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.

 

[SCPD]

Just for information, I had checked the extra write time and still had problems loading the radio. Installing the CPU update is what solved the problem.

 

[DonS]

Going back a ways to earlier threads, some folks are "power users" when it comes to recording (and I supposed hundreds of files every couple hours depending on how many TG's or channels they have set up and how busy those channels are) and perhaps need to have some sort of sorting system. Right now Don you have ALL wav files go to one folder based on date or whatever. Could you possibly add a checkbox that would allow them to maybe create subfolders under the main folder that would store the wav files for each agency or TG in their own separate folder? Perhaps that would help with some of the sorting. You have a dated folder and within that your text log file and then subfolders with the audio?

I've been thinking about something like that. However, some of the (in my opinion) most useful sorting/subdirectories would be, as Exsmokey hinted above, based on frequency for a "search" object.

The command line might come in handy... If I wanted to move all of yesterday's 155.700000 hits from a "Public Safety Search" object to a new directory, I would open a command prompt (Start -> Run -> cmd.exe), then:

  cd "C:\Program Files\WinXX\Win500Logs\2006-03-26"
  mkdir temp
  for %f in ("??????   SR-P ???? * 155.700000*") do move "%f" temp

Attached is a batch file (it's attached as a .TXT file; delete the ending ".txt") that will do a bunch of filtering/moving/copying based on criteria you specify. I have it in my "Win500Logs" directory. To perform the "move" above, I open a command prompt then:

  cd "C:\Program Files\WinXX\Win500Logs\2006-03-26"
  ..\mover FREQ 155.700000 TYPE SR-P OP move temp

It will show "usage" along with some examples if you:

  mover -help

Just for giggles...you could even add a simple wav file player into win500 so folks never have to use multiple programs....That ones a stretch I know....but never hurts to ask....

The player part would actually be pretty easy. The "hard" part would be creating a UI for the file selection.

 

[kd2pm]

Sorting

I've been thinking about something like that. However, some of the (in my opinion) most useful sorting/subdirectories would be, as Exsmokey hinted above, based on frequency for a "search" object.

The command line might come in handy... If I wanted to move all of yesterday's 155.700000 hits from a "Public Safety Search" object to a new directory, I would open a command prompt (Start -> Run -> cmd.exe), then:

  cd "C:\Program Files\WinXX\Win500Logs\2006-03-26"
  mkdir temp
  for %f in ("??????   SR-P ???? * 155.700000*") do move "%f" temp

Attached is a batch file (it's attached as a .TXT file; delete the ending ".txt") that will do a bunch of filtering/moving/copying based on criteria you specify. I have it in my "Win500Logs" directory. To perform the "move" above, I open a command prompt then:

  cd "C:\Program Files\WinXX\Win500Logs\2006-03-26"
  ..\mover FREQ 155.700000 TYPE SR-P OP move temp

It will show "usage" along with some examples if you:

  mover -help

Did download the text file. Let me see if I can set the scanner up over the weekend to record some stuff to see how it flies.

I am not really a search person but just a scan person so I do record multiple talk groups on the trunked side so could it work in the same manner?

 

[BOBRR]

Scan List None & Sweeper ?

Hello,

Is un-checking all the scan list boxes for an Object equivalent to placing the Object in
"scan list none" ?

The reason I'm asking is that I would like to free up a ScanList that presently has
(only) the Sweeper Object in it, and just be able to access Sweeper from the front keyboard via FUNC-SCAN.

Thanks,
Bob

 

[DonS]

Is un-checking all the scan list boxes for an Object equivalent to placing the Object in "scan list none" ?

Yes, it is.

 

[3mary2]

Don, as far as I am concerned you have done a wonderful job with Win500 program. I have crashed the computer twice, but since I kept the registration key as you said I have NO TROUBLE re-loading the program three (3) times. You or someone else with knowledge of the program really answer my silly questions fast. I have grown alittle wiser(?) now and put everythng on a flash drive which really makes it work great for someone who is not considered computer savy. Do have one question tho, the newer program has the Most recent 500 entries which help alot in tracking, but how much space does this take uop and can these files be deleted once I have collected the info I need? Again THANK YOU for taking the time to answer questions about the PSR 500 and writing your Win500 program so even I can understand what I am doing

 

[DonS]

Do have one question tho, the newer program has the Most recent 500 entries which help alot in tracking, but how much space does this take uop and can these files be deleted once I have collected the info I need?

The "Most recent 500" list merely shows the last 500 items written to the "Win500ActivityLog" file. The list itself doesn't take any disk space, just a little RAM.

The log file's size will depend on how much data is actually logged; that is, how "busy" your scanner is. Mine averages about 400 kB per day.

You can delete the file at any time. Win500 will create it again (in "today's" directory, if you have the "daily subdirectories" option enabled) the next time there's activity to be logged. I typically delete all of the "daily directories" once a week, leaving just "today's".

 

[BOBRR]

P25 Programming Question

Hi,

In the TSYS Objects menu, there are choices for:

MOT VHF/UHF
P25 Manual
P25 Auto.

When one sees a Post, or reads about some frequency, in which it is given as
just "P25", is the P25 Auto setting smart enough to know if it is P25 Manual or
MOT VHF/UHF ?

The reason I'm asking is that I understand that there are full, 100% digital P25 Transmissions that I guess are called P35 Exclusive (is this correct ?), and some that are a mix of analog and digital.

So, when one isn't sure about what type of P25 it is, how does one handle this ?
Just put Everything in as P25 Auto, or... ?

Thanks,
Bob

 

[DonS]

In the TSYS Objects menu, there are choices for:

MOT VHF/UHF
P25 Manual
P25 Auto.

When one sees a Post, or reads about some frequency, in which it is given as
just "P25", is the P25 Auto setting smart enough to know if it is P25 Manual or
MOT VHF/UHF ?

The reason I'm asking is that I understand that there are full, 100% digital P25 Transmissions that I guess are called P35 Exclusive (is this correct ?), and some that are a mix of analog and digital.

So, when one isn't sure about what type of P25 it is, how does one handle this ?
Just put Everything in as P25 Auto, or... ?

The "P25 Manual" and "P25 Auto" settings are only for trunking systems that use a P25 control channel. In the RR DB, these are listed as "System Type: Project 25 Standard".

If the DB shows the system type as something like "System Type: Motorola Type II SmartZone", then the PSR-500 TSYS "type" must be set as either "MOT VHF/UHF" or "MOT 800/900", depending on the actual system frequencies.

The "System Voice" value shown in the RR DB is irrelevant when choosing a "MOT" vs "P25" TSYS type.

 

[fmon]

Hi,

In the TSYS Objects menu, there are choices for:

MOT VHF/UHF
P25 Manual
P25 Auto.

When one sees a Post, or reads about some frequency, in which it is given as
just "P25", is the P25 Auto setting smart enough to know if it is P25 Manual or
MOT VHF/UHF ?

The reason I'm asking is that I understand that there are full, 100% digital P25 Transmissions that I guess are called P35 Exclusive (is this correct ?), and some that are a mix of analog and digital.

So, when one isn't sure about what type of P25 it is, how does one handle this ?
Just put Everything in as P25 Auto, or... ?

Thanks,
Bob

Database pages listed as
System Type:Project 25 Standard
System Voice:APCO-25 Common Air Interface Exclusive
are P25 and can use P25 Auto or Manual. However, when P25 Auto is set, the control frequency decodes and sets all required data (including VHF/UHF tables) for scanning the system.

If P25 Manual is selected, the user will need to set trunking tables for VHF/UHF systems either manually or with software.

Database pages listed as
System Type:Motorola Type II Smartnet (or SmartZone)
System Voice:Analog and APCO-25 Common Air Interface
require either MOT 800/900 or MOT VHF/UHF. The latter setting will require user to set the trunking tables either manually, with software or if using Web Import, the tables should import with TSYS.

 

[BOBRR]

Hi,

Thanks; that helps a lot.
Appreciate information very much.

If one comes across a freq, Not from the RR database, and it says Only "P25", then there is really not enough to go on. Do you agree with this statement ?

Several freq's that I have come across (wish I noted them, but haven't) from sources that are not RR, just say the P25, nothing else.

Best bet would then be that they are "probably" which ?

Bob

 

[Russell]

File "Append" Function

Don,

Have you considered a file "append" function? I would like to able to append another file to the end of the file I currently have open. If there are any object ID conflicts, give the option to renumber the incoming file, otherwise just append it as is. I know we can simply copy and paste from two open files, but the append would be much easier when working with multiple files.

Thanks,
Russell

 

[DaveNF2G]

Several freq's that I have come across (wish I noted them, but haven't) from sources that are not RR, just say the P25, nothing else.

Best bet would then be that they are "probably" which ?

Bob

If you're talking about single frequencies, then they get programmed as FM. They are conventional digital channels, not trunked.

 

[EricCottrell]

Web Import Crash in Version 1.44

Hello,

I bought a PSR-600 on Saturday. I am in the 30 day trail of Win500 Version 1.44 running in Windows XP on a laptop,

I started with a new template and tried to import Conventional Frequencies from Logan International Airport in Boston, Suffolk Co, MA and Lexington, Middlesex, MA that both include a P25 channel. I left the Target Scan List to 00 (unassigned) and unchecked the Force APCO P-25 channels to "NAC Search" in the Web Import Settings dialog. When I press OK both the Web Import Settings and Web Import dialogs disappeared. Win500 was frozen and I got a beep if I press anywhere on the Win500 Window. I had to stop the program via Task Manager. This happened twice. I was able to avoid the crashing by selecting a scan list. and I uploaded the information to the scanner.

Now after the upload to the scanner I tried to reproduce the problem again and it now works. It appears to only occur on initial install before any communications with the scanner.

73 Eric

 

[raisindot]

Better LED color selection

Don--

I've been a Starrsoft user since Win95, and I spent a great deal of time comparing Win500 to PSREdit and Arc500 before finally deciding to purchase your excellent program.

It does everything I ask for, except for one thing--the other two programs allow you to select LED colors by clicking on the color, which then shows a color swatch showing what the color would look like and then automically assigning the RBG values for that color. As far as I can tell, Win500 can't do that. Indeed, when you change the actual RGB values it doesn't change the colors on the LED screen at all. Unless I'm missing something. If this isn't true, can you tell me how to do it? If this isn't a feature, it really would be nice to have it, since I would like to be able to change LED colors to different values and see the results immediately within the program before downloading it.

Otherwise, a great program!

Suzie

 

[Russell]

Does "save as" or "export to CSV" still work? I can't seem to get this to work anymore.

 

[DonS]

Does "save as" or "export to CSV" still work? I can't seem to get this to work anymore.

Win500 never had any CSV export. It saves its own, native (P500) file format, plus the "BIN" format used by the demo app included on the CD that came with the scanner.

 

[DonS]

It does everything I ask for, except for one thing--the other two programs allow you to select LED colors by clicking on the color, which then shows a color swatch showing what the color would look like and then automically assigning the RBG values for that color. As far as I can tell, Win500 can't do that.

If you're referring to a "palette" of colors that is in many other Windows apps, no, Win500 doesn't support that control. I thought about adding it a few months ago, but decided against it because the color you actually get will very likely be much different from what you actually select. This is because the real "steps" used in the scanner have far less resolution than what is used in that Windows Common Control.

... time passes ...

I just added it to version 1.45. The little colored rectangles to the right of each set of "spin controls" has been replaced by a button with a colored face. Clicking the button will bring up the "palette" control.

Indeed, when you change the actual RGB values it doesn't change the colors on the LED screen at all.

Yes, the LED colors are changed in Win500's display. However, the scanner's "steps" for actual colors are a bit more limited than Windows'. You may have to increase a particular R/G/B value by several steps before you'll see anything change. This behavior is most notable in the "Blue" settings.

 

[raisindot]

If you're referring to a "palette" of colors that is in many other Windows apps, no, Win500 doesn't support that control. I thought about adding it a few months ago, but decided against it because the color you actually get will very likely be much different from what you actually select. This is because the real "steps" used in the scanner have far less resolution than what is used in that Windows Common Control.

... time passes ...

I just added it to version 1.45. The little colored rectangles to the right of each set of "spin controls" has been replaced by a button with a colored face. Clicking the button will bring up the "palette" control.

Yay! Of course, I just paid for version 1.44 yesterday. Can I download 1.45 and use the same key/register system for it?

Suzie

 

[TES]

Don has never charged for newer versions of any of his offerings. Don't lose that key though!

When I upgrade all I do is download the newer version from StarrSoft.com and extract to the folder where the previous version is. The key takes care of itself.

Hint: if you have settings other than the default settings (window size, columns displayed, LED colors, etc.) DON'Tuse the new version of the Win500.ini file that comes with each download. Use your current .ini file. You may want to copy the current .ini file before extracting the new download - just in case you're as careless as I am!