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.

 

[DonS]

Thanks, I ran the the Mprog 3.5 program and have both scanners listed as 0412 and 0413 using Win500 1.74. Scanners download/Upload but not simultaneously nor will they run remote at same time. Though neither is a problem because most of my use is up/download.

There seems to be something weird in the FTDI driver that creates a dependency on the order in which you connect to the cables. I'm able to run two copies of Win500, connecting to two different scanners on two different cables simultaneously, but ONLY if I start the two connections in a particular order - if I start in the other order, the second "start" results in a "no available devices" message.

I'm currently investigating this.

I noted when plugging second cable in, the new port in Device Manager changed from 10 to 12.

Yes, changing the serial number on the cable will cause Windows to assign that cable a new COM port number - that's the whole point.

 

[DonS]

There seems to be something weird in the FTDI driver that creates a dependency on the order in which you connect to the cables. I'm able to run two copies of Win500, connecting to two different scanners on two different cables simultaneously, but ONLY if I start the two connections in a particular order - if I start in the other order, the second "start" results in a "no available devices" message.

I'm currently investigating this.

I have version 1.75 on my web site that should take care of this. Running this version, I can open 3 cables in any order with no problems. I changed the way I "enumerate" the cables, and the driver seems happier (though I don't understand why it didn't work before; there's nothing in the driver documentation about that problem).

 

[fmon]

I have version 1.75 on my web site that should take care of this. Running this version, I can open 3 cables in any order with no problems. I changed the way I "enumerate" the cables, and the driver seems happier (though I don't understand why it didn't work before; there's nothing in the driver documentation about that problem).

Hot dooog!! That did it.

Remote on both works without cable designation and simultaneous d/uload ask for a cable, but when first is designated, the second incident auto finds the other cable.

Thanks for your dedicated outstanding support, this is way beyond the measly 35 bucks.

 

[DonS]

Hot dooog!! That did it.

Excellent.

I might submit something to FTDI about the problem. I just have to quantify it nicely for them.

 

[eorange]

Bug? Can't Start Remote Control

Win500 V1.73

On the Monitor/Control tab...in the 'Log History' group box...if you choose the radio button "To 'Win500ActivityLog.txt' File", and leave the "Log / audio file directory" textbox blank, then you'll correctly see the error dialog:

"Log directory does not exist Please create it or select another"

But once you see that error dialog, you cannot start Remote Control no matter what, it seems. I entered a valid directory, and the Start button does nothing. I changed the Log History back to None, and the Start button does nothing.

Restarting Win500 will cause the Start button to work, as long as you don't incur that dialog box again.

 

[smason]

Yes, we got through that a few posts back

Hmm I can't believe I missed a post in a thread with over1300 messages. I'm slipping...

 

[DonS]

Win500 V1.73

On the Monitor/Control tab...in the 'Log History' group box...if you choose the radio button "To 'Win500ActivityLog.txt' File", and leave the "Log / audio file directory" textbox blank, then you'll correctly see the error dialog:

"Log directory does not exist Please create it or select another"

But once you see that error dialog, you cannot start Remote Control no matter what, it seems. I entered a valid directory, and the Start button does nothing. I changed the Log History back to None, and the Start button does nothing.

Restarting Win500 will cause the Start button to work, as long as you don't incur that dialog box again.

Fixed in version 1.76

 

[DonS]

If "option 1" refers to running Win500 on the "Remote Desktop client" machine, where the scanner is physically connected to the "server" and you're mapping the server's COM port to a COM port on the client... that was a hassle to set up. I think I had to do something on the server (a 'net use' command comes to mind), but I don't remember exactly what it was.

Ok... I will play around with that later.

Actually, I realized this morning that I was remembering my usage of this "remapping" backwards. I didn't run Win500 on the laptop...
1. Desktop (primary) PC running various development tools
2. Desktop is "Remote Desktop Server"
3. Laptop connected to desktop via RD (laptop is "Remote Desktop Client")
4. USB/scanner cable plugged into laptop
5. Cable's "laptop COM port" mapped to a COM port on the desktop
6. Scanner connected via USB/scanner cable to laptop
7. Via RD, run app on desktop
8. App running on desktop connects to scanner attached to laptop

That configuration likely isn't very useful to anyone but me. I had some development tools that needed to connect to the scanner, those tools were not installed on the laptop, and, due to some "Mr. Mom duties", I had to be on the laptop away from the desktop.

I don't know that I ever did the COM port remapping as I described previously (Win500 on laptop connecting to scanner attached to desktop). In any event, losing the ability to do such remapping shouldn't be a problem: if I have sufficient permission to connect to the desktop via RD and perform the required COM port remapping, then I also have sufficient permission to run Win500 on the desktop itself via RD (even downloading and installing it, if necessary). That is, being forced to run Win500 on the machine that is directly connected to the scanner should never cause a problem.

 

[RDCat]

color change

when i open win 500
win 500 changes my staus nit for color to 9 bit from orig 32????
under control panel-apperance,then
change screen resoloution
color quality always gets bumped,to 9 bit?

i have to man change it back to 32 bit!!!!!!

also screen is 1440x900 pixles

DELL VOSTRO 1700 XP
ANYONE HAVE IDEAS WHY WIN 500 could be affecting my res.?
thanks ron

 

[kevins669]

That configuration likely isn't very useful to anyone but me. I had some development tools that needed to connect to the scanner, those tools were not installed on the laptop, and, due to some "Mr. Mom duties", I had to be on the laptop away from the desktop.

You're right... I would not need to go in that direction (desktop--->laptop)

I don't know that I ever did the COM port remapping as I described previously (Win500 on laptop connecting to scanner attached to desktop). In any event, losing the ability to do such remapping shouldn't be a problem: if I have sufficient permission to connect to the desktop via RD and perform the required COM port remapping, then I also have sufficient permission to run Win500 on the desktop itself via RD (even downloading and installing it, if necessary). That is, being forced to run Win500 on the machine that is directly connected to the scanner should never cause a problem.

That is the way I have always done it - just use RD to control Win500 running on the server. You are correct, the new version continues to run this way using RD. Thanks.

-- Kevin

 

[3mary2]

Don
Do I need to keep updating each new version? I am presently using V1.72. The newer versions seem to address the monitoring/client, more than one cable, more than one computer and remote monitoring. I only use the program to download/upload frequencies from RR Database or outside sources for the areas I travel to. I do use the moitor tab to see the hits on certain talkgroups.
One other thing, do you have the P25 tables for the WYOLINK? I have the tables from RR Database,but they are set for the PRO 96. Are they the same for the PSR500? If not do you know how to figure this out, or better yet just point me in the right direction as you have done more than anyone could possibility expect with your programs and the constant updating of those programs. Once I caught on how to use the programs, I cannot imagine programming any scanner by hand again.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR WONDERFUL PROGRAMS: PRO96,PRO97 AND WIN500. You are truly a valued friend to all of us.

 

[DonS]

Do I need to keep updating each new version? I am presently using V1.72. The newer versions seem to address the monitoring/client, more than one cable, more than one computer and remote monitoring. I only use the program to download/upload frequencies from RR Database or outside sources for the areas I travel to. I do use the moitor tab to see the hits on certain talkgroups.

You don't have to update, but there's really no reason not to... the updates are "free", and generally don't break anything (occasional exceptions when I create a new bug; but I usually find/fix those pretty quickly).

One other thing, do you have the P25 tables for the WYOLINK? I have the tables from RR Database,but they are set for the PRO 96. Are they the same for the PSR500?

Yes, the PSR-500 uses the same tables as the PRO-96.

 

[JBuff27]

USB Cables

In the messages 1291 thru 1324

All this about mulitpy cables I am guessing is referring to the USB/PC external cable with the "Blue" Black Box in the middle for connecting the Scanner to the PC and the use of more than one for additional scanners? I take it that this item is made by the FTDI Group.

Thanks for all the discussion at this point in time as I am just about to try and make use of the Remote Client and connect the scanner to the PC for the first time. That said I got the impression that this connection was made with an audio cable from the speaker jack from what I got from the Remote Client Tread. But with that set up I could not see how the Client could get the Control Channel Information.

Are you now saying that both cables need to be used To get it all into the Remote Client?????

Thanks for any additional help.

JBuff27

 

[DonS]

In the messages 1291 thru 1324

All this about mulitpy cables I am guessing is referring to the USB/PC external cable with the "Blue" Black Box in the middle for connecting the Scanner to the PC and the use of more than one for additional scanners? I take it that this item is made by the FTDI Group.

Yes, the "blue" GRE cable (#30-3290) that comes with the PSR-500/600, as well as the "orange" RS cable (#20-047). They're the same cable with a different housing in the middle.

The recent discussions regarding the newer (1.74 and later) versions of Win500 are primarily about getting rid of the "COM port" selection within Win500. Prior to these new versions, you had to tell Win500, via its "Configuration -> Serial Port" menu item, which COM port number was assigned to the cable by Windows. That requirement is gone. Win500 will now automatically find the cable itself, with no "COM port" dependencies; in fact, you can disable the COM port under Windows' "Ports (COM & LPT)" item in Device Manager, and Win500 will still work. The COM port selection was a big source of confusion for people just starting with that cable, so I thought it best to remove it entirely.

The "multiple cables" part of the discussion was related to people who have more than one such cable connected to their PC; for example, if they monitor/control two PSR-500/600 or PRO-106/197 scanners at once.

Thanks for all the discussion at this point in time as I am just about to try and make use of the Remote Client and connect the scanner to the PC for the first time. That said I got the impression that this connection was made with an audio cable from the speaker jack from what I got from the Remote Client Tread. But with that set up I could not see how the Client could get the Control Channel Information.

Are you now saying that both cables need to be used To get it all into the Remote Client?????

Yes, both cables are required: an audio cable to get the actual audio into your PC, plus the USB/Scanner programming cable to send/receive control and status information. Neither cable alone is sufficient.

 

[jasongi]

Windows Mobile 127.0.0.1 connections

Hi Don, will future versions of the windows mobile client allow connections to the localhost of the windows mobile device? When using my ssh tunnel, the program seems to automatically block or just not allow local connections to 127.0.0.1.

Thanks

 

[JBuff27]

To Don S.

Don, thank you very much for your quick reply and answers to my questions. That really cleared up my confusion and helped me get started with the use of "Client".

JBuff27

 

[DonS]

Hi Don, will future versions of the windows mobile client allow connections to the localhost of the windows mobile device? When using my ssh tunnel, the program seems to automatically block or just not allow local connections to 127.0.0.1.

Try version 1.05. I changed how the client "looks up" addresses at connection time (there was something strange about localhost addresses in the data returned by Windows Mobile).

 

[jasongi]

Try version 1.05. I changed how the client "looks up" addresses at connection time (there was something strange about localhost addresses in the data returned by Windows Mobile).

Thanks.... works great!

 

[gloucester]

Connection with Server cannot be made

I have ver 1.76 running under Vista. I have not tried connecting to the Radio Reference database in the past few weeks, but have had no problems until now. The program appears to be adequately configured under my firewall, but I still get the connection with server error message.

Any ideas what to look at?

Bob

 

[fmon]

I have ver 1.76 running under Vista. I have not tried connecting to the Radio Reference database in the past few weeks, but have had no problems until now. The program appears to be adequately configured under my firewall, but I still get the connection with server error message.

Any ideas what to look at?

Bob

Check in Configuration menu and select a Programing Cable.