Figures
Oh well. Maybe they'll fix it with the next update...
PSR800 Firmware update wants
- Thread starter JoeyC
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Oh well. Maybe they'll fix it with the next update...I've had the PSR-800 for quite a few months now; it's great and GRE's customer support is the best I've seen. It's been mentioned here before, but if GRE wants to really trump Uniden, the PSR-800 needs a true Close Call equivalent. Even if we can add a Signal Sweeper as an object to a scanset, it will still not run at the same time as the other scanlists are running. It needs to be always running, triggered by signal strength, otherwise you have a much lower chance of detecting a local transmission because the sweep function would be only active a low percentage of the time.
I guess I am puzzled why this isn't a huge issue for most people...as a portable scanner, I use it while driving around, and when you come up on an "event" like an accident or a road closure or something, the Uniden will immediately lock into the relevant transmissions. It's sort of the real-world usefulness of the device.
Probably the reason GRE hasn't done this is due to something inherent in their hardware and chip design (I don't want to call it a "flaw") that won't allow an interrupt to be running in parallel to a scan - maybe done to optimize some other aspect of the scanning protocol. But if there is any way to do it I think they should - it would really tip the balance away from Uniden.
Z
I guess I am puzzled why this isn't a huge issue for most people...as a portable scanner, I use it while driving around, and when you come up on an "event" like an accident or a road closure or something, the Uniden will immediately lock into the relevant transmissions. It's sort of the real-world usefulness of the device.
Probably the reason GRE hasn't done this is due to something inherent in their hardware and chip design (I don't want to call it a "flaw") that won't allow an interrupt to be running in parallel to a scan - maybe done to optimize some other aspect of the scanning protocol. But if there is any way to do it I think they should - it would really tip the balance away from Uniden.
Z
I'm pretty sure that Uniden's Close Call is actually NOT running at the same time as other scanning functions. If it was, it would require two receivers... I believe it simply runs every two seconds, unless you would have CC Do-Not-Disturb enabled, which would require it to wait until there is no current activity.
W2PMX
Member
Gilligan, you believe correctly. Uniden's CC is a "priority" function - it runs about every 2 seconds, like priority channels and weather priority. (It's one of the things I tell newbies to check when they ask about signals cutting out every couple of seconds.) What Zakowsky is describing would require 2 receivers in the case, one for CC and one for normal scanning..
My big complaint isn't with the firmware, it's with the manual. I won't buy an 800 until they add the protocols to the manual (or post them online). If I can't write code for it, I won't buy it. For any scanner. I haven't yet found a remote control or programming program I like, other than the ones I write myself. (Are you listening, GRE? My 800 would already be on the way to me, or in my hands, if I could get the protocols - even on a ND basis.)
My big complaint isn't with the firmware, it's with the manual. I won't buy an 800 until they add the protocols to the manual (or post them online). If I can't write code for it, I won't buy it. For any scanner. I haven't yet found a remote control or programming program I like, other than the ones I write myself. (Are you listening, GRE? My 800 would already be on the way to me, or in my hands, if I could get the protocols - even on a ND basis.)
Perhaps I have my PSR-800 setup wrong...when I run Spectrum Sweeper on the Public Safety bands it takes about 1 second to run through all the frequencies. With CC you can see the blip when it checks, but it seems to only be offline for milliseconds. I would think a broadband check for signal strength could be implemented that issues an interrupt to the cpu to then do a frequency scan to isolate the frequency.
Either way it would be good to be able to add it as an object. Some say you can with the PSR-500 - does it work well with that model?
Either way it would be good to be able to add it as an object. Some say you can with the PSR-500 - does it work well with that model?
There is actually a contract between GRE & RR that prohibits this from happening, due to the nature of the scanner being tied to the RR database.
W2PMX
Member
I'm not asking for the protocol to download the RR database - I can derive that in about 5 minutes if I wanted to, just by paying to be a premium member and downloading something. It used to be XML. I believe it's SOAP now. Neither one is difficult to write code for. (I probably still have the old code I wrote for the RR database on some old drive.)
I want the control and programming protocols, and they have nothing to do with RR. That's strictly a GRE (and maybe RS) decision. And all it accomplishes for them is no sale to those of us who aren't willing to jump through hoops and lie. I could write part of a "to be commercial" program, play GRE's games and get the protocol. Then just not sell the program. (That's the "lie" part.)
It's easier (and more honest) to wait until Uniden comes out with a portable that does what the 800 does. I'm sure they'll release the protocol, the same as they've done with all the DMA scanners. (Assuming they change it - there's no reason to, and Uniden seems to be more sane about this area than GRE is.) So Uniden will continue to get sales from me and others like me, and GRE will lose those sales, even if the features in the equivalent scanner are a little better in the GRE. I just refuse to buy what I can't write code for. Writing code for my scanners is a large part of the hobby for me. To me, not releasing the protocol is like not covering the air band would be to others.
I want the control and programming protocols, and they have nothing to do with RR. That's strictly a GRE (and maybe RS) decision. And all it accomplishes for them is no sale to those of us who aren't willing to jump through hoops and lie. I could write part of a "to be commercial" program, play GRE's games and get the protocol. Then just not sell the program. (That's the "lie" part.)
It's easier (and more honest) to wait until Uniden comes out with a portable that does what the 800 does. I'm sure they'll release the protocol, the same as they've done with all the DMA scanners. (Assuming they change it - there's no reason to, and Uniden seems to be more sane about this area than GRE is.) So Uniden will continue to get sales from me and others like me, and GRE will lose those sales, even if the features in the equivalent scanner are a little better in the GRE. I just refuse to buy what I can't write code for. Writing code for my scanners is a large part of the hobby for me. To me, not releasing the protocol is like not covering the air band would be to others.
I fully understand that you are looking for the control/programming protocol and I am completely sure that it is indeed a contractual issue between GRE and RR. The issue is that GRE has contracted that this scanner only be allowed to be programmed with their software (somehow due to RR limitations) and that excludes any software companies, like Butel or Starrsoft, from writing their own. Technically, they could probably sniff the data stream and figure it out, but they won't get it from GRE because of the contract between GRE and RR. See this thread for details:
http://forums.radioreference.com/1636433-post15.html
The kicker of it is that copy/paste functionality actually IS included in the software, but sorting isn't. And I'm with you that I wish there were other software options out there, but I still believe it's the best scanner I can buy at this point in time, mostly due to the recording feature. It eliminates the need for me to connect the scanner to a laptop, which is near impossible for me in remote locations for any length of time.
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wnjl
Member
Anyone hear of word of a timetable with regard to a firmware update? Not that I want one just for the sake of getting one...but kinda surprised there hasn't been any since May.
kg4icg
Member
I guess people forgot about the fine print about the database on the PSR800 which will not allow exports because of the license deal with RR.com.
diskmonger
Member
I have to say I've been disappointed with the lack of updates for the radio so far. Please give us a way to sort and organize our objects with the software!
W2PMX
Member
I still fail to see how remote control has anything to do with the database.
Remote control doesn't, but programming the scanner does, since it is specifically supposed to be a RR-driven scanner. As far as I know, the radio doesn't even have the capability of being remote-controlled. I read in a forum post from about 6-8 months back that a software designer who runs scanner-casting software said that he was informed by GRE that the scanner doesn't support remote control at all. Of course, I could be misinformed.
wnjl
Member
Yeah...I am a big GRE scanner fan, but 8 months between updates for a scanner that is almost a year old is a head-scratcher. Particularly when you take a look at the amount of ideas for no-brainer fixes and adjustments people suggested in this thread alone. Really hope we something very soon.
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rwier
Member
Hmnnnn, you may have a point here, wnjl, lol.
I keep reading here that you guys think there has been no updates since May. CPU Firmware 1.3 was released on July 25, 2011.
Jerry
When importing a trunked system from the field without PC software, it would be helpful to have a select option to add a wildcard for TGID and RID. Maybe not much is known about the system in the current database, but I could find new TGID's with the Wildcard option.
My favorite feature from the PSR-500 is the ability to do a limit search, find an active control channel and display it's attributes (Motorola, P25, EDACS), and save it as a new TSYS object with wildcard, so I can begin scanning (Motorola and P25), or save it for later LCN analysis (EDACS). I'd really like that on the 800.
My favorite feature from the PSR-500 is the ability to do a limit search, find an active control channel and display it's attributes (Motorola, P25, EDACS), and save it as a new TSYS object with wildcard, so I can begin scanning (Motorola and P25), or save it for later LCN analysis (EDACS). I'd really like that on the 800.
That's exactly what I'd like to see on the 800 as well, at least in some capacity. I definitely agree that there needs to be a way to add wildcards to a TSYS on the fly.
How about being able to do EVERYTHING with the radio alone that you can do in the software? The PSR-500 does this. If I want to change the delay time on an object, I have to use software for example. There are other things that can ONLY be done by software, but can't remember them offhand. Maybe someone could chime in.
rwier
Member
I haven't discovered a way to turn sites on and off (select sites for P-25 multisite simulcast systems) in the radio. The HP-1(E) is super that way. This feature is good for cruising (not travelling) as you can pull over, check the different sites for strength, quality, and volume, and then switch to the prime contender.
I am constructing a "work around" (800) involving setting up a separate V-Scanner for the individual sites. If this turns out to be practical, it will dovetail nicely with the HP's analysis.
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