How to use sentinel for different setup on each scanner bcd436 and bcd536?

[ofd8001]

I agree with the above, realizing these are your scanners and computers. With that said, when you use a second and third computer, you are doubling or tripling the efforts needed just to keep the full database current as well as Favorites Lists that are applicable to all scanners.

The software is intended to be used with multiple scanners or even multiple scanning scenarios for the same scanner.

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Hello, if I may bounce a question off you all (somewhat in the same area)...Can I use two or more different S.D. Cards from the same scanner, SDS100, in Sentinel? Thanks![/QUOTE]

Yes. The only strange thing you might notice if you look quick enough is on the start up screen. If you use a 436 card in a 536, the opening message will say "436". Still works fine.

With SD cards being relatively inexpensive, I'll have two cards for each profile, for each scanner. So I have 3 scanners and a couple of profiles for each scanner, so that means I've got about a dozen cards. Good for spares if nothing else, because they are like tires and do wear out.

By couple of profiles for each scanner, I mean a "Home" and "Travel" one for each.

 

[D5422]

.

Hello, if I may bounce a question off you all (somewhat in the same area)...Can I use two or more different S.D. Cards from the same scanner, SDS100, in Sentinel? Thanks!

Yes. The only strange thing you might notice if you look quick enough is on the start up screen. If you use a 436 card in a 536, the opening message will say "436". Still works fine.

With SD cards being relatively inexpensive, I'll have two cards for each profile, for each scanner. So I have 3 scanners and a couple of profiles for each scanner, so that means I've got about a dozen cards. Good for spares if nothing else, because they are like tires and do wear out.

By couple of profiles for each scanner, I mean a "Home" and "Travel" one for each.[/QUOTE]

Thank you for the info!

 

[D5422]

I found that predicament the challenging way. My Favorites List were all set up for the 536 and its long display, then I got the 436 and SDS 100. Ended up re-doing FLs to fit the shortest number of characters. It works and I got used to it, but yeah, there is a loss of real estate.

Very good. Thank you!

 

[TailGator911]

it's interesting to see how many of us use different tactics in programming to achieve the same results. I understand the OP's technique because when I first got a digital scanner I used a similar technique. As someone who travels extensively with both the SDS100 and the TRX-1, I have come to understand the dynamics of the programming and it is now so much more easier to just have everything at your fingertips and know what to do to bring up what you want to monitor. It takes trial and error and what works for you. If you just take everything you have, both 'home' and 'travel' and put them (the Favorite Lists or Scan Lists) all in one 'pool' then make a cheat sheet with all of the list numbers, turn everything either on or off depending where you are and what you want available and there you have it. Until I knew what I was doing, I made it so much harder for myself.

JD
kf4anc

 

[ofd8001]

I agree, mostly. I've culled the number of profiles significantly. The only reason I'm using "Home" and "Travel" is probably picky. My "Travel" has many more Favorites List for the various places I go. At "Home" there is no need for most. Because of loading times on boot-up, I've set that profile to just local stuff. Yeah, I'm too impatient sometimes.

 

[teknishun]

The software wont let me install it twice it wont save independent setups for each scanner in config file either. So how can I use the software for both scanners if they dont have the same setup since i use them for different purposes. I only keep the db info needed for the purpose i use the scanner for?

Where is the manual for this confusing software?

First of all let me tell you that this procedure
is a lot more difficult to explain step by step
in writing than it is to actually do. So do not get
put off by this lengthy post. Once you do this
a couple of times the old "light bulb" that
says "Aha!" will come on in your head.

If I could show you in person it would only
take about 5 minutes. So bear with me!
It's really very easy.

Before you begin you need to know that if you
use Sentinel to program 3 scanners, such as
the 436, 536 and the SDS100, then Sentinel
will contain ALL the favorites lists from
each scanner. So your 3 scanners all have
their favorite lists grouped together in
one place in Sentinel. But not to worry.

That is where profiles come into play.
The Profile you setup for each scanner determines
for THAT particular scanner, which favorites lists get
loaded and monitored and it ignores all
the others even if they are listed there.

Sentinel keeps track of every favorites list.
It does not matter which scanner they came from.
If you "Read from Scanner" for both the 436
and the 536 then Sentinel will contain ALL
the favorites lists from both scanners!

Eliminate any duplicate favorites lists that
might have been in both scanners. You only
want one copy of each favorites list to
be in Sentinel.

Now, how do you make the 436 and the 536
different? You do that with profiles.
Make one profile for the 436 and another
profile for the 536.

How do you do that? Start with all of the
favorites lists you have in Sentinel and
do a "New Profile" at the top menu.
Give a name to that new profile, such as "436".

Now do Open Profile and choose from the list
of profiles the name you just created for
the 436. At the top of the page it should
show something like Sentinel:436

This is your profile for the 436 and to choose
which favorite lists to put in there you use
Edit Profile and then the Scan Selection tab.

You will see all of your favorite lists there.
But you only want some, not all, for the 436.
Hold down the Ctrl key and manually select only
those FL you want in the 436. Ignore the rest.

For those that you highlighted you change
the Monitor and the Download values to On.
Leave everything else set to Off.
Click the Service Types tab and on the left
side put a check mark beside all the types listed
there. Allowing all service types in a profile
can save you much grief later.

You can at this time make any other changes to
any of the other tabs in this profile. When you
get done it is now time to "Write To Scanner"
and be sure to check "Erase Favorites Lists
On Scanner". This wipes out what was in the
scanner before and replaces it with the
favorite lists you want based on your profile.

If you want, you can also check "Force Write
Full Database" to download the latest and
greatest copy of Radio Reference database
that is loaded into Sentinel.

Now create another Profile for the 536
and this time the favorite lists that
you "Monitor" and "Download" will be different.

And that's basically all there is to it.

 

[osiris]

Thanks for the replies. Since I have 2 laptops and WAY too much time on my hands I think I'll just use 1 for my SDS100 and the other for my SDS 200
Bob

 

[dfw1193]

I went that way initially and finally got my head wrapped around how it works which is not the way I thought it worked so now I use profiles for 436, 536 and sds200 works great!