1. Do you have to use the full database or can you download just the sites and information you want (as I do now)? (Loading the whole database seems way too inefficient to me, loading states and systems I will NEVER use.)
You could use the full database if you were traveling in an area unfamiliar to you, and were also using a GPS. When used properly, with location control active, the GPS will have the scanner monitor only those systems, sites, & departments in the range that you selected, and whose channels matched the service types you have active.
If you created a list by appending a system from the main database to a Favorites list, Sentinel will append
all the sites in the system, though you can carefully select only the departments that you want. You can either delete the sites out of range (and/or not of interest), manually set the unwanted sites to "Avoid" (locked out), or let location control only select those in range. I prefer to delete the ones I don't want, but some users prefer to leave them in the favorites list, and let location control select only those in range. Their preference for that, versus deletion, is that maybe at some point you might travel to those other areas and would want (or need) those currently 'out of range' sites. (I prefer deletion. I can always quickly add back 'out of area' sites that I might need access to while traveling.)
If using software, such as
ProScan or ARC536, you can import
only those systems, sites, & departments that you specifically want. You, of course, can also manually create a system using either software, including Sentinel, or directly on the scanner via the keypad. Note that ProScan can also import the files from your 996P2 and use them to create Favorites lists. I prefer ProScan, both because of it's features, but also it covers many other Uniden scanner models, including a number that were discontinued years (even decades) ago. ProScan can handle both your 996P2 as well as the SDS and x36HP scanners. ARC536 is limited to only the SDS & x36HP scanners. It uses a different program for the 996P2 and 325P@, plus the 396XT & 996XT. ProScan, @ $50 license fee, covers all these scanners (and more), and includes virtual control, logging, & other features. ARC536 is about $40 for the Basic version, which does programming. If you want virtual control & some of the other features, you have to pony up about $70 for the "Pro" version. Sentinel is required to update the master database in the software as well as on the SD card in your scanner. While firmware updates have been few & far between after the unfortunate passing of UPMan (Uniden's product manager), any firmware update, if & when issued, is processed via Sentinel.
2. Can you customize all the names and information (as I do now, sometimes the tags on RR are just a bunch of letters and/or not a very efficient descriptive)?
You can customize the name of a system to whatever you want. I generally shorten the sometimes long 'official' name from the database to something more compact & familiar to me.
I know about the 200's "Favorites" thing but just how many different lists can you have? I set things up county by county within each state I do monitor as I travel, so use a LOT of lists. The 996 allows up to 99, does the 200 also?
Your only limitations on Favorites lists is that the size of a list cannot exceed one megabyte in size, which leaves you a lot of room to include whatever you want. Create as many as you like.
Your other 'limitation', if you want to call it that, is that you have 100 quick key numbers to choose from, for your Favorites. You cannot assign the same quick key to more than one system. However, a quick key is not required for programming; it's only a convenient shortcut for you to use in selecting specific systems, and turning them on or off more quickly.
As
jt & others have noted, the SDS series scanners do handle simulcast well. In my metro area (DFW), all of the larger trunked systems in service use simulcast sites, The SDS scanners have no problem with them.
