BCD436HP/BCD536HP: Latest Firmware version?

[kd7eir]

Although I am not positive, I believe the OP is using something similar to this:

USB Extender over CAT5E or CAT6 Connection up to 150ft - Monoprice.com

It is a USB connected to his computer, longer than most, but still within what should be expected to work. He's not trying to control the radio attached to a different computer over the ethernet, which I would agree to be outside of the expectation range.

Computer control of the radio is an advertised feature.

And you CAN control it using a virtual screen with the software from Butel. No where is the 436 advertised as being remotely updatable or programmable, which is what the OP seems to want. The 536 does talk about controlling it over WiFi, but even there nothing is mentioned about programming or updating over WiFi.

I think we have a case here of someone seeing a word and nothing bothering to contemplate the many, many variations of functionality that word can mean, and verifying WHICH SPECIFIC functionality the product at hand supports.

Sentinel was NEVER advertised as a remote control solution for the radio, so expecting it to do anything remotely is also wrong.

It's NOT the fault of the 436 that the OP PRESUMED it would do something that it was never designed for. Again, the only failure here is the OP via his ASSUMPTIONS.

Prudent fiscal responsibility mandates that one research what they need to accomplish, then research which tools can accommodate those requirements, and finally narrowing down the selection to the one that best fits with the intended task. Purchasing based upon a cursory glance is virtually never a prudent choice, and it never gives the purchaser the right to demean the product/manufacturer for not doing something that they never said they could do in the first place.

 

[rhombus_000]

It's NOT the fault of the 436 that the OP PRESUMED it would do something that it was never designed for. Again, the only failure here is the OP via his ASSUMPTIONS.

You are making a pretty huge assumption that the 436 was absolutely 100% not designed for remote control... that's a much larger assumption than me assuming that Uniden's new flagship scanner would do everything the old one would.

 

[Citywide173]

And you CAN control it using a virtual screen with the software from Butel. No where is the 436 advertised as being remotely updatable or programmable, which is what the OP seems to want. The 536 does talk about controlling it over WiFi, but even there nothing is mentioned about programming or updating over WiFi.

I think we have a case here of someone seeing a word and nothing bothering to contemplate the many, many variations of functionality that word can mean, and verifying WHICH SPECIFIC functionality the product at hand supports.

Sentinel was NEVER advertised as a remote control solution for the radio, so expecting it to do anything remotely is also wrong.

It's NOT the fault of the 436 that the OP PRESUMED it would do something that it was never designed for. Again, the only failure here is the OP via his ASSUMPTIONS.

Prudent fiscal responsibility mandates that one research what they need to accomplish, then research which tools can accommodate those requirements, and finally narrowing down the selection to the one that best fits with the intended task. Purchasing based upon a cursory glance is virtually never a prudent choice, and it never gives the purchaser the right to demean the product/manufacturer for not doing something that they never said they could do in the first place.

The setup that I referenced is not a remote setup, it is a LONG USB cable connected to the scanner, no network, no wifi, no interweb....it is connecting the scanner to the computer using Sentinel THROUGH THE USB PORT.

 

[kd7eir]

You are making a pretty huge assumption that the 436 was absolutely 100% not designed for remote control... that's a much larger assumption than me assuming that Uniden's new flagship scanner would do everything the old one would.

There is NOTHING from Uniden stating that it WAS designed for remote control. Considering all of the features that Uniden bragged about that are NOT working, I seriously doubt that they would not have mentioned remote control if that was a designed functionality.

The difference between us is that you are imagining things that are nowhere to be found, and I am relying on the FACTS as presented by Uniden. I will always put my money on facts over folly.

Since the 436 was not advertised as "Everything the old scanner was!" why on earth would anyone assume that it was simply a newer version? In fact, Uniden even mentioned that this line was a major redesign from the ground up, including the very processor and software that runs it. It's absolutely absurd to assume that meant it was identical to an older scanner which was based upon an entirely different architecture and software.

My old house had a fireplace, by your logic I should just assume that EVERY NEWER house made by the same developer would also include a fireplace.

 

[kd7eir]

The setup that I referenced is not a remote setup, it is a LONG USB cable connected to the scanner, no network, no wifi, no interweb....it is connecting the scanner to the computer using Sentinel THROUGH THE USB PORT.

And you assumed that was all you needed, without RESEARCHING to discover that some functions of the scanner require you to unplug the cable and/or press PHYSICAL BUTTONS on the scanner. That is YOUR FAILURE not Uniden's.

 

[Citywide173]

And you assumed that was all you needed, without RESEARCHING to discover that some functions of the scanner require you to unplug the cable and/or press PHYSICAL BUTTONS on the scanner. That is YOUR FAILURE not Uniden's.

I am not the OP, hence I failed at nothing. He powered the radio down and moved it to the computer when it told him to power it off. It worked like it was supposed to but he wasn't sure if the upgrade had taken-which it had, so he really didn't fail at anything either. Your insistence that he was using the radio wrong is the only failure here. He just has to realize that he will have to walk to the radio if he updates the firmware, which is not an issue, since Uniden hasn't released a firmware upgrade since the radio was released.

There isn't much else other than a firmware update that requires tactile input on this radio during programming after it's been entered into serial mode.

 

[UPMan]

Thanks, Ed. I was about to say the same thing, after wracking my brains to think of any other function that requires physical presence (and, actually, if you tell the PC to eject the drive, I believe the scanner will complete the update without even that tactile presence).

 

[Voyager]

How would it re-enter Serial mode on reboot, though?

 

[Ghstwolf62]

You want to sell your 436 because it's not a "true remote control" device? I don't recall anyone, anywhere, marketing the 436 as a "remote control" scanner.

I get confused by people buying something for a purpose that it's NOT designed for, and then saying that is a reason for returning it. My car does not fly IFR routes, should I return it as well? My HF radio does not communicate on my local 800 MHz P25 system, I guess it's going back to Icom!

The number of people bad-mouthing this scanner because it does not meet their fantasy specifications seems to grow everyday.

If a tool is not intended for the purpose that you try to use it for, and it does not perform your intended purpose, then it is YOU that has failed, not the tool.

Hallelujah

 

[jitrevino]

no but i keep track of updates on the official site

Thanks for doing this!