Freescan to Proscan?

[Chris516]

What are the big differences between the two, and will the data file created in Freescan, work seamlessly in Proscan?

 

[ka3jjz]

I don't know if Bob has created an import function from FreeScan, but it certainly seems like it would be a logical request. You can ask him on the official support thread here;

https://forums.radioreference.com/scanner-programming-software/95044-official-software-thread.html

If you are importing data from FreeScan to ProScan, I suspect the easy way to do this would simply to load the FS-created configuration directly from the scanner.

I'm not a ProScan user, but being the one who put together the software links for the wiki, I have a little knowledge about some of the things ProScan can do that FreeScan can't (at least, not with something of a work around) - folks that are familiar with both packages should add to this list;

a. ProScan supports several older Uniden pre-DMA scanners as well as some support for the 436 and 536; FreeScan doesn't. This is a useful plus for someone who has both

b. If you are ever interested in creating a online feed, ProScan is set up for this; FS isn't

c. I think you can run several instances of ProScan for different scanners; I don't think FS could do this without some work arounds

d. To flip things around a bit, one thing that I don't think ProScan has, that FreeScan does, is the ability to parse a page or table of frequencies or talkgroups and map them directly into the editor (someone please check this). In FreeScan, the function is called EZ-Grab and it's documented in the FreeScan User's Guide which is kept in our wiki.

e. And finally, and this is very unfortunate, it seems FreeScan's author has put this on the back burner, and it seems - I hope I'm wrong - that further development is unlikely. Bob is quite responsive to bugs that are found, and does release updates from time to time.

I'm sure there are more than this...Mike

 

[ProScan]

I don't know if Bob has created an import function from FreeScan, but it certainly seems like it would be a logical request. You can ask him on the official support thread here;

https://forums.radioreference.com/scanner-programming-software/95044-official-software-thread.html

If you are importing data from FreeScan to ProScan, I suspect the easy way to do this would simply to load the FS-created configuration directly from the scanner.

Hi Mike, Correct ProScan database files are not compatible or importable to ProScan. The only way to get the Freescan data to ProScan is to upload to the scanner with Freescan and download to ProScan.

d. To flip things around a bit, one thing that I don't think ProScan has, that FreeScan does, is the ability to parse a page or table of frequencies or talkgroups and map them directly into the editor (someone please check this). In FreeScan, the function is called EZ-Grab and it's documented in the FreeScan User's Guide which is kept in our wiki.

ProScan has a Get Clipboard feature that operates almost the same except with more options.

I put together a comparison just now. Did it real quick so may of missed a lot of stuff.

			ProScan  			Freescan

Cost			$50      			Free
Support 		Supported			Limited - Most support is
                                                        provided by other users
Last Updated		About a month and a half ago	Over two years ago
Scanners Suppoted       18             			12
Features	        Numerous			Database only

Database Specific
ProScan requires the scanner type selected so the system types
and options pertaining to the scanner type match exactly.

Freescan not capable of choosing scanner type so system types
shown may not pertain to the scanner type and therefore confusing. 
Also options shown may not do anything if not for the scanner using.

ProScan can change the system type on the fly without re-creating
 system, sites, groups, & channels.

ProScan can Drag & Drop and Cut & Paste system, sites, groups, and
 channel nodes to other systems or other instances of ProScan

ProScan database file format same as the scanner protocol so easy to
 read with the protocol docs.

Freescan database file difficult to decipher the parameters in the file.


ProScan Google Maps has more options and has ability to change
  coordinates within Google Maps for updating ProScan systems.

Freescan Google Maps using depreciated Google Maps API's and does
  not work correctly.


Get Clipboard more features than EZ-Grab and therefore more versatile.

ProScan Utilities such as Find & Replace, Find Duplicates, 
 Update Text Tags, and Sort.