How to install Uniden Sentinel on Mac.

[kikito]

Did it recognize your scanner? I can't even get my Mac or virtual PC to mount the mass storage drive in the radio. It worked fine on a laptop I have bug I really want to use my Mac.

I haven't tried it yet, I should get my radio tomorrow. I'll report what happens then hopefully.

 

[Nightjock]

A native Mac version of Sentinel would be the best option. I can't stress that enough.

On with my experiences...

Thanks to the OP for posting the instructions. I never would have tackled it myself without a guide, and I'm pretty technical. I have Sentinel running in WineBottler on my mid 2009 MacBook Pro running the latest OS. Again, thank you.

My 536HP is up and running with one small workaround. Sentinel will not recognize the scanner via USB cable. It actually corrupted the database when I tried it that way. I've been removing the micro SD card from my scanner and popping in into the SD card slot on my Mac using a micro SD to SD card adapter.

I've updated the firmware, and set up my favorites through Sentinel. I'm pretty stoked right now.

Once I have everything on my 536HP dialed in as good as my trusty 396XT, I'll try programming that one as well with the same method. The only thing holding me back is I can't remove the memory from that scanner. USB cable will be my only choice. That leaves me a bit weary.

Until then, go Broncos.

 

[KB3VQD]

Parallels 9 and Sentinel on MacBook Pro can't mount 436

@gonzalu

--Do not use Windows XP especially if it has been running for a while and especially if it has been running other serial drivers or scanner software. Try installing a fresh copy under a new VM.

I did a fresh install today from the get go, no good.

I'll try Windows 8.1 tomorrow, however I think it's a driver issue for the usb port.....

 

[nr2d]

A native Mac version of Sentinel would be the best option. I can't stress that enough.

On with my experiences...

Thanks to the OP for posting the instructions. I never would have tackled it myself without a guide, and I'm pretty technical. I have Sentinel running in WineBottler on my mid 2009 MacBook Pro running the latest OS. Again, thank you.

My 536HP is up and running with one small workaround. Sentinel will not recognize the scanner via USB cable. It actually corrupted the database when I tried it that way. I've been removing the micro SD card from my scanner and popping in into the SD card slot on my Mac using a micro SD to SD card adapter.

I've updated the firmware, and set up my favorites through Sentinel. I'm pretty stoked right now.

Once I have everything on my 536HP dialed in as good as my trusty 396XT, I'll try programming that one as well with the same method. The only thing holding me back is I can't remove the memory from that scanner. USB cable will be my only choice. That leaves me a bit weary.

Until then, go Broncos.

You preaching to the choir on a native program for a Mac. There is a discussion in the Sentinel thread. I hate to say it that a Mac is still an orphan computer. Thats why I kept my Windows machine when I got my iMac. There are some things for my scanners and ham radio that are just better on a Windows machine IMHO.

And the reason I went to an iMac was to get away from Windows for my primary computer. Just my $0.02.

 

[sefrischling]

It keeps crashing with "Too Many Heap Sections"

 

[dollar]

UNIDEN BCD436HP AND THE MAC

You preaching to the choir on a native program for a Mac. There is a discussion in the Sentinel thread. I hate to say it that a Mac is still an orphan computer. Thats why I kept my Windows machine when I got my iMac. There are some things for my scanners and ham radio that are just better on a Windows machine IMHO.

And the reason I went to an iMac was to get away from Windows for my primary computer. Just my $0.02.

I have successfully run scanner software on my MacBook Pro on VMware with Windows XP for my PRO-96, BR330T, BC125AT, PSR-800 and several other scanners. But although with VMware my MAC knows the BCD436HP is at the end of the wire, it will not communicate with the scanner. MAC computers are becoming much more prevalent these days and if Uniden wants to continue to be relevant with the more modern world, one would think they would take steps to make sure their most up-to-date scanner be able to interface with the MAC. As it stands so far, OWNING A BCD436HP has been a GIANT STEP BACKWARDS in a period of very many years that I have owned computer programable scanners as evidenced by my list of scanners above. I hope Uniden or someone comes up with a solution soon.

 

[Coolant113]

With how mainstream Macs are these days and the higher adoption rates of OSX vs PC. You think from a company standpoint they would release a Mac version of the software. Mac is 1000x different then it was 15 years ago. Think about making your customers happy, and not just about what is the companies standard practice. Change within a company goes a long way, and this could be one of those changes that would help them.

 

[KB3VQD]

Mac Success

The key to success for me in getting Sentinel to work on the mac via Winebottler is "using the SD card slot on my Mac using a micro SD to SD card adapter." Via usb direct to the scanner, does not work with Sentinel, the card adapter does work. I'm now up are running. New firmware installed. New favorites list installed. Much mashing of teeth however.

 

[yancmo]

Okay, heres what I've come up with for whats it worth.

Question first though:

Works like a champ. Just installed it this evening and it works great.

Wise, what version of OSX are you running? If its 10.9.1 can you recall any other usb drivers for handhelds you may have installed in the past?


Mavericks 10.9.1 has so far been a common theme. It won't mount the scanner no matter the card format. SD formatter did see the card in the scanner and allow me to format it but it wouldn't mount after the fact. I formatted with a card reader and copied all my files and put the card back in the scanner with no problem. Hook the scanner up to the mac and again and the card gets fried. I had to format and re-load and no problems again.

Obviously the the best thing would be for a native Sentinel app. But maybe Uniden can work on atleast some mac drivers that we can use to mount the scanner.

Hope this helps some or maybe help get the nerd juices flowing for someone that might be able to come up with something.

 

[testdummy]

Just a tidbit of info on this subject.

I've been using Parallels and Windows XP successfully with an HP1 thru USB for the last couple of years. Today I used it for the first time since upgrading to Mavericks (and maybe the first time since upgrading to Parallels 9). On initial hookup via USB, Sentinel for HP would not see the card. Windows would recognize that a drive was there but couldn't read it. I eventually pulled the card, put it in an SD carrier and formatted it using OSX Disk Utility with it in the iMac's card slot. Back in the HP1, Sentinel would see it (had x's for the device ID) thru Parallels and USB - sent a clean new DB download to the card and all is well for now (Device ID (ESN?) now showing on the card info window). Made several back and forth saves making tweaks to my Favorites lists with no further issues.

Don't know what this means for Sentinel for x36, but fwiw... I should have a 536 in a few days and have my fingers crossed.

Ron

 

[RickSuthers]

Has anyone tried the new USB drivers posted today by Upman on a VM/Mac setup? Was it a Mac issue or was it a Windows 8.1 issue ?

 

[yancmo]

Has anyone tried the new USB drivers posted today by Upman on a VM/Mac setup? Was it a Mac issue or was it a Windows 8.1 issue ?

I thought about it but I really think its a way the scanner is loading on the mac not the virtual.

I've been updating my scanner via usb card and mac fine. I even hooked up to my pc and updated with no issue so its definitely the scanner and this particular OS.

Thanks for the thought though. We'll figure this out eventually.

 

[nr2d]

I notice on my iMac that when I download or copy from it and read them in my Windows machine, the iMac creates several extra files, .trash and several more. When you run your Windows on the Mac does it also create these extra files?

 

[testdummy]

Just a tidbit of info on this subject.

I've been using Parallels and Windows XP successfully with an HP1 thru USB for the last couple of years. Today I used it for the first time since upgrading to Mavericks (and maybe the first time since upgrading to Parallels 9). On initial hookup via USB, Sentinel for HP would not see the card. Windows would recognize that a drive was there but couldn't read it. I eventually pulled the card, put it in an SD carrier and formatted it using OSX Disk Utility with it in the iMac's card slot. Back in the HP1, Sentinel would see it (had x's for the device ID) thru Parallels and USB - sent a clean new DB download to the card and all is well for now (Device ID (ESN?) now showing on the card info window). Made several back and forth saves making tweaks to my Favorites lists with no further issues.

Don't know what this means for Sentinel for x36, but fwiw... I should have a 536 in a few days and have my fingers crossed.

Ron

Well, I'm sorry to report that this approach didn't work for me with the 536. Trying to communicate to the card from XP on Parallels via the 536 or a card reader made the card unusable in the 536 and several varied attempts to reformat on the Mac (either from OSX or from XP) wouldn't make the card usable in the 536 again.

I've been aggravated for several years trying to use PC only stuff in various approaches to emulation on my Macs and this was the last straw. Picked up a cheap Windows 8.1 laptop for less than the price of a good cellphone and did a low level format on the card and I'm in business with Sentinel and the 536.

Ron

 

[waynedc]

I did a fresh install of VMWare 6 and Windows XP and now Windows 7 on a 2010 MacBook Pro. I have Sentinel working without problems both reading and writing to the the x36 radios. Additionally I have the PSR-800 EZScan software up and running as well. Prior to this, I was using CrossOver and / or WineBottler to run Sentinel and EZScan but I could not access the radios. I have not tried Parallels and I am not interested in using Bootcamp as it requires a dedicated partition on my hard drive.

 

[Chuck_O_]

I was able to install the program without any problems, but when I plug my USB into my mac, the program is not able to find my card when I hit the refresh button?

Any suggestions?

Thanks

 

[gonzalu]

I notice on my iMac that when I download or copy from it and read them in my Windows machine, the iMac creates several extra files, .trash and several more. When you run your Windows on the Mac does it also create these extra files?

Yes, the files are written by MacOS... no matter how your Mac touches a folder, whether directly attached storage or via shared SBM or CIFS, it will write them.

A tip to those who care about such things.

Mavericks introduced support for SMB 2 protocol but it is written by Apple and it is buggy. It will give lots of problems. To force SMB1 you must use CIFS:// when mounting remote shares via SMB. CIFS will use the older driver which is much cleaner.

 

[dollar]

SENTINAL FINALLY WORKING ON MAC (So Far!)

Just a tidbit of info on this subject.

I've been using Parallels and Windows XP successfully with an HP1 thru USB for the last couple of years. Today I used it for the first time since upgrading to Mavericks (and maybe the first time since upgrading to Parallels 9). On initial hookup via USB, Sentinel for HP would not see the card. Windows would recognize that a drive was there but couldn't read it. I eventually pulled the card, put it in an SD carrier and formatted it using OSX Disk Utility with it in the iMac's card slot. Back in the HP1, Sentinel would see it (had x's for the device ID) thru Parallels and USB - sent a clean new DB download to the card and all is well for now (Device ID (ESN?) now showing on the card info window). Made several back and forth saves making tweaks to my Favorites lists with no further issues.

Don't know what this means for Sentinel for x36, but fwiw... I should have a 536 in a few days and have my fingers crossed.

Ron

I just tried essentially what is described above. Bought 4GB MicroSDHC Card and carrier from Best Buy (PNY $9.99) and formatted it for Windows using the Disk Utility on OSX Mavericks, following all the steps outlined in Mavericks Dick Utility. Replaced the BCD436HP's MicroSD card with the newly formatted card and connected it to my computer with the supplied USB cable. Followed the instructions on Sentinal to remove user data from the Micro Card. Then copied my Sentinal data to the scanner and also updated the firmware on the scanner.

All so far seems to result in my computer seeing my scanner through the USB cable, and Sentinal updating the data, favourite lists and firmware, etc. as one would hope and expect. CHEERS!

 

[MacGnG]

Previously: VMware Fusion running WIN7. Already had Sentinal installed. updated DB yesterday and set up some favorites.

Today: got my 436 scanner. backed up the 4GB card in OSX. Copied files to a 16GB card. Used 16GB card in scanner. Scanner works.

Next: Ran VM, Opened Sentinal, used card reader for 16GB card, opened it in Windows. Sentinal sees 16GB card, Updated DB. (didn't update firmware), put card back in scanner.

IT WORKS!

I haven't tried plugging the scanner directly into my mac yet, but I don't have a problem with just using the MicroSD and a card reader.

On the next release of the firmware i will try an update, once there is an update log with changes.

THANKS EVERYONE, Hope this helps someone.

 

[giltay1960]

Thanks for the Mac solution

I want to profusely thank the gentlemen who figured out how to get the BCD436HP to communicate via USB with Sentinel on a Mac. I had been tearing my hair out trying to get it to work using a Mac with Mavericks running XP via VirtualBox. I could write the firmware and database to the card via a card reader, but once the card was re-inserted in the BCD436HP and cable attached, the radio worked with the updates, but it was not recognized by Sentinel (despite being seen by XP). Was getting ready to get download or buy new software until someone recommended reformatting the card, then writing the firmware, etc. to it. Bingo!

73