Best remote control Scanner Software

[Ben96cal]

Looking into installing software so I can remote control a scanner.. I have several remote locations and would be nice to be able to control them all. Mostly 780's bct-15's, (1)785, (1)796.

Any thoughts?? Experiences?

Ben

 

[NYRHKY94]

Hi Ben:

Yes, lots of experience remote controlling my Uniden scanners using Proscan. IMO, it's the best all-in-one package out there and well worth the registration fee. You get a full 30-day trial, so you can put it through it's paces. I liked so much I bought 2 licenses.

ProScan

P.S. I do not work for Proscan

 

[jobes]

I easily second ProScan.

 

[smason]

yep, ProScan has very good remote control capabilities.

 

[Ben96cal]

thanks guys....appreciate it..

 

[randybcd396t]

I'll recommend ProScan as well. I think it has the combination of features and UI. Give it a try. There is a free trial available.

 

[jdacal]

I installed this trial after reading this thread. Fantastic. Very well written software, setup to access scanner from my Netbook was a breeze. Had everything setup within 30 minutes.

Thanks for the tip folks.

 

[Ben96cal]

Now that I have that worked on I have another issue...

I have 14 scanners, (1) 796, (1) 785 (6) Bct15's (6) 780's. I want to be able to control them all remotely. However my 2 Pc's do not have Serial ports. So i'll need some adapter to turn the serial into usb. Any recommendations on an adapter of some kind. Sounds like I'm going to need a hub? What kind of hub? Or can I use the 6 individual USB ports on each of my PC's? Proscan uses comm ports in the configuration, so how do I have the pc recognize multiple scanners using an adapter or hub. I'm techy but this confuses me.

 

[ProScan]

Now that I have that worked on I have another issue...

I have 14 scanners, (1) 796, (1) 785 (6) Bct15's (6) 780's. I want to be able to control them all remotely. However my 2 Pc's do not have Serial ports. So i'll need some adapter to turn the serial into usb. Any recommendations on an adapter of some kind. Sounds like I'm going to need a hub? What kind of hub? Or can I use the 6 individual USB ports on each of my PC's? Proscan uses comm ports in the configuration, so how do I have the pc recognize multiple scanners using an adapter or hub. I'm techy but this confuses me.

A hub with a USB converter for each connection will work. Any brand of USB converter will work. The OS assigns port numbers to each converter.
Find the port assignment in the Device Manager and set the ProScan port the same.

 

[cg]

I use 2 Edgeport 8 port USB/Serial adapters. they were each <$50 shipped off EBAY. I found the driver online. The goal was not having to keep swapping out cables for programming or control.

One thing is that some of the cables I bought were too fat for the stacked DB9 ports (2 rows of 4 ports). I had to sand some of the rubber boot off of the cable ends.

I am using Proscan but with the machines I have now, I start running into problems with over 4 copies running at once. (Proscan allows you to run 2 computers off each license but any number on each machine)

The serial ports show up in the device manager (Com 5 thru 12 for me) and Proscan has allowed them all so far.

Be sure to label the cables. For me rack A, radio 1 is radio A1. I then have shortcut "Proscan A1" on my desktop. Antennas and audio cables are each labeled with the same designation.

chris

 

[ProScan]

I am using Proscan but with the machines I have now, I start running into problems with over 4 copies running at once. (Proscan allows you to run 2 computers off each license but any number on each machine)

View attachment 27207

What kind of problem? Does it seem like a memory issue?

Here are a few things to try on each of the ProScan instances:

1) If not running the latest version, try with the latest 4.3.0.

2) You probably already know this but each instance of ProScan should be in separate folders to prevent configuration conflicts.

3) The History logging row count in the thousands can drag down the performance. Try turning off the logging or clear logging grid and set the option "Logging Grid Auto Delete" to a lower number or uncheck the option "Each transmission New Row"

4) If you're not a particular audio service then set the "Input Sound Device" to none". For example on instance 3, you are not using Web Server or ScanCast then set those to none.

 

[cg]

Running the latest version, each copy in it's own folder.
Everything seems to be slowed down with lots of screen flickering. I shut down the logging and the audio and I will see what happens. I will likely split the load between this computer and another in the near future. (unless the Uniden 898 becomes supported, then I need more room)

chris

 

[ProScan]

Running the latest version, each copy in it's own folder.
Everything seems to be slowed down with lots of screen flickering. I shut down the logging and the audio and I will see what happens. I will likely split the load between this computer and another in the near future. (unless the Uniden 898 becomes supported, then I need more room)

chris

What is flickering? The whole dispay or just the ProScan app or just the ProScan virtual display. There shouldn't be any flickering at all.

 

[Ben96cal]

re: proscan

It's kind of interesting that you say you have to run each copy of proscan in it's own folder. I have 13 copies of proscan running on 1 PC all in the same folder, haven't had a hiccup....

 

[cg]

The entire screen flickers w/ 8 copies running. I am running Proscan in scanner view for each radio. If I open 4 copies up, it is usually stable.
After I open up the last 4 copies, I start seeing my desktop Icons come and go and the scanner views sometimes appear to blink. The scanner view displays remain clear and steady.
It is a Pentium 4 2.53GHz w/ 1.5GB RAM. I am running Norton 2010 AV and Outlook as well.
Windows Task Manager shows the CPU is usually maxed out by the Proscans with each copy using 10-15% (it goes up and down).

chris

 

[jobes]

and then one config file how is that possible

It's kind of interesting that you say you have to run each copy of proscan in it's own folder. I have 13 copies of proscan running on 1 PC all in the same folder, haven't had a hiccup....

 

[ProScan]

It's kind of interesting that you say you have to run each copy of proscan in it's own folder. I have 13 copies of proscan running on 1 PC all in the same folder, haven't had a hiccup....

It will work but if you want each instance to be optioned differently then each instance should be in a seperate folder.

They must all have the same options set because they are sharing the same ProScan.cfg file that is written to when the program closes and read from when the program opens.