BCD436HP/BCD536HP: ARC Software

[Ensnared]

I am strongly considering buying a 436; however, I am not impressed with the available software from ARC. I've owned Butel software & was not impressed, at all.

Reportedly, this software allows you to program other things outside of the current radio parameters. I don't really know the in's and out's of this, but I would love to hear from 436 users who have bought Butel software for this radio. Yes, I realize that this radio comes with programming software, but I want all of the capabilities of this radio at my disposal.

 

[bigk_54]

Get the 436 and use the sentential software. I haven't used any software other than butel for any and all uniden's I've had my hands on but I bought the software and find it useless. The 436 is an awesome piece!

 

[ofd8001]

I use both the Butel Software and the Sentinel Software to program my 536s. Butel is better on some things but not as good as Sentinel other things.

I like Butel's ability to center and capitalize alpha tags; show on a map where location settings are; sorting of data; auto-filling of cells and copying/pasting. Plus I can import files from previous model scanner programming.

Sentinel is better for the "bigger picture" - seeing all of the Favorites Lists I have, setting quick key default status and editing scanner settings.

 

[Ensnared]

436HP Software Choices

I use both the Butel Software and the Sentinel Software to program my 536s. Butel is better on some things but not as good as Sentinel other things.

I like Butel's ability to center and capitalize alpha tags; show on a map where location settings are; sorting of data; auto-filling of cells and copying/pasting. Plus I can import files from previous model scanner programming.

Sentinel is better for the "bigger picture" - seeing all of the Favorites Lists I have, setting quick key default status and editing scanner settings.

That is good to know provided I follow up and buy this little beast. It sounds like you do have a great deal of control over the radio. I am used to Win500 for my PSR 500. I once had ARC500 and hated it. I found it very difficult to use for some reason.

 

[SCPD]

The Butel's main strength is the ability to do true copy and paste .. and in the pro version, virtual control.

But certain things like the actual writing of the data to the scanner .. butel fails badly. I am a software developer .. and he broke some of the basic rules of good software design. Uniden, to its credit .. did very very well at this.

However .. it will take a bit, but the Sentinel software will do the same job as the butel, it just may take you a bit more to get your data into the program.

The good thing .. you really only have to do it once. And free is good.

Myself I have both but bought the Butel software for the virtual control .. only to get around the tiny unit id information on the scanner screen.

I use it when playing back recordings. It is very handy for that. But I am really focused on the Unit Id part of the scanner .. and I know that few have my enthusiasm for that part.