SDS100 VS SDS200

[Lowfront]

Looking at purchasing the SDS100 because I always prefer portables.

I started to wonder if there are reasons to go with the SDS200 instead. These 2 units generally have the same features right? I noticed the SDS100 has a dedicated battery pack so that is a buzzkill compared to AA batteries I'm used to. I will be required to purchase an extra battery and charger.

I'm not totally against home unit because I generally only listen in the home but if the sound quality is good on the SDS100 and they generally same features I'd do mobile.

Also any suggestions for antennas? All my antennas are BNC I wouldn't want an ugly adapter on it.

The recording feature only records audio right? not dead air? Does it organize by playback by talkgroup? is there advanced features to only record certain frequencies and talk groups? Is it easy to quickly review an entire night? Quick fast forward to next audio file when you want to skip current clip?

 

[buddrousa]

You will get about 8 hours out of the battery. It will charge while it is on and plugged up to a high power usb port.
The scanner alone draws over 800 mil without charging. A second battery and drop in charger will run about $70

 

[hiegtx]

Looking at purchasing the SDS100 because I always prefer portables.

I started to wonder if there are reasons to go with the SDS200 instead. These 2 units generally have the same features right? I noticed the SDS100 has a dedicated battery pack so that is a buzzkill compared to AA batteries I'm used to. I will be required to purchase an extra battery and charger.

I'm not totally against home unit because I generally only listen in the home but if the sound quality is good on the SDS100 and they generally same features I'd do mobile.

Sound quality on the SDS200 would be better than on the SDS100. Some people have complained about a "tinny" sound on the SDS100, but that's largely because of the speaker's small size. The SDS100 is perfectly understandable as far as I'm concerned, and I have no issue with it. As budd's already noted, the scanner will both scan and charge at the same time if you use a power supply with enough output.

Other than that the SDS200 can be connected to your PC or network with an Ethernet cable instead of a USB to the PC, the features and capabilities of the two models are the same.

Also any suggestions for antennas? All my antennas are BNC I wouldn't want an ugly adapter on it.

Due to the water resistant case, the SMA to BNC adapter included with the SDS100 is slim and unobtrusive. At home, I use an SMA antenna, made for the SDS100 (with an o-ring for the water-resistance capability). It's the Remtronix 800MHz antenna. A standard SMA antenna will not mount correctly. When taking the scanner with me when mobile, I use the included SMA adapter, so that I can use a variety of antennas.

The recording feature only records audio right? not dead air? Does it organize by playback by talkgroup? is there advanced features to only record certain frequencies and talk groups? Is it easy to quickly review an entire night? Quick fast forward to next audio file when you want to skip current clip?

Recording is much like your HP-1. It only records when there is a signal being received. However, on the scanner itself, recordings are sorted only by time received, not by talkgroup or conventional frequency. To get them sorted by TGID or frequency, you would need to import into your PC and sort there. On the scanner itself, you do not have the ability to pick and choose specific talkgroups (or frequencies). Either record all, or none. However, if you purchase ProScan, and have the scanner connected to a PC, then you can specify what to record, and what not to.

 

[Lowfront]

Recording is much like your HP-1. It only records when there is a signal being received. However, on the scanner itself, recordings are sorted only by time received, not by talkgroup or conventional frequency. To get them sorted by TGID or frequency, you would need to import into your PC and sort there. On the scanner itself, you do not have the ability to pick and choose specific talkgroups (or frequencies). Either record all, or none. However, if you purchase ProScan, and have the scanner connected to a PC, then you can specify what to record, and what not to.

Does it break it down into small files? Allowing for easy skipping to next audio clip? I don't want a single audio file basically. I like to be able to skip to the next audio clip. I could work with the limitation of not being able to see talk group on the radio itself. Good to know I can import to PC to see that info.

Also is this radio still worth it if I have no desire to use the audio recording ability? I could downgrade radio and just plan on using ProScan.

Thank you!

 

[Kaleier1]

Each transmission is its own file and 100 files fit in a folder before a new folder is created. A member of the forums created a great wave file player that allows you to import the recordings and lets you to sort and filter by different criteria. It is free but you can donate. It beats having to navigate and press multiple buttons on the keypad of the scanner to listen to the recordings.

As far as recording only certain frequencies and talk groups, that would depend on how you have your scanner and avoids set up. Whatever you would hear by listening to the scanner is what it will record.

 

[djeplett]

Check out Deim's fine work on a recorded audio player and organizer. I record nightly with my SDS200 and then listen to the recordings the next morning and it does everything you're asking for.

Uniden wav files player and organizer

Hello everybody!!! First of all. This is not official Uniden software, but created to work with uniden 436/536HP SDS100/200 scanners wav files. My software can help you to: Search wav files by different criteria(file name, scan mode, frequency, favotite name, system name, department name...

forums.radioreference.com

 

[hiegtx]

Does it break it down into small files? Allowing for easy skipping to next audio clip? I don't want a single audio file basically. I like to be able to skip to the next audio clip. I could work with the limitation of not being able to see talk group on the radio itself. Good to know I can import to PC to see that info.

Also is this radio still worth it if I have no desire to use the audio recording ability? I could downgrade radio and just plan on using ProScan.

Thank you!

Each conversation is recorded as a separate file. If you have an ongoing conversation, between two or more users and/or a dispatcher, it will be one file until there is a break in the conversation longer than the delay setting. If the first conversation ends, and the scanner picks up a different exchange of responses, then the second conversation would be a separate file from the first.

The SDS series scanners are "worth it" if you have a simulcast system you are trying to monitor. With the filters that have been added, you may also be able to improve your reception of a specific system or conventional frequency. But, as far as recording goes, there is nothing additional added by the SDS series, when recording radio traffic, that is not in the x36HP series.

 

[Ubbe]

Some people have complained about a "tinny" sound on the SDS100, but that's largely because of the speaker's small size.

Uniden made a firmware change to both x36 and SDS100, the SDS200 wasn't released at that time, that made the sound much more brighter, less bass and more treble, as the sound quality was too muffled and muddy from the digital decode.

The human ear doesn't hear bass tones as good as other frequencies, that's why you need a subbas at 200W but sidespeakers at only 25W for a stereo system to make the sound balanced. When Uniden had too much bass in the audio the amplifier and speaker got overloaded very easily and you couldn't get enough sound preassure from it in a noisy enviroment, like in a car. There where a lot of complaints about low volume from the SDS100. After the equalizing of the sound you can get a much higher audio volume without distorsion but it also has no bass.

The equalizing setting for bass and treble and high pass filter frequency to attenuate subtones are there in service mode, one setup for analog and one for the digital mode. I only wish that Uniden would make them user accesable as some users would like to set the sound characteristics differently, not to mention the level of the AGC.

/Ubbe

 

[MisterLongwire]

If the proprietary batts turn you off and if simulcast aint a problem Bearcat Whse still has a few 436's they will sell you. Regular AA's or rechargeables. With a 436 its a win-win....was/is for me