BCD996XT v1.07.03 Firmware Update Available

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SCPD

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Did you try uninstalling the 396 update, then restarting the Computer and either downloading the update again and running it again ?
 

Soundman

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Hum odd it install fine .But when I turn on my scanner it say bc396xt .Thanks for your responce back ..When I tryed to download it last weekend it did not work .
 

UPMan

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If the scanner's opening screen says BCD396XT, that would be because you've written programming (channel/configuration programming) to the scanner that included an opening screen with BCD396XT. That screen is user-changeable and is simply text (you could have it say iPhone 6D, if you wanted to :) ).
 

Boatanchor

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Is it possible to purchase a new BCD996XT that already contains the new firmware 1.07.03 ?

Good question :)

The answer to which may give some insight into whether these units are still being produced or whether
everything being sold is 'old' warehouse stock, produced years ago.

Lets face it, we are well and truly overdue for new (digital) models from Uniden.

One wonders whether Uniden would go out of it's way to pull all the old warehouse stock down from the shelves, update the firmware and then repack and restock again. Me thinks not..

Come on Uniden, how many more 3/996 units do you have to offload before giving us a new model?

I've got $'s burning a hole in my pocket..... :)
 

AE7Q

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Bug fixes before new models?

Is it possible to purchase a new BCD996XT that already contains the new firmware 1.07.03 ?
Yes, because mine came new with 1.07.03. Purchased new 2013-04-29.

Personally, I'd prefer bugs in the present unit to be fixed before a new model is introduced. I do acknowledge that is contrary to the software industry model set by Microsoft.
 

troymail

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Personally, I'd prefer bugs in the present unit to be fixed before a new model is introduced. I do acknowledge that is contrary to the software industry model set by Microsoft.

These days - as in almost* every aspect of our lives - speed and time to market are the drivers... I live with this every day in my job. It isn't acceptable anymore to take years to produce solutions - people want everything now - fix bugs and add features "as you go". That works for some things which can be "upgraded" later but it doesn't work for many others.

* exceptions are probably limited to life an death kinds of things - critical systems....
 

havmedic26

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To repeat a question that was answered incorrectly after the last update ("Both the 396xt and the 996xt already do that"), when will we see all radio IDs displayed on the 996xt and the 396xt. The programming is already there! The radios decode the ID of a radio transmitting on a trunking system. The analog data is slightly different than the data which you would see on a standard repeater, but not by much. In the P-25 world, the data is identical. The radios already recognize the data and do not pass through the data as audio (typically a data burst at the beginning of a transmission that sends the ID of the radio transmitting in both simplex and standard repeater mode. The formats are 99% MDC signaling these days (analog) and 1% DTMF (older kenwood systems used by ambulance companies, taxis, etc). As departments switch over to P-25, they will be required to adhere to a specific ID format. Search for the NH format for more info. Depts that do not adhere will become ineligible for federal funding. As depts switch, they will likely also move towards regional dispatch, meaning you will be listening to 500 units on one repeater and not really have any idea what town they are from. A typical astro25 ID format is (1 digit county #) (2 digit town inside that county #) (3 digit unit identifier). Analog typically uses a 4 digit hex ID with the format (1 or 2 digit town id) (2 or 3 digit unit id). Anyway, since the radios already know how to decode this data, why not put it on the screen (which both radios also know how to do). Then we can program who is who.
 

rdale

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New BCD996XT v1.07.03 Firmware Update Available

You'll need to be more specific. Radio IDs on trunked systems are displayed. What systems are you not seeing them on?
 

Avery93

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You'll need to be more specific. Radio IDs on trunked systems are displayed. What systems are you not seeing them on?

He's talking about P25 conventional.

Unidens are currently capable of decoding radio IDs on a P25 conventional channel, however it involves programming the frequency into a "One-Frequency Trunk system" (Uniden's terminology). This is a kludgy and needlessly complicated way of showing something so simple. Uniden could learn a thing or two by looking at how actual P25 radios operate; most of them will display P25 radio IDs on conventional channels without any extra programming.
 

havmedic26

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He's talking about P25 conventional.

Unidens are currently capable of decoding radio IDs on a P25 conventional channel, however it involves programming the frequency into a "One-Frequency Trunk system" (Uniden's terminology). This is a kludgy and needlessly complicated way of showing something so simple. Uniden could learn a thing or two by looking at how actual P25 radios operate; most of them will display P25 radio IDs on conventional channels without any extra programming.

ABSOLUTELY CORRECT!

This is specifically what I was referring to, and perhaps it was confusing because I was using motorola or standard terminology. The radios are already programed to do this, so they just need to be programed to display the ID that they already decoded.

The second "technology" I was referring to was MDC systems, as I believe I did specifically name. While the Astro / P25 IDs are more relevant, Most radios with a display will show the MDC ID of a radio transmitting on an analog system (i.e: kenwood, Vertex, Motorola, etc). I do not have a "Uniden term" for MDC, but it is straightforward data transmission at one of two speeds, one of which is obsolete. It would be far less complicated than decoding the data on a trunk system, but the same basic code, only instead of all the data in a trunk packet, it contains only a 4 digit hex id.

Perhaps Uniden could send me an open source copy of their firmware and I will fix it for them? ;)
 

Avery93

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ABSOLUTELY CORRECT!

This is specifically what I was referring to, and perhaps it was confusing because I was using motorola or standard terminology. The radios are already programed to do this, so they just need to be programed to display the ID that they already decoded.

The second "technology" I was referring to was MDC systems, as I believe I did specifically name. While the Astro / P25 IDs are more relevant, Most radios with a display will show the MDC ID of a radio transmitting on an analog system (i.e: kenwood, Vertex, Motorola, etc). I do not have a "Uniden term" for MDC, but it is straightforward data transmission at one of two speeds, one of which is obsolete. It would be far less complicated than decoding the data on a trunk system, but the same basic code, only instead of all the data in a trunk packet, it contains only a 4 digit hex id.

Perhaps Uniden could send me an open source copy of their firmware and I will fix it for them? ;)

With Uniden seemingly much more focused on P25 trunking systems and now probably P25 Phase II, I don't think MDC1200 or other analog signalling formats will be a high priority for them. Basically since they didn't worry about MDC when it was much more popular, I doubt they'll worry about it now that it is slowly being replaced by digital systems with their built in radio IDs.

The only reason I think Uniden may attempt a better implementation of P25 conventional radio IDs is because the scanners already support the format. They will really only have to change the process of displaying it. Although MDC1200 is fairly simple, its still a completely new format to them that they would have to implement.

I could easily be wrong though. Scanner manufacturers implemented PL/DPL and 2-Tone (Uniden only) decoding decades after those formats were introduced.
 

chrisnigro

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After 996xt update my boot screen says BCD396T??

Ok, I used the uniden software to update to 1.07.03. Everything works fine but notice when I turn my 996xt on it says BCD396T??? Isnt that the handheld unit?? Has anyone else had the same experience with this update?

Thanks!
 

RF23

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Ok, I used the uniden software to update to 1.07.03. Everything works fine but notice when I turn my 996xt on it says BCD396T??? Isnt that the handheld unit?? Has anyone else had the same experience with this update?

Thanks!

I think UPMan may have answered this about 13 posts before yours.
 

kirk23

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Ok, I used the uniden software to update to 1.07.03. Everything works fine but notice when I turn my 996xt on it says BCD396T??? Isnt that the handheld unit?? Has anyone else had the same experience with this update?

Thanks!

You must have chosen the wrong update to install..or you had something entered as your welcome screen text.
Try updating it again. . And follow the instructions step by step to the letter.. the newer BC VUP V3 00 01 updater is different from the previous method of updating..
 
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UPMan

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The welcome screen is not affected by the firmware update. This is written to the scanner by whatever programming software you are using and can say anything you want. Don't redo the update.
 
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