What happened

[RRR]

I get all updates ...

You are contradicting yourself, earlier you stated they have not produced any updates.....

 

[buddrousa]

Sorry I work 90 hours a week and did not remember a update 4 months ago that did not improve my scanners.

 

[W5RGP]

Sorry I work 90 hours a week and did not remember a update 4 months ago that did not improve my scanners.

90 hrs must be nice i remember my first part time job too

 

[tumegpc]

Have to disagree here if there was a backup person or two just think of the progress that could have been made while Paul was out with medical problems
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have to agree. Reading his medical blog, Paul has been going in and out of hospitals but in between those events he was still helping out on these boards responding to questions.This is a true indication that it's a one man show and there is no one to take his place. So what happens to Uniden's scanner division if Paul (UPMan) feels it's time to step down?

 

[CorwinScansNM]

I can believe that, not that I have any inside insight or "beta tester" relationship. There was a time when I thought Uniden was in real financial trouble.

My issue with how the company handles its business comes down to bad decisions on everything from incomplete (or half-baked) feature designs, QA issues (although they did pay to fix a couple of them after customers threatened class action) and how they treat customers and handle requests that just make better sense...common sense. Paul is not the only one working on this stuff, so there are other hands in the pot. But something is not right when you look at what has happened over the last few years. Some people here are well experienced and know what features would be useful...and how they would like them to work. Do we get that from Uniden? Not exactly, and we are lucky if they take any suggestions at all. Why is that? Does someone at Uniden "think" they know better? Is it a communication problem with a contractor who does the firmware? I can't say, but I do have to wonder why they can't give the customer solid common sense features that just do what the customer wants. Look, it's simple! We want a scanner that is easy to use and does two fundamental functions with complete and satisfying results. SEARCH capabilities with all information available to harvest information on radio systems, and SCAN features to effectively listen to all types of systems without unnecessary noise or hangups...and display information of interest like talkgroups, ID's, access codes etc. No nonsense like "One Frequency Trunked" on a single frequency just to get the TG/UID info. No channel name "special formatting" to get all the DMR info to display. And we want ALL MODES. How hard is that to understand? And why do some scanners have "Priority DND" (truly a great idea) and others don't? Same with Fire Tone-Out (another great feature...although the tone search and capture part of that could have been done much better to display multiple tone dispatches...don't use squelch close to terminate tone capture on only the first set of tones...just capture them all!). Then there is this "silent treatment" issue. Whistler doesn't have that issue, and customer's appreciate that.

The bottom line is "you get what you get". Some of it is usable, some not so usable. You have to decide if it's worth the money and will serve some of your needs. Could it be better? EASILY...if they gave a hoot. And that's the problem. We see the lack of common sense and the way customers are ignored. We see quality issues. We see that there is a problem at Uniden. Yet we also see them get some very cleaver features right from time to time. And I will say the receiver quality has improved to near commercial quality over the last 10 years...save the LSM issues where I/Q demodulation could solve that. I just wish they approached all feature ideas and requests the same way...complete and fully functional...and easy to use. We know they CAN DO IT, but it appears it's hit and miss. THAT, I can't understand. Is that a personality issue with someone at Uniden? Or is it an internal issue with communication? Whatever it is, better scanners would be realized if they would just "fix that".

Phil

Way to go Phil. Awesome write up with lots of points & clarity. You tell it & tell it well. A+

I myself own a Uniden BCD536HP & am patiently waiting & checking week after week sometimes 2 to 3 days a week on the BCD536HP Firmware Update web page in hopes of a new firmware upgrade with BUG fixes & of all, reception/receiving problem fixes that I am having lots of problems & not experiences with that Uniden needs to fix. Does not seem or sound like any relief with updates/improvements through new firmware updates anytime soon & possibly never if Uniden falls through the whole due to financial troubles, not caring, & making a bad name for themselves & their most expensive scanners being the BCD*36HPs which are still being sold with lots of problems that have not been fixed or totally addressed by Uniden!! Pretty immature & worthless & useless Uniden is becoming it seems to me.

info.uniden.com/twiki/bin/view/UnidenMan4/BCD536HPFirmwareUpdate

 

[CorwinScansNM]

You must not be checking for updates then I’ve gotten several on my 2 trx1’s in the past few months


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Must be nice! Way better than Uniden is doing or even trying for their firmware updates to the latest BCD*36HP models of scanners. I think that Uniden is totally dead, blank & not at all trying for improvements/BUG Fixes for these models of their scanners. There has not been a firmware update to fix or improve anything on the BCD536HP in over 5 going on 6 months now! Their last firmware update was 7/7/2017. I am always checking to see off & on each week in hopes of a new & good firmware update released by Uniden for my BCD536HP Scanner with lots of BUG fixes & improvements if at all any that are going to make any differences worth while to make the BCD*36HPs perform, work or recieve clear or better?

 

[KK4JUG]

It's seems to me that Uniden, the company, isn't overly interested in public/customer input. On the other hand, they apparently endorse the Upman as means of communication with that group. For years, users have complained about the way Uniden does business with little to no success. There are alternatives if people are unhappy.

I say, be glad the Upman is there. Personal problems not withstanding, he does an excellent job.

 

[N1SQB]

And you know this for a fact?????

Are you serious???? The FACTS are self evident unless you're deaf dumb and blind. Who has stepped up to take over while UPman has been sick? Who have you seen come on here other than UPman while he has been sick? NOBODY! UPman has been and continues to be the only person showing his face on here. The fact that he himself continues to stay in contact with us here while battling an illness is a tribute to his character. Nothing has changed or progressed while he's been sick. That in itself should tell you something. Knowing what UPman's position is and his connection to customers on this site, Uniden should have had someone else step up and keep things going. Let's face it, customer service and support have always been a few of Uniden's biggest problems. I am up to my neck is Uniden gear so I understand the frustrations people feel.

Manny

 

[jonwienke]

Are you serious???? The FACTS are self evident unless you're deaf dumb and blind. Who has stepped up to take over while UPman has been sick? Who have you seen come on here other than UPman while he has been sick? NOBODY

Maintaing a social media presence is not the same as doing actual work.

 

[MTS2000des]

It's seems to me that Uniden, the company, isn't overly interested in public/customer input.

I equate what is happening at Uniden to how Matsu****a/Panasonic was in the VHS business. At one time, Matsu****a built around 60 percent of all VHS machines sold by others (GE, RCA, Realsitic, you name it, if it was VHS, it was a Panasonic built machine).

Panasonic built and designed many transports and mechanisms, many of which were rock solid, reliable, quality pieces of gear. Many still survive today 30+ year later.

When VHS started dying in favor of DVD, then BluRay, and now streaming, VHS died. And so did Panasonic's interest in innovating VCR technology, and supporting the diminishing number of customers. By the late 1990s, machines were cheaped down designs, pretty much one transport, one power supply and main board. All of the circuits down to SLICs. All designed to be thrown away when they failed or wore out.

I see the same thing happening at Uniden. To develop a quality product with performance (especially on LSM) like the Unication means a tremendous investment in design. Good engineers aren't cheap. Uniden also knows with technologies like FirstNet, the days of peddling scanning radios to a few thousand customers a year isn't profitable, when they can concentrate on security cameras, radar detectors, marine radios and other consumer electronics that outsell scanner 10 to 1 and don't have the tremendous support costs involved.

I don't blame them. They are a business not a non-profit. That being said, the performance of their products are atrocious. Shouldn't sell it as "P-25" if it cannot properly receive ALL P-25 standard waveforms, including CQPSK-LSM.

 

[jonwienke]

Matsu****a

LOL at stupid auto-censorship.

 

[KK4JUG]

LOL at stupid auto-censorship.

Fortunately, my brother retired from Panasonic/Mat-that-other-name and I knew immediately what you were talking about and what happened.

 

[jonwienke]

Double LOL if Matsu****a got into the scanner business, and tried to advertise here...

 

[W5RGP]

Maintaing a social media presence is not the same as doing actual work.

Exactly



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[N1SQB]

Maintaing a social media presence is not the same as doing actual work.

Exactly



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That's fine, so then, what has progressed, changed, been updated or improved in the last year or so?

Manny

 

[W5RGP]

That's fine, so then, what has progressed, changed, been updated or improved in the last year or so?

Manny

nothing has been improved that i have seen

 

[N1SQB]

nothing has been improved that i have seen

That's my point Bob. If you look at the Whistler side of things, they put out an update to their flagship TRX1,2 scanners on 10/24/17 for example. While not perfect, at least they are out there trying and doing.

Manny

 

[tumegpc]

That's my point Bob. If you look at the Whistler side of things, they put out an update to their flagship TRX1,2 scanners on 10/24/17 for example. While not perfect, at least they are out there trying and doing.

Manny

Whistler does listen, a couple months ago a sent in a scanner suggestions about an auto off option. A couple days later got got a email from Mike from Whistler asking if I was thinking more of a pre-programmed set time or the ability to enter a time of my choosing . That alone speaks volumes on customer relations.

I would like to see Uniden and Whistler build on what they have and offer firmware upgrades to enhance their flagship scanners including the Home Patrol 2.

Uniden : Bandscope - NXDN - Analyze (DMR-Home Patrol 2)

Whistler: Auto Off - LED Stealth Mode - Multiple Search Limits

 

[DocDaddy]

Still waiting on the Siren App

 

[Ubbe]

asking if I was thinking more of a pre-programmed set time or the ability to enter a time of my choosing

I hope you answered "both". The set time at home to turn it off at night and a timed value if used in car to not drain the battery. Then there's the choice of "one time" or permanent.

/Ubbe