Pro-668: DMR Firmware - Answer from Radio Shack

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trp2525

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...we can't count on RS to do much for us.

I don't know about that. After I recently contacted Radio Shack Corporate/Executive Offices about their 30-day scanner warranty discrepancy, they decided to re-instate their 1-year warranty on the five current Radio Shack scanners. See my post #15 here for the full details: http://forums.radioreference.com/ra...er-warranty-now-only-30-days.html#post2581575.

Contact Radio Shack by email (customer.care@radioshack.com) and/or by telephone (1-800-843-7422) and tell them that you would like to receive the DMR upgrade for your PRO-668 when Whistler releases the upgrade for their WS1080. Sometimes the squeaky wheel does get the oil especially if there are enough squeaks!
 

redeshazer

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Corporate Obligation.

The software is not visible either.

Everyone is talking about upgrading hubcaps. You can't upgrade hubcaps. You can exchange them but that's not an upgrade. That's different equipment.

On a side note: The difference between hardware and software: Hardware you can kick. Software you can only cuss at.

Interesting observation.
 

KevinC

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I don't know about that. After I recently contacted Radio Shack Corporate/Executive Offices about their 30-day scanner warranty discrepancy, they decided to re-instate their 1-year warranty on the five current Radio Shack scanners. See my post #15 here for the full details: http://forums.radioreference.com/ra...er-warranty-now-only-30-days.html#post2581575.

Contact Radio Shack by email (customer.care@radioshack.com) and/or by telephone (1-800-843-7422) and tell them that you would like to receive the DMR upgrade for your PRO-668 when Whistler releases the upgrade for their WS1080. Sometimes the squeaky wheel does get the oil especially if there are enough squeaks!

I commend you for doing this!

This is EXACTLY what people need to do concerning LSM/CQPSK not working right in scanners. But I've seen no one post that they've done this.
 

RaleighGuy

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Here's the response I got from the Customer.care@radioshack.com email address when I asked about upgrades.

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Sent from my LGLS770 using Tapatalk
 

trp2525

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Last Thursday, 05/26, I emailed Whistler customer service to see what "the other side" had to say regarding us PRO-668 owners receiving the DMR upgrade that will be coming out for the Whistler WS1080. This is the verbatim reply that I just received via email this afternoon:

Hello Xxxxxx,

The DMR update will only be available for use on the Whistler brand scanners.

Bryan Hawkins | Customer Service Manager | The Whistler Group
Office: 800-531-0004|Email: bhawkins@whistlergroup.com
 

pawsrock

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I emailed them Sunday and the only thing I have heard was a got your email request. Other then that I have heard nothing from them.
Ron Fone
 

au1344

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I emailed Radioshack just a couple of days ago and got this back

Hello,

Thank you for contacting us today in regards to your PRO 668 scanner radio. After talking with the Product Development team, the manufacturer should provide the D.M.R. update via RadioShack.com or through the scanners software when its available. I too have read the Whistler press release and see that this update was just announced. Also there is a vast amount of information over at the radioreference web site.

Sincerely,
Liz

Its pretty much the same email that everyone is getting that asks about the update.
 

GrumpyGuard

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I just sent RS my email and hopefully more 668 owners will do the same. I too will post the response from RS. It will be interesting how this plays out. I will be happy if we get the update, but will not be any worse if we don't. Whistler is in this to make money and I understand where they are coming from. I too would pay a nominal fee ($20.00 or so) for the update.
 

Voyager

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RS expects it. Whistler says they won't give it.

Where did that popcorn go... :D

(my money is on Whistler)
 

KT4HX

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RS expects it. Whistler says they won't give it.

Where did that popcorn go... :D

(my money is on Whistler)

I would guess you are likely correct. I too emailed RS as a show of support for the upgrade, and still waiting for a response. Truth be told, a DMR update is not critical at all for me. I bought my Pro-668 in the used market and don't use it extensively. Of course if they do throw us a free one I will install it and play with it. I know many others are hopeful, but I tend to be a bit pessimistic when it comes to RS support. Hopefully they will prove that feeling wrong. But as has been said, Whistler is in the driver's seat on this one.
 

seth21w

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If whistler and "wendy" dont share the firmware upgrade with radioshack i will definetly not leave good feedback to others who i recommend brands of scanners. Because even there new "trx1" is a recased gre psr800 as is rs and whistler. Step up whistler dont be greedy...
 

dkf435

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Sounds like Whistler is treating Radio Shack as a dead customer for their custom branded scanners, time to call Radio Shack management and tell them that all their scanners are dead and worthless if they do not follow the same firmware and features upgrade path.

Hate to throw everybody over to Uniden, but at least you can get new firmware feature upgrades for $50-$100 and not never going happen to Whistler made xxx model with different name. Time to vote with your dollars and cut Whistlers income off and buy Uniden.

David
 

Spitfire8520

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If whistler and "wendy" dont share the firmware upgrade with radioshack i will definetly not leave good feedback to others who i recommend brands of scanners. Because even there new "trx1" is a recased gre psr800 as is rs and whistler. Step up whistler dont be greedy...

Hate to throw everybody over to Uniden, but at least you can get new firmware feature upgrades for $50-$100 and not never going happen to Whistler made xxx model with different name. Time to vote with your dollars and cut Whistlers income off and buy Uniden.

David

This logic astounds me. RadioShack made promises it couldn't keep so therefore everyone should blame Whistler for it.

I fail to understand why it was automatically assumed that one would receive any form of support from Whistler for any of the RadioShack branded scanners. The Pro series scanners are extremely similar to the WS series scanners, however it appears that everyone there is a misunderstanding of what similar (ie. resembling without being identical) means. The differences between the two are clear as day when you look at the brand atop your product.

If one wanted to "vote" with their money, then why wouldn't they have purchased a Whistler branded unit that comes with all of the Whistler support. Whistler recently released a major update for all of their customers as promised. Perhaps one should be diverting people from the RadioShack brand that is causing all the trouble rather than continue to buy into this game just to make themselves angry.
 
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trp2525

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There was some information regarding the Whistler DMR upgrade in the June 2016 issue of The Spectrum Monitor and the PRO-668 was mentioned. This quoted information is from page 36 of that issue under the "DMR Upgrade" heading:

"These new DMR, MotoTRBO and NXDN capabilities
are not likely to be available for the GRE PSR-800 or Radio
Shack PRO-668 scanners. Although these models are very
similar internally to the Whistler WS1080, they each utilize
different firmware and Whistler has not committed engineering
resources to add new features for non-Whistler-branded
radios"
 

wbswetnam

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As is the case with many things in life, enjoy your RS Pro-668 for what it is - a very good P25 phase 1 & 2 capable handheld scanner that you (most likely) purchased at a fire-sale price. But the chance that someday RS will issue a DMR firmware upgrade is extremely remote, I believe.
 

IAmSixNine

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I would have to agree, After seeing how bad the 668 was handled with software updates i too have decided it will be my last RS branded scanner. I own a BCD436HP and am very happy with it. I am also open minded enough to pass along that to my dad when his city goes from Type 2 to P25 Phase 2 and he still wants a scanner to listen to FD.
Ill then replace it with another Uniden, or if a cheap WS1080 pops up ill try that or a Unication G4 or G5. The good news is our options are open.
 

seth21w

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This logic astounds me. RadioShack made promises it couldn't keep so therefore everyone should blame Whistler for it.

I fail to understand why it was automatically assumed that one would receive any form of support from Whistler for any of the RadioShack branded scanners. The Pro series scanners are extremely similar to the WS series scanners, however it appears that everyone there is a misunderstanding of what similar (ie. resembling without being identical) means. The differences between the two are clear as day when you look at the brand atop your product.

If one wanted to "vote" with their money, then why wouldn't they have purchased a Whistler branded unit that comes with all of the Whistler support. Whistler recently released a major update for all of their customers as promised. Perhaps one should be diverting people from the RadioShack brand that is causing all the trouble rather than continue to buy into this game just to make themselves angry.

They have the capability to handle dmr they are both identical other than name and firmware, and whistler i thought was taking the high road by giving it free, but they are cutting rs out which was cut from the same cloth as the whole generation of new and unreleased whistlers. Whistler has never DESIGNED there own scanner! When they do then that will be a different story, this here though is greed...
 

Blackswan73

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I would have to agree, After seeing how bad the 668 was handled with software updates i too have decided it will be my last RS branded scanner. I own a BCD436HP and am very happy with it. I am also open minded enough to pass along that to my dad when his city goes from Type 2 to P25 Phase 2 and he still wants a scanner to listen to FD.
Ill then replace it with another Uniden, or if a cheap WS1080 pops up ill try that or a Unication G4 or G5. The good news is our options are open.
The 668 has gotten every update the 1080 has. Just RS did them all in one, while the 1080 got them separately. I fully believe the 668 will be updated soon, just as before.
 
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