PSR-800 Issues

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W4KRR

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Just received my PSR-800.

I have installed the latest version of the EZ Scan software, version 1.02. Whenever I connect the scanner to my PC, I get a Windows "Found New Hardware" dialog box. It wants to install software for this device. Whether I answer yes or no, I get an error message that there was a problem with the installation, and the new hardware may not work correctly. (Message is: "The device could not start")

The scanner shows up in Windows Device Manager with a COM port assigned to it, but has the yellow exclamation point on it, saying it is not installed correctly.

What's going on here?

The EZ Scan software was able to read the micro SD card, but when I tried to set the clock using the software, it said that the scanner didn't appear to be connected to the computer.

Also, if you make any changes to the scanner configuration with the software, how do you send these changes to the scanner?
 

wizardb

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I have a PSR-700 but I think it works the same way. first take the sd card out of the scanner and put it in you computer slot or reader. In the ez-scan software select the "sd card" tab at the left top of the page, From the drop down menu select "copy configuration from the sd card". Then make your changes or additions to the configuration. When you are done, select the "sd card" tab again and from the drop down menu select "copy configuration to sd card". Your new confguration is the on the sd card and just put it back in the scanner. This also keeps a copy of the confguration on your computer should you have to reload it to the scanner for any reason.
 

mikey60

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Just received my PSR-800.

I have installed the latest version of the EZ Scan software, version 1.02. Whenever I connect the scanner to my PC, I get a Windows "Found New Hardware" dialog box. It wants to install software for this device. Whether I answer yes or no, I get an error message that there was a problem with the installation, and the new hardware may not work correctly. (Message is: "The device could not start")

The scanner shows up in Windows Device Manager with a COM port assigned to it, but has the yellow exclamation point on it, saying it is not installed correctly.

What's going on here?

The EZ Scan software was able to read the micro SD card, but when I tried to set the clock using the software, it said that the scanner didn't appear to be connected to the computer.

Also, if you make any changes to the scanner configuration with the software, how do you send these changes to the scanner?

What version of Windows are you using? If it's anything before Windows XP SP 3, you'll need to upgrade to at least that level for the driver to work. There's a knowledgebase article on the GRE support site that explains that.

If that's not it, there's an inf file on the CD that comes with the radio that might help you get the driver installed.

Mike
 

W4KRR

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What version of Windows are you using? If it's anything before Windows XP SP 3, you'll need to upgrade to at least that level for the driver to work. There's a knowledgebase article on the GRE support site that explains that.

If that's not it, there's an inf file on the CD that comes with the radio that might help you get the driver installed.

Mike

Since I first posted the question, I have got it to work. At least I can read the radio and write to it. But whenever I connect the scanner I get that "Found New Hardware" dialog box. I just click "cancel". (Win XP, SP 3)

I should already have a suitable driver installed; the PSR-800 USB cable looks identical to the HomePatrol 1 USB cable, and since that one works, the PSR-800 one should as well. (But I am just assuming they're the same).

Anyway, I am slowly working all this out.

NEW QUESTION:
I downloaded a system from my home county from the SD card. I did some editing of the tags and other things. I then saved it onto the scanner (SD card). Now, if I update the database on the SD card from RR, will it overwrite all the changes I made, or save them in a different location?

TIA!
 
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mikey60

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Since I first posted the question, I have got it to work. At least I can read the radio and write to it. But whenever I connect the scanner I get that "Found New Hardware" dialog box. I just click "cancel". (Win XP, SP 3)

I should already have a suitable driver installed; the PSR-800 USB cable looks identical to the HomePatrol 1 USB cable, and since that one works, the PSR-800 one should as well. (But I am just assuming they're the same).

Anyway, I am slowly working all this out.

NEW QUESTION:
I downloaded a system from my home county from the SD card. I did some editing of the tags and other things. I then saved it onto the scanner (SD card). Now, if I update the database on the SD card from RR, will it overwrite all the changes I made, or save them in a different location?

TIA!

Updating the database files doesn't change anything in your programming unless you use the Update from Lib option on the main menu or re-import something from the new database files.

Mike
 

troymail

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I have a PSR-700 but I think it works the same way. first take the sd card out of the scanner and put it in you computer slot or reader. In the ez-scan software select the "sd card" tab at the left top of the page, From the drop down menu select "copy configuration from the sd card". Then make your changes or additions to the configuration. When you are done, select the "sd card" tab again and from the drop down menu select "copy configuration to sd card". Your new confguration is the on the sd card and just put it back in the scanner. This also keeps a copy of the confguration on your computer should you have to reload it to the scanner for any reason.

Although it is an option to remove the SD card from the PSR800 and insert it into a card reader on a PC, the PSR800 and Ez Scan software do not require this. Updates and programming can be done through the USB cable.

Either way - via USB or inserting the card into the PC - the EZ Scan software works the same way once the EZ Scan software "sees" the SD card.

When you select a function in EZ Scan that needs to access the SD card, the software "finds" the card (I think by looking for the known disk 'label' on the card).

Performance (speed) is better reading and writing the SD card from a card reader is generally better than via the USB - but obviously more of a hassle at the same time.
 

W4KRR

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Thanks for the replies. Even though I have been scanning for years, I'm still getting used to this particular scanner!

Another question: I noticed that without the backlight on, the display is very dark and difficult to see, more so than any other scanner I have used. Is this the general concensus of other users of the '800?


And: I would like to see a conversion utility to be able to import my PSR-500 data for use in the '800 EZ-Scan software; it would save me a lot of typing! :)
 

rgchristy

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Thanks for the replies. Even though I have been scanning for years, I'm still getting used to this particular scanner!

Another question: I noticed that without the backlight on, the display is very dark and difficult to see, more so than any other scanner I have used. Is this the general concensus of other users of the '800?


And: I would like to see a conversion utility to be able to import my PSR-500 data for use in the '800 EZ-Scan software; it would save me a lot of typing! :)

I just posted the same thing in the other thread. It seems that the display is very dark without the backlight.

As far as the conversion goes, here's what I did: I open Win500 and go to either the CONV or TSYS objects tabs. Then highlight the rows that I want to copy, click on Edit, Copy. Then I go to the EZ Scan software, click on the Conventional frequencies or Trunked Radio Systems tabs and in the lower right corner click on the clipboard button in the Import From: box. This will bring up another window which will show 6 columns of the information that you copied from Win500. All you have to do is click on each column header to select which column you want the information to go in EZ Scan and click Import. Then just edit the information as you see fit. I hope that I explained it correctly, but it worked well for me.

Hope this helps,
Rich C
 

troymail

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I just posted the same thing in the other thread. It seems that the display is very dark without the backlight.

You can set the backlight level to various brightnesses -- you can also set the backlight to activate on key press AND upon talkgroup activiation.

I used to keep the backlight on all the time but now I configure all TGs to activate the backlight -- when it's quiet - it's dark.
 

W0RS

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Backlight Setting

I am trying to locate the setting so that the backlight only comes on when there is a talkgroup activation. Anyone know where the settings are that will do this??
 

troymail

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I am trying to locate the setting so that the backlight only comes on when there is a talkgroup activation. Anyone know where the settings are that will do this??

This is done using the EZ Scan software.

You must enable the Advanced-> Trunked Systems option (see the top bar of the EZ Scan window).

Then, click on the trunked radio system you want to work with...

Click on the "Talkgroup Details" tab on the left middle of the screen.

On this screen, you'll see a column labeled "Bklt/LED".

Click on a talkgroup ID and a configuration panel will appear. Here you can set the backlight settings as well as LED options/settings/colors/flash, etc.

Keep in mind that you can set alot of these to be all the same by selecting ALL rows (talkgroups) and then making your selections.

Note: I failed to mention that you can do some of this on a talkgroup/object at a time via the radio's user interface.
Press MENU
Scroll to and select "Browse Objects"
Use the Up/Down/Left/Right Arrows to find the object you want to edit and then press MENU
Scroll through and set the options you want to set.
 
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rocksteady

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I can't thank you enough for that info. I was going crazy trying to figure out an easier way.



This is done using the EZ Scan software.

You must enable the Advanced-> Trunked Systems option (see the top bar of the EZ Scan window).

Then, click on the trunked radio system you want to work with...

Click on the "Talkgroup Details" tab on the left middle of the screen.

On this screen, you'll see a column labeled "Bklt/LED".

Click on a talkgroup ID and a configuration panel will appear. Here you can set the backlight settings as well as LED options/settings/colors/flash, etc.

Keep in mind that you can set alot of these to be all the same by selecting ALL rows (talkgroups) and then making your selections.

Note: I failed to mention that you can do some of this on a talkgroup/object at a time via the radio's user interface.
Press MENU
Scroll to and select "Browse Objects"
Use the Up/Down/Left/Right Arrows to find the object you want to edit and then press MENU
Scroll through and set the options you want to set.
 

mipsyop

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Beware though.....

This is done using the EZ Scan software.

You must enable the Advanced-> Trunked Systems option (see the top bar of the EZ Scan window).

Then, click on the trunked radio system you want to work with...

Click on the "Talkgroup Details" tab on the left middle of the screen.

On this screen, you'll see a column labeled "Bklt/LED".

Click on a talkgroup ID and a configuration panel will appear. Here you can set the backlight settings as well as LED options/settings/colors/flash, etc.

Keep in mind that you can set alot of these to be all the same by selecting ALL rows (talkgroups) and then making your selections.

Note: I failed to mention that you can do some of this on a talkgroup/object at a time via the radio's user interface.
Press MENU
Scroll to and select "Browse Objects"
Use the Up/Down/Left/Right Arrows to find the object you want to edit and then press MENU
Scroll through and set the options you want to set.

IF YOU DO SELECT ALL, beware that if you have previously changed colors and flash settings for the talkgroups, they will ALL change to ONE setting and no longer be set to your preferences. I found out the hard way and had to reset over 1000 talkgroups back to my color and flash settings!!!!
 

jamesa53

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Yes, without the backlight on the display is VERY hard to see, even in daylight.

Everyone posting about the backlight settings is 100 percent correct. Would be much easier if there was a global setting for this, but as of now you have to do it in the talkgroups tab by selecting all of them.

The amazing thing to me on this scanner is features in the software (i.e. Wildcard, which to me is a must-have feature) are NOT documented in the user manual. I didnt even know the scanner could do that until someone on this forum posted about it.
 

FerretDriver

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When removing the micro SD card be VERY careful because the release spring will launch the little card into the depths of your desk or the floor. Simply covering the SD with a hand will prevent this interesting "undocumented feature"??
 
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Ed_Seedhouse

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When removing the micro SD card be VERY careful because the release spring will launch the little card into the depths of your desk or the floor. Simply covering the SD with a hand will prevent this interesting "undocumented feature"??

Happens every time to me, then it's hours of searching the carpet to find the tiny little dang thing, which always ends up under something else, somehow. I just start the upload, change context and browse the web while I'm waiting. Doesn't help that I have eyes that need cataracts removed of course, and fumbly old person fingers.
 

jamesa53

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Would have been nice if they had used a standard size SD like the PRO-107 instead of the Micro......my 3 year old laptop requires a micro SD adaptor. Not to mention trying to find that little card on the floor once it has shot out of the scanner..................
 

IowaGuy1603

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Happens every time to me, then it's hours of searching the carpet to find the tiny little dang thing, which always ends up under something else, somehow. I just start the upload, change context and browse the web while I'm waiting. Doesn't help that I have eyes that need cataracts removed of course, and fumbly old person fingers.

I use a tweezer to push the micro card into the radio............and out of.

It usually keeps the card from "springing " free and the tweezers make it easier to control with my eysight
 

boatbod

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Happens every time to me, then it's hours of searching the carpet to find the tiny little dang thing, which always ends up under something else, somehow. I just start the upload, change context and browse the web while I'm waiting. Doesn't help that I have eyes that need cataracts removed of course, and fumbly old person fingers.

I use the corner of the battery cover to depress the SD card and unlatch it. That way it doesn't get launched, and I don't have to search around for a paper clip or pencil to try to unlock it by hand.
 

camp637

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I have many SD cards for my mp3 players as well, so I take a bottle of White Out , and use just a tiny drop or two to identify which is which. Example-two 32 G cards One card has one dot, the other has two dots, so I know what is on them ( made up a word doc with the info), The point is that with the drop or two of Whiteout on them, they are a bit easier to see.
 
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