DSDPlus Is DSD+ still being updated?

[ErikSwan]

What is the current situation with DSD+, especially the paid "fastlane" version? Is the project still being updated and supported?

The last post on the website is from 2018 and the last entry in the changelog on the website is from 2015.

Is it still actively supported and worth paying for?

 

[RaleighGuy]

What is the current situation with DSD+, especially the paid "fastlane" version? Is the project still being updated and supported?

Is it still actively supported and worth paying for?

Definitely, there were updates just before the new year and it is a highly recommended program. The author continues to be very responsive to changes and reasonable requests. Though the website isn't updated much, it is just a stepping stone and not advertisement for the program, RR Forums do enough plugging of DSD+. Also, keep in mind, it is not put out by a company or team of developers, it is a single individual who does all the work.

DSDPlus - DSD+ 2.457 Available

DSD+ 2.457 All "TIII" support has been excised from DSD+. The program now red-flags any data file entry that has "TIII" as the protocol string. No DMR system/site will be reported as "TIII". When a TIII site is monitored, DSD+ will make a determination as to whether a...

forums.radioreference.com

 

[KC1UA]

Yes and yes, as posted in various threads here. There have been as I recall three updates in maybe the last month. There had not been for some time prior but this is the nature of the beast. WELL worth the $25 for lifetime updates, IMHO.

 

[ErikSwan]

If I pay/subscribe, how are the updates and software distributed? Via email?

 

[RaleighGuy]

If I pay/subscribe, how are the updates and software distributed? Via email?

Through the program itself, it checks the current version and lets you know if the program or base files need to be updated, and then gives you the option to download them. The only email is the initial email to you giving you your password, SAVE IT, KEEP IT SAFE. Make sure you include a good email in the remarks/message box on PayPal when sending in the payment, and I strongly urge you to go ahead and get the lifetime subscription.

 

[ArloG]

Still sucks development isn't covering any of the better "real" modern sdr radios. CAT control, CI-V is nonexistent. Rig control, Hamlib, etc.
Still struggling in understanding how to get my Fastlane versions working with discriminator (passive digital monitoring) to get anything more than spurts of digital voice.

 

[DaveNF2G]

DSDPlus is a package that includes other programs to perform additional tasks, like FMP to control SDRs and LRRP to decode location data to a map.
IIRC, CI-V was for controlling Icom radios and could be considered obsolete, at least outside the Icom ecology. Discriminator tapping is also passe.

 

[ArloG]

DSDPlus is a package that includes other programs to perform additional tasks, like FMP to control SDRs and LRRP to decode location data to a map.
IIRC, CI-V was for controlling Icom radios and could be considered obsolete, at least outside the Icom ecology. Discriminator tapping is also passe.

Nah. Or Passive Digital Monitor would be passe also. So.
There is some knuckle dragging going on. As older SDR# versions allowed I/Q dll drivers to be used. Then the powers that be 'outlawed' them.
Obviously to narrow down any users to be forced to purchase an RTL based receiver. From cheap to expensive.
Then the very crafty guy who developed the USRP plugin to allow I/Q drivers to be used with #.
Which was quickly outlawed and then usage disabled in later releases.
So. My lifetime subscription of Fastlane is a big bummer and every 'new' version left waiting for a big surprise.
Whatever 'mechanism' is used for trunk tracking with cheapassed dongles could easily be implemented if effort was given.
That 'mechanism', if known. Could be give to a group of eager college guys for some beer and a little weed.
Or. Whomever Mr. Fastlane is could get off his rear end and code a FMPx driver or implement the ability to use I/Q drivers, Hamlib.....whatever.
For the guys who graduated from toy dongle radios. Not saying that my RSP is a toy at all. Nor the R8600 by a long shot.
Not one person in other groups who have emailed DSD+ with the same subject had gotten a reply.

 

[mikewazowski]

You should ask for your money back.

 

[dlwtrunked]

Still sucks development isn't covering any of the better "real" modern sdr radios. CAT control, CI-V is nonexistent. Rig control, Hamlib, etc.
Still struggling in understanding how to get my Fastlane versions working with discriminator (passive digital monitoring) to get anything more than spurts of digital voice.

Puzzle by that. It supports the AirSpy R2 which I challenge you to name a better VHF/UHF radio (I have an ICOM R9500 and it as good as that). It is not designed to control radios except for trunking. I think you may not really understand the purpose of DSD+ and expecting it to do something it is not designed to do.

 

[RaleighGuy]

Still sucks development isn't covering any of the better "real" modern sdr radios. CAT control, CI-V is nonexistent. Rig control, Hamlib, etc.

I've never heard of any of those, are they still in wide spread use? I"d like to hear what each one is about, nearly ten years in the forums and this is the first I heard of them.

Still struggling in understanding how to get my Fastlane versions working with discriminator (passive digital monitoring) to get anything more than spurts of digital voice.

But wouldn't a SDR be so much cheaper and easier to use than trying to figure out how to install a discriminator tap to a scanner and taking a chance of messing it up?

Then the very crafty guy who developed the USRP plugin to allow I/Q drivers to be used with #.
Which was quickly outlawed and then usage disabled in later releases.

Our government actually got together an outlawed a plugin? Surprised they'd even know what it was

Whatever 'mechanism' is used for trunk tracking with cheapassed dongles could easily be implemented if effort was given.
That 'mechanism', if known. Could be give to a group of eager college guys for some beer and a little weed.

Yeah I'd really trust software created by college guys on beer and weed, I like that suggestion.

Not one person in other groups who have emailed DSD+ with the same subject had gotten a reply.

Have there been a lot of people emailing DSD+ author for this? This, as I mentioned before, is the first time I'm hearing of these issues. But, I do wonder why the DSD+ author would be involved with plugins for SDR#, or maybe I missed something, forgive me I'm a little slow.

I think @mikewazowski has the right idea, email DSD+ and ask for a refund.

 

[ArloG]

I've never heard of any of those, are they still in wide spread use? I"d like to hear what each one is about, nearly ten years in the forums and this is the first I heard of them.
Surely ye jest. Are what 'still' in widespread use? HDSDR, SDR-Console, Older SDR#, others. Either have integrated drivers already incorporated or the I/Q drivers are easily dropped in the proper sub directories. I/Q being how sdr radios can demodulate received signals into different modes.
Welcome to year 11.

But wouldn't a SDR be so much cheaper and easier to use than trying to figure out how to install a discriminator tap to a scanner and taking a chance of messing it up?
SDR# and all of the previous mentioned sdr applications can "pipe" audio to DSD+. Basically the same as a discriminator tap. With the addition of being able to use the intermediate frequency output options of the receivers. A bit of research would enlighten you.


Our government actually got together an outlawed a plugin? Surprised they'd even know what it was
Nope. Andy and Barney didn't get with the mayor and enact a law. The owner of SDR# enacted the cease and desist order. And if I believe it to be true. That is against the whole GPL Open Source concept.



Yeah I'd really trust software created by college guys on beer and weed, I like that suggestion.
Some of the best ideas come from higher education undergraduates. Take a trip down to your local college and ask the engineering department what the students are working on. Computer science and microcontroller, etc. design and development in colleges, universities, technical schools is where many corporations head to to seek the ideas of bright students. What? Never been in a frat house, dorm, lab? Sheesh!


gital
Have there been a lot of people emailing DSD+ author for this? This, as I mentioned before, is the first time I'm hearing of these issues. But, I do wonder why the DSD+ author would be involved with plugins for SDR#, or maybe I missed something, forgive me I'm a little slow.
Yes there have been. There is a...what is the word? Reluctance of SDR# and DSD+ to enable usage of other radios. Although other sdr application developers have worked hard to deliver fine programs with little to no predjudice (that's the word!) to the radios used.
Go ahead. Do it. Search for the catch phrase "Supported Radios" of your sdr application du jour.

I think @mikewazowski has the right idea, email DSD+ and ask for a refund.
Hell. Passive Digital Monitor is an option. "Discriminator output", VB Cable output piped into DSD+. Monitor a voice channel and apparently you should get more than a peep of audio. So far, big fails. A tutorial covering it?.

So. There you have it.

 

[DaveNF2G]

The problem with SDR#/Airspy is the developer of Airspy. He has not been colluding with the developer of DSDPlus. He has simply been doing whatever he could to block competition from any other SDR manufacturer.

 

[slicerwizard]

I have some questions.

Developers should support these radios without actually having physical access to them? That sounds very problematic. I guess it's doable, but I don't know.

Or should they buy them all? Sounds expensive.

And how many users would this benefit? I'm guessing it's not a large percentage. And how would this impact timelines for outstanding issues (like the current scroll of death, the current DSD+/FMP24 sudden loss of communication, ...) ? These are issues that I suspect are affecting far more users.

Why not just pick up something like an Airspy Mini and call it a day?

 

[mikewazowski]

Developers should support these radios without actually having physical access to them? That sounds very problematic. I guess it's doable, but I don't know.

Or should they buy them all? Sounds expensive.

You forgot the option where the complainer buys the developer the radio they want to be supported.

 

[slicerwizard]

You forgot the option where the complainer buys the developer the radio they want to be supported.

I assume that option isn't on the table. And it would still incur the developer time resource drain.

 

[ArloG]

Mike, Slice. Perhaps remembering that older # versions that did enable usage of dll drivers for many different not RTL based, etc. radios.
The frequency scanner plugin worked just fine.
And if you've never used one of the websdr sites to 'drive' one of the many radios users offer for you to tune and listen to broadcasts worldwide. You should try it.
As a fact that you, yourselves, are using your radios connected to a pc. You both can establish a remote session over the Internet from anywhere on the globe. Of course if you wish to slap up an antenna when you camp, etc. you will need a radio also.
So offering a person remote access. Whether through a VPN created on your router to assure only that person can access your equipment.
You both should know that is a viable option. And how just too many entities actually operate. Remote access to a computer is just too easy.
So. No. The dev. would not need a stack of radios in his possession.
I mean. We fly drones from a hut in Arizona anywhere around the world just like they're in a pilots seat.

Please bear with me. I'm not the "complainer". Yesterday was a very active day for digital on the 150 MHz band here.
It is my assumption. And please help if you can. That DSD+ (Fastlane) should decode digital voice with Passive Digital Monitor.
I monitored P25, DMR, NXDN, and a few P25 with NXDN data channels here in N. PA.
I was getting a steady stream of data in the data window. I see where CC is displayed. And then hints of VC frequencies.
I tune to the VC frequencies and wait. Eventually data and then Voice streams in the window. But if I eve get any voice. It's just a burst of broken voice. Bandwidth is correct. Data streams fast. DMR displaying voice never produces any. I hear the data in my speakers.
Is a .bat needed for Passive Digital Monitor? My info. tells me not.
I can click on VC Monitor in the Control window. Data text streams. But never any voice.
Could you please be nice and assist what I may be doing wrong? Did I miss anything?
If you did the same thing using a RTL radio through #. And piped the audio with VB cable to DSD+. And monitor a voice channel.
Are you able to get decoded voice?
I would really appreciate any tips. Seriously, a lot.

 

[cg]

Passive Digital Monitor mode in v2.457 works fine here. No trunktracking on a control channel, it shows & plays voice activity on two DMR slots as I would expect. P25 conventional works, P25 Phase 2 plays one of the two conversations.
It would be helpful if you explained what DSDPlus FL capable hardware you are using and specifically what you are trying to do.

 

[slicerwizard]

If you want assistance , you need to give us something to work with. Use DSD+ to record the raw source audio that you're feeding to DSD+. Upload that to some file sharing service and let the troubleshooting begin...

 

[ArloG]

If you want assistance , you need to give us something to work with. Use DSD+ to record the raw source audio that you're feeding to DSD+. Upload that to some file sharing service and let the troubleshooting begin...

I shall do that very soon and carry it over to another post.
Hopefully enough files, screenshots. Settings.
In the interm. I was listening to VC-DSDPlus.wav and DSDPlus.wav files. There are short bursts of voice. Very short. 30 second or so recordings.
And I am very sure all of these things have to do with me.
IF bandwidth is set to 12.5-12.6 KHz and I've raised/lowered it a bit.
Volume into DSD+ has been varied. Just never a complete voice transmission.
48 KHz 2 channel audio out of the radio and into VB cable.
Correct I hope.
I have listened to HF DMR broadcasts using Dream software. Great decodes and steady voice.
All sorts of digital modes on HF. Meteor and NOAA satellite decoding. Inmarsat, etc. decodes.
So bear with me please. It's not like it's my first day trying. And. Thanks.