Clock issue.. I feel vindicated!

[jonwienke]

Firmware doesn't have to have updates to be altered. It reads data off an SD card which I bet has been changed by you many times. Perhaps a corruption in the card set the aforementioned bit.

There's a big difference between firmware and the RAM the scanner's OS loads from the SD card. The firmware is not on the SD card unless you're downloading and installing a firmware update.

 

[xrorx]

My best guess about this battery issue is that the batteries themselves are not performing as expected. Again my radio's clock worked for a year and now I have the problem. My second best guess is Uniden is trying to figure out how to replace a $3.00 part for less then $50.00 (shipping and labor).

 

[Voyager]

There's a big difference between firmware and the RAM the scanner's OS loads from the SD card. The firmware is not on the SD card unless you're downloading and installing a firmware update.

True, but the RAM is loaded from the SD card on power-up, and the firmware acts on settings in the RAM. I didn't specify that since I didn't want to complicate the matter even more.

 

[mancow]

I still want to find that damn battery in the 436. I guess it's time to pop shields.

 

[Voyager]

I think someone posted pics of the clock battery in the 436 here on RR. I'm surprised it's not internal to the chip as some of my devices are.

 

[mancow]

I think someone posted pics of the clock battery in the 436 here on RR. I'm surprised it's not internal to the chip as some of my devices are.

I found a pic of the 536 but not the 436. If you run across it please let me know. Thanks.

 

[phask]

Thought the was a post that explained it was not a conventional battery but part of the clock chip (or similar) itself. RTC chip maybe

I found a pic of the 536 but not the 436. If you run across it please let me know. Thanks.

 

[mancow]

Thought the was a post that explained it was not a conventional battery but part of the clock chip (or similar) itself. RTC chip maybe

Oh I missed that. That seems strange to me though. Why design a type with a battery for mobile and one without for the portable?

 

[ScannerFreaque]

How can the RTC failure be caused by firmware, seeing as the problem has just recently popped up in the 436 and it's not had any firmware upgrades in close to a year.

You have to understand electronics.

You see, over time, firmware wears out. Yep. That's correct. Every time FW is read from, the circuit doing the reading is stealing a few bits and bytes. After a while, your firmware is worn out and needs replacing....


















Of course I'm kidding

 

[ScannerFreaque]

What defies logic is that they used the same hardware design as the HP-x series, and AFAIK none of those have failed.

I will freely admit that it might be a hardware issue, but it still COULD be a firmware issue, as the firmware controls much of the radio including such things you would think would be hardware such as the volume and squelch. More and more the scanner design is CPU controlled. That means more and more the problem could be in the firmware. Specific to that issue, perhaps the CPU controls the battery charging. If so, perhaps it is cutting off early or failing to engage. Hence, what looks like a hardware issue is really a firmware issue.

With that knowledge in hand, does it make more sense now?

Why would FW work correctly for x amount of months but suddenly stop working correctly? Aging FW?

 

[Voyager]

Why would FW work correctly for x amount of months but suddenly stop working correctly? Aging FW?

No - aging or corrupted SD card data the firmware reads from.

Or it could be a hardware issue. Either is possible.