How to install Uniden Sentinel on Mac.

[yancmo]

For those of you that are wanting to run Sentinel or maybe other apps like Freescan I may be able to help.

Let me start off by saying I know very little about this software and how it works so I’ll be little to no help troubleshooting. I’m just trying to pass on what seems to be working. I’m hoping that sharing this will help all us mac users here as I'm sure you'll share what you learn too.

I have successfully been able to install Freescan on my mac and run it. Unfortunately I couldn’t get it to talk to scanner because of the serial port. I’m sure that someone that has more patience can figure it out. My real hope is to be able to update my 436 with Sentinel. I’ve got Sentinel installed and have been updating my lists. I just don’t know for sure if the radio will work but my hopes are that it will since its going to be USB.

The program is Winebotter an Wine. Winebotter takes the windows app and wrap them up with the needed files to run on your mac without a virtual pc.


No with that out of the way; lets move on to the fun stuff.
I'm running OS 10.9.1. I'm sure this will work for older OS's but I can't verify that.

1. Go to WineBottler |*Run Windows-based Programs on a Mac and download WineBottler. I’m using the 1.6.1 Stable on Mavericks. It will pop up an ADFly Page. Just give it 5 seconds then click the “SKIP AD” button in the top right. (If you get any more ad pop ups just give it a few seconds and it will start downloading.)

Once finished: Move “Wine.app” and “Winebotter.app” to you applications folder.


2. Download the latest Sentinel Version. BCD536HP < UnidenMan4 < TWiki and unzip it to your desktop. (or where you fell comfortable)

3. Launch “Winebottler” from you applications folder. Follow prompts for install. This will install any needed files to run the apps later.
a. Click “Advanced” in the top bar.
b. Select “new prefix” default
c. Program to install: “select File…” and select the “Setup_BCDx36HP.msi” in the Sentinel folder on your desktop.
d. check “This is an installer, execute it.
e. in the “Winetricks” section, click in the search field and search for “dotnet20”. Check the MS .NET 2.0. (this will install the .net for the Sentinel to install)
f. Click “Install” button. Save to your desk top as Sentinel.
This is now creating a windows app that will run on your mac using “wine”. It will install the Dot Net files and you will have to agree to terms and tell it where to install. Defaults will be fine. That will finish and then Sentinel will star the install. Again, agree and save to defaults. This part does take some time so bear with it. (HINT: sometimes the installers will pop up in the background. You may have to click the doc to bring it forward to agree to the DOT NET terms etc…) Once the files are installed, the last step is to “Select Startfile” leave it on Program Files/Uniden/BCDX…… and when you click the “Sentinel” app it will launch the app. Hit OK and your done. Now double click the newly created app and your ready to run Sentinel on your mac.

Included is a screenshot showing Sentinel running.
ENJOY

Please let me know how it works for you and if you can verify that it will work with USB. Of course I’ll try it out when I get mine and post back ASAP.

 

[southernCTscan]

Installed as advertised, nice job. Hopefully it will communicate with the scanner. Thank you for the detailed instructions, they were very easy to follow!

 

[yancmo]

Installed as advertised, nice job. Hopefully it will communicate with the scanner. Thank you for the detailed instructions, they were very easy to follow!

Glad you got it installed!!

Not sure if this matters or not but I did put my garmin Rino Gps on the mac and Sentinel seen it. It would read the SD card but I'm thinking that because it has been formatted for Uniden maybe?

 

[Seymourmtn]

Sentinal and Mac

Installed easy!
Thanks

 

[trido]

WOW works great a big thanks .I can say it works fine with HP-1 I and works fine.

can't wait to play with thursday with scanner.

 

[ka3jjz]

This is something that is sure to be asked time and again. Someone should put this into the wiki.

Remember anyone can edit it. I would tie these instructions to the HP1, 436 and 536 articles we already have.

Mike

 

[yancmo]

WOW works great a big thanks .I can say it works fine with HP-1 I and works fine.

can't wait to play with thursday with scanner.

So glad it worked!! Thanks for replying back. I was going to really be bummed if it didn't work. I'm looking forward to working with my scanner on my Mac. My Parallels has been running way to slow. So I keep a windoze laptop handy just for my scanner.

 

[smp928s]

I tried this. I'm getting an error: Unable to locate application file 'Setup.msi'. I'm trying to get the HomePatrol Sentinel to work.

 

[MacGnG]

Check out this thread for older scanners working on mac: http://forums.radioreference.com/uniden-scanners/279716-bcd396xt-mac-os-x.html

I have Sentinel running in VMWARE. once i get my 436HP i will test it out but it seems to be working fine.

 

[btshep]

what is the difference between this program and method and running the software on a Mac in a true Windows environment either through VMware Fusion or Apple's Bootcamp ?

 

[MacGnG]

btshep: it *should* be the same. once we all get our new scanners we can test it out and make sure.

I have used wine bottler before and the apps usually works just the same as they would in windows.

 

[yancmo]

How to install Unide Sentinel on Mac.

It only cuts out the need for the vm software. This allows the software to run on the Mac and make it look native. It's running the windows drivers etc... In the background via the Wine app.

In my case I use parallels on my Mac but it's extremely slow. I have no speed issues this way.

 

[W2GLD]

It only cuts out the need for the vm software. This allows the software to run on the Mac and make it look native. It's running the windows drivers etc... In the background via the Wine app.

In my case I use parallels on my Mac but it's extremely slow. I have no speed issues this way.

If Parallels is running slow on your Mac, you may have too much ram allocated to the Parallels session or simply not enough ram overall for the Mac.

I run a 2010 MacBook Pro i7 with 8gig of ram and a 256gb SSD drive. Parallels on the Mac using Windows 7 x86 or Windows 8 x86 actually runs faster in the Parallels session then on any Windows based hardware alone. Benchmarked this on several occasions.

For each Parallels session, I only allow Windows to use 2 gig. of ram for each session. Any more than that as Windows seems to lag for some reason. Also, we using Parallels version 9 for the Mac; but it has been this way for us since version 6... We have three Mac's, all running this configuration and we're able to leave Windows 7 x86 running all day long alongside the Mac OS and just switch back and forth with a mouse click.

Parallels for Mac using Windows works very well if configured properly. Wine takes a little more effort to get going and has other inherent issues that restrict it's long time usage and thus why we avoid it; though it does work; however, I wouldn't take the chance flashing firmware with it, especially on a $600 scanner...

 

[yancmo]

How to install Unide Sentinel on Mac.

If Parallels is running slow on your Mac, you may have too much ram allocated to the Parallels session or simply not enough ram overall for the Mac.

/QUOTE]


Thanks for the info. I'll check the ram tonight. Might just be what I need. I've tried everything else on it.

 

[Seymourmtn]

Wine fir Mac

I I stalled with no problems
Sentinel opens ok but It won't find my microsd card.
I have tried select Windows and Mac ports.

Thoughts?
Thanks
Doug

 

[Nightjock]

It's a shame we have to resort to using tactics like this. I was really hoping for a native Mac version of Sentinel. Fingers crossed we'll see one soon. Still holding out on ordering a 536HP because of this.

 

[yancmo]

How to install Unide Sentinel on Mac.

I haven't got my radio yet so I've not been able to test it. I'll post back ASAP.

 

[DaveIN]

I I stalled with no problems
Sentinel opens ok but It won't find my microsd card.
I have tried select Windows and Mac ports.

Thoughts?
Thanks
Doug

Doug, what happens when you try the microSD in a card reader?

 

[gonzalu]

I am using VMware Fusion on a MacBook Air host with Windows 8.1 Enterprise x64 as guest and have no issues with the scanner/sentinel (HP-1 and 536) nor reading SD or microSD cards in Windows or Mac. It may not be relevant to this thread on WINE but in case it can be used as a reference.

 

[mrkelso]

Parallels is the way to go then just install you favorite copy of windows and you are set. And it's very easy to manage all devices. Has never failed me.