436HP - Not Connecting to Computer

[BoboPinky]

Brand new, just out of the box 436, following the instructions (connect USB to PC and scanner, power on scanner, press "E" to set communication mode (NOT serial)). PC says (this has been tested on an XP and Win7 box), "yippee, new hardware found... installing". Wait, wait.... Your device has been installed...."

Go to My Computer and see a new drive mounted. Double click the drive (to brows the SD card, find the setup.exe, etc.), and ... and ... After about 2min, computer reports "unable to connect, card may be corrupted, do you want to format" etc....

Reboot, re-try, etc.

Move to another Win machine, run the same drill... get the same response.

Yea!

 

[RickSuthers]

Same here, unit was defective- new one works perfectly


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[oregontreehugger]

... as in the 436 was defective, or the SD card?

 

[RickSuthers]

defective 436. The memory card would not read/ then I would reformat, clear database, get it to work, plug it in again, then it would error out--- couldn't get more then the initial read in each time. And yes, I changed memory cards and cables before returning the unit.

 

[BoboPinky]

What junk. So................................ Replacement unit arrived last night. Powered it on, you know just to see (if it would). No time to attempt to update, configure, etc. via computer, just wanted to see my $500 scanner come to life.

Dead pixel almost dead center of the display, so when you use the back light, you get to stare as a very bright dot.

Not sure what I'm going to do with this thing, try to get a THIRD one, and see what might be wrong with it?

Today I'll "attempt" to setup / configure favorites and such, just to see if its capable of it.

I'm not suggesting this model to anyone, not currently anyway.

 

[K2KOH]

I gave up. I throw the card in a reader and change things that way.


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[RF23]

Brand new, just out of the box 436, following the instructions (connect USB to PC and scanner, power on scanner, press "E" to set communication mode (NOT serial)). PC says (this has been tested on an XP and Win7 box), "yippee, new hardware found... installing". Wait, wait.... Your device has been installed...."

Go to My Computer and see a new drive mounted. Double click the drive (to brows the SD card, find the setup.exe, etc.), and ... and ... After about 2min, computer reports "unable to connect, card may be corrupted, do you want to format" etc....

Reboot, re-try, etc.

Move to another Win machine, run the same drill... get the same response.

Yea!

You mention you found setup.exe on your 436 did you run it? I don't think you are suppose to but I really cannot see how that would hurt or cause your problem.

I downloaded previous to getting my 436 the latest Sentinel and I did click on setup.exe in the Sentinel software package. I did not click on the setup.exe on the SD card in the scanner.

So, when my 436 arrived I updated the "Firmware" plugged it in and that was all. Everything has worked, however, later when the serial driver for the 436 was released I did download it and install it.

I realize this is not probably much help as you probably did everything right but your SD card, Scanner, or the way your computer is set up may have a problem.

I too have a white speck in the middle of my display but on closer inspection it turned out to be a grain of dust. I just chance the angle I view a bit and I cannot see it and I certainly am not going to pry off the front glass to clean it as it appears to be well sealed. Therefore, it must have got there from the factory or there may be some material inside the radio that when jarred in shipping flaks off little white specks (I hope not).

I do not know if the 436 actually has pixels but it may have.

 

[BoboPinky]

I gave up. I throw the card in a reader and change things that way.


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Well, now I'm able to program, adjust settings, etc. the scanner via the Sentinel software, but my brand new SECOND 436HP (the first had card / card slot / hardware issues and was sent back) with about 1hr of run time has a "hot", or in this case cold LCD pixel. This causes a very bright speck or dot of light in the LCD display when the backlight is on. Its very distracting, as it is near the center of the display.

So, this being the SECOND defective scanner right out of the box, do I dare "roll the dice" and try for a third?

If this thing cost fifty bucks it would be one thing. Where is the quality control? Gives me very little confidence in its long term ability to work. And I complain about the quality issues with my GRE PRS-800.

 

[BoboPinky]

You mention you found setup.exe on your 436 did you run it? I don't think you are suppose to but I really cannot see how that would hurt or cause your problem.

Page 17 of your manual states this is exactly what they want you to do.

Again, the problem is with this second scanner, the one replaced for the bad SD / bad scanner, is this one has a damaged LCD display. Right out of the box, the second the scanner was turned on. In my case I don't believe it to be dust, etc., as you only see the bight pixel when you have the backlight on. When you do you see a very bright dot or pixel. This to me indicates a pixel that is damaged on the LCD screen, allowing 100% of the backlight through. Yea its minor, but you can't miss seeing it, and for the unit to be brand spanking new and have this problem, and this problem being after my first issue and return of the first scanner.... well...

So, the question is, again, do I want to send this one back and try for a third? Just return the thing and keep on using my GRE PRS 800, or keep it and live with the LCD problem.

 

[Dafe1er]

Page 17 of your manual states this is exactly what they want you to do.

Again, the problem is with this second scanner, the one replaced for the bad SD / bad scanner, is this one has a damaged LCD display. Right out of the box, the second the scanner was turned on. No update is going to correct this.

So, the question is, again, do I want to send this one back and try for a third? Just return the thing and keep on using my GRE PRS 800, or keep it and live with the LCD problem.

NOPE!

At least I would not keep it. If something is wrong with it and you have a return policy you can have it replaced with available, SEND IT BACK. Especially sine you have another scanner you can listen with until the third and hopefully new toy get's to you to play with. If the third one shows up with issue, then I would return for a FULL refund and wait it out for something else. IMO.

 

[BoboPinky]

NOPE!

At least I would not keep it. If something is wrong with it and you have a return policy you can have it replaced with available, SEND IT BACK.

This too is my thought. It bugs the heck out of me now, after using the scanner for about 2hrs here at the desk. And, if I were to ever sell or trade it, it would certainly detract from its value.

Anyone at Uniden listening to this? UPMan?

 

[Dafe1er]

Can you snap a picture of the screen showing how it looks and post it for us to see?

 

[LIScanner101]

Wow....just wow......

It just keeps getting better and better (sarcasm)....

 

[RF23]

Page 17 of your manual states this is exactly what they want you to do.

Again, the problem is with this second scanner, the one replaced for the bad SD / bad scanner, is this one has a damaged LCD display. Right out of the box, the second the scanner was turned on. In my case I don't believe it to be dust, etc., as you only see the bight pixel when you have the backlight on. When you do you see a very bright dot or pixel. This to me indicates a pixel that is damaged on the LCD screen, allowing 100% of the backlight through. Yea its minor, but you can't miss seeing it, and for the unit to be brand spanking new and have this problem, and this problem being after my first issue and return of the first scanner.... well...

So, the question is, again, do I want to send this one back and try for a third? Just return the thing and keep on using my GRE PRS 800, or keep it and live with the LCD problem.

I was going by the instructions that UPMan gave in "Do this First". In following the instructions on page 17 you will have loaded an old version of Sentinel. I do not know what the consequences are in using an old version of Sentinel, which is used to update your database and more importantly your Firmware, will have on the viability of these actions.

However, as you say it is not really important to your problem. If you want a NEW radio when you buy a new radio I would return it until you are happy with it. After all it helps us and Uniden to know about problems.

Good luck, I guess I got lucky for my 436 works great!

 

[K2KOH]

For the life of me I cannot understand why there are card reading problems. I connected my 436 to do the database update tonight. Shows up as E Drive, but it needs to be formatted. Attempt format, no good, there is no disk in the drive. Pull the card, format in the card reader. Load new database onto card, put back in scanner. Just for laughs, connect scanner...voila, connects. Disconnect and reconnect, it works. I will restart Parallels and try again to see what happens. Weird. Just weird.

 

[Jakeportland]

On the unit itself this is what say Power requirement 5v dc 500ma

 

[Jakeportland]

Can I use any car charger ?????

 

[BoboPinky]

I was going by the instructions that UPMan gave in "Do this First". In following the instructions on page 17 you will have loaded an old version of Sentinel.

Actually, in my case not the case! The .exe file, on the SD card loaded v.2.x.... AND... (I didn't want to ***** about this too) this vr does NOT work, not on a WinXP pro or Win7 machine w/ my scanner. No matter what, when I "write to scanner" NONE of my favorites lists get written to the scanner. I've tired this over and over, on two PC's for about 5 hrs this morning. Finally, decided to heck with this, found (not too easily BTW) on the web (BCD436HP < UnidenMan4 < TWiki) vr. 1.02 which worked right away.

Fun continues. Now I'm seeing that I'm not the only one that finds the AGC not doing anything.

http://forums.radioreference.com/uniden-scanners/284222-digital-agc.html#post2141293

 

[BoboPinky]

Funny, how this forum has to ***** the word B1TCH!

 

[BoboPinky]

Well, well, well... here are again. Soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo......

If you've read, the 436 is not mine, I'm helping a 'non-scanner' person with their new scanner. The first one was not working, so back it went, the second one worked but has a bad pixel. Anyway, we got it working and built a file / uploaded it a few weeks back.

Now I over at his place to update the firmware..... but.............................. GUESS WHAT???? The software / computer (two different computers) ONCE AGAIN IS TELLLING US WE NEED TO FORMAT THE CARD! And, neither the PC(s) or the Sentinal software can 'talk' to the scanner, exactly the way the first DOA scanner was.

What is with this thing? My GRE800's don't do this, neither do any of my external drives, flash drives, etc., etc.

What a mess.... so, now I have a scanner that I can not update (file or firmware) again. Cr@p.