After using the PSR-600 and PSR-410 for years I have grown accustom to controlling the radios
via computer to log the audio, get the activity log, and most important to be able to see the display on a
19" monitor because my eyesight is not what it was.
Two years ago I purchased two PSR-800's. After taking one out of the box and doing the updates to the software and database I was disappointed I could not easily read the display or get info out of the unit.
The 800's have sat in the their boxes since. I bought them for Phase II which is slowly making a presence here. I may hook them up to an external audio panel to monitor one particular system, but, what a waste.
Waste!? Huh? Lessee... You say you've got a PSR-600 and you think that it is going to suddenly become obsolutely useless `when?' the system you are currently listening finally goes `Phase2' ? While the PSR-800 may not be controlled like the PSR-600 can be controlled by the control features available in PSREDIT/CTRL500 and/or WIN500 it does things that the PSR-600 cannot do but, the PSR-600 is still the best platform for using PRO96COM to analyze the system's sites. So you can help provide the system information that you and other people will be needing to get their scanners scanning that system you helped find said system information by *your* analysis.
I personally have several PSR-600s that are currently getting used both as scanners listening to or `logging/analyzing' some P25 Phase1/Phase2/soon to be Phase2 systems. I also have several PSR-800s that are either doing `base' `work' or are used as `portable/mobile' scanners. (I also happen to have several PSR-400/410s, PRO-2096/96s, PRO-2055s, a PRO-2067, *several* (AKA 6) PRO-2005/6s that have assorted `after market' accessories/mods, and a bunch of other assorted base/HH scanners in my `shack' or `just in case storage'. Out of all that I have I can say with great certainty that there are only a couple that *might*be called `dogs' and around the same number have gone `four legs up' on me [And those did so well after there wasn't any repair service available *and* I haven't come across `donor' units so that I could repair them.].
Yeah... I *do* understand that current, over lessay a 10 year or so time frame, scanners have somewhat gotten quite `pricey', but even way back `when' some of the scanners I've mentioned were also considered to be just as `pricey'. But, I scrimped and saved my `nickles & dimes', `bit the bullet' and eventually bought them and the mere fact that they are still in my `collection/shack' shows that they were worthwhile to buy. That you happen to have a pair of PSR-800s *does not* mean that you've `bought a/some pig/pigs in a poke. When the `new' PSR-800s, and hopefully PSR-900s finally hit the market you'll already have your PSR-800s and can then concentrate on eventually getting a couple PSR-900s and/then whatever they produce later. ('Course... {VB GRIN} I suppose that you *could* just `throw in the towel' and find someone, not me as I already have what I need/want and am already saving for, hopefully, when they come out a few PSR-900s, who `needs/wants' them more than you seem to.)
Just an `OldeFart's' 2¢ worth. {VB GRIN!}