Official Starrsoft WIN500 Software Thread

[scan-pa]

Official Starrsoft WIN500 Software Thread.

This thread is to report & Discuss anything related to The WIN500 software.


Starrsoft WIN500 Software: http://starrsoft.com/ Version 1.07 is now Available **** updated on 11/27/2007

System Requirements
In order to run Win500, you'll need the following:

* A copy of the Win500 program
* A PSR-500 Scanner
* The blue GRE USB Scanner Programming cable that came with your PSR-500.
* A Windows (2000, XP, Vista) PC. Sorry - 95, 98, and Me are not supported.

 

[abqscan]

Don, how do I get 5 people to listen to my radio at the same time like you. When one person is monitoring and another logs on, it kicks the 1st person off line.

 

[DonS]

Don, how do I get 5 people to listen to my radio at the same time like you.

You write a program that makes one connection to a TCP server, accepts multiple "client" TCP connections, and passes data between the two sides. Maybe something like this completely undocumented, unsupported utility.

Regarding your PMed audio question...

See this post:
http://www.radioreference.com/forums/showpost.php?p=697272&postcount=397

EDIT: removed reference to Win500 in the "unsupported utility" text above, since that utility really has nothing to do with Win500 or scanners.

 

[Sownman]

Don...

I have been creating small Win500 files testing and trying to improve on a one section at a time basis the first large complete template I did for my area. I find when I paste the various fixes together and try to upload to scanner I get a message that there are errors in object ID numbers and Win500 will "fix" this during upload but will not alter the computer file. Thats nice, but would it be possible to alter the template as well ? Can't Win500 just re number the object list with consecutive ID's ? For those compulsive people we may not sleep at night knowing that our template has two #915 ID's

Thanks for the great program

Steve

 

[DonS]

I have been creating small Win500 files testing and trying to improve on a one section at a time basis the first large complete template I did for my area. I find when I paste the various fixes together and try to upload to scanner I get a message that there are errors in object ID numbers and Win500 will "fix" this during upload but will not alter the computer file. Thats nice, but would it be possible to alter the template as well ? Can't Win500 just re number the object list with consecutive ID's ? For those compulsive people we may not sleep at night knowing that our template has two #915 ID's

I'd recommend doing what I do (which is the entire reason for allowing the "large" range of Object IDs)...

Presuming that each of your small P500 files represent an "agency", an "area", or a trunking system, renumber the IDs in each file so that they don't overlap. For example, I have about 8 different P500 files. Six of them each contain a single TSYS with its TGRPs. They're numbered starting at boundaries of 100 (i.e. SantaClaraCity TSYS at 100, its TGRPs starting at 101, Moffet Field TSYS at 200, its TGRPs starting at 201, etc.).

When I bring all of these files together and upload to the radio, I don't get any "object ID" warnings, since there are no overlaps. (I also don't have any Object IDs outside the 0000 - 1851 range, so that helps avoid warnings, too).

 

[DonS]

A few of you have downloaded the "unsupported utility" I mentioned above...

Has anybody figured it out? Do we have any new PSR-500/600 servers available for public monitoring?

 

[kevins669]

Has anybody figured it out?

... Maybe just a little hint???

I would like to get it set up on my server...

-- Kevin

 

[DonS]

Using the utility does require a small knowledge of some networking concepts (esp. "net masks").

Using just the sample config file in the ZIP file linked above, you should be able to:
1. extract the ZIP file to a new, empty directory
2. open a command prompt and CD to that directory
3. type: tcpmux tcpmuxconfig_sample2.txt <enter>
4. start Win500's "remote server", using the default port 8086

After doing the above, you should be able to:
a. connect to the Win500 server from the same machine on port 26755
b. connect to the Win500 server from any machine on a 10.b.c.d LAN on port 26755 (if your LAN uses a different private network, change the config text file)
c. connect to the Win500 server (time-limited, no control) from any machine on a WAN (via port 26755) presuming you've also configured any router or firewalls on your local network to forward the utility's "incoming port" 26755 to the machine where the utility is running.

For example, here I have a Win500 server running on port 8086. Using the config text file from the ZIP, and after I've opened port 26755 on my SonicWALL firewall device (forwarding that port to the IP address where the tcpmux utility is running), the "public" can monitor my PSR-600 by connecting to my public IP address (home.starrsoft.com) on the port where the tcpmux program is "listening" (26755)

For any "advanced" configurations of the utility (e.g. chaining two or more together to allow various combinations of controllable, time-limited, etc. on different ports), and for opening ports on your specific firewall/router, you're on your own. After all, it's an "undocumented, unsupported utility"

 

[DonS]

Another peculiarity of the tcpmux utility.... it doesn't have any concept of the data it's passing. All it does is connect to one "server" IP address, allow connections from one or more "clients", then move data between server <-> clients.

You could, by editing its config text file, point the utility at _my_ server instead of your own. You could then allow people to connect to your tcpmux. In effect, you'd be extending my allowed client connections beyond 5 (though your tcpmux connection to me would get disconnected after 5 minutes, after which it would retry indefinitely until it reconnected 60 seconds after disconnect).

A big "web" of PSR-500/600 servers could be created

 

[kevins669]

Don,

Ok, not to be requesting support for an unsupported program and straying from the main content on this thread...

But...

Have tried with the sample, as well as changing some ports...

I can see the machine connect, then disconnect. Does the same on the server, lan, and wan.

Another hint, please

-- Kevin

Edit: When I say connect then disconnect, it is saying accepted, then it disconnects. Does it three times, then gives up.

 

[DonS]

Are you changing the connecting client's "port" to match what's in the tcpmux utility's config file? If you leave it set to its default (8086), it likely won't work.

 

[kevins669]

Are you changing the connecting client's "port" to match what's in the tcpmux utility's config file? If you leave it set to its default (8086), it likely won't work.

I was trying to open it in WMP... I don't know why.

How many connections do you think this can support?

It is all working now, though. Thanks for the "support."

I may go ahead and open this up through Tuesday, to broadcast the NOPD for Mardi Gras, after I do some more testing.

I sent you a message the other day, but you may have just been busy... About the client app running on Windows Mobile. I could control the radio based on what is going on, while I am not at the server...

Not asking for too much, I hope

Thanks for some great software.

-- Kevin

 

[hoser147]

Don, When I open up Win500 and monitor it will run with the old version 1.07, I cant get the new 1.08 to run. If I put your server and port in it works correctly. I have tried changing the server to my dns and port with no luck. What am I doing wrong? Hoser

 

[DonS]

I was trying to open it in WMP... I don't know why.

How many connections do you think this can support?

As many as you can support with CPU and network bandwidth.

I sent you a message the other day, but you may have just been busy... About the client app running on Windows Mobile. I could control the radio based on what is going on, while I am not at the server...

I've been thinking about a Windows Mobile / PPC version (anything I may release would probably be targeted at PPC 2003, maybe WM5), but it's a significant effort. The fact that the platforms have "windows" in their names is nearly irrelevant - different development tools, runtime libraries, etc.

 

[kevins669]

As many as you can support with CPU and network bandwidth.

I've been thinking about a Windows Mobile / PPC version (anything I may release would probably be targeted at PPC 2003, maybe WM5), but it's a significant effort. The fact that the platforms have "windows" in their names is nearly irrelevant - different development tools, runtime libraries, etc.

Well, I have to say this is getting to be a very nice setup... The software makes a great scanner much, much better.

Since the WM5 client may be a while, (I hope sometime soon,) maybe these would be a little easier.

- Password access for clients
- Ability to use TCPMux as it is, but be able to run the server with an additional port for control purposes (again, password access) AND be streaming to clients.

Again, great stuff.

-- Kevin

 

[DonS]

- Password access for clients
- Ability to use TCPMux as it is, but be able to run the server with an additional port for control purposes (again, password access) AND be streaming to clients.

Just use TCPMux as it is, but don't disclose the port(s)...

1. one copy of TCPMux running, connected to Win500 server, which is "fully controllable". Have it listening on port <x>. Don't tell anyone you don't want to control your scanner about this port.
2. Another copy of TCPMux running, connected to TCPMux in (1) above, that is not controllable. If you don't want people connecting to your scanner (even not controllable), don't tell them about this port.
2a. Maybe limit that second TCPMux so that it only accepts connections from certain IP addresses.

I've had one PSR-600, monitored by one "Win500 Server", running for a couple of weeks now. I'm running two, "daisy-chained" instances of TCPMux. I've only told the world about port 26755.

There's another port # that is controllable and doesn't time out after 5 minutes. I use that one for my own monitoring, and don't tell the world about it. I suppose someone with a bunch of time on their hands could "find" that port, but I could then either change the port # or filter on IP (either in the TCPMux config file or via my firewall)

 

[kevins669]

Just use TCPMux as it is, but don't disclose the port(s)...

1. one copy of TCPMux running, connected to Win500 server, which is "fully controllable". Have it listening on port <x>. Don't tell anyone you don't want to control your scanner about this port.
2. Another copy of TCPMux running, connected to TCPMux in (1) above, that is not controllable. If you don't want people connecting to your scanner (even not controllable), don't tell them about this port.
2a. Maybe limit that second TCPMux so that it only accepts connections from certain IP addresses.

I've had one PSR-600, monitored by one "Win500 Server", running for a couple of weeks now. I'm running two, "daisy-chained" instances of TCPMux. I've only told the world about port 26755.

There's another port # that is controllable and doesn't time out after 5 minutes. I use that one for my own monitoring, and don't tell the world about it. I suppose someone with a bunch of time on their hands could "find" that port, but I could then either change the port # or filter on IP (either in the TCPMux config file or via my firewall)

Awesome. Works perfectly.

Thanks!

-- Kevin

 

[kevins669]

Don,

I have a couple of problems I have found with the latest release...

1. Can connect with client app and control scanner, but if using a copy of Win500 as a client, it will connect and monitor, but will not control.

1. Can turn the light on with the server or the client, but can't turn it off.

Thanks!

-- Kevin

 

[DonS]

I have a couple of problems I have found with the latest release...

1. Can connect with client app and control scanner, but if using a copy of Win500 as a client, it will connect and monitor, but will not control.

1. Can turn the light on with the server or the client, but can't turn it off.

The "client" option in Win500 is going to go away, in favor of the separate client app. I haven't been maintaining the Win500-embedded code lately, so it likely has some problems.

Don't use Win500 as a "remote client". Instead, use the dedicated client app. It does everything the Win500 version does, and more.

 

[kevins669]

Server is up for testing

The "client" option in Win500 is going to go away, in favor of the separate client app. I haven't been maintaining the Win500-embedded code lately, so it likely has some problems.

Don't use Win500 as a "remote client". Instead, use the dedicated client app. It does everything the Win500 version does, and more.

Thanks... I did not know you were planning on removing that...

But the light will not turn off with the client, either. Turns on, though.

I currently have the PSR-500 broadcasting 8 NOPD channels.

Use the following in Win500 Client:

www.krazy.net

Port : 8088

Currently has 20 open ports... Want to test out load and bandwith for a couple of days before Mardi Gras.

Let me know of any connection issues or problems so I can adjust.

If you hear something good (and you probably will) send me a PM with the Talkgroup and I will pause it for you.

-- Kevin

 

[radionut44]

Win 500 Client

How can I save to Favorites List in Client?
Ron