BC125AT Firmware Update Released

[gonzalu]

Originally Posted by captncarp

Well it didn't work for me. I get a COMM7 and a exclamation mark in a yellow triangle but when I go into it and try to update it I get lost and just go round and round. This is what happens when u understand radios but not computers. All these simple terms like zip. and unzip are a complete lost to me.
I have been able to update GRE radio's but have never updated any of my Uniden's
DMC

captcarp sorry to hear :-(

Perhaps you could share a few screen shots? If you double-click on the exclamation point, go to the Driver Tab and select UPDATE driver. Then select Browse My Computer and then browse for the location of the EXTRACTED BC125AT driver (should be one file)
See if that helps

[captncarp]

I can't get any farther than "Comm port not recognized". This is why I prefer GRE scanners, I have updated a ton of them. I thought I'd give Uniden one more shot but it is the same old thing......I can't update my BC330t or this BC125AT. I'm glad I didn't go for a 396XT like I was considering. Unidens are Too complex just like it takes too many key strokes to program them.

[HiVolt]

This scanner is very nice i picked it up cheap for scanning a specific analog range, and while it works great I would love it if you could update the programming software to allow changing of the bank names so the scanner would show them... Its a great visual aid.

[TedRHayes]

Originally Posted by HiVolt

This scanner is very nice i picked it up cheap for scanning a specific analog range, and while it works great I would love it if you could update the programming software to allow changing of the bank names so the scanner would show them... Its a great visual aid.

The problem is not the programming software, its the BC125AT itself. I don't believe the scanner has the capability to store/display user defined Bank names. Not sure if a future firmware update could add that ability - only Uniden could answer that. Would be great if that feature could be added to the radio.

The ARC125 software available from Butel allows the user to assign Bank Names, but that's only for display within their program. However, I've found that feature to be basically useless, since any user defined Bank names are overwritten in ARC125 when all the bank data is read from the scanner. I've found in my practice I always like to download current content on the BC125AT memory before I work on editing.

[HiVolt]

Originally Posted by TedRHayes

The problem is not the programming software, its the BC125AT itself. I don't believe the scanner has the capability to store/display user defined Bank names. Not sure if a future firmware update could add that ability - only Uniden could answer that. Would be great if that feature could be added to the radio.

The ARC125 software available from Butel allows the user to assign Bank Names, but that's only for display within their program. However, I've found that feature to be basically useless, since any user defined Bank names are overwritten in ARC125 when all the bank data is read from the scanner. I've found in my practice I always like to download current content on the BC125AT memory before I work on editing.

Yeah, but I'm sure Uniden could make it work... The whole Alpha tagging feature is a bit misleading, if you can't tell at a glance what banks you've got enabled unless the hit comes on it... You've gotta remember what you have in each bank...

Another issue I found is that the unit will not charge the batteries while its in use... I do realize it's USB, but I have it plugged into a charger that can provide 1A 5V USB power, and thats a shame that it cant charge... Even if it would charge slowly, it'd be good. You really gotta remember if you chargd the batteries or not if you have been using it while plugged in and you want to run out.

I do realize this is an inexpensive scanner, but I think not having the bank names and charging while use features is a bit of an oversight..

[gonzalu]

One more argument for BANK TAGs is that if a Bank is tagged, your Alpha Tags for each channel can be even more descriptive. I now have to add redundant text to each channel so I can identify town or municipality of similar. In NYC, having so many like agencies and a 16 char tag space can make for tight space for descriptive names.

For example, JFK Airport vs. La Guardia airport. If I could have the Bank Tag, each channel would just have Tower or Approach or Operations etc. As it stands now, I have to tag the channels with JFK Tower and LGA Tower etc. Bank Names are ideal for much more legible/longer channel tags.

[potbellyperch]

I am thinking of getting one I know about the batterys X2 my radio shack pro 83 had the same deal
needed battarys like the the guy said

[captncarp]

Did all that and when I get to the point where it says for me to hook the scanner to the PC and turn it on i get a tab saying "COM PORT DOES NOT EXIST" and I get the same when I try L/O + 6 and plug in cable. Uniden sure sucks compare to up dating GRE !

[gonzalu]

That's because it isn't a real USB port. They continue to EMULATE serial ports via USB and it is a cheap trick. Unfortunately, Serial interfaces are so easy to program for these sorts of duties... USB requires a whole other set of programming.

So, they likely take off the shelf code to emulate the Serial, take some chipsets from Prolific to do the job, and still continue to use old COM code to do the job... brilliant business idea, poor execution and unhappy customers in the end.

[Flair]

Hi,

I have the Uniden "BC125AT" and I cant install the driver nor can I find it. I first went this site: "http://info.uniden.com/UnidenMan4/BC125AT" and when I right clicked on the driver link and saved it to my hardrive it was a zip file so I extracted the zip and got the following in this order a folder titled "BC125AT_usb_driver" and once I click to open it there are 2 folders one reads "xp" and the other reads "Win7" so I select win7 and it is only a notepad the following info:

.inf file (Windows7):
[Version]
Signature="$Windows NT$"
Class=Ports
ClassGuid={4D36E978-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}

Provider=%UNIDEN%
LayoutFile=layout.inf
DriverVer=10/15/1999,5.0.2153.1

[Manufacturer]
%UNIDEN%=UNIDEN,NTx86,NTamd64

[UNIDEN.NTx86]
%UNIDENSCANNER%=Reader, USB\VID_1965&PID_0017

[UNIDEN.NTamd64]
%UNIDENSCANNER%=Reader, USB\VID_1965&PID_0017

[Reader_Install.NTx86]
;Windows2000

[DestinationDirs]
DefaultDestDir=12
Reader.NT.Copy=12

[Reader.NT]
include=mdmcpq.inf
CopyFiles=Reader.NT.Copy
AddReg=Reader.NT.AddReg

[Reader.NT.Copy]
usbser.sys

[Reader.NT.AddReg]
HKR,,DevLoader,,*ntkern
HKR,,NTMPDriver,,usbser.sys
HKR,,EnumPropPages32,,"MsPorts.dll,SerialPortPropP ageProvider"

[Reader.NT.Services]
include=mdmcpq.inf
AddService = usbser, 0x00000002, Service_Inst

[Service_Inst]
DisplayName = %Serial.SvcDesc%
ServiceType = 1 ; SERVICE_KERNEL_DRIVER
StartType = 3 ; SERVICE_DEMAND_START
ErrorControl = 1 ; SERVICE_ERROR_NORMAL
ServiceBinary = %12%\usbser.sys
LoadOrderGroup = Base

[Strings]
UNIDEN = "Uniden America Corp."
UNIDENSCANNER = "BC125AT"
Serial.SvcDesc = "USB Serial emulation driver"

[gonzalu]

You need to manually install the driver (it isn;t really a driver as much as it is a Serial Port configurator)

Go to Device Manager
Find the new recognized unknown device (could already be under Serial Ports)
Right click on it and UPDATE driver
Manually select the file you found above...

This will set up the com port driver for the radio.

[Flair]

Gonzalu- Thank you that worked!

[gonzalu]

Excellent! good to know :-)

Enjoy...

[bobf9f5]

bobf9f5 I just order a bc125at ,I havent received yet, but after reading all your notes it sounds like its hard to update plus the batteries look like something from olde age,I need some advise,I always have trouble with the updates downloads,I am 78 I think I wilre teturn this unit when it arrives, I bought it because it showed alfa tags which I thought it might help me read the milcoms better... yes winded so Ill sign off and if any advise comes back, I will appreciate Thank You Bob (merry christmas)...

[potbellyperch]

I just got 1 today the scanner & I cannot get the step working or writeing to the scanner
help from the computer

Thanks

allso nobody helped me a few days ago with the STEP KC & the like
Thanks

[potbellyperch]

Help needed with the BC-125AT

[UPMan]

I'm sorry, but I really don't understand what you are trying to do, what issue you are having when you try to do it, etc.

[captncarp]

How about a UTube video on how to install the update on the BC125AT.
After three hours of trying to do it on two different PC's and always winding up with "COM PORT" not recognized or found these email instructions just don't cut it.
It's been a lot of years since I graduated from the U.S.Navy Class A Radio School and they didn't teach computers, just radio's and TTY machines.

[Bob3655]

Paul--This guy is 100% right. I coluldn't do it either when I had the AT-125. I got exactly the same error as "captncarp".
Have a good Sunday evening.

Bob

[UPMan]

A video of doing the update would do neither of you any good...as that error would certainly not happen. It sounds like you never installed the serial driver for the scanner or have a PC (not scanner) issue preventing its working correctly. Can you communicate with the scanner when using the PC programming software?