BCD996XT Easter Eggs - Happy Easter!

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Nessus

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Hold down the following keys and then power-up the BCD996XT to enter one of these modes. Might want to back up your scanner memory before you try any of these...especially the ones marked "ERASE"

Frequency Step Test
1, 5, 9

Scan Rate Test (ERASE)
1, 9, SCAN

F/W Version
2, 5, 9

System Tests
1, 8, 9

NWR-SAME (LOUD)
2, 3, No

Loopback Test RH96
0, No, HOLD

Battery Save Tests
1, 4, 8

Key Touch Test
0, 3, SCAN

Load Test Freq (ERASE)
2, 9, SCAN

Init Memory (ERASE)
2, 9, HOLD

LCD Pixels
0, 1, 9

EEPROM Dump
1, 9, HOLD

Freq Counter
0, 3, HOLD

On-Air Cloning Test
0, 1, 2

Spectrum Analyzer
0, Yes, HOLD

Backlight Test
HOLD

Birdies 1
0, 1, 5

Birdies 2
3, 9, HOLD

BOOT MODE
6, L/O
 

JamesO

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Awsome find, seems to also work for the 396XT, have not tried all combinations yet.

Also found a few more.

0, 1, Hold - RS232 PC Test
0, 4, Hold or 0, 2, Hold or 0, 7, Hold - Close Call
0, 6, Hold - Key Touch & Backlight Test
 

Nessus

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396 vs 996

The key matrix on the BCD996XT is organized as follows:

PRI=====Wx======1====2====3
SCN====GPS=====4====5====6
HOLD===Menu====7====8====9
Nuttin'===L/O===== No===0====Yes


Pressing a particular key connects the respective row and column line. I do not know for certain, but judging from the permutation differences between the '396T and '996T Easter Eggs, I am guessing that the '396XT and '396T keyboards are not exactly the same as the '996T and '996XT keyboards.

Also, I have not listed all the possible key combinations for each Easter Egg, I have only listed the unique ones. If you want to compute the duplicate permutations, here is how:

1) Mark an X above every column that has an active key for the Easter Egg of interest. The "active" columns.
2) Mark a Y beside every "active" row
3) Any key combination that yields the exact same active columns (Xs) and rows (Ys) using this algorithm will activate the same Easter Egg.

Example:
1, 9, SCAN (Scan Rate Test)

Permutations:
3, 7, SCAN
4, 9, PRI
6, 7, PRI
1, 6, HOLD
3, 4, HOLD

If the '396XT Key matrix is different, I could not say if a particular key combination is a duplicate of any given Easter Egg listed for the '996XT. I would expect that all the same Easter Eggs are represented on the '396XT, but the means to activate ALL of them may be elusive. Especially with no key matrix map.

Does anyone want to pull apart their 396XT and measure the key matrix to determine the Row/Column assignment? C'mon...it's for SCIENCE.

Does anyone want to volunteer to compute all the permutations for BCD 996XT and update this table with the new information in the original post?

Uniden, how about a service manual? We just want to fix'em if they break...honest.

Thanks everyone for pitchin' in!
 

JamesO

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Jan 22, 2003
Messages
1,814
Location
McLean, VA
The key matrix on the BCD996XT is organized as follows:

PRI=====Wx======1====2====3
SCN====GPS=====4====5====6
HOLD===Menu====7====8====9
Nuttin'===L/O===== No===0====Yes


Pressing a particular key connects the respective row and column line. I do not know for certain, but judging from the permutation differences between the '396T and '996T Easter Eggs, I am guessing that the '396XT and '396T keyboards are not exactly the same as the '996T and '996XT keyboards.

Also, I have not listed all the possible key combinations for each Easter Egg, I have only listed the unique ones. If you want to compute the duplicate permutations, here is how:

1) Mark an X above every column that has an active key for the Easter Egg of interest. The "active" columns.
2) Mark a Y beside every "active" row
3) Any key combination that yields the exact same active columns (Xs) and rows (Ys) using this algorithm will activate the same Easter Egg.

Example:
1, 9, SCAN (Scan Rate Test)

Permutations:
3, 7, SCAN
4, 9, PRI
6, 7, PRI
1, 6, HOLD
3, 4, HOLD

If the '396XT Key matrix is different, I could not say if a particular key combination is a duplicate of any given Easter Egg listed for the '996XT. I would expect that all the same Easter Eggs are represented on the '396XT, but the means to activate ALL of them may be elusive. Especially with no key matrix map.

Does anyone want to pull apart their 396XT and measure the key matrix to determine the Row/Column assignment? C'mon...it's for SCIENCE.

Does anyone want to volunteer to compute all the permutations for BCD 996XT and update this table with the new information in the original post?

Uniden, how about a service manual? We just want to fix'em if they break...honest.

Thanks everyone for pitchin' in!

Again, thanks for all of your efforts.

Hopefully if I have time this week, I try the same combinations you listed above for the BC15XT and BCD995XT and I will also try these on the x36HP as by late this week I will have my 436HP to complement my 536HP.

Then at some point maybe this can all be consolidated into a complete Easter Egg post.

Not sure I going to have my 396XT apart anytime soon to test the keyboard, but if I do, I will try to get some measurements.
 

Nessus

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Oct 5, 2011
Messages
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Also, just came across this. Describes the operation in some of the '996XT modes listed above. I have not compared all the key sequences. When in doubt, use the sequences in the original post above to access the desired Easter Egg, then use this instruction sheet to operate said egg.
 

Nessus

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Oct 5, 2011
Messages
28
Exit Birdies 5.00K

Press Scan to Exit Birdies 5.00K

Also, my error,

3,9,HOLD

is a contrast and color test. Turn the Tuning knob to select a contrast level. Press it to rebase to a new value. So Contrast Level 1 thru 15 can cover a range of 1 to 31. Some of these are very light so you may wish to leave it the way it is.

Vol Knob controls brightness if you press it
SQ Controls color if pressed
 
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