Announcing the BCD396XT and BC346XT Scanners

[VE3RADIO]

We still have time to add the NASCAR logo if you really want it.

Let me speak for everyone here.. or almost everyone.. please do NOT put the NASCAR logo on the scanner.. it would make it look like a toy.. not the powerful scanner it truly is.. i highly doubt you would see any 396xt at a race.

 

[andrew59usa]

396xt

I just bought the 396 a few months ago, now I have to by a new radio to get NAC decode support. Great!!!

 

[torontokris]

Im sure he was joking about the NASCAR logo

 

[torontokris]

NAC decode should an added feature for the 396T firmware update tomorrow or Wednesday

I just bought the 396 a few months ago, now I have to by a new radio to get NAC decode support. Great!!!

 

[Viper43]

Really? I use mine 396T at the Indy 500 & Brickyard 400 with one system set up with track (IMS) frequencies, one system with NASCAR and driver frequencies and one set up with IRL frequencies. I actually have three scanners at the track, one which I use for drivers, one with race control and one which is a backup if one of the other two fails. The 396 is usually running the drivers while the pro 94 is on race control and the pro 82 is the backup.
The headphones are altered to have one scanner in each ear. I also carry spare batteries for each scanner and all my camera gear, spare camera battery and cards, lenses etc.

V

Let me speak for everyone here.. or almost everyone.. please do NOT put the NASCAR logo on the scanner.. it would make it look like a toy.. not the powerful scanner it truly is.. i highly doubt you would see any 396xt at a race.

 

[JGP]

If Uniden really wants to raise the bar with these new model scanners, there is one thing that is still missing that needs to be done. I have been reading through this new thread, and I have not seen any word about a faster scan speed for these new models.

The 396 and 996 can be loaded with many systems, and all the systems can be set to zero for a faster scan speed, but it still is not fast enough. I am sure many people feel the same way. Give us a scanner with a lightning fast scan speed, and that will go a long way to make us scanner people happy.

Joel

 

[K8TEK]

All of those are firmware features.



That is also a firmware feature.

No extra hardware is required to implement any of those features. The only newly announced features that could require extra hardware are: IF Exchange, Band Scope, and Multicolor Display Backlight. The rest are all pure firmware.

Thank you!

 

[Viper43]

Scanners have always been limited in scan speed, scanning too fast they wouldn't pick up anything. Scan speed on the 396t can be helped by zero hold time but also by limiting the number of channels entered and locked out. Each channel has to be checked to see if it has a lockout flag or not, that slows scan speed as much as having a lot of channels.
Setting up your systems only put in the channels you know you need, I avoid things like the animal control, jail and DPW channels which helps speed things up as it is less the scanner needs to check.

V

If Uniden really wants to raise the bar with these new model scanners, there is one thing that is still missing that needs to be done. I have been reading through this new thread, and I have not seen any word about a faster scan speed for these new models.

The 396 and 996 can be loaded with many systems, and all the systems can be set to zero for a faster scan speed, but it still is not fast enough. I am sure many people feel the same way. Give us a scanner with a lightning fast scan speed, and that will go a long way to make us scanner people happy.

Joel

 

[Saint]

I said it before

:roll:I new Uniden was going to come out with a new scanner and a lot of people would not listen and now is the time for Uniden to tell us one way or another what is in store for the 396t scanner are they going to add new features to this very expensive scanner people bought or are the not, why does it have to be such a secret, either your going to do more or your not. You can stop all the negative post by just answering the question, AND NO I don't want to sell my scanner because I'm dissatisfied, I'm asking a question and some people should stop bashing people who are not getting on this band wagon and thinking this is the greatest thing since this invention of scanners.
Steve

 

[rdale]

Saint - check the 396T updates thread, there are more features coming.

 

[Viper43]

I think Upman already answered your question in message #87:

#87 Today, 06:54 PM
UPMan
Member
Database Admin
Premium Subscriber Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 2,648



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I still have in mind some updates for the older models beyond the one coming out this week. However, as I have mentioned in the past, it all really depends on market forces and resource availability. Some updates just aren't possible under the limits of the hardware (like more channels/trunked system, more modes in a system, etc...). The memory for channels (and the preprogrammed stuff) are external to the CPU. To scan something, you have to bring it into the CPU's RAM...and that is where we've run into hard limits. Keep in mind that we've had updates for both the 296 and 796 since they were discontinued, and still plan at least one more (for rebanding). Of course, there is a limit to how long you can support an orphan...
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Got a question? Ask it in a public forum for faster (and sometimes better) response. It can take several days for me to get to an email or PM.

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V

:roll:I new Uniden was going to come out with a new scanner and a lot of people would not listen and now is the time for Uniden to tell us one way or another what is in store for the 396t scanner are they going to add new features to this very expensive scanner people bought or are the not, why does it have to be such a secret, either your going to do more or your not. You can stop all the negative post by just answering the question, AND NO I don't want to sell my scanner because I'm dissatisfied, I'm asking a question and some people should stop bashing people who are not getting on this band wagon and thinking this is the greatest thing since this invention of scanners.
Steve

 

[ZapZ]

MIL-AIR Band, MIL-Air Band, MIL-Air Band

Need I say more?
Actually looks like a great scanner, BUT I want my cake and eat it too!!!<<<<MIL-Air Band

 

[Saint]

Yes

Saint - check the 396T updates thread, there are more features coming.

Yes I am aware of this update in the next couple of days, I would also like a verbal commitment from Uniden that this is not the end of it, this would give people who own the 396t scanner a reason not to go out and sell the 396t scanner because they don't know what is in store, I really don't see the problem with Uniden making this commentment, they are not shy about talking about other things and dodging this isue.
Steve

 

[Viper43]

Some models have it some don't, pick the one that does and you'll have mil air.....

V

Need I say more?
Actually looks like a great scanner, BUT I want my cake and eat it too!!!<<<<MIL-Air Band

 

[torontokris]

Uniden announced over a month ago what it had planned for the firmware update for 396T
http://www.radioreference.com/forums/showthread.php?t=116910

Beyond that they may not know.. and will probably spend their time on the 396XT release.
It only makes sense.


I dont think I read one post that said its the greatest thing since the invention of the scanner.

Actually to me its seems like the people who are NOT on the bandwagon are bashing those that are.

:roll:I new Uniden was going to come out with a new scanner and a lot of people would not listen and now is the time for Uniden to tell us one way or another what is in store for the 396t scanner are they going to add new features to this very expensive scanner people bought or are the not, why does it have to be such a secret, either your going to do more or your not. You can stop all the negative post by just answering the question, AND NO I don't want to sell my scanner because I'm dissatisfied, I'm asking a question and some people should stop bashing people who are not getting on this band wagon and thinking this is the greatest thing since this invention of scanners.
Steve

 

[cpuerror]

Blue, red, magenta, green, cyan, yellow, and white.

Multicolor Display Backlight – allows the selection of backlight color to meet the user’s own aesthetic taste .





MAY I ASK WHAT COLORS ?

 

[soupbones]

OK I have a question, that no one seems to have asked yet.
Will the 396XT get its own remote head, and if so, will this have to be connected to the serial port on the scanner, and again if so, how will you be able to run GPS support at the same time? Hopefuly if this is the case, then the GPS may be connected to the remote head some how.

Also digital TV was suggested earlier. This would be a good idea and the circuit does not take up that much room. The new Nokia N96 phone which is to be released on the world soon has digital TV built in, and knowing that these phones are much smaller then a 396 scanner, you can bet the circuit is very tiny.

Maybe something to put into future models. Even if you just put the audio in, which is easier to decode in digital. There are also radio stations on digital TV bands in many countries, so this would be a good feature to consider in the future.

Also as for the NASCAR logo, why not, given the radios have the dot matrix diplay, allow programming of some sort of logo and allocating it to certain channels. This would require maybe some new firmware, but its not impossible given the nature of the display of these units. Maybe even a logo start up screen might be a good idea. This would be specially good for news rooms and people in the media even, as well as those in EMS who use them.

 

[torontokris]

CPU beat me to the answer on the colours..

(edited)

 

[scannerfreak]

But right now, I'm mostly concerned with getting the XT out.

I bet you are :lol: I'm a little disappointed with the announcement. Nothing really new..

 

[Viper43]

Actually it is answered in these threads and on the Wiki page..... BC-RH-96 just like the 996T and 396T etc. No, no GPS support at the same time.

V

OK I have a question, that no one seems to have asked yet.
Will the 396XT get its own remote head, and if so, will this have to be connected to the serial port on the scanner, and again if so, how will you be able to run GPS support at the same time? Hopefuly if this is the case, then the GPS may be connected to the remote head some how.

Also digital TV was suggested earlier. This would be a good idea and the circuit does not take up that much room. The new Nokia N96 phone which is to be released on the world soon has digital TV built in, and knowing that these phones are much smaller then a 396 scanner, you can bet the circuit is very tiny.

Maybe something to put into future models. Even if you just put the audio in, which is easier to decode in digital. There are also radio stations on digital TV bands in many countries, so this would be a good feature to consider in the future.