Hi Steve,
I really really appreciate all the suggestions. HUGE help!
I went with the Uniden BCT15X BearTracker Mobile Tracking Scanner with GPS Support. Should have it in a few days from Scan Masters.
Next.. Will i need anything else to get up and running (streaming via Radio Reference)?
I see were there is a PC cable and software CD that some people are buying for the GRE models, do i need a particular PC cable for the BCT15X? If yes, just let me know which one i need to get.
Thanks,
Scott
Scott,
The BCT15X will come with a pc cable, but it requires a serial port connection on the pc. (It has a different end, for the scanner, than the one used by the GRE scanners, & the ones that GRE makes for Radio Shack. If you have a pc (especially a newer model laptop) that does not have a serial port (this would be labeled as "Com1" in most cases), then you have two choices:
You can purchase the
USB-1, Uniden's USB cable, which is also available from
ScannerMaster,
Grove, and a number of other scanner dealers.
This same cable works on all of the newer Uniden scanners. (Download the drivers before plugging the cable into your pc.)
or
You can use a USB-to-Serial converter, which is what I use for my laptop. Last year, I rebuilt both of my desktop pcs. One of them had a serial port on the new system board. On the second desktop, I installed a serial port "card" to add the port. See this Wiki
article for suggestions on converters. Specifically, the section "Generic USB to RS-232 serial converters".
Of the choices listed, I use this
one. Works very well. In fact, I bought a couple of extras, so that I could leave more than one scanner hooked up to the same pc at the same time. Using the converter can be handy if you end up with another device, such as a PDA, that also wants a serial port to connect to your pc.
For what else you'll need, see this
page (link mentioned above as well). The yellow section "Providing a feed" should get you started. Links there for
software used for providing the feed, on the 'setting up'
page is a list of a few audio cables, all Radio Shack part #s. Direct more specific questions to the Live Audio Administration
forum for assistance (I don't claim to be an expect on feeds).
For programming your new scanner, consider downloading
FreeScan. I use it for my 396XT & several other scanners. FreeScan is free, though donations are accepted if you like the program.
Another software program that gets good comments is ProScan. This is not freeware, though it does have a free trial period. I am considering it because besides my newer scanners (396T & -XT, 996T, etc), it will also program my older Unidens (BC250D & BC780XLT). It also has a provision for streaming audio. There's also ARC-XT, from Butel, another paid program. It also has a free trial period before you have to pull out the wallet or quit using it.