Favorite List - Nothing To Scan???

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AC2OY

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Good points from everyone. I will admit I'm nowhere on the level most of you guys are on as far as programming or using scanner software. I received my scanner this week and so far all I did was create one tiny favorite list,added a channel, but have no clue how to activate it. I watched Paul's and another operators you tube vids, and only got so far. I have only had success by entering my zip code and changing the range. It stills scans everything in the tristate area but oh well. I will not quit. The more I read and watch videos right there the more I learn!! What would be really neat is if I can copy my micro SD card in my PSR 800 in my 536 or get in the software and do a little restructuring! I really would really be like to be proficient in learning how to programming everything from soup to nuts so I can really customize the database or scanner exactly the way I want it.
 
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JoeyC

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... did not mean beans to me, so I moved on. FATAL mistake.

But come on, fix this stupid software and/or write a Sentinel Quick Start guide.

Well there you go.
A lot of problems people have with software they haven't written themselves, is they are AFRAID to poke around, explore, push buttons, make mistakes. Its all in a learning experience. Since you didn't write the software you are at the mercy of those that did. Now you've learned a few of the idiosyncrasies of the Sentinel software and you can now move on.

Whether it gets "fixed" is anybodies guess but I am not betting on it as it probably isn't high on the Uniden to-do list given the other more significant issues have surfaced and that it isn't detrimental to the use of the program. Admit it, most of the hurdles you have encountered are a result of being unfamiliar with the software. It works the way it is. If it matters, my version is 1.02.01 and its running on Windows7. Quick start guides are a great idea, but usually those are created by one of us out here in the user base.
 

ofd8001

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Fuzy: Well you've got the requisite mind set: you ain't gonna give up. Even the world's greatest mathematician had to learn how to add two plus two at some point in his or her life. That's to say those who know the scanners and software backwards and forwards started out knowing nothing.
 

JamesO

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If it matters, my version is 1.02.01 and its running on Windows7.

So where did you get the Version 1.02.1 Sentinel software?

I do not see anything other than the Version 1.01.7 on the site here in the sticky on the first page.

Have not been able to find anything on Uniden's site.
 

UPMan

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When you press Enter on the service tag, the list starts at the current setting. That is why you saw Custom 1-8. I believe that having the current setting as the start point is the correct way to do this...
 

JamesO

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When you press Enter on the service tag, the list starts at the current setting. That is why you saw Custom 1-8. I believe that having the current setting as the start point is the correct way to do this...

Thanks for the response, but did not press Enter on the ST or even click on the ST box. Once you add a Channel in Sentinel the ST box is pre populated with Custom 1. There is no visible drop arrow for the ST box until you actually click in the box.

Custom 1 means absolutely nothing to anyone new to these units.

I have a HP1 and have played with it, but have not spent a bunch of time with it and I would have immediately recognized almost any one of the "standard" ST.

There is a big enough learning curve with these scanners, it just is a bit foolish to not have a ST that is ALL.

Seems there really needs to be a Quick Start guide that outlines the important features/setting with some basic examples of how a working system is set up and looks.

I can figure this out very quickly, however, it totally frustrates me that is has become the "norm" that you have to "figure things out", "get used to this", "this is a pitfall, but learn to work with it".

A lot of work has gone into the HP platform, it is VERY close, but I think still needs a few tweaks to really make things better. Having to figure out work arounds is not the correct way to do things, this means users have to conform to the software/firmware, not the other way around.

The problem is people too close to the products do not see the simple things, they have too many hours invested and many times just miss the simple things.

So please consider some of the constructive and user friendly feedback.
 

JoeyC

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Once you add a Channel in Sentinel the ST box is pre populated with Custom 1. There is no visible drop arrow for the ST box until you actually click in the box.

Custom 1 means absolutely nothing to anyone new to these units.

The more I read your responses about this, the more I think you're trolling. You are creating a custom entry FROM SCRATCH. Do you really think the software is gonna know that when you enter 453.575 in that it should automatically service tag it as LAW DISPATCH for you? Of course not. You are MANUALLY entering data not imported from the database directly. It has to give a service tag and the software is not intelligent enough to GUESS therefore it is given a generic Custom 1 as the starting point. It is up to the user making the list to customize it to his/her likes.

Your gripe just doesn't float.
 

JamesO

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The more I read your responses about this, the more I think you're trolling. You are creating a custom entry FROM SCRATCH. Do you really think the software is gonna know that when you enter 453.575 in that it should automatically service tag it as LAW DISPATCH for you? Of course not. You are MANUALLY entering data not imported from the database directly. It has to give a service tag and the software is not intelligent enough to GUESS therefore it is given a generic Custom 1 as the starting point. It is up to the user making the list to customize it to his/her likes.

Your gripe just doesn't float.

Not trolling in any way, shape or form.

I am PISSED that I got stuck in this trap trying to do something relatively familiar to me.

I have owned/used numerous scanner programming software from 4 different vendors for many different scanners.

I am not expecting the software to guess or understand the Service Tag that is required when I am making a Favorite List from scratch. I also do not know what the software expects/assumes that I want to use a generic Custom 1 for a Service Tag when I generate my own Favorite List.

I would have been more than fine if the Service Tag would have started out at the beginning with Aircraft. I probably would have said to myself, hey this is not an Aircraft service, let me change it to something closer or on point. I would have entered the the box to try and edit the word Aircraft and would have then likely seen a number of other options and may have realized the box would also scroll because like anyone, I would have been looking CLOSELY at the top line and probably seen the downward scroll button.

But not in this case, Custom 1 - Custom 8, WTH??? What does this mean, was this just some programmers generic place holder?? Custom means nothing to me and since the box was scrolled to the bottom, the scroll control was all the way at the bottom of the box so it was not really obvious until I went back many times later trying to understand what is going on.

My other and MAIN point is this.

I think the Service Types are great, the offer a lot of power and flexibility and help narrow the focus of the database when you plug in a 20+ mile range. What you and everyone here need to understand where I live, I am on the border of VA, MD and DC. The amount of state, county and federal agencies is unreal.

So having the Service Types is a great feature. So today we had like 16 inches of snow, I had put together a new Favorites List that included MANY agencies both local, statewide and federal. I had to turn on ALL of the Service Types because I had so many things in my Favorite list I did not have a chance to go through all of them to verify or properly configure the Service Type. So I figured now I realize how much control the Service Type has, I better enable all of them. A PITA do do this in the scanner, so I did this in the Sentinel software, pretty easy, select enable all or all on.

But it would be much easier for my normal Service Type options to stay the way I had them configured, then to have a SINGLE scanner based option or control for Service Type = All that would over ride my normal 6-8 Service Type settings. Then at my leisure I could easily just select the single Service Type = All back off. But this is not how it works, there are close to 40 Service Types with the Custom options. So from the scanner, I have to remember the 6-8 that I had set and then go and disable over 30 Service Types rather than a single Service Type = All toggle.

OR I have to use the Sentinel software, connect up a cable to the scanner, disabling the scanner while programming and rebooting.

This is in my opinion making ALL of the HP users conform to the software that leaves out a VERY simple and powerful tool. This along with simplifying and making the Sentinel software more user friendly and obvious.

The flip side of the Service Type = All toggle, would be a Wild Card Service Type you could add in the Sentinel software that any chosen/specific frequency/channel/Talk Group would be scanned all the time (assuming it is not locked out). This Wild Card would be effectively ignored by the Service Type filter. Again, not everyone would consider this feature useful, but as time went on many may find this very helpful.

What you have to realize is people think VERY differently. For example one person on the forum uses the Volume offset to "increase" the volume on his scanner so it can be heard better in a loud environment. He sets the Volume Offset to the highest value for ALL frequencies/channels/Talk Groups. This is his choice, but I totally disagree with the way he is using the Volume Offset. I use it very differently. I have a few State Police patches that are VERY loud on a trunked system, I use the Volume Offset to reduce the different in the patch volume level such that I can "balance" the audio between the trunked system and patch. I also use the Volume Offset in another way to increase the volume of a few key frequencies/channels/Talk Groups. Yes I can use the Alert Tones, but many times I have the scanner a very low volume levels as to no irritate others in the house and/or it is in the background while I am doing something else. With a few targeted frequencies/channels/Talk Groups increased in Volume, even if I do not have an alert or miss the alert tone because I am just entering the room, I know what frequency/channel/Talk Group is louder and I can immediately tell without any visual alert or looking at the display.

So the reason the Volume Offset was added may not have even been for the purpose I am using it and others may not use it the way I do, but this is where when people OPEN up their minds they may be able to see how others view the world.

I also had someone here state that an Service Type = All would make the Service Type feature useless or negate it. This is ABSOLUTELY WRONG. It adds another power and useful feature set to the usage of the scanner. Being able to toggle between your "normal" Service Types and All Service Types with a single/few buttons. Then with a single/few buttons toggle right back to the "normal" configuration. I can see this feature used late and night/early in the morning when radio traffic may almost seem to stop.

There are quite a few here thinking I am just a complainer, yes I am complaining, but I am also trying to institute change. Too many take the stance "this is the way it is", "this is the way it was designed", "your a troll", "your an idiot" and so forth. But the beauty is today's products do have flexibility and can be changed, just because a product was released with x,y and z, does not mean the product is the best it can be and consideration for tweaking, improving should be ruled out.

I think if others would open their minds up a bit and say they do not want to be boxed in by software or firmware, we could all end up with an improved product. Like I said, not everyone would see the need or usefulness of a Service Type = All, but they do not have to use it.

I am sure there may be "work arounds" to accomplish the same things I am recommending, but why should be have to "work around" the fact these simple features were not included in the first place.

Let me tell you, I would not be wasting all my time stating my position if I was a troll. I have VERY good reasons for my comment and I am VERY annoyed at the software trap I was caught in. I have been working with software programmers and using all sorts of software for many years and I do not tolerate the foolishness poorly thought out software and firmware.
 

pratzert

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I've come to the conclusion that this scanner is unlike any other scanner I've ever encountered. I've been a scanner power user since the 1980's and I've never been more overwhelmed (in a good way) by a new scanner as I have the 436HP.

I would definitely check and make sure ALL your service types are turned on. You can have everything else configured exactly correct but if the service type is off the scanner will not scan those channels. Found that out the hard way when I thought that the scanner wasn't sensitive enough to pick up the airport I live practically next door to. I stumbled across the service types, turned on aircraft and voila - the airport traffic from Sky Harbor (less than 5 miles from me) came in clear as a bell. Made me feel like quite the noob, lol.

With this scanner (to quote a famous Jedi master) "you must unlearn what you have learned". It's a totally different animal than the old bank/channel or even the newer DMA scanners we've gotten used to. Give it a chance, once you "get" it, it's an extremely powerful monitoring tool. I absolutely love this thing - the only time I turn it off is when I go to bed.

-AZ

Is there any disadvantage to having ALL the service types selected all the time ?

Will it slow down the scan rate?

If not, why not leave all the service types selected (turned on) all the time ? The frequencies and talk groups/ID's would/should allow you to pick up what you want and not what you don't want.
 

UPMan

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When using the full database it will result in the selection of a very large number of channels, including business, public works, and others that are typically not of interest.
 

JamesO

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Is there any disadvantage to having ALL the service types selected all the time ?

Will it slow down the scan rate?

If not, why not leave all the service types selected (turned on) all the time ? The frequencies and talk groups/ID's would/should allow you to pick up what you want and not what you don't want.


I think there is fine line between running the full database and all the Service Types enabled.

I think the issue is for new users, they just need to fully understand how the Service Type can filter channels and Talk Groups.

I would stay for new users, if they plan on setting up their own Favorites List, they need to understand the Service Types are VERY important and on a trunked system not to forget load frequencies, Talk Groups and/or understand that location info may be very important as well.

I still from time to time miss things if I generate a Favorite List from scratch. Another problem with the software in my opinion is you cannot select an entire column and choose to set all to Avoid Yes or No. This would be a BIG time saver.

This is partially why I am setting up Favorites from scratch as there is too much to edit on large or Statewide systems.

But this also goes back to my comments/suggestions to have a All Service Type on toggle option in the scanner and software, so you can easily go from your typical Service Types to basically disabling the Service Type filter if there was an ALL Service Type option. Same holds truck for the "Wild Card" Service Type that is NOT filtered in any way.

For new users, probably about 50% of the Service Types may be something they want to turn on? This still may be too much, but sometimes too much is better than note enough.

Again, Service Type is a very powerful filter, but it can cause some headaches until you are fully on board with how they work along with other features and settings.
 

pratzert

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When using the full database it will result in the selection of a very large number of channels, including business, public works, and others that are typically not of interest.

Thanks Paul.

I didn't plan on necessarily leaving all service types "on" when loading the entire database or zip code area (although I can see where that may be desirable in some cases), I was thinking more of the Favorites List(s).

If I set up a FL for a very specific system, what difference would it make if I had ALL the service types turned on to make sure I received every transmission in the system ? I would think that would be preferable.
 
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