SDS100 your likes / dislikes

[troymail]

Understand - but best to not take these things personally and/or even respond in some cases - things here would be much better overall...

If we can help - help. Otherwise, allow everyone to voice their opinion - good or bad. After all, that is the subject of this thread....

 

[maus92]

I really want to like my SDS100, but have found a lot issues since using it for a Month now. My 436 outperforms it in almost every way. Reception is just bad. Either missing transmissions or over modulated P25 Phase 1. The internal Speaker is terrible. Just tinny sounding. I have to use earbuds connected to the SDS100 to understand what is being received clearly. The Radio just gets Hot. Which is probably why the battery life stinks. I’m sure even with the larger battery coming, it still won’t match the 436. And it takes a really long time to recharge. The display is hard to read on bright days outside. No matter the Display Settings, just is unreadable. Other than that it’s a great radio.

I’m having basically the opposite experince. On the systems I monitor, the SDS100 outperforms the 436 in every way. I agree the speaker stinks, but the warm battery is not an issue - that’s inherent in the chemistry of the battery and normal.

I am curious about the specific systems that are causing issues for you. IDing those would help others better evaluate their purchasing decisions, and perhsps others will relate their experiences monitoring those same systems.

 

[325xia]

I looked back on your previous threads (Well not just you back many constant complainers). From Day 1, you haven't liked the speaker (Working great for me, not using ear buds just old fashioned ears). Missing transmissions or over-modulated Phase 1 Transmissions (Must be ear bud related because I'm running a Phase 1 system and have missed really short replies so reverted back to original firmware, until a fix is found but working great otherwise). Radio getting hot (Yes, it get's warm but not hot. What kind of charger are you using?). You have seemed to be dissatisfied from the beginning, but instead of returning it, you kept it. My display is white background and black text and Simple Trunk mode. When I'm outside I wear sunglasses and can see it perfectly. Unless you have a problem with your eyesight...well I'll leave it here.

You mention transmissions dropping out. Their have been 3 firmware upgrades that have addressed issues. Did you submit any debug files or learn how to set that up? I didn't either but I have learned, sent them through and some issues have been addressed as a direct result. You should try this route instead of complaining about a product you're unhappy with and didn't return it within the return window. Their are many out here who have loved to try it out, who are in a simulcast hell (That's me), and have been satisfied with our choices.

I think their must be over 100 threads on this scanner...it works and works very well. Many of us, including myself, are working with UPMan to tweak this product by submitting debug files instead of the constant whining and complaining about "I don't like this/this doesn't work/I can't hear". Is it possible you damaged the scanner trying out one of your off-market non-approved antennas and cracked the housing? Is it possible you downloaded from the database and the NAC codes/frequencies were not correct? Seeing more of that lately, but it's difficult to follow all the threads.

It appears you have an offer...sell the damn thing and save us all the *****in!

This thread is about Likes and Dislikes. Move on if your looking for only Likes

 

[werinshades]

This thread is about Likes and Dislikes. Move on if your looking for only Likes

But how many times are you going to post about some thing you can't change and in how many different threads? (Speaker is tinny). Speaker sounds very good compared to 436, and I compare it to the sound of a 396XT. Why didn't you return it if you're so unhappy? Or even better, their was an offer made...contact that person...sell it! Check to make sure NAC codes were correct for systems you're having issues with? Download new firmware? Did you submit debug files? Did you damage the antenna connection and now you can't return it instead you keep beating the dead horse?

So here's my response again...this scanner works better than anyone I've ever owned! Simulcast was problematic on every previous handheld scanner I've ever owned (including the 436, which already has been sold). It is a very sensitive scanner, and if it wasn't we'd be complaining about that.

So here's my suggestion...send a debug file. UPMan has a place to send it. Then...wait for a response. This of course is about the system you're having issues with.

Tinny speaker...? If you can't understand what they're saying then it's way beyond the scanner. Each department is different, speak different languages...that's not a scanner issue, it's a user issue. Do something productive, instead of complaining on many different threads about the same things.

 

[03msc]

Firmware update this afternoon might help some users. The update must be side loaded and not updated through Sentinel:

https://forums.radioreference.com/u...100-firmware-1-03-03m-1-01-05s-open-beta.html

 

[Ubbe]

The SDS100 seems to be more location critical than any other scanner. Some say it's the best thing since sliced bread and other feels it's junk. Let us hear from both sides of what their own experiences are and please try to not force your own opinion on others and imply that they have it all wrong.

/Ubbe

 

[TGP]

Mine is hands down better than any other radio I have on the simulcast system.
In fact I just ordered another.
As with any digital radio/system ant/radio location is critical.
Movement in any direction will make or break the quality of reception.
Can't help with analog systems.
None here to monitor.
Tom

 

[werinshades]

The SDS100 seems to be more location critical than any other scanner. Some say it's the best thing since sliced bread and other feels it's junk. Let us hear from both sides of what their own experiences are and please try to not force your own opinion on others and imply that they have it all wrong.

/Ubbe

How's yours working?

 

[ScannerSK]

The Radio just gets Hot. Which is probably why the battery life stinks.

... the warm battery is not an issue - that’s inherent in the chemistry of the battery and normal.

I have noticed the top of the radio gets warm (almost hot) on the back side (near where the belt clip mounts). I have never noticed the battery getting warm only the radio itself.

Has anyone opened the radio yet to see what is getting so hot inside the radio? This occurs even when the scanner is running on only the internal battery and the display is turned off. I wonder if this is a defect or if the processor just runs hot??

Shawn

 

[maus92]

I have noticed the top of the radio gets warm (almost hot) on the back side (near where the belt clip mounts). I have never noticed the battery getting warm only the radio itself.

Has anyone opened the radio yet to see what is getting so hot inside the radio? This occurs even when the scanner is running on only the internal battery and the display is turned off. I wonder if this is a defect or if the processor just runs hot??

Shawn

The SDR receiver circuitry gets hot. My Nooelec and RTLSDR SDR dongles I use for Unitrunker get hot to sizzling since their cases are thermally coupled, and function as heat sinks. It's the nature of the beast since the SDRs consume a lot of power (hence the big lithium battery that still gets drained in a few hours.)

 

[ScannerSK]

The SDR receiver circuitry gets hot. My Nooelec and RTLSDR SDR dongles I use for Unitrunker get hot to sizzling since their cases are thermally coupled, and function as heat sinks. It's the nature of the beast since the SDRs consume a lot of power (hence the big lithium battery that still gets drained in a few hours.)

Interesting, so most likely it's just the CPU current draw that's creating the heat which cannot be helped. I was just curious as I never recall the BCD436HP getting so warm to the touch. Possibly it has something to do with the True I/Q™ Receiver incorporated within the SDS100 which "captures the complete signal waveform in 3 dimensions, allowing for improved digital error correction and signal recovery"?

Someday I'm fairly certain I will have the SDS100 open for some reason and will be sure to take a look around the area getting hot to see where the source of the heat is located. It could just be a resistor or voltage regulator IC. If for some reason unnecessary heat is being generated this would certainly shorten the battery life unnecessarily. There is always a chance of a design flaw, howbeit unlikely, however worth a quick investigation at some point down the road.

Shawn

 

[jonwienke]

The additional power consumption and heat is from the SDR tuner chip (which by itself draws as much power as the entire 436!) the high-speed ADC (analog to digital converter), and the multiple CPUs needed to process the data. It's not one particular component drawing more power erroneously, it's the entire design being being more power-hungry.

 

[sanyoman]

SDS100 Like and dislikes

Dislikes:

Gets too hot
Charging while on will shut off due to heat
Short battery life
Front end still not as selective as the Unication G5
Display washes out in the sun
No AA battery option 3hrs then put the radio on a shelf
Need a drop in battery charger for an extra battery

Likes:

Great decoding
Ergonomics are good
Sharp display (not in the sun)
Diagnostics screen with details is excellent
Mechanical design is awesome

 

[jonwienke]

The SDS100 draws about 4x as much power as the 436 (750-800mA vs 180-200mA), so AA batteries wouldn't last very long. The included battery may not last as long as desired, but AAs would be even worse, 1-2 hours max.

 

[03msc]

The battery issue has been talked about. A lot. Uniden isn't happy with the original and is providing an extended one...there should be paperwork indicating that in the box with the scanner when purchased.

I would think seeing that paper would cause people to stop complaining so much about the battery life since Uniden has already said they are addressing it...

 

[mule1075]

I would think seeing that paper would cause people to stop complaining so much about the battery life since Uniden has already said they are addressing it...

One would think.

 

[maus92]

Dislikes:

Gets too hot
Charging while on will shut off due to heat
Short battery life
Front end still not as selective as the Unication G5
Display washes out in the sun
No AA battery option 3hrs then put the radio on a shelf
Need a drop in battery charger for an extra battery

Likes:

Great decoding
Ergonomics are good
Sharp display (not in the sun)
Diagnostics screen with details is excellent
Mechanical design is awesome

Concur about the display - color display unusable in my car even in indirect sunlight. The 8.4" UConnect infotainment display directly adjacent to it OTOH is eminently readable even in direct sunlight. Consumer electronics manufacturers often discount / omit sunlight readable displays (usually for cost reasons) - which is a mind-boggling design tradeoff for a mobile device which is likely to be used outdoors.

Do not concur about "Gets too hot" and "charging while on will shut off due to heat." The radio needs to dissipate heat, thus its case will get warm to touch. Totally normal. My radio is always charging, and has never shut down due to heat even when inside a hot car. The charging process will occasionally trip off when the USB interface tries to communicate with unsupported protocols when plugged into the car at startup...

 

[troymail]

The radio needs to dissipate heat, thus its case will get warm to touch. Totally normal.

Have to disagree - not totally normal... I was just thinking about this and then sat down and read this set of posts ... Users used to worry about charging batteries inside a radio due to heat and overcharging...

Other than when charging batteries on older radios, I've never seen this much heat come from a radio like this. I suspect some of it is from the "water resistant" feature with no ventilation but I have other radios that have the same water resistant "feature" and I get no heat at all from those.

My wife hates (but has learn to live with) my radios.... Out of curiosity, I handed her the radio a few days ago and the first thing she said (unprompted) was "this is hot".

 

[maus92]

Have to disagree - not totally normal... I was just thinking about this and then sat down and read this set of posts ... Users used to worry about charging batteries inside a radio due to heat and overcharging...

Other than when charging batteries on older radios, I've never seen this much heat come from a radio like this. I suspect some of it is from the "water resistant" feature with no ventilation but I have other radios that have the same water resistant "feature" and I get no heat at all from those.

My wife hates (but has learn to live with) my radios.... Out of curiosity, I handed her the radio a few days ago and the first thing she said (unprompted) was "this is hot".

We'll have to disagree then. But physics and heat transfer are constants that don't change. The power required to operate the radio will determine the amount of heat that needs to be shed. You *could* design a larger enclosure (and/or make it with a more thermally conductive material) with more surface area to dissipate heat faster, and the structure would *feel* cooler to the touch. Still has to get rid of the same amount of heat. These are simply design / cost tradeoffs, not a defect. Take a SDR dongle: a ~ 1x1x2" aluminum rectangle - that gets *very* hot in comparison to a SDS100 radio sized. They require approximately the same amount of power to operate, but the surface of the dongle gets much hotter.

 

[troymail]

We'll have to disagree then.

You did earlier - not necessary to repeat it

...but since you did - are you really comparing a $20 dongle to a $700 radio?