Freescan: Free Scan use on Windows 8.1

[radio]

I recently acquired a Uniden 396XT and 996XT. I installed and operate FreeScan without any problem with the old USB-1 cable on my old laptop and desktop which have Windows XP.

I tried to install it on my newer laptop that have Windows 8.1. Sadly it will not work. It will not recognize any comm port.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[toastycookies]

https://www.scannermaster.com/v/vspfiles/downloadables/PL2303_Prolific_DriverInstaller_v1.5.0.zip

 

[phask]

There are many posts, you probably need a new cable with proper chip set.

I recently acquired a Uniden 396XT and 996XT. I installed and operate FreeScan without any problem with the old USB-1 cable on my old laptop and desktop which have Windows XP.

I tried to install it on my newer laptop that have Windows 8.1. Sadly it will not work. It will not recognize any comm port.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[mikewazowski]

Thread moved to Scanner Programming Software forum.

 

[radio]

Toasty, Thank you, I downloaded that zip. uninstalled the original USP-1 and i and installed version 1.5. Computer says it is installed. However still will not find any USB ports.

 

[toastycookies]

is it the PL2303HXA chipset?

says to use that driver here...

Uniden USB Cable

 

[radio]

Yes. It is the cable that came with my 396T.

I first installed the original PL 203 USB-1 that I am using with both XTs and all my other radios on the Windows XP laptop without any problem. Then I uninstalled the USB 1 and installed the 1,5 per the earlier post. No success.

 

[radio]

I installed the 1.8 version. Computer said it is there. However, I still cannot get the radio to communicate with FreeScan. Could it be it really will not work on Windows 8?

It does work great on my Windows XP computers without any hassle.

All my other Uniden scanners work off of Windows XP with Scan Control.

Any further suggestions are welcome. Thanks

 

[marcotor]

Check the driver version in Device Manager. I have three Uniden scanners that I use EZScan, ProScan, and RadioFeed with on a daily basis without any issue. Might check to make sure your Windows has the latest updates as well.

 

[toastycookies]

I installed the 1.8 version. Computer said it is there. However, I still cannot get the radio to communicate with FreeScan. Could it be it really will not work on Windows 8?

It does work great on my Windows XP computers without any hassle.

All my other Uniden scanners work off of Windows XP with Scan Control.

Any further suggestions are welcome. Thanks

so are you getting a COM port in win 8.1 now from the usb cable?

if so, and you still cannot get freescan to see your scanner have you tried turning down the baud rate?

try setting the com port to 9600 in device manager in windows
AND make sure you set it to 9600 on the scanner as well.

 

[ka3jjz]

If you have an older version of the USB1, the chipset is causing you grief. This version made the USB issue to be a royal pain in the arse. We have an extensive amount of information on this very topic - and a few possible solutions - in our wiki (links are always blue) at the bottom of;

Connecting scanners via USB - The RadioReference Wiki

The other thing everyone forgets to do is to set the baud rate in the scanner, which Toasty alluded to. It's a common mistake - so common that a section in the FS user guide addresses this issue

Freescan - Connecting Scanner to PC - The RadioReference Wiki

Mike

 

[radio]

All I can say is all the equipment I have, from the first USB-1 cable I purchased with Scan Control for my Uniden 780s, 296s and 796s, the USB-1 supplied when I purchased my BCD 396T and all the other cables I have gotten with the original 246, BCD396T and the newest 396XT and 996XT all work just fine with FreeScan at 115200 bps on my Windows XP laptop. There were no problems whatsoever installing any of it.

And yes I still use ScanControl with those older radios on the same Windows XP laptop because there is no other software available for them past Windows 7..

I give up with Windows 8.1 with the scanner programming.

Thank you all.

 

[ka3jjz]

Just as a point here - ProScan works with every one of those radios...Mike

 

[ofd8001]

All I can say is all the equipment I have, from the first USB-1 cable I purchased with Scan Control for my Uniden 780s, 296s and 796s, the USB-1 supplied when I purchased my BCD 396T and all the other cables I have gotten with the original 246, BCD396T and the newest 396XT and 996XT all work just fine with FreeScan at 115200 bps on my Windows XP laptop. There were no problems whatsoever installing any of it.

The cable is your problem and is easily resolved.

If you look at the USB-1 cable, you'll see a cylindrical object. Inside that cylinder is a component called a chipset which converts the USB port on your computer into a serial port.

The original USB-1 cable, which you have, had what was called an "HXA" chipset. Windows 8.x doesn't "like" that older HXA chipset. Thus as you have seen, the computer and scanner won't talk with each other.

What is needed is a cable having a newer chipset (which is the "HXD" chipset).

The newest versions (manufactured in the past year or so) of the USB-1 cable have that HXD chipset.

So I'm sure if you get a new USB-1 cable from Uniden, your problem willl be resolved. Just be sure you download and install the driver (as noted on the cable when you get it) before connecting the new cable.

(I had the same problem and got a USB to Serial adapter with the HXD chipset and was able to program my scanners with Windows 8.x. That was before Uniden came up with the revised cable.)

 

[radio]

Ka3jjz, Thanks for the tip. I looked at it but could not find it stating it will work with Windows 8.1

old8001, Thanks for your tip, as well. I will look into it.

 

[ka3jjz]

We have a dedicated thread for ProScan questions here...

http://forums.radioreference.com/scanner-programming-software/95044-official-software-thread.html

However as has been stated before, your problem is not the software - it's the USB cable. Win 8.x makes this a royal pain, unfortunately, and as shown in the various threads linked in the USB article, you're far from alone in having these issues.

Mike