Help me help you

[jonwienke]

As grandma used to always say, where there's a will, there's a way.

More likely, probate.

 

[jake_Braker]

Not sure if this should be labeled a feature request or bug fix, since the scanner is supposed to work on P25p2 systems, and TDMA CC is part of the standard..

The ability for the scanner to use and follow systems utilizing a P25 TDMA control channel.

Found out there are a few TDMA control channels that the scanner doesn't know what to do with it.

P25 TDMA Control Channel decoding -- requesting help from experts

I apologize to developers who are expecting me to upload sensible raw audio. Much of the audio in the past two posts was taken with a 4.0k or 9.5k filter on it -- not good. Needs to be 12.5 or greater. I'll try to weed out the unsatisfactory in the future. Mike

forums.radioreference.com

I agree with you completely, however I probably wouldn't consider TDMA CCs a "standard" since they're only available on Harris P25 Systems. Motorola doesn't offer it just yet from what I was told

 

[garys]

Lovely theory, but the problem is that humans are involved. Toyota is in the midst of a multi year recall of Tacoma and Tundra trucks because of potentially faulty fuel pumps, Philips is now recalling CPAP machines because of a problem with the sound deadening foam, Hyundai/Kia is involved in a multi billion dollar recall because some of their engines catch fire without warning, Open Sky is one of the largest failures in radio history, etc...

Oh, and Boeing.

The list is long.

No, it happens a lot in companies that don't employ:
1. standard work
2. design reviews
3. design checklists
4. instructions inserted in their CAD system
5. timely corrective and preventive action
I speak from a 35+ year career in electronics manufacturing engineering. Where did Uniden fail on that list? That is what you need to ask yourself in order to improve.

 

[900mhz]

Lovely theory, but the problem is that humans are involved. Toyota is in the midst of a multi year recall of Tacoma and Tundra trucks because of potentially faulty fuel pumps, Philips is now recalling CPAP machines because of a problem with the sound deadening foam, Hyundai/Kia is involved in a multi billion dollar recall because some of their engines catch fire without warning, Open Sky is one of the largest failures in radio history, etc...

Oh, and Boeing.

The list is long.

and companies wonder why people hack firmware, software, and hardware and such to find a solution to dissatisfaction. Meanwhile , businesses are in pursuit of stock buyback at the expense of the original customers who purchased their products.

 

[redbeard]

I agree with you completely, however I probably wouldn't consider TDMA CCs a "standard" since they're only available on Harris P25 Systems. Motorola doesn't offer it just yet from what I was told

I'd consider it a standard regardless of who makes the system.

For any software authors who have access to the TIA-102 suite of standards, the TDMA Control Channel specs are contained in the following document:

TIA-102.BBAD - Two-Slot TDMA Control Channel MAC Layer Specification - August 2017

 

[GTR8000]

I agree with you completely, however I probably wouldn't consider TDMA CCs a "standard" since they're only available on Harris P25 Systems. Motorola doesn't offer it just yet from what I was told

Standard as in standardized, or part of the official P25 spec (as @redbeard posted), not standard as in the default; TDMA control channels are still very much the exception, not the rule, and probably account for less than 0.1% of all P25 control channels currently on the air.

 

[garys]

Companies probably laugh when the genius hackers totally screw up their product then want warranty repairs. If you go over to the TacomaWorld forum you'll read lots of threads about people who wanted to "improve" the software that runs the trucks only to have them towed to the dealer because they won't run. Yeah, you can "brick" a $40K truck.

and companies wonder why people hack firmware, software, and hardware and such to find a solution to dissatisfaction. Meanwhile , businesses are in pursuit of stock buyback at the expense of the original customers who purchased their products.

 

[cpfinlay]

The SIREN app is a topic that has been discussed internally. My stand is that it needs to be updated. I do not know what management will authorize or when.

Would Uniden consider handing over the source code in the public domain so someone else can update it and release as Open Source? It could only help sales of the hardware....

 

[buddrousa]

That would be like asking GM to turn over their firmware code to FORD.

 

[garys]

What is it that they release to developers like Butel and Pro Scan so they can write software to work with Uniden scanners? I'm not being a wise guy, I forget what it is. It's not source code, but it's command protocols or something. I'm sure some knows what I mean, even if I don't.

That would be like asking GM to turn over their firmware code to FORD.

 

[cpfinlay]

What is it that they release to developers like Butel and Pro Scan so they can write software to work with Uniden scanners? I'm not being a wise guy, I forget what it is. It's not source code, but it's command protocols or something. I'm sure some knows what I mean, even if I don't.

Application Programming Interface (API)

That's already available. I am simply suggesting a way to get Siren itself updated to run on modern smartphones rather than someone reinvent the wheel!

 

[garys]

Uniden may or may not be interested in updating Siren, but 3rd party developers might well be interested in writing apps for iPhone or Androids. The last phone I had that Siren worked well on was a Galaxy Note 3.

Application Programming Interface (API)

That's already available. I am simply suggesting a way to get Siren itself updated to run on modern smartphones rather than someone reinvent the wheel!

 

[cpfinlay]

Uniden may or may not be interested in updating Siren, but 3rd party developers might well be interested in writing apps for iPhone or Androids. The last phone I had that Siren worked well on was a Galaxy Note 3.

Agreed! I have it working on an old Galaxy S3, but nothing newer in my "collection" will run it.

 

[garys]

My Note 5 would run it, but I had to start things in a specific order and even then sometimes it would lock up my phone requiring a restart.

Agreed! I have it working on an old Galaxy S3, but nothing newer in my "collection" will run it.

 

[Ronaldski]

For the sd card scanners since such such a minute % is used for the scanner to run....
have it so the user can save a backup of the entire file system of the radio to the card. Such as the vscanner, vfolders.

good fallback for user errors, others who might get ahold of the radio and mess it up.
Less support calls too!

 

[JoeBearcat]

Not a bug fix since it is a new implimentation, but definitely high on the priority list.

 

[GTR8000]

So, it's been half a year since this thread was started. Any tangible progress to report, @JoeBearcat? I don't expect you to spill trade secrets, but perhaps a new thread with some updates on where the most important issues/bugs stand would be a welcome sight to many long time Uniden customers who have a vested interest in progress being made. Excluding the recent "hardware revision" firmware for the 996P2, there hasn't been any firmware release for over two full years at this point. Thanks.

 

[trentbob]

Is this something that can be done be visual inspection of a disassembled unit? Someone might simply say pull a finished unit off the production line, open it up, and make a visual inspection. Then you will have you very own independent verification.

In any event, I appreciate the absolute candor of your response.

Except that I doubt travel to the assembly plant just to check a unit would be authorized - let alone the time in the air taking up 32 hours that could be spent on other things.

But yes, you should be able to see if it was done without as much disassembly as the repair.

FWIW I did get confirmation from management that the change was made.

Of course no need for a trip to Vietnam, perhaps you could get a unit with the latest serial number and take it in your office and disassemble it and give us the official word directly from your observations?

That would put it to rest for a lot of people who would then, finally, buy the radio.

You could take that particular radio and give it to StaticDischarge, he has a point. Even if his permanent fix was a workaround of a design flaw... it worked and identified the fundamental problem.

 

[ludek-brno]

Who does nothing, at least will not spoil anything !!!
In the autumn, a new firmware will be released with a HW revision for the SDS series and they will beat their breasts as well.
Uniden hasn't convinced me of anything yet.

 

[Ubbe]

have it so the user can save a backup of the entire file system of the radio to the card.

The whole filesystem are on the SD card. While waiting for the backup function and you have a Windows PC at hand:

Copy this into Notepad and save as Backup.bat or similar name and if you have the SD card as the E: drive:

robocopy E:\BCDx36HP E:\Backup\ /S /XD HPDB audio
pause

Copy this and save as Restore.bat

robocopy E:\Backup E:\BCDx36HP /S /IS
pause

Then have those files on the Desktop and click on them to execute. It will not backup recorded audio files or the database.

I guess that a common problem are that files gets trashed on the SD card so change the files to instead write to a backup folder on another drive.
Change E:\Backup to C:\Uniden\Backup or where you would like to store the backup.

/Ubbe