SDS150: SDS-150 Programming Help

[Patrolman714]

Just purchased a new SDS150 and am having difficulty in understanding how to program it with the Sentinel Software. Tried to organize Profiles and Favorites with a trunking system. But, nothing uploads to the scanner. Somehow, it is stuck on the Zip Code programming. I am new to Uniden Scanners and the software. And, there is nothing on YouTube about programming the SDS150. Do you think it is the same as the SDS100? Would appreciate any help and tips on how to get up to speed with this...

 

[Reconrider]

Try to program it watching an sds100 video. I doubt there's going to be much difference in programming

 

[Patrolman714]

Try to program it watching an sds100 video. I doubt there's going to be much difference in programming

The main problem appears to be that when "writing from scanner" or "writing to scanner" the block that should show the sd card is blank, The scanner SD card does not show up. I have tried closing and opening the sentinel software several times. disconnecting and connecting the usb cable, and restarting the pc several times. Nothing is allowing the sd card to be recognized. Has anyone experienced this, of have a fix?

 

[dave3825]

When you connect the scanner, are you selecting Yes, on the scanner when it asks about mass storage mode?

 

[Patrolman714]

When you connect the scanner, are you selecting Yes, on the scanner when it asks about mass storage mode?

I think that I created deep trouble. I tried to reformat the SD Card using the recommended SD Card Reformat Software. I did that and the SD Card still does not show up in Sentinel, Tried Clearing User Data. Now , turned on scanner to see if I was using the Mass Data Mode as you suggested. The scanner shows the following. (SD Card File Error. Use Sentinel "Clear User Data" operation to initialize SD Card. I am unable to do that because the SD Card is still not recognized. The Scanner screen is now locked with that message.

 

[dave3825]

Have you had the card out of the scanner at all? If it’s not seated properly it will throw that error. If the card is corrupted or damaged it will throw that same error.

 

[Patrolman714]

Have you had the card out of the scanner at all? If it’s not seated properly it will throw that error. If the card is corrupted or damaged it will throw that same error.

Yes, I've taken in out and re-seated it. I also put in in a SD card reader to reformat it. But, it still is not being recognized by Sentinel Software.

 

[RMason]

Have you connected to an older Uniden scanner on that pc? There is apparently a conflict with older Uniden drivers that can cause the sds150 to not show up as a drive. The solution appears to be to delete the old driver.

See:
unidens-official-sds150-tech-discussion: #426
unidens-official-sds150-tech-discussion: #382

 

[Patrolman714]

Have you connected to an older Uniden scanner on that pc? There is apparently a conflict with older Uniden drivers that can cause the sds150 to not show up as a drive. The solution appears to be to delete the old driver.

See:
unidens-official-sds150-tech-discussion: #426
unidens-official-sds150-tech-discussion: #382

Have never connected a Uniden Scanner to this PC. Will try to find a driver.

 

[werinshades]

I think that I created deep trouble. I tried to reformat the SD Card using the recommended SD Card Reformat Software. I did that and the SD Card still does not show up in Sentinel, Tried Clearing User Data. Now , turned on scanner to see if I was using the Mass Data Mode as you suggested. The scanner shows the following. (SD Card File Error. Use Sentinel "Clear User Data" operation to initialize SD Card. I am unable to do that because the SD Card is still not recognized. The Scanner screen is now locked with that message.

When you Clear User Data, you should see a blank box pop up on your screen. On the lower left, check the box under "Display all Drives." You'll see a highlighted line with the SD card format. From there, click Ok, which then loads the necessary programming files needed. When that's completed, then go to Scanner...Write to Scanner which sends your programmed Favorite Lists to the SD card which will go into the scanner (assuming you're using an SD Card reader or a device that you can program it on your computer). Plug it into the scanner, or unplug the cable and you should boot up. You can also update the new firmware undere Update...Update Firmware.

 

[ofd8001]

It does not need a specific driver, I believe. Your computer will see the scanner as a USB device. If you can easily remove the SD and use a separate card reader, it goes faster, but the scanner connection works too.

Clearing the User Data after formatting an SD card will create necessary files on the SD card. That is so "stuff" can be written to the SD Card and will be usable by the scanner.

Not to worry, you are making new user mistakes that many of us have made. Anticipate more, unfortunately, but know a scanner never was broken by bad programming. Its just frustrating, that's all.

 

[Brales60]

Didn't one of the vendors mention something about a small batch of bad SD cards just recently?

 

[redwards69]

Had HP2 for 10 years but wanted something little easier to use in vehicle so I purchased a 150.
I'd say I'm familiar with the sentinel software but not an expert. I can listen to my home county for the most part, except when the volunteer fire departmen(s) are getting paged I don't hear the tone from the law center but i can hear the talking.
Issue #2 there is an adjacent county I like to listen to. If I put that county in a favorite all by itself I don't hear nothing. If I lump that adjacent county in with my home county then I pick it up fine, and this is completely confusing me on why? Not sure if I'm missing some kind of setting or what? I know that the 150 is probably over kill for what I'm going to be using it for, I've watched multiple videos on how to program own favorite lists so one can listen to certain things instead of using the main data base and putting in zip code and getting everyhting under sun.
I'm basically appending everything that pertains to that specific county into a favorite list. Sorry I rambled on, just frustrated and din't seem like I had these issue with the HP2.
Thanks
Robert

 

[hiegtx]

Had HP2 for 10 years but wanted something little easier to use in vehicle so I purchased a 150.
I'd say I'm familiar with the sentinel software but not an expert. I can listen to my home county for the most part, except when the volunteer fire departmen(s) are getting paged I don't hear the tone from the law center but i can hear the talking.
Issue #2 there is an adjacent county I like to listen to. If I put that county in a favorite all by itself I don't hear nothing. If I lump that adjacent county in with my home county then I pick it up fine, and this is completely confusing me on why? Not sure if I'm missing some kind of setting or what? I know that the 150 is probably over kill for what I'm going to be using it for, I've watched multiple videos on how to program own favorite lists so one can listen to certain things instead of using the main data base and putting in zip code and getting everyhting under sun.
I'm basically appending everything that pertains to that specific county into a favorite list. Sorry I rambled on, just frustrated and din't seem like I had these issue with the HP2.
Thanks
Robert

If you have a good, working, Favorites list for your HP-2, you can export that into an *.hpe file & import it into the Sentinel version for the SDS150 (which, of course, is the same version of Sentinel used for the x36HP series, as well as the SDS100 & SDS200. Of course, there are a lot more settings customization available for the x36HP & SDS series scanners, but the basic Favorites system format (systems, sites, & departments) is the same.

 

[dmfalk]

Just remember that the HomePatrol version of Sentinel is different and separate from the SDS/x36HP version of Sentinel, but both can coexist on the same computer just fine. And yes, an .hpe from one is compatible with the other. (I have both an HP-2 and an SDS100, so I'm used to this, and have all my analogue & P25 favourites lists on both.)

Check to see if all service types for the respective lists are turned on. Also check to make sure "download" & "monitor" are selected.

 

[redwards69]

Download and monitor showing on in the sentinel. The HP-2 doing the same, can't listen to adjacent county by itself, only works when lumped in with my home county. All I want to do is monitor police and fire/ems. Sorry for the lousy pic. What I have checked should be suffice I'm assuming. Is there any way by updating the master list could of caused this? That was one of the last things I done to the HP-2 in the last week. I do appreciate everyone's help and thanks

 

[hiegtx]

Download and monitor showing on in the sentinel. The HP-2 doing the same, can't listen to adjacent county by itself, only works when lumped in with my home county. All I want to do is monitor police and fire/ems. Sorry for the lousy pic. What I have checked should be suffice I'm assuming. Is there any way by updating the master list could of caused this? That was one of the last things I done to the HP-2 in the last week. I do appreciate everyone's help and thanks

That's only showing the service types you have active, not the programming in your Favorites list

This tells you how to export your Favorites list into an *.hpe file. (It's the same process you probably used to export your HP-2 file to import into Sentinel to use in your 150.) Once you export it, you'll need to compress the file so that it can be posted. If you use Windows Explorer (called File Explorer on some versions of Windows) to locate the file on your drive, you can <right><click> on the file to compress it into a zip file. You can then attached the zipped file to a post here in the forums. That way, one of us can take a look and see what might need to be modified or added to make it work. When you post the file, be sure to confirm the name of the system that is giving you problems.

 

[redwards69]

I have two systems in the folder, The Jackson system I don't have issues with, the Clinton system is the one that will scan but never pick anything up unless I put it in with the Jackson then it picks up traffic. Hope this helps. I don't expect anyone to waste a whole lot of time on this.

Thanks

 

[dmfalk]

My first thought is the site for Clinton isn't enabled, but the site for Jackson is. Anyone confirm that? (Both may be on the same site, which is why you hear both.)

 

[redwards69]

Sorry I didn't attach these earlier, been on vacation this week dealing with a plumbing issue and this scanner at the same time and forgot I took these pics. This is how the Clinton is working when I have it in with the Jackson all in one favorite. Not sure if helps or makes it worse.
Thanks