Uniden's 396T flawed backlighting mentality

kg9qm · #1 (**permalink**) 05-26-2008, 09:36 AM

Well, OK, it's universal... I find the backlighting inadequate on the BCD396T.

First it's blue. Pretty? Yes. Practical? No. A couple white LEDs would have been SOO much better. Switchable to red color would have been perhaps nice for anyone concerned with their night-vision. Blue just doesn't work for these old eyes of mine. The LCD segments don't show up as well with blue backlighting.

Second, the options for 'on time' should be separated from the 'trigger by'. I wish I could change how long it stays on after a squelch trigger. 'On while squelch open' ought to be a choice, instead of only staying lit for 5 seconds or whatever on the initial trigger.

Third, The function button and scroll-knob don't trigger the light.

Fourth, 'Light on with charger' would be handy.

Maybe there's someone from Uniden watching, who'll consider these suggestions.

loumaag · #2 (**permalink**) 05-26-2008, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kg9qm

Well, OK, it's universal... I find the backlighting inadequate on the BCD396T. ...

Hardly universal; since I (and others) like the blue, I guess "universal" is somewhat overstating it a bit.

kg9qm · #3 (**permalink**) 05-26-2008, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loumaag

Hardly universal; since I (and others) like the blue, I guess "universal" is somewhat overstating it a bit.

'Universal' as in, all handhelds are pretty much the same.

afdscan · #4 (**permalink**) 05-26-2008, 11:56 AM

I could not agree with you more on each of your concerns!

XTS3000 · #5 (**permalink**) 05-26-2008, 04:08 PM

I agree 100%. The backlight should stay on according to how long you have the hold delay is set for. Have my hold time at 6 seconds, but the light goes out after 3 seconds or so.

Viper43 · #6 (**permalink**) 05-27-2008, 12:08 AM

You'll never please everyone.... to that end I like the blue over other choices for the LCD backlight

af5rn · #7 (**permalink**) 05-27-2008, 12:38 AM

I like the blue myself, but yeah, it's impossible to see at angles. You have to be looking almost dead on, which is difficult while driving at night.

What I wish was that the "red" was actually red. Why the hell do they call it red when it is amber?

linuxwrangler · #8 (**permalink**) 05-27-2008, 01:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kg9qm

First it's blue. Pretty? Yes. Practical? No. A couple white LEDs would have been SOO much better. Switchable to red color would have been perhaps nice for anyone concerned with their night-vision. Blue just doesn't work for these old eyes of mine. The LCD segments don't show up as well with blue backlighting.

Probably personal preference. My 50-year-old eyes have no objection to the color. The coolest (read, most expensive) option would be to use variable-color LEDs for the backlight and make color a user-choice.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kg9qm

Second, the options for 'on time' should be separated from the 'trigger by'. I wish I could change how long it stays on after a squelch trigger. 'On while squelch open' ought to be a choice, instead of only staying lit for 5 seconds or whatever on the initial trigger.

Agreed. Even worse is when you have several sequential transmissions on different channels of a trunked system and the light turns off after the first transmission.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kg9qm

Third, The function button and scroll-knob don't trigger the light.

I'll have to recheck with my current firmware. I seem to recall that when the keypad lock is on, the scroll knob does light the backlight. (Can't check right now, scanner is in for repair.)

Quote:

Originally Posted by kg9qm

Fourth, 'Light on with charger' would be handy.

True.

skywatch · #9 (**permalink**) 05-27-2008, 01:45 PM

Why not go with GE's new intelligence system, you could choose from 65,000 colors, and they could strobe for you.

afdscan · #10 (**permalink**) 05-27-2008, 02:06 PM

I have both the GRE digital scanners... yes they have options, but this thread happens to about the Uniden 396T! The color preference is not the issue. It's about being able to see the readout clearly. I personally like the blue, but I must admit it is hard to read during the day and especially at night. Uniden will do well to offer options of background colors... maybe this could be included in the next upgrade.

WZ1 · #11 (**permalink**) 05-27-2008, 02:33 PM

I like it.. but i have a mobile for the car.. so reading the display at night while driving is not an issue for me..

GTO_04 · #12 (**permalink**) 05-27-2008, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Viper43

You'll never please everyone.... to that end I like the blue over other choices for the LCD backlight

I prefer the 396 LCD also, including the backlight. It is by far the easiest of the LCDs for me to read. I am not a big fan of amber backlights at all.

GTO_04

ffexpCP · #13 (**permalink**) 05-27-2008, 07:38 PM

I would like to see a backlight option for keypress AND squelch.

delta_p · #14 (**permalink**) 05-27-2008, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kg9qm

'On while squelch open' ought to be a choice, instead of only staying lit for 5 seconds or whatever on the initial trigger.

That's not an option because of the continuous lighting that would occur as a result of sitting on the control channel for a trunked system. I would think it has to be by timer.

PP

kg9qm · #15 (**permalink**) 05-27-2008, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by delta_p

That's not an option because of the continuous lighting that would occur as a result of sitting on the control channel for a trunked system. I would think it has to be by timer.

PP

Control channels don't open the squelch when trunked scanning/searching is in operation, except in cases where the control channel sneaks in there occasionally. In my experience, the 396 still doesn't hang up there but moves on to a voice channel.

slicerwizard · #16 (**permalink**) 05-28-2008, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kg9qm

Control channels don't open the squelch when trunked scanning/searching is in operation

They most certainly do. They just doesn't enable the audio amp.

It's still no excuse for the backlight not working properly.

kg9qm · #17 (**permalink**) 05-28-2008, 05:49 PM

[QUOTE=slicerwizard]They most certainly do. They just doesn't enable the audio amp.
QUOTE]

Eh? And 'squelch' is..., what? There's a circuit that changes state when there's audio vs when there's not. So one state makes 'light on', the other makes 'light off'. A squelch by any other name...

Airdorn · #18 (**permalink**) 05-28-2008, 06:04 PM

[QUOTE=kg9qm]

Quote:

Originally Posted by slicerwizard

They most certainly do. They just doesn't enable the audio amp.
QUOTE]

Eh? And 'squelch' is..., what? There's a circuit that changes state when there's audio vs when there's not. So one state makes 'light on', the other makes 'light off'. A squelch by any other name...

If I cut the scanner's speaker wire the squelch still opens and closes and the radio reacts and does what its supposed to do. So that's kinda the same as the squelch being open but the audio amp being off.

kg9qm · #19 (**permalink**) 05-28-2008, 06:20 PM

Well, we can split hairs about what is or isn't 'squelch.' The simple fact is, the audio turns on and off in response to the received signal.

Normal trunked reception doesn't stop on or turn on the audio for a control channel. Except occasionally when things don't work just right - but then only briefly. Usually. So, having the backlight get stuck 'on' when there's a control channel is not a problem as was suggested.

oldtymer · #20 (**permalink**) 05-28-2008, 08:10 PM

I like the blue backlighting but it is very difficult for me to read the numbers. I think the amber backlight is much easier to read. I guess if you only listen to one channel then the backlighting isn't a concern as you know what the LCD will say and you don't have to look at it.