Favorite List - Nothing To Scan???

[JamesO]

Ok, maybe I am an idiot?

I am pretty savvy with computers, scanners and all of this, but is it just me or the the Sentinel Software a bit quirky and non intuitive?

Yes, I have a HP1, but not played with it too much, also now have a 536HP, but I must be missing something here.

How is it the Sentinel Software will even allow you to configure a system that will not work??

Where are the pop ups stating, Hey idiot you do not have a frequency, talk groups or what ever is required?

I have tried about 6 times to set up a VERY simple favorite list just to see how to do it, how to make it work and how to add some features. But I am a total failure with this.

I can communicate with the scanner, load Favorite Lists, have a Favorite List Quick Key, talk groups, frequencies, BUT something is wrong.

Probably VERY obvious to the veterans here, but if I cannot make this work, I am SURE there are PLENTY of others there that are having issues.

What about a default example Favorite List in the software so you can look at it an understand what is fields are required.

It also does not help that Butel software seems be a bit more intuitive, but there are differences in the Tree structure with the Sentinel software or at least what appears to be differences.

So where the hell am I going wrong here?

Someone help me out here, I am obviously missing something or doing the same thing wrong.

I cannot be the only one to ever do something stupid with this software.

 

[Dafe1er]

Once you make your new favorites list you need to "activate" it.

Go to the edit profile button on main screen and click it, go to the Scan Select tab and make sure you have the favorites list you are programing set to on, on the monitor side. Also make sure the download is set to on. To turn them on select the favorite list to highlight it and then click the on for monitor and on for download.

Once you do this click the save button on the main screen. then write it to the x36 and unplug from PC. Once you unplug the unit with reboot with JUST that favorite list scanning. You might want to hold on the channel you are looking for to come in before letting the unit just run a scan hoping to catch something.

If you do not select these options then the scanner will have nothing to scan.

I know you have done so many steps so, if this does not work you might want to restore the unit back to factory and trying doing it all again. If it still does not work try reformatting the SD card and do all over again. I know this is time consuming and makes you really pissed but it does take time to get use to the software and scanner.

I am thinking you might have kicked a setting or two the wrong way and did not realize it and this is why you have issues with JUST this scanner.

 

[chuck_e7]

Have you edited your profile to show your FL's as Monitor and download "on" as well as services types selected?

 

[Dafe1er]

Have you edited your profile to show your FL's as Monitor and download "on" as well as services types selected?

Good point Chuck.

James, Select ALL service list to be active for now so we can make sure everything is catch able. this will stop you from getting things also if the correct service is not selected.

 

[JamesO]

Keep the replies coming.

I think it is something basic with the way I am using the Sentinel software???

No issues loading to the scanner, I can see the Favorite List is on the SD card.

Do not think is is a problem with the SD card or the scanner needs to be reset.

I have configured what I think is a Favorite List Quick Key. Both Sentinel and Butel software have QK references all over the software, but it is not clear are these QK FL, QK Sites, QK Systems and on and on.

What is the term or reference "Active" the Favorite List. I have no idea and see nothing anywhere in the software.

Playing around there appears to be no TGID stored, however, I entered TGID in the software, but something does not seem correct in the software tree as compared to the Butel software for the 996xt.

I think a simple thing would be to switch from ID Scan to ID search, but even this is not clear on this scanner. Probably buried in the instructions, but on the 396xt/996xt this is a simple Function and Scan button push.

Am I missing something, yes I could probably read the documentation/manual, but based on how bad the 396xt/996xt documentation/manual is, I find that playing with the scanner is quicker and easier.

I just see a total lack of intuitiveness for the interface on the 536HP and the Sentinel software so far.

I am sure I will get used to it and learn it over time, but they want these scanner to be easy to program????

 

[JamesO]

This is making less and less sense.

So I when into Sentinel and choose to ID Search, still shows Nothing To Scan.

I can see it looks like I am on the control channel when I hit the "Channel" button.

How do you edit something simple in the Master Database?? I you want to tweak a setting, it is TOTALLY unclear on how to edit something that has been downloaded.

Something I am doing stupid in the software.

BTW, I can find a hole in software in a nanosecond, because I do not think like a programmer, I am a user.

 

[JamesO]

Would this be an issue with Service Type??

Also in the software, I assume the Service Types are hard set or tied to a Master Service Type table?

What happens if I mistype the service type or just enter "Action" or "Police" as service type?

So is Service Type required even in the Favorite List? My initial Favorite List did not have any Service Type, it was what ever the software defaulted to Custom 1.

It must be something I was doing setting up my own Favorites list.

I appended/copied the local Police, did some tweaking, and now have a Favorite List working.

But this software has a lot to be desired in my opinion.

 

[LIScanner101]

Sorry dupe post

 

[LIScanner101]

I played around with Sentinel a lot and if I recall you can rename the Service for any frequency to almost anything you want it to be but ONLY in one of your favorites.

I look at it as taking an Excel spreadsheet that is protected, copying the data that you want to your OWN spreadsheet and then manipulating it at will.

It's actually pretty powerful.

 

[JamesO]

Am I the first one that has run into this?

I kind of did what what was mentioned, appended or pulled the data from the Master Database into a favorite, but what I had original done was start with a bare Favorite and build it myself.

Kind of assumed this is how a Favorite would work anyway, build from the ground up?

I think the Sentinel software needs a lot of review. At least they need some boiler plate templates and drop boxes to help users with choices.

BTW, Sentinel software does not work very much like a spread sheet, or at least I was unable to delete multiple entries by choosing them. Had to delete about 30 entries one at a time and acknowledge each entry each time!

 

[phask]

Ok - just for starters - 1 you can't edit or change anything in the main DB.

With no experience you WILL have trouble starting from scratch, on a trunked system - you will fail

EZ Start


Make sure you first have a profile and service types selected that you wish to hear - also monitor main DB selected.


then - use edit - add channels on range - use zip code and set range 10-20 miles. Select or check service types - when it asks - make a new list.


Then load this list and try it.

Also now edit this one- you will want to delete a LOT as it will load "stuff" out of your area, etc.

Edit - save - download - rinse repeat.

Just a start - but best way IMHO to get started.

- any line you add from scratch will default to cistom1, need to change as appropriate.

Been doing it since 2011 -

 

[JamesO]

Ok - just for starters - 1 you can edit or change anything in the main DB.

With no experience you WILL have trouble starting from scratch, on a trunked system - you will fail

EZ Start


Make sure you first have a profile and service types selected that you wish to hear - also monitor main DB selected.


then - use edit - add channels on range - use zip code and set range 10-20 miles. Select or check service types - when it asks - make a new list.


Then load this list and try it.

Also now edit this one- you will want to delete a LOT as it will load "stuff" out of your area, etc.

Edit - save - download - rinse repeat.

Just a start - but best way IMHO to get started.

- any line you add from scratch will default to cistom1, need to change as appropriate.

Been doing it since 2011 -

Thanks for your response and comments.

I failed!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So is the problem the Service Type??

Do not have time now, but will try again and see if the Service Type is the issue.

What is the "Wild Card" Service Type? If one exists.

Maybe the software should default to the "Wild Card" if there is one?? Again, software programmer that has never used the device they are programming for. The Service Type in the software needs to default to something that function. This is stupid and sloppy to have it any other way.

Seems like there are MANY ways to get to an end result, but there is also a lot to be desired and I am not sure any of this is well documented. I also find that with other software, I can just jump into it and I can feel my way around and get things working. Have used ScanCat, Butel, StarSoft and MANY other programs over the years.

Assume this Sentinel is a carry over from the HP1? I picked up a HP1 about 30 days ago and other than updating the Master Database, have not done much with it.

Uniden really needs to shoot some video examples of using Sentinel and post them for new users.

I am a power user but just trying to get out of the gate has been very hard.

 

[phask]

Don't understand wild card service type. They match the service type in RR.

Custom are for your own designation - any input new line defaults to custom 1.

Basics are same as HP1- with the addition of the new features.

There is Wild card - ID search in Trunked, if that is what you mean.

 

[AZScanner]

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

 

[JamesO]

Don't understand wild card service type. They match the service type in RR.

Custom are for your own designation - any input new line defaults to custom 1.

Basics are same as HP1- with the addition of the new features.

There is Wild card - ID search in Trunked, if that is what you mean.

I am just "assuming" there was a Wild Card service type???

If this was my project, I would have a Wild Card service option.

There is a BIG difference between a ID Search on a Trunked system and a Wild Card or All Service Type Scan choice.

The difference is you can limit the scanner based upon a Service Type, which would be for all programmed frequencies and/or Talk Groups. This would not perform an ID Search on a Trunked system. This would ONLY scan EVERYTHING that has been PROGRAMMED into the scanner.

A Trunked ID Search would look at ALL traffic, programmed and not programmed into the scanner.

So for instances, it is late at night, the scanner is quiet and I usually might have PD/FD and maybe a few Service Types enabled, so I decide that I want to listen to everything in my Favorite list without individually turning on all Service Types and/or I have a specific frequency or Talk Group that I want to listen to regardless of the Service Type selected.

I would have "assumed" this would have been a very OBVIOUS feature and option to include, but then again, maybe people do not see the world as I do?

 

[whsbuss]

I'm not sure if the OP is creating a FL from scratch or using the master database in Sentinel. As far as service types, if you change any name already in the master database, it will not show up in the Profile scan list for service type.

 

[ofd8001]

Service type is likely the culprit. What you select in the Sentinel has to match what is set in the scanner. Essentially setting, for example "Fire Disptach" in the scanner tells the scanner to look for anything tagged with "Fire Dispatch" either in Favorites Lists that are active (in range, quick keys on) or the full database if you are scanning that. (Same in range, quick keys on rule applies there too).

I don't think you can mis-type something like "Action" in a Service Type. The software has a drop down box limiting your choices (which match the RR database). I'm sure lots of careful consideration was given to assigning categories of service type and using the pre-defined selections are just like rules of math - we might want something different, but it is what it is.

I don't believe there is a "Wild card" anything, including service type.

As best as I can tell, the x36 Sentinel is pretty much a twin to the HP Sentinel.

There are some videos of Sentinel posted on Upman's YouTube channel, including how to create favorites lists. They were quite helpful to me as I learned this software. There are way too many things for a novice user to consider when using Sentinel to create a Favorites List from scratch. Using the Append function is the way to go. It let's you see how things are set up. Once your experience expands, then creating a Favorites List from scratch might be easier. Having said that, most everything one might need is in the main database - creating a Favorites List from scratch is like trying to re-invent a wheel.

I agree there could be more instructions, a manual or help file with the Sentinel software. Thing to remember is Uniden is primarily a hardware manufacturer and coming up with software to go along with the hardware is a secondary function. On the other hand, with Butel and others, their primary focus is software.

 

[fxdscon]

Uniden really needs to shoot some video examples of using Sentinel and post them for new users.

I guess you missed these videos from Uniden (UPMan)?

Uniden Upman - YouTube

 

[LIScanner101]

Thing to remember is Uniden is primarily a hardware manufacturer and coming up with software to go along with the hardware is a secondary function. On the other hand, with Butel and others, their primary focus is software.

Excellent point. I worked for a power supply company in the past that provided very rudimentary software for the control of these supplies, but third parties did a better job than we did.

 

[JamesO]

I guess you missed these videos from Uniden (UPMan)?

Uniden Upman - YouTube

Did not see this, will take some time to watch it and see if I can learn anything and get a working Favorites list.

I did in fact create a Favorites List from scratch.

I did not change the Service Type as I figured part of the reason for a Favorites list was I could configure the radio to scan what I wanted and not what the database had provided. Well in a way this appears to be the case.

But with any good software, I expect that if there are fields that need to be populated these would be very clear AND there would be a drop down box with all the defaulted or hard coded Service Types.

My next expectation is there would be a way to have a what I referred to as a "Wild Card" or All Service Type scan option.

It does seem that many are getting painted into the corner by the Service Type and not getting the scanner to find anything to scan? This appears to be what happened in my case?

Unfortunately I already deleted the favorite list that indicated it had "Nothing To Scan", however, I can easily recreate the same or very similar Favorite List then change he Service Type to see if this was in fact my problem.

And to the suggestion of using/appending/importing from the Master Data Base for the Favorite List, this is what I did, HOWEVER, very painful as I have some very large systems and I have to edit the list heavily and there does not appear to be a good Copy/Paste or Option to select a range, group, or individual records for deletion, additionally you are required to acknowledge each deletion with a Yes or No, so this becomes a very tedious process when it does not need to be this painful!

I am still learning this scanner and software, I will get it figured out, however, maybe Uniden and the group here can get some useful/helpful changes to both the Sentinel Software and the scanner firmware.

I really see a scan ALL Service Types as a scanner option that would be needed as well as a Service Type "Wild Card" that would always scan regardless of the Service Types that have been enabled unless the Channel/Talk Group or frequency has been locked out.