Micro USB programming cable?

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SCPD

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As the title states: is the data cable / programming slot on the BCD396XT & BCD996XT a micro USB connection? I have a new BCD396XT that will be here Monday and noticed they come with a DB9 cable which is fine for most of my ancient PC's but want to be able to program via my laptop which is USB only and do not want to hassle with converters and or gender changers (had to in the past).
 

fxdscon

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As the title states: is the data cable / programming slot on the BCD396XT & BCD996XT a micro USB connection? I have a new BCD396XT that will be here Monday and noticed they come with a DB9 cable which is fine for most of my ancient PC's but want to be able to program via my laptop which is USB only and do not want to hassle with converters and or gender changers (had to in the past).

No, it's not a mini USB on the cable or the port. Also, the port on the scanner uses RS232 serial communication, not USB. So if you want to connect to a USB port on the computer, you will need a USB to serial converter.
 

SCPD

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No, it's not a mini USB on the cable or the port. Also, the port on the scanner uses RS232 serial communication, not USB. So if you want to connect to a USB port on the computer, you will need a USB to serial converter.

That's what I thought. Bugger alright thanks. Just curious why didn't or doesnt Uniden adopt the microUSB ? Atleast than they wont have to add an extra cable to the packing and in return save $

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kruser

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That's what I thought. Bugger alright thanks. Just curious why didn't or doesnt Uniden adopt the microUSB ? Atleast than they wont have to add an extra cable to the packing and in return save $

Sent from my SCH-I605

Uniden's new models do have true USB now and are also full of connectivity problems.
USB will never be as robust or as reliable as a true serial port.
There are many things that can interrupt a USB connection such as plugging in or removing another USB device on the same USB hub when you are writing firmware or programming data into your PSR800 or new Uniden's.
USB is faster but the amount of data sent over the wire for your typical scanner is so little that serial port speeds are fine.
I'd much rather have a reliable connection over speed as it's a pain to redo the data on the SD cards in the USB based radios when the data becomes corrupted due to an USB interruption.

Properly coded application software can often catch and correct errors if the USB data flow is interrupted but that does not appear to be coded into GRE's EZ-Scan software.
 

SCPD

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Uniden's new models do have true USB now and are also full of connectivity problems.
USB will never be as robust or as reliable as a true serial port.
There are many things that can interrupt a USB connection such as plugging in or removing another USB device on the same USB hub when you are writing firmware or programming data into your PSR800 or new Uniden's.
USB is faster but the amount of data sent over the wire for your typical scanner is so little that serial port speeds are fine.
I'd much rather have a reliable connection over speed as it's a pain to redo the data on the SD cards in the USB based radios when the data becomes corrupted due to an USB interruption.

Properly coded application software can often catch and correct errors if the USB data flow is interrupted but that does not appear to be coded into GRE's EZ-Scan software.


You right on about the reliability of USB. My Davis weather station is connected to my PC via USB and more often than not it disconnects especially during any electrical disturbance. The old wx station was connected via serial and never had an issue. I would have purchased the serial version, but with PC's eliminating serial ports there are sometimes no choice. Serial to USB converters have their own problems as well.
 

fxdscon

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even though the connection on the scanner is actually a Mini USB, the port is electrically RS-232.

The data connection port on the scanner in not a mini-USB.

.
 

kruser

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The data connection port on the scanner in not a mini-USB.

.

Correct, it is not mini USB. I never did really learn what that connector is truly called. Many called it a Hi-Rose connector but I think that is just a supplier or manufacturer.

I've seen the same exact connector used for both USB and Serial connections.
I needed some of the plugs so I bought a bunch off eBay for a buck each. They were short like 6 inches and had a USB male Type A connector on the other end. Those were also called HiRose connectors!

I often wondered if anyone got their hands on one of these and plugged them into the x96 series and a USB computer port, if it damaged the radios serial port or perhaps the USB port on the computer.

I cut the USB ends off and made up my special serial cables I needed from just the Uniden shaped end.

I also had a cheap pair of binoculars that also snapped photo's of what you were viewing. They used the same odd connector but it was a USB connection for getting the pictures off the binoculars and into a computer.
I think I've only ever seen it used as a serial connection on Uniden scanners so USB seems to be its original purpose. I guess they are fine for serial projects though as long as you don't need any of the other signalling wires that serial offers.
 

garys

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You can always buy a USB-1 cable from Uniden. I never got one because I always preferred the USB to serial adapters.

I've programmed my 536 and 436 with a couple of different computers, one using Win7 and one using Win8. Haven't had a problem with any of it. I'm on a road trip right now and have programmed and reprogrammed my 436 using Sentinel and ARC536 using my laptop with Win8. No problems so far.

A lot of people complained about not having Mini USB programming/charging capabilities with the XT scanners, so Uniden put it into the x36 scanners.Those same people complained about having to use a DB9 cable and not having USB capabilities. So Uniden put that into the x36 scanners. Now people are complaining about the USB ports on the scanners and the lack of serial programming.

It would be interesting, if time consuming, to construct a spread sheet by going back and looking at who complained about what when and see where those universes coincide. It might expose some chronic complainers on the forum.
 

SCPD

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You can always buy a USB-1 cable from Uniden. I never got one because I always preferred the USB to serial adapters.

I've programmed my 536 and 436 with a couple of different computers, one using Win7 and one using Win8. Haven't had a problem with any of it. I'm on a road trip right now and have programmed and reprogrammed my 436 using Sentinel and ARC536 using my laptop with Win8. No problems so far.

A lot of people complained about not having Mini USB programming/charging capabilities with the XT scanners, so Uniden put it into the x36 scanners.Those same people complained about having to use a DB9 cable and not having USB capabilities. So Uniden put that into the x36 scanners. Now people are complaining about the USB ports on the scanners and the lack of serial programming.

It would be interesting, if time consuming, to construct a spread sheet by going back and looking at who complained about what when and see where those universes coincide. It might expose some chronic complainers on the forum.

:thumbup:

Sent from my SCH-I605
 
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