Scanner Monitor App now with Audio Streaming

[deskins]

The Scanner Monitor Chrome app now allows for remote control and real-time audio streaming to remote devices for both the 536 and 436. No port forwarding or IP lookup required and does not use the wi-fi dongle. Remote devices just need a compatible web browser.

It does require the following:
A 436/536 scanner connected in serial mode to a computer/laptop with the Chrome web app installed.
Remote control requires an Internet connection.
Audio streaming requires a separate audio cable connected from the audio-out/headphone jack of the scanner to the audio line-in on the computer.

No app to install for the remote device. Remote control your scanner by logging into the scannermonitor.com website with a web browser. Audio streaming is using a relatively new technology - WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communication). It is currently supported by Chrome and Firefox for desktop/laptop and Android phones with a recent Chrome browser. (iOS devices do not yet support this type of audio streaming for any of their browsers - although the remote control does work)

This is still classified as experimental. So I’m sure there will be some issues. I want to thank the testers who have been playing with this for the last few months - some streaming for few days straight. As it looks like the app may be crossing the 1,000 user mark today - we will also see how the servers manage the load.

One thing I noticed while streaming to an Android is that the phone’s browser goes to sleep after a few minutes (after the screen goes dark). To re-enable the stream, hit refresh on the page. I am researching alternatives for that. Of course, if you have a 536 working with the dongle, then you can still use other apps to stream the audio and use the scannermonitor.com website for remote control.

Current users of the application will see a notice that the app permissions have changed to include the use of audio. If you do not wish to stream audio - you can leave it turned off from within the application. For those who want to try the app, here is the link to the web store: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/scanner-monitor/akdhehcennfolejaoepmldgcgpfkehhj

Additional information is here: http://www.scannermonitor.com/help

Thanks,
Jeff

 

[DSC45]

Jeff,
you have accomplished what some might say is "SIMPLY AMAZING" to say the least! Although I can't enjoy the total accomplishments using my Apple based iPad or Mac, but do enjoy the connectivity thru scanner monitor with the iPad less streaming. My hat is off to you, and to your talents of programming, thats so much!
Dave

 

[AA6IO]

Jeff,
I read the instructions. I have an IPad. But I will have an Android tablet by tonight to try this out. Thanks for your work on this.
Steve AA6IO

 

[AA6IO]

Oh wait a minute. Cancel that Android. I have the Wi-Fi going with VLC. Will give this a try later tonight on my IPAD. Dave (DSC45), now that you reported that you have your Wi-Fi working, you should be able to use your IPAD as well for this program plus the audio streaming with other software compatible with iOS like VLC or Vic. You can download Vic on your IPAD from applications. Now that you have the Wi-Fi going, the rest will be a bit easier.
Steve AA6IO

 

[K4ICP]

Great App! Q: Re: audio

Jeff, fabulous work. The app is very cool. I downloaded Bowser in hopes its WebRTC support would enable audio streaming to my iPhone 6+, but no joy. Any idea when it will be possible to stream audio to iOS devices? I would gladly pay for that functionality.

Thanks much!!

73

Guy

 

[agent309]

Awesome job

Wow. awesome.

The following features would make this something I want to pay money for really badly.

Program auto record for flagged tgid's or system or departments.
be awesome if those auto-records were aved into their own subfolders on my pc, instead of the rradio.
Some kind of alert (send email / text to verified address) for certain flagged tgid's or systems or departments
maybe have the ability to attach 30 to 600 seconds of the recording after it is done to that email alert
programming some of the advanced features of the x36hp models into buttons on the app.


anyway, this is really cool and neat, and i hope you continue development of it, i would like to buy a more refined app someday

 

[deskins]

Video Demo

I created a short video demonstrating remote control and audio streaming from a BCD436HP to an Android phone using a web browser.

http://youtu.be/BSBPGY1as04

The scanner is connected to the Chrome app and the phone is logged into the scannermonitor.com website to remotely control and listen to the scanner over cellphone network.

 

[ordnance1]

Issue

Try as I might, I can not get an audio signal from my bcd536. I have tried both a mono and a stereo cable from both the speaker out on the back of the scanner and the headphone jack on the front. I assume it is something I am missing. Any advice would be welcome.

 

[DSC45]

Dave (DSC45), now that you reported that you have your Wi-Fi working, you should be able to use your IPAD as well for this program plus the audio streaming with other software compatible with iOS like VLC or Vic. You can download Vic on your IPAD from applications. Now that you have the Wi-Fi going, the rest will be a bit easier.
Steve AA6IO

Thank you, Steve!

Dave

 

[K4ICP]

sshermanmd, Can you please share with us your exact setup using VLC. I've installed both the VLC remote and streamer apps (mostly because you used the term streaming). I can get them both to work but cannot hear any audio from the computer on the VLC remote. I can only control the media player on the computer.

Until the Uniden Siren app comes out (which could be a while if history is any guide), I would love to get this working without buying an Android tablet.

I've confirmed that VLC Remote (and Streamer for that matter) work fine, except that I get no audio from the computer (not just scanner audio, no audio). Is Remote designed to send the audio to the iOS device, or only to allow remote control of the computer over the network?

All help is great appreciated!

Best 73

Guy
K4ICP

 

[tumegpc]

Works with 996XT !!

I had an issue with my audio card and didn't feel comfortable connecting to my headphone jack on the 536HP till I got it resolved. So I connected my 996XT via rear serial port and sound to the headphone jack. Scanner Monitor App recognized it and got the Voice Prompt to say "BCD996XT Connected"! After several minutes I had the 996XT logging, audio streaming, and remote control using my LG G-Pad 8.3.

Now the remote control is limited because keypad is designed for *36HP. With limitations I can control volume,mute,scan,light,close call,function, and menu.

No Dongle !!! Great Job !

 

[scosgt]

Cool app but I want to report on a couple of issues:

1. Home Patrol 1 works, but there is no control function that works. So it is a streamer with text tags, but no control.

2. 996T works fine

The issues: It constantly stops streaming audio and I have to log out and log in (or check and uncheck the stream audio box on the PC, but of course that is less than useless when you are on remote).

So there is, at this time, a stability issue, at least regarding the 996 and HP-1.

This was done on two different computers, both running XP

 

[scosgt]

The other thing would be to make it bluetooth aware so the text tags would appear on the radio display in the car.

 

[deskins]

Try as I might, I can not get an audio signal from my bcd536. I have tried both a mono and a stereo cable from both the speaker out on the back of the scanner and the headphone jack on the front. I assume it is something I am missing. Any advice would be welcome.

Setting up the computer to use audio-in is probably the hardest part.

John (N3LUD) posted some comments in another thread on how he configured the audio input on his Windows machine. Thanks John for posting your experience.

I am using it on a Windows 7 PC and on the tablet side using a Samsung Android tablet.

Some notes for others setting this up.

I did have to install the Uniden Windows USB drivers which I found at BCD436HP < UnidenMan4 < TWiki

Once these are installed you should see the scanner show up as a COM port once you select the serial
option on the scanner.

Once I plugged in the stereo audio cable from the 436 into my PC, I had to change the Windows 7 default recording device in the Sound settings to the microphone line in the scanner was plugged into. The default will have the green check mark next to it.

I assume the scanner monitor desktop application uses windows default setting since it only worked once I changed the Windows setting. Once I changed this the audio started streaming fine.

The app does use the default audio setting.

Jeff

 

[deskins]

Cool app but I want to report on a couple of issues:

1. Home Patrol 1 works, but there is no control function that works. So it is a streamer with text tags, but no control.

2. 996T works fine

The issues: It constantly stops streaming audio and I have to log out and log in (or check and uncheck the stream audio box on the PC, but of course that is less than useless when you are on remote).

So there is, at this time, a stability issue, at least regarding the 996 and HP-1.

This was done on two different computers, both running XP

Thanks for the info on these other models. The Scanner Monitor app was originally created to work with the BCDx36HP models. Some initial display-only features also worked for the Home Patrol 1. The 996T was never tested - but sounds promising from your report. As I get a chance, I will look into adding capabilities for these other scanners.

 

[scosgt]

The problem I have is keeping it streaming to the phone - Verizon Galaxy S5. It does work in both Chrome and Firefox on the phone. However the sound constantly disconnects.

Strangely, it seems rock solid on both my Sansung Pro 8.4 Android tablet, and my Winbook 10.1" Win 8.1 tablet, using Chrome.

I pulled the phone battery to get a proper reset, used fast reboot and battery doctor, and updated to the latest Chrome. But it just won't stay connected. Tried Dolphin browser, but it can not get sound due to a lack of support.

So this would be most useful on the phone, and of course it is the one place I can not get it working.

 

[lte5000]

Here's a possible workaround to the issue with Chrome (on Android) stopping the audio after the phone goes to sleep:

Audio seems to continue playing properly when using Firefox.

 

[Sac916]

Thanks for the info on these other models. The Scanner Monitor app was originally created to work with the BCDx36HP models. Some initial display-only features also worked for the Home Patrol 1. The 996T was never tested - but sounds promising from your report. As I get a chance, I will look into adding capabilities for these other scanners.

996P2 too!

Please -----

My life will be complete.....

 

[lte5000]

Been playing with the app for about 1 week.
Really love the design and how fast it is, with almost no delay in the controls and audio.
I would definitely be willing to pay for this app when finished!

I did run into some problems with the audio streaming.
It seems to only work intermittently. Many times I need to restart the Chrome server app or log in and out multiple times before it will play audio.

Is this an issue anyone else has encountered or something on my end?

Thanks!

 

[dave3825]

What is the max numbers you can stream to?