Status of SDS200 Quality?

[scnrfrq]

I have a BCD536 that's not doing a great job with our new P25 Phase II system. I've been following all the issues with the SDS200 since it's release. Considering how much it costs, have all the quality issues been pretty much resolved at this point, and the chances are good I'll get one that works fine? Or is it better to wait a while longer?

 

[R0am3r]

I too live in an area with a P25 Phase 2 system. When I upgraded to the SDS200 earlier this year, I was blown away by how much I liked this scanner and how well it handled simulcast. With the exception of a bad SD Card, my SDS200 has worked great and I seldom turn it off! Please note that Uniden replaced the card quickly. Yah, I'm a happy customer.

 

[maus92]

I have owned the SDS200 from the beginning. I have no issues with its quality, and it receives our statewide P25P2 system flawlessly. I installed the mitigation part supplied by Uniden, but they are now installed by the factory. If you are bothered by not having 100% perfection in any device, and listen to this radio in an ultra-quiet room with your ears a foot away from the speaker, it may not be the radio for you. In my case, the radio is installed in a vehicle so any remaining or unmitigated hash / hum noise is inaudible above background noise.

IMO, you will be pleased by the radio's performance.

 

[nacsr]

I too live in an area with a P25 Phase 2 system. When I upgraded to the SDS200 earlier this year, I was blown away by how much I liked this scanner and how well it handled simulcast. With the exception of a bad SD Card, my SDS200 has worked great and I seldom turn it off! Please note that Uniden replaced the card quickly. Yah, I'm a happy customer.

I agree! I had the TRX 1 and the Uniden 436.I tried all the tweaks with mediocre results. Out of the box, the SDS 200 works. While pricey, it gets results with no fooling around. I'm very satisfied.

 

[StaticDischarge]

I'm goin' broke again... My 2 cents...

Uniden is probably NOT going to make any changes (well until the 10,000 display boards they preordered are sold), other than the NM200 part to "mitigate the hum issue" which I have posted a proven fix for on this forum..
Other than that this scanner was is well worth my investment. Although your mileage may vary due to the system(s) you monitor.

Waiting is just torment in disguise...

Normal scanning may now resume...

 

[iMONITOR]

I too live in an area with a P25 Phase 2 system. When I upgraded to the SDS200 earlier this year, I was blown away by how much I liked this scanner and how well it handled simulcast. With the exception of a bad SD Card, my SDS200 has worked great and I seldom turn it off! Please note that Uniden replaced the card quickly. Yah, I'm a happy customer.

Uniden needs to step up and start using a higher quality Micro SD card in all their scanners. They've been problematic since day one.

 

[jonwienke]

They switched to high endurance type cards a couple years ago...

 

[iMONITOR]

They switched to high endurance type cards a couple years ago...

I was aware that Paul (Upman) was recomending them, but I wasn't aware they were shipping them with the H-E cards. Good for them! What is the capacity?

 

[jonwienke]

Still 4GB IIRC. A 32GB SanDisk high endurance card is $10 on Amazon.

 

[iMONITOR]

Still 4GB IIRC. A 32GB SanDisk high endurance card is $10 on Amazon.

I didn't even think they made H-E cards in 4GB. Sad.

 

[jonwienke]

It's more than enough for the database, 256 max size favorite lists, and the maximum replay buffer. Not an unreasonable size choice for basic operation.

 

[Joe_Blough]

I have a BCD536 that's not doing a great job with our new P25 Phase II system. I've been following all the issues with the SDS200 since it's release. Considering how much it costs, have all the quality issues been pretty much resolved at this point, and the chances are good I'll get one that works fine? Or is it better to wait a while longer?

No the quality issues have not been resolved. The worst part is that the solutions have been provided by people here like Static Discharge requiring no research or investigation by Uniden yet they refuse implement them. You are going to have to wait a long time for fixes if Uniden implements them at all. But from a place like Walmart or Home Depot where you get a 90 day return window.

 

[R0am3r]

How exactly do you know what Uniden has done to implement changes in their manufacturing processes? Do you work in their product assembly plants? Do you work for their engineering teams? Are you part of their research and development groups? Unless you can answer yes to any of these questions, your guesses are as good as mine.

Like many other SDS200 owners here on RR, I have yet to experience the hum. I would also guess that most owners of this amazing scanner are as happy as the day they took it out of the box. I certainly don't discount the findings as discussed countless times on RR, but I also don't believe this is a pervasive problem across the entire production process. And just because I wear a tinfoil hat from time-to-time, that doesn't make me paranoid.

To the OP - once you hear a simulcast transmission on the SDS200, you will wonder why you hesitated. This beast works great and makes scanning wonderful again.

 

[tkenny53]

I just got the 200, I have 2 536's and a 436, the 200 I have, is perfect, no hum no static, exception, the Vol and SQL button are reversed from the 536, annoying, and I dont like where the Avoid button is.

 

[blackbelter]

SDS 200 is the best Scanner I have owned. No Quality issues and a superior performance.

 

[Joe_Blough]

One guy just boyhjy

How exactly do you know what Uniden has done to implement changes in their manufacturing processes? Do you work in their product assembly plants? Do you work for their engineering teams? Are you part of their research and development groups? Unless you can answer yes to any of these questions, your guesses are as good as mine.

Like many other SDS200 owners here on RR, I have yet to experience the hum. I would also guess that most owners of this amazing scanner are as happy as the day they took it out of the box. I certainly don't discount the findings as discussed countless times on RR, but I also don't believe this is a pervasive problem across the entire production process. And just because I wear a tinfoil hat from time-to-time, that doesn't make me paranoid.

To the OP - once you hear a simulcast transmission on the SDS200, you will wonder why you hesitated. This beast works great and makes scanning wonderful again.

Trust me. I know they have done nothing.

Allend just bought another SDS200 and it too had the hum until he did Static Discharge's fix.

 

[R0am3r]

I don't trust just any Joe Blough with a scanner. Sorry, it was funny for me.

Just because someone recently purchased a SDS200, doesn't mean Uniden hasn't changed their manufacturing or assembly processes. Maybe the scanner was sitting on the shelf in a warehouse somewhere. Unless you work for Uniden, your statement is likely just an opinion.

 

[jonwienke]

Unless you work for Uniden, your statement is likely just an opinion.

Like Facebook passing its peak popularity in the 1990s.

 

[Joe_Blough]

I don't trust just any Joe Blough with a scanner. Sorry, it was funny for me.

Just because someone recently purchased a SDS200, doesn't mean Uniden hasn't changed their manufacturing or assembly processes. Maybe the scanner was sitting on the shelf in a warehouse somewhere. Unless you work for Uniden, your statement is likely just an opinion.

You can't prove a negative. Thinking Uniden has changed their manufacturing or assembly processes when they have been silent here is just an opinion. Maybe I know someone who works there.

 

[Joe_Blough]

Like Facebook passing its peak popularity in the 1990s.

With the invasion of privacy that has been proven, the only people who use Facebook today are die hard narcissists who mistakenly believe other people care about their life and are willing to give up all their privacy to hold onto that false belief.