Freescan: Remote control app for Android

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nick0909

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I have created an unofficial Android app to remote control Freescan, similar to the official app for iOS. It seems fairly stable for my uses but I have only tested it on my BCD396XT and a few mobile devices. If there is interest in others using this I could make it available and hopefully improve the experience as we test it further. Anyone interested in testing it out?
 

rbm

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I have created an unofficial Android app to remote control Freescan, similar to the official app for iOS. It seems fairly stable for my uses but I have only tested it on my BCD396XT and a few mobile devices. If there is interest in others using this I could make it available and hopefully improve the experience as we test it further. Anyone interested in testing it out?

Thanks. I've installed it but it will be a day or two before I can try it out.

I have a large number of online feeds and it would nice if I could control one of the scanners remotely.

Rich
 

nick0909

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Cool, let me know how it goes, and what models of radios you try it with. Also right now it does not do authentication, but if you can vpn from your phone to your network you can protect them that way, or just not worry about it. I hope to figure out the authentication part with the server for a future release.
 

lehigh4me

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Hi nick,
I have installed it and tried to connect with BCD996XT. Haven't got it to connect yet. Will keep tryin....
Thanks
 

lehigh4me

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I am testing Windows 10. Some things aren't quite perfect in 10 yet. But thanks for posting the guide. I will try on Windows 8.1 tomorrow and let you know how it goes.
 

nick0909

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I have tested with the BCD396XT and BCT15X with good results. I completely redid the display code tonight so it can highlight individual lines, that allows showing which line is selected when in MENU. Also I tested out authentication, it turns out my app works with Freescan's authentication no matter what, you don't need to put in a username or password (because the server ignores it). So that feature is "working" now as well.
 

rbm

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I finally had time this morning to set it up and try it out.

This is just what I've wanted. ;)

I have a lot of private feeds and I've always had to try to anticipate what systems I'll want to listen to while away from home.

Now I can 'adjust' one my feeds while I'm out just as easy as when I'm home.

NICE app!
Thanks,
Rich
 
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nick0909

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Thanks guys, glad it is working for you. This is the first Android app I have made that actually does something, so feel free to throw out any suggestions or improvements you might like to see.
 

rbm

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Well it didn't take long for your app to come in handy. ;)

I was out today and heard a transformer explosion.
I don't normally stream the power company frequencies, I just listen at home to keep up on potential outages and repairs.

So, today I was able to hit the System Quick Key for the power company on one of my 'Private' feeds to get a quick update.

I run more than 40 Uniden DMA scanners here. BCD396, BCD996, and BCT15's along with some others.
They're connected to eleven computers on my home network. (Along with a LOT of other stuff)

One thing I'd like to see would be multiple profiles, for multiple servers, so I could switch between them to control multiple scanners.

I love it just the way it is ...................... but, you did ask. ;)

Thanks,
Rich
 

nick0909

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Wow quite the impressive shack! How do you even keep track of them all?! Glad it came in handy already, it is pretty nice to be out and about and able to change over a stream to just what you want to hear. As you try it out on other models if you want to post here or send me a PM which ones work OK, I only have tested it on a BCD396 and BCT15. I assume it will work on any that works with Freescan, but it would be nice to know for sure.

Anyway, I was thinking about adding a way to save multiple scanners, I will have to figure out what the UI would look like and how many presets I could fit. The easiest way would be a set number of preset buttons (like a car radio), but that doesn't scale. If I could figure out how to do a scrolling list it could support all 40+ of your setups. I'll keep it in mind!

Nick
 

rbm

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I've been running with one of my BCD996T scanners with great results.

I use ScannerCast to stream the audio and listen on a variety of players. (Scanner Radio, Xiialive, etc.)

I already have port forwarding set up for all of the scanner audio even though I may not be streaming more that 7-10 at the same time.

My interest in multiple profiles is for some small number of servers (2 or 3) so I wouldn't have to keep changing the URL and port number.

I use the local IP address when I'm home and a no-ip.org address when I'm away.
I started doing that when no-ip.org was shut down for a few days last year.
I don't have a static IP address and it does change occasionally.

I do the same thing with my security camera software. Just in case.

Most of my scanners are tied up providing feeds and/or logging 24/7. Maybe I need a few more. ;)

Rich
 

nick0909

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One can never have enough scanners... I am hoping to get a p2 capable one here soon, then I will double my DMA fleet! But my old non digital trunkers cover me for 95% of what I care about, so they still do a lot of work for me, I just can't remote control them so that is annoying.

Anyway, I figured out presets. It is an unlimited list, so put all 40 in there if you want. v0.7 pushed to the play store this morning, it should show up as an update in a couple of hours.
 

rbm

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One can never have enough scanners... I am hoping to get a p2 capable one here soon, then I will double my DMA fleet! But my old non digital trunkers cover me for 95% of what I care about, so they still do a lot of work for me, I just can't remote control them so that is annoying.

Anyway, I figured out presets. It is an unlimited list, so put all 40 in there if you want. v0.7 pushed to the play store this morning, it should show up as an update in a couple of hours.

Just got it, tried it, and it works great!

I only put in a few scanners/URL's etc. to check it out.

Now I have to do some 'imaginative' thinking.
It opens up a lot of new possibilities.

Thanks,
Rich

Edit: I 'thought' all was well, but ................
I added multiple URL's.
Some using no-ip.org and some using the local IP: 192.168.1.xx and all seemed good.

Then, when I go back to select 'Load Preset' it lists first one multiple times. As though it's only seeing the first one in the list.
 
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nick0909

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Rich, it is possible right now to add the same server over and over if you keep pressing "add." I plan on making it so it will check if that already exists and not let you add it again. Do you think that may be what happened, or do you only see the one over and over and not the others you added in if you scroll the list down? I will have another look at it and see if I messed something up (very possible) as well as add some more checks to try not to add the same item if it is in the list already.
 

rbm

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Rich, it is possible right now to add the same server over and over if you keep pressing "add." I plan on making it so it will check if that already exists and not let you add it again. Do you think that may be what happened, or do you only see the one over and over and not the others you added in if you scroll the list down? I will have another look at it and see if I messed something up (very possible) as well as add some more checks to try not to add the same item if it is in the list already.

Hi Nick,
I went back and deleted all of the Presets until the 'Load Preset' button was no longer there.

Then I added two different servers.
The 1st was a URL and the 2nd one a local IP address.

Then it showed that there were 2 Presets. Which I expected.

So I selected 'Load Preset' and it showed only the URL. Two times.

When I select either one, it does only load the URL.
(I thought maybe it was just the label for the 2nd Preset was wrong.)

Rich
 
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