5 kHz etc.

The gain reduction isn't shown next to the slider, what is next to the slider is some bandwidth control which looks like a total after thought, if you centre on a signal with that set to 1.0, which seems to indicate 1MHz and then change it to 0.5, it throws the centred signal right to the very edge of the narrowed spectrum, its just awful.

Did anyone actually test this software?

I can't understand why they didn't sort out a deal with SDR#, Studio1 was already a cobbled version of free source code and this has been further cobbled again, and not very well.
 

woodpecker

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Mine wasn't far off frequency at 10 MHz WWV.

The point is a good piece of hardware wouldn't be off at all, if its off at 10MHz its going to be a long way off at 2GHz and not all software will let you calibrate this out.
 

K0OD

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That's sure a lot of opinion about a lil' $150 radio and software that debuted a few hours ago... and FREE.

As I recall, my SDRPlay/Uno combo was off about 15 Hz at 10MHz "from the factory." True, it doesn't approach my $2,800 Flex-5000 that I use in Frequency Measurement Contests where I usually come well under 1/2 Hertz accuracy. Again, Uno software now has a calibration routine that I didn't try yet.

Took a fast tune across 40-meter CW this morning where the band and panadaptor were filled with Japanese hams in some contest. Spent time on longwave too as the sun was coming up. Receiver does work down to 10 KHz as advertised but with some AM BCB crud. Will see whether fiddling with the LNA and gain can clean that up.

My new SDRPlay worked very well in the ARRL VHF contest last weekend at 50MHz. I picked up many east coast hams just using my HF vertical! That of course was before I downloaded SDRUno.

I'll publish a full radio/software review much later. Shooting from the hip isn't fair to any product, especially one this complex. BTW, the SDRPlay engineers have promised improvements down the road.

Jeff
K0OD
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NYG

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The audio quality from Studio1 which I still have has always been extremely good.

I've downloaded StudioUNO for my SDRplay. Can't wait to check out the tweaks made for it.
 

Andy3

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Well in my book that's off frequency then.

The SDRPlay doesn't drift its the tolerance of the crystal that's the problem, it's a 10ppm tolerance part and its pot luck how far off frequency your unit will be.

As for SDRUno, I'm not impressed the minimum preset bandwidth for NFM is 10 kHz, far too wide and there seems to be no way to customise it other than dragging the filter manually.

I notice also the step doesn't change to a sensible pre-set value when changing mode, ie if you use a 12.5 kHz step on NFM then jump to USB the step should change to 1,10 or 100Hz not stay at 12.5 kHz etc.

The gain reduction isn't shown next to the slider, what is next to the slider is some bandwidth control which looks like a total after thought, if you centre on a signal with that set to 1.0, which seems to indicate 1MHz and then change it to 0.5, it throws the centred signal right to the very edge of the narrowed spectrum, its just awful.

Did anyone actually test this software?

I can't understand why they didn't sort out a deal with SDR#, Studio1 was already a cobbled version of free source code and this has been further cobbled again, and not very well.

Ok Woodpecker. If a few Hz at 100 Mhz is 'off frequency', what do you consider 'on frequency'? Are you saying that your receivers (etc) are bang on the nose ie +/- 0.0000000 Hz? Even if you locked them to a rubidium source, there would still be a tiny error, so that's off frequency too.
As for the Uno software, it's been out for 24 hours and is bound to contain bugs, errors and peculiarities. SDR# did, so did HDSDR in its early days. The software for my Signal Hound analyser had some oddities in its early versions and it still does, but that doesn't stop it being useful while it is being further refined. Nothing is perfect, especially complex software on its first release.
 

K0OD

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How accurate is the SDRPlay/Uno combo when properly warmed up and calibrated?

The PDF manual for the old Studio1 software offers a simple calibration routine: http://www.sdrapplications.it/download/qs.pdf

With my SDRPlay a correction factor of -2.000 ppm put CHU precisely on 14.670.000.00. I was also on the mark on both 10.000 MHz WWV and 20.000. I used the audio spectrum window fully zoomed to get the best view of the frequency which was visually discernible within a couple of Hz. .

What about at VHF? The only reference I could think of was our local Weather Service station on 162.550 MHz which is certainly not a lab quality frequency standard. My SDRPlay shows it at 162.549.86. Damn impressive, eh?

No drift was noted, BTW.

Jeff
K0OD
 
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DaveNF2G

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I can't understand why they didn't sort out a deal with SDR#, .

You're joking, right? If not, then you are not familiar with the history of Airspy versus SDRPlay. There are some threads about it in this forum.
 
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