P25 Phase 2 Firmware update for PSR 800

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mikev

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I'll check over the weekend (most likely Sunday) to see if I notice anything odd with Beta 2 on the Loudoun system... but with the casual use I've given it over the past few weeks, I hadn't noticed anything odd going on.
 

KevinC

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As I pay more attention I see the incorrect audio issue also on Phase 2. It's random (seemingly), but positively happens.
 

mike_s104

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I'll check over the weekend (most likely Sunday) to see if I notice anything odd with Beta 2 on the Loudoun system... but with the casual use I've given it over the past few weeks, I hadn't noticed anything odd going on.

If you listen off and on you may not actually notice it. It seems to only happen when it's very busy and both slots are getting used on the same freq. Last night I put the scanner back to the beta2 DSP and CPU and it still did it this AM. I did pay a little more attention to it on the way in to work today. I'm also thinking it might be one or two towers that it happens on. On the way in on RT7 about Round Hill (far end of the county), it seemed fine. Then, the more I drove east towards the center of the county I'm guessing I was getting another tower and it started acting up and did so all the way into work. When I got to my desk, it was still doing it. I switched back to the older CPU and DSP and it's acting normal again.

As I pay more attention I see the incorrect audio issue also on Phase 2. It's random (seemingly), but positively happens.

I think as more TDMA systems are implemented, GRE might be able to "fine tune" the firmware.
 

mike_s104

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So far today using CUP 1.6 and DSP 1.1 I've had no issues with stuttering or trying to use a wrong voice channel. I've been watching traffic using UniTrunker and it appears to receive either slot without any problem. I have a video of it acting strange that I'll post a link to later.

Video of the PSR-800 with CPU v1.7 and DSP v1.3 acting strange

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mf0QAZas5bg

Before anyone asks, it is NOT the scanner face that is pealing off or that looks odd in the upper left-hand corner.
 
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Eng86ine

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Need a little help

1. - I'm not very Electronic Literate thus not a real scanner professional so please bear with me

2. Had my PSR800 Operating fantastic on everything it was programmed to do including monitoring Philadelphia Police and Fire Frequencies which is on an FM Motorola System

After installing Beta-Firmware I believe 1.7 I'm no longer able to receive the CC with in the talk groups on the Philadelphia Systems. I only receive the VC and no voice transmissions only skipping. It's almost like it wants to broadcast but there is something stopping it. All of my other 800 Talk Groups including VC/CC are operating fine.

My questions are did I do something during the Beta Firmware Install ? and is there a solution ?
 

Spitfire8520

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After installing Beta-Firmware I believe 1.7 I'm no longer able to receive the CC with in the talk groups on the Philadelphia Systems. I only receive the VC and no voice transmissions only skipping. It's almost like it wants to broadcast but there is something stopping it. All of my other 800 Talk Groups including VC/CC are operating fine.

My questions are did I do something during the Beta Firmware Install ? and is there a solution ?

Revert back to a none beta firmware. If you read the past dozen or so posts, many users are reporting troubles with the beta firmware on the older systems. If you don't need the beta firmware (no P25 Phase II systems around), then you should go with the stable and proven firmware.
 

jkahn

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I'll add my 2 cents here, and say the PG County MD Phase II TDMA is acting the same way on the Beta2 update. I am going to go back to pre-beta ASAP.
 

W2GLD

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I'll add my 2 cents here, and say the PG County MD Phase II TDMA is acting the same way on the Beta2 update. I am going to go back to pre-beta ASAP.

Is there documentation that can be posted here on how users should revert to pre-beta firmware/software? I am certain that many novice users would find this extremely helpful.
 

W2GLD

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Good deal, sounds like everyone is going to be headed this direction; makes you wonder if this firmware didn't have a built-in time bomb that begins to degrade in order to keep users from running beta firmware for any length of time.

The revert instructions are included in the beta download.
 

troymail

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I've been out of the area but returning tonight... Report of my findings to follow.

Can someone summarize what problems you are seeing, when did they start and did it worry for you at one point and then stop working?
 

loumaag

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I've been out of the area but returning tonight... Report of my findings to follow.

Can someone summarize what problems you are seeing, when did they start and did it worry for you at one point and then stop working?

I think that Mike's posts 179 and 183 offer the best descriptions and he provided a video (admittedly I have not watched it) on post 184.
 

W2GLD

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For what it's worth, I found something interesting today. I downgraded my PSR-800 from the Beta 2 update to the current production release of 1.6. When I went to perform the DSP downgrade, my DSP version was already 1.1. This got me thinking, perhaps the DSP update was updating properly and that's exactly what I found.

When doing the Beta updates, I first downloaded "GRE_PSR-800_Beta_Upgrade"; which was the first of these releases. I performed this update and it worked perfectly; both the DSP and firmware updated and could be verified directly in the radio.

Then, I downloaded "GRE_PSR-800_Beta_Upgrade2", which was the second release and contained a fix for the custom tables, etc. The firmware update (which wasn't really necessary) went fine; however, the DSP update, even-though it said it installed, in-fact, DID NOT INSTALL; verified on the radio's display as well as in the EZ Scan Digital Software Update tool. Both are displaying a DSP version 1.2; however, the actual DSP firmware updating tool (which by the way runs way too quick) is the only place displaying that the DSP version is 1.3. Which is it, 1.2 or 1.3 and is this affecting many of these related issues with this firmware???

Here's what's displayed on my screen from the EZ Scan Software: https://www.dropbox.com/s/c8gal2jy34iw8d0/PSR-800%20Screen%20Capture.png

Here's what displayed on my screen from the DSP firmware update tool: https://www.dropbox.com/lightbox/home/Radio Reference Related

Does anyone have any thoughts, comments, or experience with the same or similar situation???
 

W2GLD

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From the East Suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio, I just rolled my PSR-800 back to pre-beta and it appears that the P25 is coming through more clearly and without the garbled sound.

Did you have to roll back your DSP to 1.1 or was it already 1.1 when you went to perform the process?
 

Steveofcleve

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When I rolled it back I did through the EZscan software update and started with the CPU firmware update going from 1.7 to 1.6. When I went to update the DSP, it showed I was already at 1.1 so I left that alone. Also, do not have the AGC turned on anywhre either as I think it was not productive.
 

W2GLD

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When I rolled it back I did through the EZscan software update and started with the CPU firmware update going from 1.7 to 1.6. When I went to update the DSP, it showed I was already at 1.1 so I left that alone. Also, do not have the AGC turned on anywhre either as I think it was not productive.

Interesting... But as you read in their instructions, you were required to downgrade the DSP, why wasn't it at least 1.2 as mine is following the initial upgrade? I've since gone back and downgraded again and still, my DSP is still showing as 1.1 and not 1.2, which it was under firmware 1.7. Weird right?
 

Steveofcleve

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When I first got my PSR-800 back in Oct. 2012, the Beta 2 had just been put out. I immediately updated my unit to CPU 1.7 and DSP 1.3. When I rolled my unit back using the EZscan Software option in "updates" I started the process with CPU update and rolled back from 1.7 to 1.6 without a hitch. When I repeated the process to update my DSP, it showed that I was already at 1.1 so I did nothing further. So far, I believe that the traffic on the area P-25 systems are coming through more clearly and without the garbled sound.
 

W2GLD

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I agree, running with firmware 1.6 and DSP 1.1 has been much more pleasant to listen too; especially with CQPSK (LSM) systems, such as the Michigan MPSCS system.

But that still does not get to the root of what I happened upon today. Hopefully some others can shed some light on the topic as well.

When I first got my PSR-800 back in Oct. 2012, the Beta 2 had just been put out. I immediately updated my unit to CPU 1.7 and DSP 1.3. When I rolled my unit back using the EZscan Software option in "updates" I started the process with CPU update and rolled back from 1.7 to 1.6 without a hitch. When I repeated the process to update my DSP, it showed that I was already at 1.1 so I did nothing further. So far, I believe that the traffic on the area P-25 systems are coming through more clearly and without the garbled sound.
 
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