BCD396XT / BCD996XT Firmware Update Coming

[bonus1331]

Since there has been no mention of a firmware update for the HP as well; can we ASSUME that the best you can expect for the XT's is what we are currently receiving P25 with on the HP's?

I have no idea, but it could make sense.

My personal experience with my local 700 Mhz multi-site P25 TRS has not been good with the HP.

 

[werinshades]

My first expierience with the P25 simulcast issue reared it's ugly head with the "T" series (996, 396) and we've been asking for an improvement since. I believe their were 3 updates for the "T" series and slight improvemnt was made each time, but not "ground breaking". Then the "XT's" were released and it was reported a "major improvement" by some of the initial purchasers. I decided to give it a try and will say, their is a difference and it's more tolerable to listen to a P25 simulcast system (Starcom in IL). It appears with each tweak, it's an improvemnt. I'm not expecting 100% here, but 98% would be an improvement. Sure i'd like to see some other issues addressed but it's not going to happen...at least I don't think so unless Paul wants to keep it close which I understand in this competitive market. Despite the issue (which I was fully aware of), I purchased a 396XT because I prefer the Uniden's over GRE. It's easy to sit on the sidelines and complain, but I know the limitations of these scanners. I will say this though, monitoring the Starom system away from the simulcast sites, it sounds great. If that's what I have to look foward to with the upcoming update, i'm all in. As in previous firmware releases, Uniden will tweak right up to te last minute (Correct me if i'm wrong Paul). This is why a few week wait may be well worth it. To the Uniden engineers...take your time, get it right, have a cup of coffee and let us hve it when you're ready...thanks.

 

[bottk]

firmware update?

I was wondering if anyone could tell me if this firmware update would include the 996t also, or is it only for the 996xt

 

[kruser]

I was wondering if anyone could tell me if this firmware update would include the 996t also, or is it only for the 996xt

It is only for the XTs. The T already works very well as you can put it in manual mode for the P25 level for each system.

 

[bottk]

996xt firmware update

Thanks for the heads up kruser, I have firmware version V3.0 and i believe it is the most recent for the 996t
but i do appreciate it.

 

[Highpockets]

Thanks for the heads up kruser, I have firmware version V3.0 and i believe it is the most recent for the 996t
but i do appreciate it.

Look here:

BCD996TFirmwareUpdate < UnidenMan4 < TWiki

 

[kruser]

Thanks for the heads up kruser, I have firmware version V3.0 and i believe it is the most recent for the 996t
but i do appreciate it.

3.02.00 is what mine shows so if yours is really 3.00, you may be a little behind. I don't recall what each FW version changed.

edit: There ya go, follow the link Highpockets posted and you can get the latest for the T model.

 

[bottk]

Im sorry, I acctually meant 3.02.00 , guess I havent had enough coffee yet.

 

[bottk]

Thanks also to high pockets , that is the version i have

 

[garys]

This thread is similar to dropping a side of beef into a shark tank.

Maybe it would be best just to release the firmware unannounced. Actually, maybe it's more fun to watch the feeding frenzy.

Good God....it wasn't so long ago that when you bought a scanner, that was that. There was no ability to update the damned thing on the fly. The man gave a pretty clear statement of what this update would provide. I'm happy that we have this capability these days, not only with Uniden, but also with GRE and any number of the increasing black box/SDR type receivers now at our disposal.

There you go again, spoiling a perfectly entertaining thread with statements of fact. Won't you ever learn, Scott? It's no fun just taking what UPMan says at face value.

 

[Tryton]

Good God....it wasn't so long ago that when you bought a scanner, that was that. There was no ability to update the damned thing on the fly.

Very true, But if any manufacture would of released a scanner that claimed it can do Digital P25 and worked the way it does now. Their would of been mass returns, negative reviews for the scanner, and a black eye on the company. I think the biggest issue is P25 is now becoming more prevalent. So now more and more folks are seeing the issues arise. I also believe that the same will happen when company's release a scanner that does true Phase 2. I am VERY happy with my 996XT's aside from the P25, I'm overjoyed Uniden is releasing new firmware to hopefully correct the issues some of us are having. Thanks Uniden and Upman!

 

[werinshades]

It is only for the XTs. The T already works very well as you can put it in manual mode for the P25 level for each system.

Not true on the P25 Simulcast systems...

 

[kruser]

Not true on the P25 Simulcast systems...

My 'T" models work very well on all P25 simulcast systems but only if the "Adjust P25 Level" menu option is set to manual so I can dial in a low P25 threshold of 5 for my systems of interest.
If I leave it on Auto then the T is exactly like the XT and P25 reception sucks on simulcast systems.
I've not heard anyone say their T models have the same problem as the XT's when they use the manual setting which is not available in the XT models.

 

[werinshades]

My 'T" models work very well on all P25 simulcast systems but only if the "Adjust P25 Level" menu option is set to manual so I can dial in a low P25 threshold of 5 for my systems of interest.
If I leave it on Auto then the T is exactly like the XT and P25 reception sucks on simulcast systems.
I've not heard anyone say their T models have the same problem as the XT's when they use the manual setting which is not available in the XT models.

The "T" models were awful here in P25 simulcast land of Illinois Starcom 21. We tried every adjustment known to man, without any luck. Had a few different people buy this scanner and we were in different areas and the same problem existed, so eliminated signal strength or interference issue. I'm hoping against all hope, IF this firmware upgrade is in fact to address P25 simulcast issues, their were beta testers within the city limits of Chicago to truly test it before it's release....that's of course a purely speculative assumption that is what the update is all about ..

 

[kruser]

Maybe I have my Unidens and GRE's reversed after all this as I thought most were very happy with the XT models and Starcom21. I can't say I recall any comments on Starcom and the 3 or 996T models.
I guess the Starcom sites that are simulcast would be no different than any other simulcast site though. Is not much of Starcom not simulcast?
I can't get a decent signal here from any of the Starcom sites since they took down the two nearest St. Louis. The St. Clair site is still running but I get a very poor signal so I could never use it to make any determinations if the T or XT works better. The St. Clair site is listed as simulcast.

All we can do is hope the new XT firmware helps.

 

[scanningisfun]

Maybe I have my Unidens and GRE's reversed after all this as I thought most were very happy with the XT models and Starcom21. I can't say I recall any comments on Starcom and the 3 or 996T models.
I guess the Starcom sites that are simulcast would be no different than any other simulcast site though. Is not much of Starcom not simulcast?
I can't get a decent signal here from any of the Starcom sites since they took down the two nearest St. Louis. The St. Clair site is still running but I get a very poor signal so I could never use it to make any determinations if the T or XT works better. The St. Clair site is listed as simulcast.

All we can do is hope the new XT firmware helps.

I monitored site 359 before I moved from O'Fallon. It is simulcast throughout St. Clair County. I have a 396XT and it seemed to want to level off at 7 and sound good but the numbers went crazy. I turned the level adjustment up to 200 and the threshold level stayed at 8. I was then able to understand most of the traffic but it still cut out to where I couldn't understand it. I seriously hope that this will fix the distortion issue. I trust what Mr. Opitz is saying about the improvements.

Jacob

 

[werinshades]

Maybe I have my Unidens and GRE's reversed after all this as I thought most were very happy with the XT models and Starcom21. I can't say I recall any comments on Starcom and the 3 or 996T models.
I guess the Starcom sites that are simulcast would be no different than any other simulcast site though. Is not much of Starcom not simulcast?
I can't get a decent signal here from any of the Starcom sites since they took down the two nearest St. Louis. The St. Clair site is still running but I get a very poor signal so I could never use it to make any determinations if the T or XT works better. The St. Clair site is listed as simulcast.

All we can do is hope the new XT firmware helps.

Yes...it's very location dependent and you still see this on many boards in regards to this issue. Not all of the Starcom sites are simulacast, most in larger metropolitan areas are. Their is a Wiki article on this issue, but in a nutshell, the scanner get's "confused" at picking out the best signal and causes a garble which leads to a dropped audio despite showing an active Talkgroup and Radio ID. Where I am at, the scanner is sampling the active control channel, which is receiving transmissions from many sites, which causes this issue I describe. I beleive your area isn't being simulcast from as many locations as mine is up here. From what I read in the past, no scanner could perfect this without a firmware upgrade which would change the algorithm for the digital portion of the scanner. The thought was, a firmware upgrade may help my reception, but may degrade someone elses. I suspect, Uniden might have found a work-around. If I take my 396XT out of my metropolitan P25 simulcast infested area to another non-simulcast area, it works great. This will be very interesting to see how it plays out...

 

[kruser]

Yes...it's very location dependent and you still see this on many boards in regards to this issue.

I am able to overcome most of my problems by using a 12 element yagi aimed at the strongest tower. This is for the city of St. Louis, MO system though. I'm too far from Starcom for that to be effective as the yagi's beamwidth is not nearly narrow enough to single out a single tower at the distance I am.
The further away you are from a simulcast site, the less chance you have that a yagi will help with this problem. I've also had decent luck using a solid panel corner reflector but it knocked out many of the other 800 systems from other directions so I could only monitor one 800 system at a time. The yagi lets in enough signal from the side and rear lobes that I can still monitor the other signals at the same time. I'd have both on the roof if I were not in an apartment. The baem is on a mast with rotor and a weather cam atop the mast just above the beam. It is kinda cool seeing where the beam is aiming instead of looking at the rotors display!

 

[Kingmobileaudio]

little more then a week left..... it's getting closer =D

 

[RoninJoliet]

I agree with "werinshades", when i travel with my 396XT to Grundy Co and LaSalle Co ILL the non multipath towers the scanner works flawless...Here in the Chicago area on the local multisite towers its get in the "good spot" or your out of luck....Whats really funny is lately i been using the 396XT-stock antenna and its given me better signals locally on T101,102,119 better than my RS800 duck.....