Whistler @ the CES 2014
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smason
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With lots of municipalities going towards TDMA 2 i think Whistler needs to get more aggressive. How can you not take your high end stuff to CES unless you don't have it made yet?
My gosh.Yes we are happy they are in the market but I do not need another scanner similar to what i already have.
What I ( and most of us) need is the scanner ready to go to TDMA type 2. Without it these new models are paperwieghts.
When your town goes to TDMA type 2 and Uniden has the only game in town and you NEED to listen, guess where you are going? Right to the Uniden dealer. If Whistler releases theirs even 30 days later, no one is going to plop down another $500 or more for a scanner to do what the Uniden can do, even if it has a few more features.
Yes they look nice but so do my boat anchor radios.
My gosh.Yes we are happy they are in the market but I do not need another scanner similar to what i already have.
What I ( and most of us) need is the scanner ready to go to TDMA type 2. Without it these new models are paperwieghts.
When your town goes to TDMA type 2 and Uniden has the only game in town and you NEED to listen, guess where you are going? Right to the Uniden dealer. If Whistler releases theirs even 30 days later, no one is going to plop down another $500 or more for a scanner to do what the Uniden can do, even if it has a few more features.
Yes they look nice but so do my boat anchor radios.
Whistler is just not a high-end company. They took over the rights from GRE and what you are seeing is what you would get. Now if they came out with the PSR-900 you are not going to get anything more special except for APCO Phase II TDMA and thats it. Nothing more special than that. They are going to provide radios to Radio Shack. The pictures show it all. Since they brought these radios to CES this year thats all they have to offer. Nothing too exciting. If they knew what was best for them they would of brought a radio out of this world to show off that would of blown Uniden's new radio line away, but they didn't. Don't expect wonders, cuz it ain't happening
sjgostovich
Member
Haters gonna hate...
I really don't see how anyone could have expected Whistler to have anything but rebadged GRE radios at this point. They acquired the GRE rights/IP/whatever in what...September? Give them time, no one could have come up with anything new in that short amount of time.
Oh trust me I am not a hater. I have a GRE PSR 600 and I love it because of the digital modulation.
At least come to CES with the 900 and least dust the dirt off of it from the last CES and put a spit shine on it and talk it up. It looks like a great unit with the RR database feature. Put the list price for it at 499.00 and it would sell all day long
At least come to CES with the 900 and least dust the dirt off of it from the last CES and put a spit shine on it and talk it up. It looks like a great unit with the RR database feature. Put the list price for it at 499.00 and it would sell all day long
You expect them to have designed and produced their own scanner already? That's unrealistic.
stingray327
Member
I like the looks of the Uniden 436 and 536 better. These Whistlers look kind of cheap. Are these the Whistler models that are comparable to the Uniden 436 and 536?
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I wish they would have put out a non digital trunking scanner. My area doesn't have a lot of digital yet but I know several people that could really use a non digital trunker
I wish they would have put out a non digital trunking scanner. My area doesn't have a lot of digital yet but I know several people that could really use a non digital trunker
stingray327
Member
Well that was the situation here from the 1980's until last month. I got by fine with regular non trunking digital scanners like the Pro-43, Pro- 92, Pro-95 Pro-2052, Pro-2004,2005, 2022 and 2006 all worked just fine. Now the agency switched to something else and just disappeared. By upgrading I can now listen when I go on long trips in car since so many other depts. have gone digital. But as a base station I did not need a digital scanner until now.
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I too have a digital hh and it is great for travel but was hoping for a non digital for around $150 on sale to replace my dads scanner. He don't travel much but still likes to hear whats goi g on and it looks like it should be about the same as his old pro-97 if they stay with the same form factor so he could learn it quick also
I too have a digital hh and it is great for travel but was hoping for a non digital for around $150 on sale to replace my dads scanner. He don't travel much but still likes to hear whats goi g on and it looks like it should be about the same as his old pro-97 if they stay with the same form factor so he could learn it quick also
stingray327
Member
Let me be the first to say once I get the 536 and 436 or Whistler Scanners I will have a few Radio Shack HH scanners like the Pro-92, 43, 95 and Pro-97 to sell along with the Pro-2005, 2006, 2022 and 2052 base station scanners.
The scanners are going to start to pile up like radar detectors of the past.
Speaker & keys in the wrong places
I totally agree!!!! The ONE huge difference that made me get the PSR-500 over the PRO-106 was the speaker placement. Also, when holding it in one hand I can reach all of the keys with my fingers. Tougher to do when the keys are up higher like on the Whistler model.
stingray327
Member
I find using 2 computer speakers that come together as a set that use their own batteries to be nice n loud.
Boatanchor
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The GRE scanners tended not to be built as solidly as the Uniden offerings (I see no reason to suspect the build quality will change much) but they do have certain advantages in other areas.
The new Uniden scanners receive P25 Phase 2 (TDMA), whereas the Whistler models shown will not, so it's a bit like comparing apples with oranges..
However, these Whistler digital scanners should be around $150 cheaper for the handheld and around $200-$250 cheaper for the mobile, so there is certain market appeal there
Unless Uniden produces a lower tier digital (Phase 1 only) scanner similar to the 3/996XT or retains the 3/996XT but drops the price significantly, I predict Whistler will do very well with these scanners. Not everyone wants/needs/can afford a $600 TDMA scanner!
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fourthhorseman
Member
I see Whistler putting these radios out as more of a statement of,,the radios you like are still here.
They picked up GRE kind of late in the year. I did not expect any great leap forward as far as tech or stylizing..
I would expect them to want to see the division start making money before they invest further into development...So at this point,It may be up to us,.
The smartest thing they could do is release the digitals at a lower cost.Phase1 is still in use all over.
Next year,If sales are up and theres no new bells n Whistles..lol..Ill be let down..for now,still going to sell my gre800 and go to a new uniden.
They picked up GRE kind of late in the year. I did not expect any great leap forward as far as tech or stylizing..
I would expect them to want to see the division start making money before they invest further into development...So at this point,It may be up to us,.
The smartest thing they could do is release the digitals at a lower cost.Phase1 is still in use all over.
Next year,If sales are up and theres no new bells n Whistles..lol..Ill be let down..for now,still going to sell my gre800 and go to a new uniden.
Good to see Whistler bringing the GRE radios back to market. However, I think we're going to have to wait a while before they hit the street - the word I've heard is we won't see these radios on the market until Fall 2014 at the earliest.
I should have some prices next week dont know delv time yet.
Was told this their 900 series is still a ways out.
Thats all the info that was passed to me.
Was told this their 900 series is still a ways out.
Thats all the info that was passed to me.
NWI_Scanner_Guy
SCANNING THE AIRWAVES SINCE 1987
Thanks for the additional info. Every bit helps with the waiting.
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