Windows 8 / 8.1 USB programming problems

Status
Not open for further replies.

jlj319

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Apr 19, 2011
Messages
5
Location
Watkinsville, Georgia
Having a lot of trouble connecting my 996XT using Windows 8.1/64-bit using Freescan and Proscan. I've have 2 different cables 've tried to use, the direct USB cable and a USB/Serial adapter.

Freescan says unable to detect any available COM ports. Proscan doesn't list any COM port for me to select.

I've tried uninstalling and re-installing drivers with no luck.

How is anyone else programming with Windows 8/8/1? It's basically made my scanner useless since I can't make any programming changes.
 

jimoconnor

Member
Joined
Oct 31, 2008
Messages
3
Location
St.Paul
download from bcd996 using windows 8

I cannot seem to get my BCD996T to download from my new windows 8 machine.

Can anyone help???

Thanks

JimO
 

ka3jjz

Wiki Admin Emeritus
Joined
Jul 22, 2002
Messages
25,361
Location
Bowie, Md.
This is so poorly worded, it's impossible to answer this question.

Let's start with some basics;

a. What USB cable are you using? Did you set up and load drivers? Did you read the info we have on Windows 8 issues in our wiki, specifically...(see the last section of...)

Connecting scanners via USB - The RadioReference Wiki

b. What application are you using? (ARC996, FreeScan, ProScan, etc.)

c. Did you set up the 996's front and rear ports - this article from our FreeScan user guide has a summary of the needed steps...

Freescan - Connecting Scanner to PC - The RadioReference Wiki

d. If you've done all that, what is the specific error message, if there is one?


That should be enough to get the ball rolling...Mike
 

jimoconnor

Member
Joined
Oct 31, 2008
Messages
3
Location
St.Paul
Connot download from windows 8 computer

OK, Here is what I have:
Cable came with the Uniden BCD996T.
The cable works with my windows 7 computer, however It will not detect a com port on the new computer.

I installed the driver listed on the reply. I get the same error.

JimO
 

ka3jjz

Wiki Admin Emeritus
Joined
Jul 22, 2002
Messages
25,361
Location
Bowie, Md.
Do you know what the make / model of the cable is? You need the correct drivers for the correct chip set. This is especially critical due to the issues with Windows 8, as mentioned in the USB article, the link for which I sent along earlier (links are always colored blue). Just because it works on Win 7 does not mean it will work with Win 8, unfortunately.

There's additional information in the Generic USB cables section of the wiki article.

What application are you trying to use (ARC996, FreeScan, ProScan. etc.)?

Mike
 
Last edited:

ka3jjz

Wiki Admin Emeritus
Joined
Jul 22, 2002
Messages
25,361
Location
Bowie, Md.
Forgot to mention - if you are using one of those el-cheapo USB cables from Amazon or fleaBay, you might be SOL. Prolific has started putting detection in for these Chinese knock offs, and will disable the cable no matter what you do. Again, it's the chipset that's causing the issue.

As I understand it there's a utility on the Prolific website that will allow you to see whether you are using a HXA or HXD chipset - might be worth a look if you are using an older version of the Uniden USB-1

Mike
 

Bucko

Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2005
Messages
1,024
Location
Marietta, Ohio
Win 8 & Win 8.1 is touchy when it comes to drivers. I am using the USB-1 cable and went to an older Prolific driver version 1.5.0. which works great. I installed my drivers by way of the Device Manager and manually select the driver I wanted. Letting Windows select will not work, at least it did not for me.
 

ofd8001

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Feb 6, 2004
Messages
7,890
Location
Louisville, KY
As is often the case with computers, there are several solutions to a problem.

I ran into this same situation when I went to Windows 8. I learned the problem was with the chipset in the cable being HXA, an older version. HXA doesn't get along with Windows 8.

So I got a Plugable USB to RS 232 Serial Adapter from Amazon which has the later HXD chipset. Using the original programming cable that came with the scanner, I was able to get up and going.

Amazon.com: Plugable USB to RS-232 DB9 Serial Adapter (Prolific PL2303HX Rev D Chipset): Computers & Accessories

Subsequent to that, Uniden changed their USB-1 cables so they now use the HXD chipset.

USB Cable for all Uniden DMA Scanners

So you might end up needing a new cable having the latest chipset. If you do get a new cable, be sure to install the driver before plugging in the cable.
 

ka3jjz

Wiki Admin Emeritus
Joined
Jul 22, 2002
Messages
25,361
Location
Bowie, Md.
The radio, and to a certain extent, the app are not the issue; the issue is that Win 8 / 8.1 is picky as hell about drivers for USB devices. Just because it works on Win 7 does not mean that it will work with Win 8 or 8.1

See the URL given in message 2 of this thread. Go to the very bottom of that article for specific hints/kinks about this topic

Mike
 

ibuprophen

Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2014
Messages
1
Location
Glens Falls, NY
Hello Everyone!

I am a person who likes "Bottom Line" information and, even as experienced as i am, hate to have to decode information or sort through the TMI (Too Much Information) So...

I just want to provide a "Bottom Line" tutorial/how-to regarding the Serial Interface Cable (I was a bit surprised to see LOL)...

After a little while with the Serial Adapter that came with my new Uniden Bearcat BCT15X and my Windows 8.1 Pro... I figured it out.

First, I have a newly updated (custom) PC and i had purchased (quite some time ago) the serial & parallel port connectors that the motherboard was equipped with as an add-in.

I opened my "Device Manager" and listed under "Ports (COM & LPT) was my Serial Port labeled as "Communications Port (COM1)". I right Clicked COM1 and selected Properties. Then i selected the "Port Settings" tab at the top and then i changed the "Bits per second" (also known as the "Baud Rate") to "115200" then I click "OK" at the bottom and exited the Device Manager.

I then turned to my Uniden BCT15X Scanner and selected the "Menu" button then turned the knob to select "Settings" (by pushing the knob), then selected "Set Serial Port", then selected "Set Baud Rate", then "Set Front Port", then "115200 bps". Now push the "Menu" button 4 times to exit the menu completely. Now you can connect serial adapter in the serial port of the PC and the front port of the scanner. Now your connected.

Remember, Windows will not announce or even know that the Scanner is connected since the scanner doesn't fall to the computer for communication AND the serial port is not self powered (unlike a USB port), it is invoked by PC software to feed (or push) information to the scanner and download (or pull) information from the scanner.

Just be sure (as you should with any PC interface with any device) that the right software is used because it can either do NOTHING, ERROR OUT or EVEN DAMAGE your unit.

This has been a public service announcement... LMAO!!!

Good Luck to All.
 

rwier

Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2006
Messages
1,914
Location
Phoenix, AZ
Just some info, probably won't help anyone.

Ordered a new 996xt, expected delivery later today. In preparation, I purchased Proscan, and brought my (hero) 996t indoors from the elements. I wanted to get familiar with the software/scanner interaction before I try it with the anticipated xt.

Looking at the small computer port on the front of the 996t, I went to a scrap bin containing multiple cables, mostly USB of some species.

I found a strange one (I'm sure it wasn't always a strange one) that was composed of two connected cables. One has the correct "tip" for the front of the 996t, and a 9 hole female serial termination at the other end. It is all black with no distinguishing marks.

It is connected to a 9 pin male serial connection that is semi-transparant blue with a sticker that reads:

"www.CoolGear.com 121685"

from which a silver braided cable continues a few feet to a standard USB cable termination (plugs into computer). Well, I hooked them up and hoped for the best, lol.

I am using Windows 8.1 32/64 OS. In the "Device Manager" (very similar/same as the report of ibuprophen) I saw the USB "something" at com 5 (?) and set or saw the 115200 rate. I opened ProScan and selected port 5 and 115200 rate and instantly saw the virtual scanner in the software (computer monitor) matching up with what was showing in the little scanner screen. I'm not good with the technical computer terms so some of the above is paraphrasing from memory.

Oh yes, I forgot. The black cable described above had a piece of masking tape wadded up and attached. I carefully opened/unwound the wad of tape and I could read "396T SCANNER CONTROL" faintly visible in my handwriting.
 

rwier

Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2006
Messages
1,914
Location
Phoenix, AZ
Just some info, probably won't help anyone.

Ordered a new 996xt, expected delivery later today. In preparation, I purchased Proscan, and brought my (hero) 996t indoors from the elements. I wanted to get familiar with the software/scanner interaction before I try it with the anticipated xt.

Looking at the small computer port on the front of the 996t, I went to a scrap bin containing multiple cables, mostly USB of some species.

I found a strange one (I'm sure it wasn't always a strange one) that was composed of two connected cables. One has the correct "tip" for the front of the 996t, and a 9 hole female serial termination at the other end. It is all black with no distinguishing marks.

It is connected to a 9 pin male serial connection that is semi-transparant blue with a sticker that reads:

"www.CoolGear.com 121685"

from which a silver braided cable continues a few feet to a standard USB cable termination (plugs into computer). Well, I hooked them up and hoped for the best, lol.

I am using Windows 8.1 32/64 OS. In the "Device Manager" (very similar/same as the report of ibuprophen) I saw the USB "something" at com 5 (?) and set or saw the 115200 rate. I opened ProScan and selected port 5 and 115200 rate and instantly saw the virtual scanner in the software (computer monitor) matching up with what was showing in the little scanner screen. I'm not good with the technical computer terms so some of the above is paraphrasing from memory.

Oh yes, I forgot. The black cable described above had a piece of masking tape wadded up and attached. I carefully opened/unwound the wad of tape and I could read "396T SCANNER CONTROL" faintly visible in my handwriting.

Follow up: The above working cable combo proved to be interchangable between the "old" 996T the "new" 996XT.
 

N4VKF

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jul 11, 2002
Messages
995
Location
SPOTSYLVANIA,VA
Driver Problems

Having a lot of trouble connecting my 996XT using Windows 8.1/64-bit using Freescan and Proscan. I've have 2 different cables 've tried to use, the direct USB cable and a USB/Serial adapter.

Freescan says unable to detect any available COM ports. Proscan doesn't list any COM port for me to select.

I've tried uninstalling and re-installing drivers with no luck.

How is anyone else programming with Windows 8/8/1? It's basically made my scanner useless since I can't make any programming changes.

I am having the same issue. I must have gotten a cable from ebay with the old chipset.

I ordered one from Scanner Master. I hope it is the correct one.
 

ofd8001

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Feb 6, 2004
Messages
7,890
Location
Louisville, KY
At one point in time, Prolific had on their site a utility where you could check the chipset version. I tried looking a while back, but could not find it.

I believe it is called "CheckChipVersion_V1006.exe"
 

grvdggr864

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jan 31, 2012
Messages
4
As is often the case with computers, there are several solutions to a problem.

I ran into this same situation when I went to Windows 8. I learned the problem was with the chipset in the cable being HXA, an older version. HXA doesn't get along with Windows 8.

So I got a Plugable USB to RS 232 Serial Adapter from Amazon which has the later HXD chipset. Using the original programming cable that came with the scanner, I was able to get up and going.

Amazon.com: Plugable USB to RS-232 DB9 Serial Adapter (Prolific PL2303HX Rev D Chipset): Computers & Accessories

Subsequent to that, Uniden changed their USB-1 cables so they now use the HXD chipset.

USB Cable for all Uniden DMA Scanners

So you might end up needing a new cable having the latest chipset. If you do get a new cable, be sure to install the driver before plugging in the cable.



this is what i had to do to get my 996xt to work with windows8....got a serial to usb cable and then hooked stock 996xt cable to it and then i also had to go into the bios of my mobo and reset usb options......afterwards all is fine using freescan but instead of being on com1 its now on com4
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top