SDS200 freezing issue

[RadioBoston]

My new SDS200 froze on the same channel 2 times since I bought it (5days ago.) I tried different things and the only remedy to get the scanner going again is to unplug the power cable (turning the scanner on and off does not help), or to remove the SD card and put it back in.

I read the whole thread about this issue from 2019, and I believe UPMan said they will fix the issue in the next firmware update release (which should have happened already.) My SDS200 is updated to the latest firmware version.
Is there any other fix I can apply to prevent this from happening?
Thank you in advance.

 

[Ubbe]

I read the whole thread about this issue from 2019, and I believe UPMan said they will fix the issue in the next firmware update release (which should have happened already.)

There hasn't been any downloadable updates for almost 2 years so I'm not so sure that the fix have been implemented in a firmware that can be downloaded.

/Ubbe

 

[RBMTS]

Does the scanner work on if you avoid or delete the channel out of the scanning sequence? Maybe it’s a “birdee” in the radio and only on that frequency.

 

[buddrousa]

#1 Does it freeze on the same frequency every time?
#2 What Frequency is it?
#3 What is the Radio Reference Data (State, City, Department and Type System NXDN, DMR, P25 or Analog).

 

[RadioBoston]

It was different frequency every time.
I was able to change the system manually, but then it would be stuck on the new frequency that I changed it to. It says "Scanning.." but it is not going anywhere.
It is the exactly the same issue that was described here:

SDS200 freezes on a channel when scanning

I'm having scanning issues on the SDS200. It just stops on a frequency, presumably indefinitely, but still shows as scanning. Here's a video I took of the problem. Squelch has no effect. I typically scan through about 20 frequencies. If I go into the menu and back out that fixes it. I...

forums.radioreference.com

I tried the same fixes suggested in that thread, but nothing works except disconnecting from the power source, or removing the SD card.

 

[JoeBearcat]

My new SDS200 froze on the same channel 2 times since I bought it (5days ago.) I tried different things and the only remedy to get the scanner going again is to unplug the power cable (turning the scanner on and off does not help), or to remove the SD card and put it back in.

I read the whole thread about this issue from 2019, and I believe UPMan said they will fix the issue in the next firmware update release (which should have happened already.) My SDS200 is updated to the latest firmware version.
Is there any other fix I can apply to prevent this from happening?
Thank you in advance.

That was around the time of the last firmware update. After that, UPMan was not able to do a lot due to being hospitalized, and then of course at the end of 2019 all his work ended and COVID hit. I will check to see if this issue was documented for the next firmware update (not sure yet when that will be, but there are many issues to address).

Update: I see UPMan requested this issue be checked against the firmware which was just about to be released at the time. I also see the engineer duplicated the issue. I do not know if that was fixed or not.

Are you using Priority-DND?

 

[RadioBoston]

JoeBearcat thank you for your response, and the update.
I am not using Priority DND.
I would really like to find out if this issue was included with the last firmware.
I am in a dilemma now - I have a few days left until the return window closes for this unit. So, I am thinking about whether I should ask for an exchange, or keep it and deal with it. Because the new unit will probably come from the same batch, and it could have the same and/or additional issues. Plus, I dislike doing returns (unless it is items shipped from Amazon).

 

[MStep]

JoeBearcat thank you for your response, and the update.
I am not using Priority DND.
I would really like to find out if this issue was included with the last firmware.
I am in a dilemma now - I have a few days left until the return window closes for this unit. So, I am thinking about whether I should ask for an exchange, or keep it and deal with it. Because the new unit will probably come from the same batch, and it could have the same and/or additional issues. Plus, I dislike doing returns (unless it is items shipped from Amazon).

If you are within your return window, and the radio is problematic, I would return it for a refund and then order one from a different dealer, even if you have to wait a few weeks. Amazon and Walmart offer the least hassle-free returns, so it's best to order from them. I would not hold my breath waiting for a firmware upgrade which may or may not fix the issue. If you are running the latest firmware and the radio is displaying this recurring fault, return it post-haste. Refund, not exchange.

 

[jonwienke]

Hanging/freezing issues are nearly always card problems. Tyr a different card before returning/exchanging the radio.

 

[RadioBoston]

Thank you jonwienke.
As I mentioned before, this issues does resolve if I take the SD card out and put it back in.

 

[buddrousa]

But did you put in a brand new SD Card?

 

[RadioBoston]

Yes, I did. So far so good.

 

[JoeBearcat]

I can't improve on the advice you were given.

I will try to find out if that issue was addressed in the last update. I suspect it was since the engineers were able to duplicate it.

 

[MStep]

I have been having some very recent intermittent SD Read / Write errors with an SDS 200 which is about 6 months old. Without getting into the specifics of my issue, which I may cover in another thread, can anyone recommend what they feel is the best SD card for the SDS200 ? Thanks.

 

[Ubbe]

can anyone recommend what they feel is the best SD card for the SDS200 ?

Scanner have very low demands on SD card performance and any known brand will work. What you could look at are the temperature specifications. If a scanner are exposed to sunlight it can get very hot and standard SD cards might not be able to handle that. There are industrial cards that are 3-4 times more expensive but have a wider temperature range.

The speed and write times of standard SD cards are way way higher than what any scanner are using.

/Ubbe

 

[bearcatrp]

I use only scandisk SD cards with the 10 on it. Never have issues. Us these with all my electronics that use SD and micro SD cards.

 

[buddrousa]

Just to add to UBBE's post write cycles kill cards about 2 years on my dash cam is good so a busy area and recording shortens the card life.

 

[Ubbe]

Just to add to UBBE's post write cycles kill cards about 2 years on my dash cam is good so a busy area and recording shortens the card life.

It's probably heat or dust that stops the card from working. I have had the same Samsung 10 card in my dash cam for 5 years and my HP-1 use its original SD card and replay are always enabled and scanner are on for at least 5 hours every day since 10 years back. Dash cams writes at a 5MB/s rate at a 1080 resolution and a scanner writes at 128KB. 2 years at 5MB/s equals 80 years at 128KB/s of write cycles. It's usually a software error that messes up the filesystem. A new format clears that and no new SD card are needed in most cases. There will always be bad samples of SD cards, like there are scanners that break much too early due to some production issues.

/Ubbe

 

[jonwienke]

I just killed a standard SanDisk 32GB card in my SDS200 after about 2 years of daily use. It's being replaced with a high endurance card.

 

[MStep]

I just killed a standard SanDisk 32GB card in my SDS200 after about 2 years of daily use. It's being replaced with a high endurance card.

I trust your card swap went well Jon? Or perhaps the new card has not arrived yet? I found the SDS200 a little "temperamental" with card swaps, so I ordered a few spares, including the SanDisk High Endurance as well. After a day of various read and/or write errors, things seem to have stabilized. (Knocking on wood, crossing fingers, etc).